What is Clipboard History on Windows?

Clipboard history is simply a set of data that you copied recently. This way you can reuse or paste data in another place. By default most computer users store only one element at a time in their clipboard history. 

It’s also possible to have multiple clipboard items stored in your clipboard history, but for that, you need to have a clipboard manager tool installed on your computer (ClipClip is a clipboard manager tool!). 

What can be stored in your Windows Clipboard History?

Clipboard history can store text, HTML, hyperlinks and images. These items stored in your clipboard history, sometimes are called clips or clipboard items. If you are using Windows 10, you can turn on clipboard history and store the last 25 copies of your clipboard that don’t exceed 4MB in size. If you turned on Clipboard history on your Windows computer, you can access them by pressing WinKey + V. 

If you decide to use a clipboard management tool like ClipClip, you are not limited and can store an almost infinite amount of clipboard items in your clipboard history. The best part about using a clipboard manager is that not only you can reuse anything you copied in the past, you can also edit and store your clipboard items (clips) in folders. 

This opens infinite possibilities when it comes to reusing any type of clipboard information that you have copied in the past. Before we learn more about it, let’s be sure that you know all the most important terms and words when using clipboard history. 

Important Clipboard terms:

QUOTE: “Clip item: Any text, image, HTML or other sorts of copyable item that can be stored in your clipboard.

Clipboard: Your computer memory of items you copied, so you can use them again by pasting them in any place of your choice.”

Copy: To make an “imaginary” copy of any type of information so it can be reused later.

Paste: To place a copy of the information you copied earlier in a specific place. 

How to copy and paste on windows?

There are two main ways of copying data on a windows computer – using your mouse and using your keyboard.

Copy and paste using mouse

Select information you want to copy with your mouse cursor by clicking and dragging over it, then right-click your mouse and press copy. Now locate the place where you want that information to appear, right-click your mouse and press paste.

Copy and paste using keyboard

Select information (most likely text or HTML) you want to copy and press CTRL+C, then go to the place where you want that information to appear and press CTRL+V. 

How to find my Clipboard?

If you are using Windows 10 you can find your last 25 item clipboard history by clicking WinKey + V on your keyboard. This will open a dialog box that will show your last copied items that include text, HTML code, pictures and other types of information. 

You can use any of those items, by simply clicking on them. If you click on any item box on your clipboard history – the information will be immediately posted in the place where your cursor is. 

This means the blinking cursor, not the actual mouse pointer, so simply click your mouse where you want to paste something, then open the clipboard history and choose the clipboard item. 

How to enable windows clipboard features?

Go to Start >Settings (press on the “Gear” icon or type in Settings in the start search bar). This will open up the settings menu. To do it, even easier – simply press WinKey + i to get there immediately. 

Press System and then press Clipboard. Or simply write the word Clipboard in the “Find a setting” search bar. 

Where it says Clipboard History, just press the button and make sure the setting is on. 

Now if you press WinKey + v, a clipboard history menu will appear.

What gets stored in your Clipboard history?

Everything you copy. This means if you copy passwords, bank details or addresses – they stay in your clipboard history up until they are replaced with other information. 

Nobody recommends copying passwords or other sensitive information into your clipboard due to security reasons. 

But you can always download a clipboard manager tool like ClipClip, which will make your clipboard more secure, will allow you to store thousands of elements and organize them into folders so they can be conveniently reused later. 

How to delete my clipboard history?

Go to your clipboard settings by pressing WinKey+i, then pressing on the system and then clipboard. Press the button Clear that is the last button on the list. This will permanently clear your clipboard (except pinned items). 

If you want to delete pinned items from your clipboard history – simply unpin them in the clipboard history menu and clear your clipboard data again.

Online Clipboard History

Can you share your clipboard over multiple devices? Yes. Windows allows you to sync data across your devices. Visit Clipboard settings and press on get started if you want to learn more. 

Clipboard history cloud synchronization

What if you want to share your clipboard with your colleagues or friends? Then you definitely need a clipboard manager tool like ClipClip. ClipClip allows you to store and organize thousands of clipboard items at once, this means you can also store them in Google Drive or any other cloud storage service. 

Windows synchronization between your computers

You will need your Microsoft account active on other computers or devices, but if you authorize Windows to do so… Windows will automatically add a new function to your Clipboard Settings. Sync across devices can be turned on or off, you can also turn automatic synchronization on if you choose to do so.

Storing your clipboard in Google Drive

If you want to store your clipboard items on google drive, you will need to install a much more powerful clipboard history tool than the stock option Windows provide you with. ClipClip comes to mind if you are looking to change the way you work and use the computer forever. 

Because ClipClip allows you to store your clips (clipboard items) in any folder on your computer, this also means that you can store them in google drive folders if you download the google drive app for your computer. 

Clipboard history shortcuts

We split clipboard shortcuts into two main categories – one is when you are using windows stock clipboard history and manager. The other is when you need much more functionality and you are using ClipClip clipboard history manager.

Windows 10 copy & paste clipboard shortcuts

ClipClip Clipboard Manager Hotkeys

ClipClip Clipboard Manager Shortcuts

People also ask:

How do I access old clipboard items?

Windows only stores only the last 25 items you copied, if you want to access more than 25 items and store them forever – you have to download a clipboard manager like ClipClip. 

Where are clipboard images stored?

Clipboard images (and other items) are stored on your computer’s RAM memory. If you want to store clipboard images or other clip items on your hard drive, download a ClipBoard manager like ClipClip.