How to Clear the Clipboard on a Mac (and Clipboard History)

You copied a password, a card number or something private, and now it's sitting on the clipboard, one ⌘ V away from ending up in the wrong chat. macOS doesn't have a "Clear Clipboard" button. Here's how to clear it anyway.

1. Copy something else (5 seconds)

The Mac clipboard holds one item. Copy anything harmless, such as a single space or a word, and the private item is gone. This is the fastest fix and works on every version of macOS.

2. Empty it completely with Terminal

1. Open Terminal (in Applications → Utilities, or search Spotlight).
2. Paste this and press Return:

   pbcopy < /dev/null

This replaces the clipboard with nothing at all. Check it in Finder with Edit → Show Clipboard: the window will be empty.

3. Clear Spotlight's clipboard history (macOS Tahoe)

Since macOS Tahoe, Spotlight keeps a history of recent copies, so clearing the current clipboard isn't the whole story:

1. Press ⌘ Space, then ⌘ 4.
2. Click More (…) next to the search field.
3. Choose Clear History.

More on how it works in Spotlight clipboard history, explained.

4. Clear your clipboard manager

If you use a clipboard manager, it keeps its own history, so clear it there too. In EasyPaste you can:

• Delete one clip: select it in the history and delete it.
• Reset the whole history: Settings → Storage → Reset History…. You can keep pinned clips or delete everything.
• Let it clear itself: old clips are removed automatically after a week, two weeks, a month (the default) or three months.
• Pause capture with one click before copying anything sensitive, so it's never saved in the first place.

EasyPaste also never saves items that password managers mark as private, or text that looks like an API key, private key or card number. So in most cases there's nothing to clear.

When should you clear the clipboard?

• After copying a password, recovery code or card number by hand.
• Before sharing your screen or handing your Mac to someone.
• When pasting keeps inserting old content you didn't expect.
• When a large image on the clipboard seems to slow down pasting.

Tip: most password managers can clear the clipboard automatically, usually 30 to 90 seconds after you copy a password. Look for "clear clipboard" in their settings.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a shortcut to clear the clipboard on Mac?

No built-in shortcut exists. The fastest method is copying something harmless. You can also run pbcopy < /dev/null in Terminal, or save that command as a Shortcuts action and give it a keyboard shortcut.

Does restarting a Mac clear the clipboard?

Yes. The clipboard lives in memory, so restarting or logging out empties it. Spotlight's clipboard history on macOS Tahoe should be cleared separately from its More menu.

How do I see what's on my clipboard before clearing it?

Open Finder and choose Edit, Show Clipboard. It shows the current item. See where the clipboard is on a Mac for more.

Does clearing the clipboard delete my clipboard manager history?

No. Clipboard managers keep their own history. Clear it in the app's settings, or delete individual clips.