How to Use Universal Clipboard On Your Mac, iPhone, iPad GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Apple 32 32 people found this article helpful
How to Use Universal Clipboard On Your Mac, iPhone & iPad
Copy and paste comes to the cloud - and all of your devices
By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 27, 2021 Tweet Share Email eichinger julien/iStock/Getty Images Plus Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Requirements Step by Step: Enable the Universal Clipboard Step by Step: Use the Universal Clipboard Extra: Tips Have you ever wanted to be able to copy text or an image on your computer and then paste it into an app on your phone? For a long time, this wasn't really possible. But thanks to Apple's Universal Clipboard feature it's not only possible, it's also easy. What Is the Mac Universal Clipboard
Universal Clipboard is a feature that Apple has built into the macOS and iOS that makes a copy and paste clipboard accessible to all of your compatible devices. Think of it this way: When you copy something on one of your Apple devices, it's actually copied to all of your Apple devices, giving each of them temporary ability to paste that item. With Universal Clipboard, you can copy and paste from a Macbook Air to an iPad, from an iPhone to an iMac, from an iPhone to an iPad, and from a Mac Pro to a Macbook (or any other combination you can come up with). Pretty cool, right? Universal Clipboard Requirements
To use Universal Clipboard, your devices must be: Macs running macOS Sierra (10.12) or newer. iOS devices running iOS 10 or newer. Signed into iCloud using the same Apple ID. Have Bluetooth enabled. Have Wi-Fi enabled and be connected to the same network. Have Handoff enabled. Be within about 30 feet (10 meters) of each other (standard Bluetooth range). How to Enable Universal Clipboard on Mac and iOS Devices
Here's what you need to do to enable all of the options and settings needed for Universal Clipboard: First, make sure your device is running the right operating system version. Learn how to upgrade your macOS in How to Perform a Clean Install of macOS. Tips for upgrading iOS are in How to Update iOS Wirelessly on the iPhone. Next, sign into iCloud with the same Apple ID on all devices. On Macs, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Sign In. On iOS devices, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Sign In. Turn on Bluetooth. On Macs, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth > Turn Bluetooth On. On iOS devices, go to Settings > Bluetooth > move the slider to on/green. Turn on Wi-Fi. On Macs, go to the Wi-Fi menu in the top right and select Turn Wi-Fi On.On iOS devices, go to Settings > Wi-Fi > move the slider to on/green. Connect all devices to the same network. Enable Handoff. On Macs, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > General > check the box next to Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices. On iOS devices, go to Settings > General > Handoff > move the slider to on/green. Place your devices within about 30 feet (10 meters) of each other. How to Use Universal Clipboard on Mac iPhone and iPad
With those requirements met, here's how to use Universal Clipboard: Copy content on a device the way you normally would. This could be a block of text, an image, or other content that can be copied. For instructions, read How to Cut, Copy, and Paste on a Mac or How to Copy and Paste on an iPhone or iPad. The copied content is saved to the clipboard on the device where you copied it. It's also automatically added to the clipboard of other, nearby devices configured using the steps in the last section. Paste the copied content on any device where it's available, in the same way you normally paste content. You can copy and paste files between Macs running macOS High Sierra (10.13) and up. Files cannot be copy and pasted to or between iOS devices. Universal Clipboard Tips
The content copied to Universal Clipboard is only available for a short time. If you copy content, but don't paste it, expect it to disappear from your clipboard after a minute or two.You overwrite content from Universal Clipboard the same way you overwrite anything on your normal clipboard. That is, if you copy something, don't paste it, and then copy something else, the only thing available to paste is the most recent item. That's true with Universal Clipboard, too. So, you might copy something on one device, and then overwrite that on a second device by copying something on the second device before pasting the first item.Universal Clipboard doesn't let you copy multiple items or see what's on the clipboard and manage it. It just extends the basic copy and paste function to all of your compatible devices. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Connect iPhone to Mac Sync Your iPhone and iPad in a Few Simple Steps How to Use the Clipboard on Android Phones Use Office Clipboard to Copy Multiple Items in Excel How to Find Saved Passwords on Mac How to Find a Wi-Fi Password on an iPhone How to Fix a Missing AirPlay Icon on iPhone and Mac How to Use Your Mac as a Bluetooth Keyboard for Apple TV How to Use Apple AirPlay With HomePod How to Access iCloud Photos From Any Apple, Windows, or Android Device How to Copy and Paste on Facebook 12 Ways to Fix it When Sidecar Isn't Working on iPad How to Change Your AirDrop Name Can You Clear the Clipboard on an iPhone? Technically, Yes. How to Reset Network Settings on Mac How to Type the Apple Logo on Your Mac, iPhone, and iPad Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies