Is there a built-in setting to enable clipboard history on macOS?

No. macOS keeps only the most recent copy and has no history setting. You enable copy-paste history by installing a clipboard manager like ClipHistory.

How do I turn on copy-paste history?

Install ClipHistory, open it once, and grant accessibility permission. From then on every copy is recorded, and Cmd+Shift+V opens your history.

Do I need to configure anything for basic history?

No. Basic clipboard history works out of the box. An API key is only needed if you want the optional AI transforms.

Where is my clipboard history stored?

Locally on your Mac. ClipHistory has no cloud and no account, so your history never leaves your machine.

How to Enable Copy-Paste History on macOS

If you've gone digging through System Settings looking for a "clipboard history" switch, you won't find one. macOS has no built-in setting to enable copy-paste history. The system clipboard keeps only your most recent copy. To get a history you can scroll back through, you add a small app — and then it's on for good.

Why There's No Toggle in System Settings

Apple's clipboard is a single slot by design. There's no preference to turn history on, no hidden Terminal command that unlocks it, and no Shortcuts action that records past copies. The only way to "enable" copy-paste history is to run an app that watches the pasteboard and stores each change locally.

Enabling History with ClipHistory

ClipHistory is that app. Once it's running, your copy-paste history is effectively enabled system-wide:

Download ClipHistory — a universal binary for Apple Silicon and Intel.
Open it once. Because it's signed and notarized by Apple, Gatekeeper launches it without warnings.
Grant accessibility permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility, so it can paste into other apps.
That's it. From now on, every Cmd+C is recorded automatically.

To use your new history, press Cmd+Shift+V anywhere. The panel opens with your recent clips; type to filter, press Enter to paste.

What "History" Includes

Once enabled, ClipHistory records your last 150 unpinned clips:

Text and code
Links and emails
Images
Rich text with formatting preserved

Anything you want to keep beyond the rolling window, you pin — pinned clips are unlimited and never expire.

Configuring It to Your Taste

A few settings worth knowing after you enable history:

Global shortcut — Cmd+Shift+V by default; you can change it if it clashes with another app.
Snippets — save reusable text (templates, signatures) for instant pasting.
Boards — group related clips per project.
AI provider — to use AI transforms (summarize, rewrite, translate, clean), add your own API key from Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, Google, or a custom endpoint. This is optional; basic history needs no key.

Privacy: Nothing Leaves Your Mac

Enabling copy-paste history doesn't mean shipping your clipboard to a server. ClipHistory keeps everything local — no cloud, no account, no sign-up. Your history lives on your machine and stays there. It runs on macOS 12 and later.

Recap

There's no macOS setting for clipboard history, but enabling it takes about a minute: install ClipHistory, grant accessibility permission, and start copying. Your copy-paste history builds automatically, and Cmd+Shift+V brings it up whenever you need an earlier copy.

Stop losing what you copy. ClipHistory keeps your last 150 clips (plus unlimited pinned ones) right under Cmd+Shift+V, with AI transforms that run on your own API key and never leave your Mac. Get ClipHistory for macOS — $19.99, one-time