MokoPaste app icon MokoPaste Guides
中

Getting started · 6 min read

How to view and search clipboard history on Mac

macOS Tahoe can recover recent copies through Spotlight. For longer retention, reusable items, images, and files, a clipboard manager can take over where the system history ends.

By the MokoPaste teamFor macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 14+

30-second answer

In macOS Tahoe, two shortcuts open clipboard history.

⌘Space⌘4

Press Command–Space to open Spotlight, then Command–4 for clipboard history. Type a keyword to filter recently copied items.

Built into macOS

Use Spotlight to view clipboard history

Starting with macOS Tahoe 26, Spotlight includes a clipboard history view. It is useful when you need to recover something copied a short time ago.

  1. Open Spotlight.Press Command + Space.
  2. Open Clipboard.Press Command + 4, or choose the Clipboard button in Spotlight.
  3. Search and select.Type a word you remember, select the item, and return to the place where you want to paste it.
If the Clipboard button is missing

Check that the Mac is running macOS Tahoe 26. Earlier macOS releases do not include the same Spotlight clipboard history interface. If Tahoe 26 is installed, open System Settings → Spotlight and make sure “Results from Clipboard” is enabled.

Retention

How long does Spotlight keep clipboard history?

Apple currently sets the default to about eight hours. It can be changed to 30 minutes or up to seven days. That makes Spotlight useful for short-term recovery, not as a long-term library.

If you only overwrite a copy occasionally, the built-in feature may be enough. If you reuse links, snippets, images, or files days later, a larger history and organization tools become useful.

Sources: Apple’s Spotlight clipboard history guide and the App Store Spotlight overview.

Choose by need

When does MokoPaste help?

If you only need to recover something copied today, try Spotlight first. Consider MokoPaste when content also needs longer search, previews and editing, organization, sequential pasting, or continuity across Macs.

Not sure whether you need a clipboard manager?

Read Why use a clipboard manager when Mac already has clipboard history? for a scenario-based comparison.

Long-term history

Keep and search history with MokoPaste

  1. Install and start monitoring.Copied text, links, images, and files enter local history.
  2. Open it with a shortcut.Press Option + Space by default to open search from any app. You can change the shortcut in Settings.
  3. Type a keyword.Search text, links, source apps, and custom names.
  4. Press Return to paste.Put the selected item back at the current cursor position.

Privacy controls

Keep sensitive content out of history

A clipboard may contain verification codes, passwords, and work material. What gets recorded matters as much as retention.

Sensitive apps ignored by defaultMokoPaste ignores Passwords and Keychain-related apps.
Add your own exclusionsChoose other apps whose copies should never enter history.
Sync is off by defaultiCloud sync is opt-in. Data is stored in Apple’s native CloudKit private database and does not pass through MokoPaste or another third-party server. Image and file contents are not uploaded.
Pause or clear at any timePause monitoring, clear history, and change capacity.

FAQ

Mac clipboard history questions

Why does Command–4 not open Clipboard?

Open Spotlight with Command–Space first, then press Command–4. The feature requires macOS Tahoe 26.

Does clipboard history survive a restart?

The system history follows macOS retention settings. MokoPaste keeps local items according to your capacity until they roll out, are cleared, or are deleted.

Does MokoPaste upload everything?

No. iCloud sync is off by default. When enabled, it syncs text, links, tags, favorites, and related state, but not image or file contents.

×