Tack+Clipboard history on Mac: where the clipboard is, and how to get your copies back
A Mac's clipboard holds one thing at a time: every ⌘C replaces the last one. Since macOS 26, Spotlight can keep a history, off by default and time-limited; before that, nothing. Here's where the clipboard is, how to see what's on it, and how to stop losing what you copied.
The short version
- See what's on the clipboard now: in Finder, Edit › Show Clipboard.
- macOS 14 and 15 have no clipboard history: only the last copied item exists.
- Since macOS 26 (Tahoe): history in Spotlight, ⌘ Space then ⌘ 4, turned on the first time you use it. It clears after 30 minutes, 8 hours or 7 days.
- For a permanent, searchable history with pinning, at the edge of the screen: Tack+ keeps up to 400 copied texts and links, plus 200 pinned, with no expiry.
Where is the clipboard on a Mac?
The clipboard isn't an app: it's an invisible spot where macOS keeps whatever you just copied. To see what's on it, open Finder and choose Edit › Show Clipboard. A small window shows the last copied item, and only that.
Shortcuts worth knowing:
- ⌘ C copy, ⌘ X cut, ⌘ V paste;
- ⌥ ⇧ ⌘ V paste without the original formatting (Paste and Match Style) in most apps;
- in Finder, ⌘ C then ⌥ ⌘ V moves a file instead of copying it.
With an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same Apple Account, Universal Clipboard carries a copy across devices: copy on the iPhone, paste on the Mac. Handoff has to be on, and both devices close by with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled.
Does the Mac keep a clipboard history?
Only since macOS 26 (Tahoe), and only if you turn it on: Spotlight can then keep a history of what you copy. It's off by default, for privacy. On macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia, the Mac keeps the last copied item and nothing else.
- Press ⌘ Space to open Spotlight, then ⌘ 4 to jump to the Clipboard category.
- The first time, macOS offers to turn the history on: accept. The switch also lives in System Settings › Spotlight.
- Pick an item to copy it again.
Two limits. Spotlight's clipboard history expires: since macOS 26.1 you choose 30 minutes, 8 hours or 7 days. And it only exists from macOS 26 on. According to Apple, it keeps the text, images, links and files you copied.
How does Tack+ keep a clipboard history?
Tack+ is a Mac app that tucks what you use all day into a thin line at the edge of the screen, top or bottom: push the cursor against the edge and a panel opens. The clipboard has its own card there, and every text or link you copy joins it.
- Every copy is kept. Text and links join the history the moment you press ⌘C, newest first. Copying something that's already there moves it back to the top instead of duplicating it.
- One click brings it back. Click an item and it's on the clipboard again, ready for ⌘ V.
- Search filters everything, ignoring case and accents.
- Pin what should stay: an address, an account number, a canned reply. Pinned items sit on top, and "Clear history" leaves them alone.
- Send it on: any item can go out through Messages without opening the app.
Tack+'s clipboard history holds up to 400 items, plus 200 pinned. It never expires on its own, and it survives a restart.
Does a clipboard history keep my passwords?
Not in Tack+: copies that a password manager marks as concealed or transient are skipped, so a password you copy from your manager never enters the history. A clipboard history sees your most personal data go by, and Tack+ treats it that way.
- Nothing leaves the Mac. Tack+'s history lives in a file on this machine (
~/Library/Application Support/Tack+/clipboard.json). It's never uploaded or synced. - It pauses when the Mac rests: in Low Power Mode or while the display sleeps, recording stops.
- You can lock it: Face Lock can veil the Clipboard page until the camera recognizes you.
macOS or Tack+: what changes?
| macOS 14 and 15 | macOS 26 and later (Spotlight) | Tack+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| History | No, one item | Yes, once turned on | Yes, from the start |
| How long | Until the next copy | 30 min, 8 h or 7 days | No time limit, 400 items |
| What it keeps | The last copy | Text, images, links, files | Text and links |
| Pinning | No | No | Yes, 200 items |
| Where | Finder, Edit menu | Spotlight, ⌘ 4 | At the edge of the screen |
| Copied passwords | Not kept (no history) | Not documented | Skipped |
What to look for before choosing a clipboard manager is in our clipboard manager guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see what's on the clipboard on a Mac?
In Finder, choose Edit › Show Clipboard. The window shows the last copied item only.
Does the Mac keep a clipboard history?
Not before macOS 26. Since macOS 26 (Tahoe), Spotlight can keep one: open it with ⌘ Space, then ⌘ 4, and turn it on the first time. On macOS 14 and 15 you need an app.
Does Tack+ keep copied images and files?
No: Tack+'s history keeps text and links. To keep files at hand, Tack+ has the Stash, where you drop files.
Is Tack+'s history synced between my Macs?
No. It stays in a file on the Mac where you copied, and goes nowhere else.
Is Tack+ free?
No. It's a subscription at $4.99 USD a month, cancel anytime, starting with a 3-day free trial in the app, no card needed. It runs on macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel.
Read next
- Clipboard manager for MacWhat a Mac clipboard manager does, five things to check (content kept, duration, storage, passwords, price), what macOS 26 includes, and Tack+'s answer.
- Color picker on MacDigital Color Meter, the macOS color panel, Tack+: three ways to pick a color anywhere on a Mac's screen and copy its hex code (#RRGGBB).
- Call transcription on MacThe built-in transcript of each call app, the plan it needs, where the audio goes, and how to transcribe any call on your Mac without sending it anywhere.
- Dictation on MacTurn on Mac dictation, change its shortcut, dictate in another language, and fix it when nothing gets typed. Plus hold-to-talk dictation with Tack+.