Switching tools · 2026
Windows Clipboard History Alternative: Beyond Win+V
Windows clipboard history is good enough for many people, and it is already on your PC. It runs out in predictable places: 25 entries, a 4 MB limit per item, a history that clears when you restart, and sync that only reaches other Windows PCs. Here are the alternatives for each of those.
Windows clipboard history at a glance
- Keeps
- 25 entries
- Per item
- 4 MB
- After restart
- Pinned only
- Syncs to
- Windows PCs
Why people look for a Windows clipboard history alternative
- Twenty-five entries is not enough, and the history clears every time you restart.
- Items over 4 MB do not make it into history.
- You want your clips on a Mac, a Linux machine, or your phone.
- Your work PC’s policy turns clipboard sync off.
Keep Windows clipboard history if
You copy a few things a day, only use Windows, and want nothing extra installed. Win+V does that, and pinned items survive a restart.
Start here
Pick by what you need from Windows clipboard history
A big, permanent history on Windows
Ditto
Free and open source, searchable, survives restarts.
History on Windows, Mac, Linux, and phone
Pasteable
Local history plus end-to-end encrypted sync, full-text and semantic search.
Macros and text cleaning
ClipboardFusion
Rules that clean up text as you copy, on Windows.
Scripting
CopyQ
Free, open source, with a command line and scripting API.
The alternatives
4 honest options
Not a ranking: they solve different problems. Each card ends with its catch, ours included.
- 01
Ditto
A deep, free history on Windows
- Price
- Free (open source, GPL-3.0)
- Runs on
- Windows
A long-standing clipboard manager with groups and search. It can send clips to other PCs running Ditto on your network.
The catch: Windows only. Network sharing is set up by hand and there is no Mac, Linux, or phone version.
Pasteable vs Ditto - 02
Pasteable
We make this oneWindows plus every other device
- 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.
- 03
ClipboardFusion
Windows users who want macros
- Price
- Free / Pro lifetime
- Runs on
- Windows
A Windows clipboard manager with text-cleaning rules and macros.
The catch: Windows only, so it does not help with a Mac, Linux machine, or phone.
Pasteable vs ClipboardFusion - 04
CopyQ
Desktop power users who script their tools
- Price
- Free (open source)
- Runs on
- Linux · Windows · macOS
A scriptable clipboard history on the desktop. It can sync a tab with a folder you keep in Dropbox or on a network share.
The catch: No phone app, so it does not move text from your phone at all. Pair it with something else for that.
Pasteable vs CopyQ
FAQ
Common questions
How many items does Windows clipboard history keep?+
Up to 25 entries, each up to 4 MB, and it clears when you restart, except items you pin.
Can I make Win+V keep its history after a restart?+
Only pinned items stay. A clipboard manager like Ditto or Pasteable stores its history on disk, so it survives restarts.
Does Windows clipboard sync work with a Mac or a phone?+
No. It syncs between Windows PCs on the same Microsoft or work account. Pasteable reaches Mac, Linux, and phones too.
Will a clipboard manager conflict with Win+V?+
No. They can run side by side. Pasteable opens with Ctrl+Shift+V, so Win+V keeps working.
Is it free?+
Win+V, Ditto, and CopyQ are free; ClipboardFusion has a free tier. 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. 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