How to see clipboard history on a Mac
By Kyle Turner, indie developer of Copycat
Published November 11, 2026 · Updated November 11, 2026
On macOS Tahoe 26, Spotlight can search your Clipboard history: press ⌘Space, then ⌘4. For a longer, searchable history that stays encrypted on your Mac, use a clipboard manager such as Copycat. It keeps your last 1,000 text clips and opens with ⌘⇧Space.
Does a Mac have clipboard history?
Spotlight can search your Clipboard history. Apple documents it in the Mac User Guide for macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 (Apple Support).
Copycat is a separate clipboard manager. It keeps your last 1,000 text clips on macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
How do I use clipboard history in Spotlight?
Apple notes that sensitive information may appear on the Clipboard (Apple Support).
- Press ⌘Space to open Spotlight (Apple Support).
- Press ⌘4, or click the Clipboard button to the right of the search field (Apple Support).
- The first time, Spotlight may ask whether to allow search results from the Clipboard. Click Allow (Apple Support).
- Enter what you're looking for in the search field (Apple Support).
- To copy an item, click the button to the right of it, or select it and press ⌘C. Then click where you want it and press ⌘V (Apple Support).
- To erase the history, click the button to the right of the search field and choose Clear History (Apple Support).
How do I keep a longer clipboard history on Mac?
Copycat needs no permissions: it copies the clip, and you press ⌘V.
- Get Copycat on the Mac App Store ($3.99 once, no subscription).
- Copy text as you normally do. Copycat keeps your last 1,000 text clips.
- Press ⌘⇧Space from any app to open your history from the menu bar.
- Type a few letters to search.
- Press Return, or ⌘1–⌘9 for one of the top nine clips, to copy it.
- Press ⌘V to paste.
Spotlight clipboard history vs Copycat
| Feature | Spotlight (macOS Tahoe 26) | Copycat |
|---|---|---|
| Open it | ⌘Space, then ⌘4 (Apple Support) | ⌘⇧Space |
| First use | May ask you to allow search results from the Clipboard (Apple Support) | Asks for no permissions |
| Search | Enter what you're looking for in the search field (Apple Support) | Type a few letters to search |
| Sensitive information | Apple notes it may appear on the Clipboard (Apple Support) | Skips password-manager and concealed copies by default |
| macOS | Covered for macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 (Apple Support) | macOS 14 Sonoma or later |
Is clipboard history private?
Apple notes that sensitive information may appear on the Clipboard (Apple Support), so where history is stored matters.
Copycat stores history only on your Mac. It runs in the App Sandbox with no network access, so it can't sync or phone home.
History is encrypted at rest with AES-GCM 256-bit encryption, and the key lives in your macOS Keychain.
Copies from password managers, and anything an app marks as concealed, are skipped by default.
Get Copycat
$3.99 once on the Mac App Store. No subscription. macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Get Copycat on the Mac App Store