Clipboard guides
Practical answers for moving text, links, and files between your devices, written to be useful even if you never install Pasteable. Each guide names the free and built-in options first, with the catch of each, ours included.
Start here
The big picture
Clipboard managers, sync, and moving text between a phone and a computer.
Best clipboard managerAn honest 2026 ranking of the tools people actually useClipboard syncHow to sync your clipboard across Mac, Windows, and LinuxUniversal clipboardApple Universal Clipboard, but beyond AppleCopy paste between devicesCopy on one device, paste on anotherWindows ↔ iPhone clipboardCopy between a Windows PC and an iPhoneAndroid ↔ Windows clipboardCopy and paste between an Android phone and a Windows PCSend text from phone to computerThe quickest route for every phone and computer pairPushbullet alternativesHonest options for text and links between phone and computer
Device guides
Between your devices
Copy on one device, paste on another: the real options for each pair.
Android → Mac clipboardWhat works when Universal Clipboard can’t see your phoneMac ↔ Windows clipboardCopy on a Mac, paste on a PC, and backLinux ↔ Android clipboardKDE Connect, GSConnect, scrcpy, and when to use whatiPhone → Linux clipboardGet text from an iPhone onto a Linux desktopWindows ↔ Windows clipboardBuilt-in Win+V sync, PowerToys, Ditto, and PasteableMac ↔ Mac clipboardUniversal Clipboard, and what to do when it does not fitLinux ↔ Windows clipboardTwo machines, a VM, or WSL: what works for eachMac ↔ Linux clipboardFrom pbcopy over SSH to a synced historyiPhone ↔ Android clipboardTwo phones, two ecosystems, one clipboard
Troubleshooting
Fix it
Step-by-step fixes for the built-in clipboard tools.
Universal Clipboard not workingFixes for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in the order to try themWindows clipboard sync not workingWin+V sync between PCs, step by stepPhone Link copy and paste not workingCross-device copy and paste between Android and WindowsKDE Connect clipboard not workingAndroid 10, iPhone, firewall ports, and VPNs
Switching tools
Alternatives
When a clipboard tool you like stops fitting, and when to keep it.
Ditto alternativesWhat to use when you need Ditto on a Mac, Linux, or phoneMaccy alternativesFor Windows, older macOS versions, or synced clipsPaste app alternativesFree, one-time, or cross-platform optionsCopyQ alternativesSimpler, built-in, or synced to your phoneKDE Connect alternativesWhen your phone and computer aren’t on one networkWin+V alternativesMore than 25 items, history that survives a restart