Let’s get you
back to it.

Start with a copy.

1. Open Clippy from your Mac’s menu bar and choose Enable Capture. Capture starts off.
2. Allow clipboard access if macOS asks. If capture is blocked, check Clippy’s clipboard permission in macOS settings and make sure capture is not paused.
3. Copy a short, non-sensitive sentence in TextEdit, then open Clippy’s history. Select the item to see its details.

An ignored application, unsupported format, or full pinned history can prevent a new item from being saved. Clippy also skips sensitive or transient clipboard content when the copying app marks it that way.

Bring a clip back.

Select an item in history and restore it to the clipboard. Switch to the app where you want to use it, then press Command-V. Clippy does not automatically type or paste into the destination.

For file references, the original files must still exist and be accessible. Follow Clippy’s relinking prompt if macOS needs you to select the file again.

Copy here. Continue over there.

Apple’s Universal Clipboard can make content copied on your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac available on this Mac. Clippy can capture supported content when macOS exposes it. It does not continuously synchronize or archive everything copied on other devices.

1. Check that your devices are compatible, nearby, signed into the same Apple Account, and have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff enabled.
2. Copy a short, non-sensitive sentence on the other device, then promptly try pasting into TextEdit on the Mac.
3. If that paste also fails, start with Apple’s Universal Clipboard guidance. If it works but Clippy does not capture it, check capture, permission and ignored-app settings.

Apple’s Universal Clipboard setup guide ↗

Proximity alone does not guarantee a transfer. Universal Clipboard availability is controlled by Apple’s system services.

A preview is an invitation.

Previews are off by default. After you enable them, selecting a supported website link in the visible history window can load a title and image. Some sites are unavailable or do not provide useful metadata; your saved link still works independently of its preview.

Enabling previews contacts the website or its metadata/image providers, which may receive the URL and your IP address. You can turn previews off again in Settings. Read the privacy policy for details.

History missing or unreadable?

If Clippy reports a storage or encryption-key problem, use the recovery choices it offers. Avoid deleting its data folder or Keychain entries while investigating: losing the encryption key can make saved history unreadable. Contact support before resetting if the history matters to you.