Troubleshooting · 2026
Phone Link Copy and Paste Not Working? What to Check
Phone Link’s copy and paste is seamless on the phones it supports, and simply absent on the ones it does not. Most failures come down to that list, a toggle, or a mobile-data setting on the phone. Here are the checks Microsoft documents, in the order worth trying.
Applies to Windows 10 and 11 with Android
Work through these checks
- 01
Is your phone on the list?
Microsoft supports cross-device copy and paste on Surface Duo, Android phones with One UI 2.1 or later (Samsung), and select HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, and Xiaomi models. iPhone is not supported, and other Android phones do not get the feature.
- 02
Turn on the toggle
In Phone Link on the PC: Settings → Features → Cross-device copy and paste (Windows 10 has no Features step). Turn on “Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC”.
- 03
Mobile data or same Wi-Fi
On the phone: Settings → Advanced features → Link to Windows → Use mobile data (on some phones, “Sync over mobile data”). If it is off, copy and paste only works when both are on the same Wi-Fi.
- 04
Close and reopen both apps
Close Phone Link on the PC and Link to Windows on the phone, then open both. If messages, photos, and notifications show up in Phone Link, the connection is working.
- 05
Copy smaller pieces
A large block of text can exceed the amount it will transfer. Copy it in smaller sections.
- 06
Not from Secure Folder
Content copied inside Samsung’s Secure Folder cannot be pasted on the PC.
- 07
Expect resized images
Only text and images transfer, and images over 1 MB are resized. Files are not part of copy and paste.
- 08
Update Edge, then restart the PC
Microsoft suggests updating Microsoft Edge if you use it, and restarting the PC as a last resort.
Still stuck? It may be a limit, not a fault
- Only listed Android phones get it; iPhone never does.
- Text and images only, with images over 1 MB resized.
- Windows only, with no history to search.
If you need more than the built-in tool
Fixing the built-in option is the right first move. If its limits are the problem, these work alongside it.
Pasteable
We make this oneAny phone, plus Mac and Linux
- Price
- Free · Pro $6/mo or $60/yr · $80 founder lifetime
- Runs on
- Mac · Windows · Linux · Android · Web (iPhone app in App Store review)
Install Pasteable on your phone and sign in with the same account. What you capture there syncs to your Mac, Windows, or Linux history, end-to-end encrypted.
The catch: Free syncs your 25 most recent clips; Pro syncs up to 10,000. On Android you save a clip from the Pasteable keyboard, widget, or share sheet, because Android does not let apps read the clipboard in the background. No notification mirroring or texting.
KDE Connect
Free and local, on any desktop
- Price
- Free (open source)
- Runs on
- Linux · Windows · macOS · Android · iOS
Install it on both devices and pair them on the same network. On Android, tap “Send clipboard” in its notification; on iPhone, tap “push clipboard”.
The catch: Both devices must be on the same network (or paired over Bluetooth). No images on the shared clipboard, no history, and on iPhone it only goes phone → computer.
Pasteable vs KDE Connect
FAQ
Common questions
Does Phone Link copy and paste work with iPhone?+
No. With an iPhone, Phone Link handles texts, calls, and notifications, not the clipboard. See our Windows and iPhone clipboard guide for what works.
My Android phone is not on the list. What can I use?+
KDE Connect on the same network, or Pasteable’s Android app anywhere: save the clip from the keyboard, widget, or share sheet, and paste on the PC with Ctrl+Shift+V.
Why does copy and paste only work at home?+
The “Use mobile data” setting for Link to Windows is off, so syncing waits until both devices are on the same Wi-Fi.
Can Phone Link copy files?+
Cross-device copy and paste covers text and images. Pasteable syncs files too: up to 1 GB on Free and 5 GB on Pro.
Is there a fix that also covers my Mac?+
Pasteable runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux with one history. Pasteable is free to start with 25 end-to-end encrypted synced clips and files up to 1 GB; Pro syncs up to 10,000 clips and files up to 5 GB for $6/month, $60/year, or a one-time Lifetime licence ($80 founder price for the first 100 buyers, then $100).
Keep reading
Related guides and comparisons
A clipboard that works on every device
Free on Mac, Windows, and Linux, with 25 end-to-end encrypted synced clips. The Android app is included; an iPhone joins through the web app today.
v3.2.25
Pasteable for Android is on Google Play. The iPhone app is in App Store review right now. Join the waitlist and we’ll email you the moment it’s live, or use the web app on your iPhone today.
On your phone? Open the web app