Device guides · 2026
Share Clipboard Between Macs
For two Macs on your own Apple Account, the answer is already built in. The trouble starts with the common exceptions: a work Mac that is managed or signed in with a different Apple Account, a Mac at the office and one at home, or a clip you copied yesterday. Here is what covers each case.
Your options
Three options for two Macs
What each one needs, and where each falls short. Our own card has a catch too.
Apple Universal Clipboard
Two Macs on one Apple Account, side by side
- Price
- Free, built in
- Runs on
- Mac · iPhone · iPad · Vision Pro
Sign in to the same Apple Account with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff on. Copy on one device and paste on the other nearby.
The catch: Apple devices only, and they have to be near each other. Nothing reaches a Windows or Linux PC.
Pasteable
We make this oneWork and personal Macs, or Macs in different places
- 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 it on each computer and sign in with the same account. Copy as usual: the clip lands in your history on the other machines, end-to-end encrypted, and Ctrl+Shift+V (⌘+Shift+V on a Mac) pastes it.
The catch: Sync needs an account and an internet connection. Free syncs your 25 most recent clips; Pro syncs up to 10,000. It shares your clipboard history, not your keyboard and mouse.
Input Leap (or Barrier)
Computers side by side on one desk
- Price
- Free (open source)
- Runs on
- Windows · macOS · Linux
Shares one keyboard and mouse across computers on your network, and the clipboard comes along: copy on one screen, move the pointer over, paste on the other.
The catch: Only while the machines are on the same network and connected. One computer acts as the server. Clipboard sharing does not work yet on Linux under Wayland, and there is no history.
With Pasteable
Between two Macs with Pasteable
- 1
Install on the first Mac
Download Pasteable for Mac (macOS 11 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel), sign in, and turn on sync.
- 2
Install on the second Mac
Download Pasteable for Mac (macOS 11 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel), sign in, and turn on sync. Use the same account on both.
- 3
Copy as usual
Text, rich text, links, images, files, and code go into your history and sync, end-to-end encrypted.
- 4
Paste on the other one
Press ⌘+Shift+V to open your history there, pick the clip, and paste.
Set up Universal Clipboard first
- 1
Same Apple Account
Sign in to the same Apple Account on both Macs.
- 2
Turn on Handoff
On each Mac: Apple menu → System Settings → General → AirDrop & Continuity (AirDrop & Handoff on older versions) → turn on “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices”.
- 3
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on
Both need Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, and the Macs need to be near each other.
- 4
Copy, then paste soon
Copied content stays available on the other Mac only briefly, or until you copy something else.
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.
Good to know
Details for Your Mac and Other Mac
A work Mac on a different Apple Account
Universal Clipboard will not bridge two Apple Accounts. Pasteable uses its own account, so a managed work Mac and a personal Mac can share a history if your company allows the app.
Screen Sharing
If you control the other Mac with the built-in Screen Sharing app, choose Edit → Use Shared Clipboard to share the clipboard during the session. Universal Clipboard pauses while you are screen sharing.
History on the second Mac
Universal Clipboard only carries the latest thing you copied. With Pasteable both Macs see the same searchable history, including on-device semantic search.
FAQ
Common questions
Does Universal Clipboard work between two Macs?+
Yes, when both are signed in to the same Apple Account, near each other, with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff on.
Can I share a clipboard between Macs on different Apple Accounts?+
Not with Universal Clipboard. Pasteable signs in with its own account, so it works across Apple Accounts, and Input Leap works on the same network with no account at all.
Why does copy and paste between my Macs stop working?+
Usually Handoff is off on one Mac, Bluetooth is off, or the Macs are too far apart. See our Universal Clipboard troubleshooting guide for each check.
Does Pasteable replace Universal Clipboard?+
It sits alongside it. Universal Clipboard is instant for Apple devices nearby; Pasteable adds a history, works at a distance, and reaches Windows and Linux too.
Is it free?+
Universal Clipboard and Input Leap are free. 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
Your clipboard, on every device
Free on Mac, Windows, and Linux, with 25 end-to-end encrypted synced clips. Your phone can join later.
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