How do I open clipboard history on Mac?

Which clipboard shortcut should I use?

Used to Win+V on Windows? On a Mac, the shortcut depends on whether you're using Spotlight's clipboard history or OmniDock.

Command-C and Command-V copy and paste. To browse earlier copies, use the history shortcut for the tool you're using.

In macOS Tahoe: Spotlight

Open Spotlight with Command-Space, then press Command-4. If prompted, enable Clipboard history. This is the Spotlight route in macOS Tahoe; older macOS versions can work differently. See Apple's clipboard history instructions.

In OmniDock: Command-Shift-C

Turn on Clipboard History in OmniDock, then use Command-Shift-C to open its list. You can change the combination in Clipboard History settings. This is OmniDock's default shortcut, not a universal macOS shortcut.

I copied something else. Can I get the previous copy back?

If it was saved in your history and hasn't been removed, open the list and search for it. Command-V pastes the current clipboard; it doesn't open your earlier copies.

New to OmniDock? Enable history first, then copy something new. Already using it? Check which shortcut opens your list. If the older item wasn't recorded, you'll need to copy it again from its original source.

Turn it on, then copy something

1. Click OD in the menu bar and open Clipboard History.
2. Turn on Enable Clipboard History. It's off by default.
3. Copy something, then press Command-Shift-C to open the history. You can change this combination under Keyboard Shortcut.
4. Search for an item, copy it from the list, and paste it where you need it.

History starts when you enable the feature. It can't recover items that weren't saved while it was running.

Try it with two snippets

Download OmniDock and enable Clipboard History using the steps above. Copy two different pieces of sample text, then press Command-Shift-C. Find the first one in the list, copy it, and paste it into a document with Command-V.

Use text you don't mind saving. History only starts after you enable it; it won't recover earlier copies.

Download OmniDock for Mac

Want to see it first? Watch the clipboard demo. If the list doesn't open, check the setup help.

How do I find an older copy, and how long is it kept?

History supports text, formatted content, links, images, and file records. Open the list to find a previous copy and inspect its contents before using it again.

Set History Limit to keep between 1 and 999 recent entries. Delete an individual entry, or choose Clear All to remove every saved entry.

Looking for an earlier sentence or link? Open the history and search for text you remember from it, then inspect the matching item before copying it. The limit counts entries, not days: it doesn't guarantee that something copied last week will still be there. Items that were never recorded or have been removed won't appear in a search.

Your history stays on this Mac

OmniDock doesn't upload your clipboard history. It skips items that their source app explicitly marks as temporary, concealed, or automatically generated, but that won't catch every sensitive item. Clear anything you don't want to keep.

Automatic paste needs Accessibility permission. Without it, you can still copy a saved item and paste it yourself with Command-V. Read the privacy policy for storage details and limits.