How to view Clipboard history on Mac

All operating systems have a clipboard. It's the place where the OS temporarily stores the data you copy/ cut. Accessing the clipboard history means seeing the data you placed in the clipboard.

Do Macs have clipboard history? Well, they do, but not really. You can view the clipboard in Mac but it can only store the last item that was copied/ cut onto it. Viewing the clipboard in this instance is essentially the same as pasting the contents somewhere directly.

Access the Mac Clipboard

If you still want to, you can view the clipboard by opening Finder on Mac, then going to the menu bar and navigating to Edit > Show clipboard. This would show you the Mac's primary clipboard, the one that is accessed with the keyboard shortcuts Cmd + C (Copy), Cmd + X (Cut) & Cmd + V (Paste).

Mac's clipboard will open which will show the last thing you copied/ cut.

Macs also have a secondary clipboard that can be accessed via Ctrl +K (Cut) & Ctrl + Y (Paste) but you cannot view its contents.

You can use this clipboard to cut and paste data without replacing what's on your main clipboard. It's basically a Kill command (kill the content that gives the impression of cutting it) and undo kill (which works as paste).

But it only works in editors, i.e., where you can cut data (you can't cut data from a website, for instance), and might not work in all apps. There's also a possibility that in some apps the kill command works but the undo does not work so you might end up with lost data. So, I wouldn't recommend you to try it with important data you cannot afford to lose.

So, what's the alternative if you want two different things on your clipboard? A clipboard that offers more than one item as history.

Use third-party Clipboard Managers

Clipboard histories can be really useful. It often happens that you copied something important but without pasting it elsewhere first, you end up copying something else. With clipboard history, it won't be a problem; you can access more than just the last item you copied onto the clipboard.

If you're already in the boat where you've ended up copying or cutting something else and are looking for a way to access the item before this on your Mac's clipboard, you're out of luck. And I know how painful that can be. But you can prepare for the future.

Third-party clipboard managers come in handy in this instance. There are many third-party apps out there that can help out. However, there's a lot at stake if you're going to use a third-party app that can access your clipboard history, especially if you ever copy passwords or banking information.

One of the best free recommendations for Mac is the Maccy app.

Maccy is an open-source and lightweight clipboard manager that's a great option for anyone who wants nothing else from the app other than the fact that it can retain their clipboard history. It supports text, hyperlinks, images, etc. and you can also add sensitive apps that you want it to ignore.

Use Maccy

1. The app is free when downloaded from the website (though you can pay any amount you wish to show your appreciation). However, if you want to install it from the Mac App Store, the app is not free and costs $9.99 (again, it's to support the development of the app, so it's up to you where you want to download the app from).
2. Once the app is downloaded, it's extremely simple to use it. Open the app once and it will be accessible from the Menu Bar of your Mac.
3. Click on the Maccy icon from the Menu Bar. You'll see the items you've copied in the menu. It's that simple.
   
   You can also use keyboard shortcuts with Maccy to select the items on the clipboard or use the search bar to find items faster.

4. Also, make sure that you set the app to start at login so you don't have to open it every time. Click on 'Preferences' from the menu.

5. Then, check the option for 'Launch at Login'.

6. There's also an option to exclude certain apps so that the data you copy from these apps is never captured by Maccy. It's a great option and you can exclude your password managers or other apps with sensitive information using it.
7. Switch to 'Ignore' from the Preferences window. Make sure you're on the Applications tab and click on the '+' icon.

8. Then, add the app you want Maccy to ignore.

Clipboard history can be a real lifesaver. Even now while writing this guide, I copied something over something else but Maccy came in for the rescue.