[Guide] How to Open & Use the Windows 10 Clipboard

[Guide] How to Open & Use the Windows 10 Clipboard

/ Shayne Sherman

Windows 10 is an operating system that offers a wide range of features and functionalities. One of the most useful features of Windows 10 is the clipboard. The clipboard is a temporary storage area allowing users to copy and paste text, images, and other data types between applications.

However, many users are unaware of accessing and using the clipboard effectively. In this article, we will show you how to open and use the clipboard in Windows 10, including some tips and tricks to make the most out of this useful tool.

Advantages of the Windows 10 Clipboard

The Windows clipboard is a simple yet powerful utility that allows you to copy and paste data between different applications easily. Here are some other advantages of using this tool:

  • Convenient: The clipboard in Windows 10 is a convenient tool that allows you to quickly copy and paste text, images, and other types of data between different applications.
  • Time-saving: Using the clipboard saves time by not repeatedly retesting the same information. This is especially useful for filling out forms or sending similar messages to multiple recipients.
  • Multi-item storage: Unlike earlier versions of Windows, Windows 10 clipboard can store multiple items at once, making it easier to switch between different types of data.

Enabling the Clipboard

Microsoft typically has the clipboard disabled on Windows 10, but you can activate it manually. Try these two methods to start enabling it:

Method 1 via Windows Settings

  1. Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard at the same time.
windows button i key

2. Once in the Settings menu, select “System” and choose “Clipboard” from the left-hand panel.

clipboard option

3. Toggle on the “Clipboard history.”

enable clipboard history

Method 2 via a Keyboard Shortcut

  1. Press the Windows key and the letter “V” simultaneously.
windows v keys

2. Toggle on “Clipboard history.”

Using the Clipboard

A. Cut and Copy Text

To cut or copy content from a document, email, or any file, select the desired item(s) and use the appropriate function. It is possible to cut or copy multiple items sequentially, including text, hyperlinks, images, and other forms of content.

B. View Clipboard

To access the Clipdiary clipboard viewer, press the Windows and V keys simultaneously. Within the viewer, you can review the clipboard history and conveniently copy items back to the clipboard or paste them into any application as required.

C. Paste From Clipboard

To paste the content into a document, open the file where you wish to paste the content. Then, press the Windows key and V key simultaneously to bring up the clipboard history. To paste an item, click on it or move the cursor to the desired location and press the “Enter” key. Finally, click outside of the clipboard to close it.

D. Manage Clipboard History

To remove an item from the clipboard history, open the viewer by pressing the Windows and V keys simultaneously and then click on the “X” button. Select the “Clear All” option in the window’s top right corner if you want to erase your entire clipboard history.

Alternatively,

  1. Open the Settings app on your device.
  2. Select System from the list of options.
  3. Click on Clipboard.
  4. Look for the “Clear clipboard data” option.
  5. Tap on the Clear button to delete all items from your clipboard.

E. Pin Clipboard Items

pin clipboard history

To preserve a specific item in your clipboard history, even when clearing the rest of the content, access the clipboard history by pressing the Windows key and V key together. Next, locate the desired item and click the pin icon to save it. To remove the pinned item, click the pin icon again to unpin it, then delete it as needed.

How To Open Clipboard On Android

On an Android phone, the copy-paste function is a one-time operation. After cutting or copying an item, you must paste it before cutting or copying another, or you will lose the text permanently. If you turn off your phone before pasting the text, it will also be lost.

This occurs because Android phones store the cut or copied text in RAM, which is the short-term memory of your device. The Clipboard feature allows you to access the copied content even if you haven’t pasted it.

How to Access Clipboard on Android

There are three ways of accessing the clipboard on Android: Swiftkey Beta, Gboard, and Clipper Clipboard Manager.

A. Swiftkey Beta

disable sticky keys 1

To enable Clipboard history on Swiftkey Beta, follow these steps:

  1. Launch the Swiftkey Beta app.
  2. Click on “Rich Input.”
  3. Navigate to “Clipboard.”
  4. Toggle on “Clipboard history.”

B. Gboard

gboard

Gboard is Google’s official keyboard app. To enable Clipboard on Gboard, you can follow these steps:

  1. Navigate the Google Play Store and search for the Gboard app.
  2. Install the app on your device.
  3. Open the Gboard app and select your preferred language.
  4. Follow the prompted configuration settings.
  5. Set Gboard as your default keyboard.
  6. Go to the Keyboard settings.
  7. Click on “Clipboard.”
  8. Toggle on “Clipboard suggestions.”

C. Clipboard Manager

clipboard manager

To get Clipper Clipboard Manager, go to Google Play Store, search for it, and tap the Install button. Once installed, launch the application to start using the clipboard manager.

Sync Clipboard History Across Your Devices

To sync your clipboard history throughout your devices, follow the steps below:

  1. Install SwiftKey Beta from Google Play Store.
  2. Open SwiftKey Beta and select Rich input.
  3. Tap on Clipboard.
  4. Toggle on “Sync clipboard history to the cloud.”
  5. Login to your Microsoft account.
  6. Open Windows 10 settings.
  7. Go to System.
  8. Select Clipboard.
  9. Turn on Clipboard history.
  10. Turn on sync across devices.

Disabling the Clipboard History in Windows 10

To disable Clipboard history in Windows 10, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Settings > System > Clipboard.
  2. Find the “Clipboard history” option and toggle the “Off” position switch.

Once you have disabled the Clipboard history, if you press Windows + V, a small window will appear indicating that Windows 10 cannot display your clipboard history because the feature has been disabled.

Conclusion: Harness the Power of the Windows 10 Clipboard for Enhanced Productivity

This guide on opening Clipboard in Windows 10 provides clear and concise instructions that make it easy for users to access and manage their clipboard history. Users can learn how to enable the clipboard history, view and manage their saved items, and even sync their clipboard across devices. It is a useful tool for optimizing their workflow on Windows 10.

Shayne Sherman
Meet the author

Shayne is an expert on all things Microsoft Windows and computer security. As a Windows user of over 30 years, he has been featured on Business Insider, Yahoo, Tech Republic, Hacker Noon, Techopedia, and many other publications. Aside from entertaining at his home theater, he enjoys spending time with his family, including his English bulldog, Fergie.