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As part of Handoff, Use Universal Clipboard lets you copy text, images, or videos from one Apple device and paste them on another, like from an iPhone to a Mac or the other way around. On Mac, it is turned on by default. And you can easily paste the files or text you copied on one Apple device to another.
Copy the text or image on one Apple device to use it. It will be copied to the universal clipboard by itself. Now, get out another Apple device and paste the content that you just copied. Universal Clipboard can only work with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Most of the time, copy-and-paste problems are caused by problems with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or iCloud sync. Here are some things you can do if Universal Copy and Paste doesn’t work between your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
What is the Universal Clipboard for Mac?
Apple has built a feature called “Universal Clipboard” into macOS and iOS that lets you copy and paste between all of your compatible devices. Think of it this way: When you copy something on one of your Apple devices, it is actually copied to all of your Apple devices, giving each of them the 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 think of). Isn’t that pretty cool?
How to Use Universal Clipboard On Your Mac, iPhone and iPad
- First, make sure your Apple device is running the right operating system version.
Macs need to run macOS Sierra (10.12) or newer.
iOS devices need to run iOS 10 or newer. - Next, sign in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all devices.
On Macs, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Apple ID > Sign In.
On iOS devices, go to Settings > your name > iCloud > Sign In. - Turn on Bluetooth.
On Macs, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth > Turn Bluetooth On.
On iOS devices, go to Settings > Bluetooth > move the slider to green. - Turn on Wi-Fi and connect all devices to the same network.
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 green. - Enable Handoff. This is a crucial step to enabling Universal Clipboard to work.
On Macs, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > General > check the box next to Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
Requirements for Universal Clipboard
- Compatibility – Every device should be compatible with Universal Clipboard; a complete list is shared below.
- Apple ID – Each device is signed into iCloud and shares the same Apple ID.
- Bluetooth – Enabled on each device.
- Wi-Fi – Enabled, and devices should be connected to the same network.
- Distance – Keep the devices at standard Bluetooth range, i.e., about 30 feet (10 meters).
- Handoff – Ensure Handoff is enabled on every device. (Scroll down for instructions.)
FAQs
If you want to copy and paste items from one computer to another, open to Settings > System > Clipboard on a second PC that is signed in with the same Microsoft account. Make sure Clipboard history and Sync across your devices are both enabled. You can then use the Win key + V shortcut to open the clipboard tool.
Open the Phone Link app on your PC, go to Settings > Features > Cross-device copy and paste, and make sure the toggle is On for Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC.
At times, all you need to do to fix Universal Clipboard issues is to just turn off/on Handoff. For the unfamiliar, Handoff allows you to start something on one device and pick it up on other devices synced with the same iCloud account. Hence, you can seamlessly switch from one device to another.