How to see clipboard history on Mac.
On macOS Tahoe or later, open Spotlight and switch to Clipboard. Earlier macOS versions need a clipboard manager to keep more than the item you most recently copied.
macOS Tahoe or later
Open clipboard history in three steps.
- 01
Open Spotlight
Press Command-Space. You can also open Spotlight from the menu bar.
- 02
Switch to Clipboard
Press Command-4, or choose the Clipboard button beside the Spotlight search field. The first time, macOS may ask you to enable clipboard history.
- 03
Find and reuse a copy
Search for an item, select it, and press Command-C. Click where you want it, then press Command-V to paste.
How to clear clipboard history
Open the Clipboard view in Spotlight, choose the More button beside the search field, then choose Clear History. Clear it before sharing your screen or Mac if copied content may be sensitive.
If Command-4 shows nothing
Confirm that your Mac runs macOS Tahoe or later. When prompted, choose Enable in Spotlight. On an earlier macOS release, the system clipboard only exposes the current item, so searchable history requires a separate app.
Spotlight is enough for recovery. NanoClip is for reuse.
Use Spotlight if
- You need something you copied recently
- You do not want another app
Use NanoClip if
- You reuse clips throughout the day
- You want snippets and sequential paste
- You want history on iPhone and iPad
Keep the things you will need again.
NanoClip keeps a searchable working history beside your snippets and paste queue. It stays local unless you turn on private iCloud sync.
Explore NanoClip
Practical guides for clipboard history, sequential paste, reusable text, device sync, pricing, and choosing the right Mac workflow.