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Windows Clipboard history lets you copy several items and choose which one to paste later: press Windows logo key + V, then select an entry. It can hold up to 25 copied entries, but unpinned history is cleared when your PC restarts. Pin entries you want to keep.

Turn on Clipboard history

On Windows 11, press Windows logo key + V. If history is off, select Turn on in the prompt. You can also enable it in Start > Settings > System > Clipboard. Microsoft’s instructions also cover Windows 10, but support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025; these steps are best treated as guidance for the versions Microsoft documents, with Windows 11 the priority for current use. Menu wording may vary by release. Microsoft Support: Using the clipboard.

Use Win+V to choose what to paste

After you have copied items, press Windows logo key + V to open history. Select an entry to paste it into the active app. Instead of replacing the clipboard each time you copy, history gives you a short list of recent items to choose from.

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Pin items you want to keep

Use the pin control on an entry to keep it available across a restart. This is useful for text or other items you reuse. Pinned entries remain when you clear clipboard data; remove a pin or delete the entry if you no longer want it retained.

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What clipboard history keeps—and what it drops

Microsoft Support says, “Your clipboard history is limited to 25 copied entries.” Microsoft’s undated guidance, verified in 2026, also documents a maximum size of 4 MB per item and support for text, HTML, and bitmap formats. The documentation does not establish that every application exposes every format in the same way.

When the history needs room for newer copies, older unpinned entries are removed automatically. Clipboard history is also cleared when the PC restarts, except for pinned entries. So it is a convenient working list, not a permanent archive.

Sync clipboard items between devices

Clipboard sync is optional. Turn it on in Start > Settings > System > Clipboard on the devices where you want to use it. Microsoft says the feature is tied to the Microsoft or work account used on each device.

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  • --Copy multiple items and keep them in queue to be used anywhere.
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Sync choice What you do Documented behavior
Automatic sync Enable automatic syncing in Clipboard settings. Copied text syncs according to the enabled setting.
Manual sync Open history with Windows logo key + V and select the sync control on the item. Microsoft says the selected text is uploaded to the cloud and synced to other devices.

Manual sync is a deliberate choice for an individual item: Microsoft describes selecting the sync button as the action that uploads that text to the cloud. The cited guidance does not specify retention periods, encryption details, or the syncing behavior of every supported content format. Microsoft Support: Using the clipboard.

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Delete an item or clear clipboard data

  • Delete one entry: Open history with Windows logo key + V and use the delete control on that item.
  • Clear history: Open the same menu and choose the clear option, or go to Start > Settings > System > Clipboard > Clear clipboard data.

Clearing clipboard data excludes pinned items. Delete a pinned entry individually if you want it removed as well.

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Free Multi Clipboard Manager
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--Copy multiple items and keep them in queue to be used anywhere.; --Auto copy OTP to paste directly without opening OTP SMS

If you can’t see clipboard history

  • Press Windows logo key + V and check whether the first-use prompt offers Turn on.
  • If history is already enabled, check Start > Settings > System > Clipboard and confirm the setting is on.
  • If an item is missing, consider whether it was unpinned and displaced by newer copies, or whether the PC restarted. Pinned items are the exception to restart clearing.

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