Universal Clipboard Not Working? How to Fix Copy and Paste Between iPhone and Mac

Universal Clipboard is one of Apple's best small features when it works: copy on your iPhone, press ⌘ V on your Mac. When it doesn't, there's no error message, just the wrong thing pasted, or nothing. Work through these checks in order; most people are fixed by step 4.

First, check the requirements

• Same Apple Account on both devices. Check on the Mac under System Settings → your name, and on the iPhone under Settings → your name.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on on both. They don't have to be on the same network, but both radios must be on.
• Handoff on on both (steps below).
• Close together: Universal Clipboard uses Bluetooth to find nearby devices.
• Recent enough software: any Mac and iPhone from the last several years supports it; update both if either is far behind.

The fixes, in order

1. Turn Handoff on (or off and on again). Mac: System Settings → General → AirDrop & Handoff → Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices. iPhone: Settings → General → AirPlay & Continuity (called AirPlay & Handoff on older iOS) → Handoff.
2. Toggle Bluetooth off and on on both devices.
3. Copy, then paste quickly. Universal Clipboard content only stays available for a short time. Copy on one device and paste on the other within a minute or so.
4. Restart both devices. This clears most stuck Continuity states, and in many reports it's the fix after an OS update.
5. Check the Apple Account again. A Mac signed in with an old or work account is the most common hidden cause.
6. Restart the Mac's pasteboard process. Open Activity Monitor, search for pboard, select it and click the Stop (×) button, then Force Quit. macOS restarts it immediately.
7. Turn off Personal Hotspot and VPNs briefly to rule out network interference with device discovery.
8. Sign out of iCloud and back in on the device that won't receive. This is slow, so do it last before contacting Apple.
9. Update both devices. Continuity bugs are regularly fixed in point releases.

When it's not Universal Clipboard at all

Sometimes Universal Clipboard worked, and then you copied something else on the Mac before pasting. The Mac's clipboard holds one item, so the iPhone copy was replaced. Spotlight's clipboard history on macOS Tahoe (⌘ Space, then ⌘ 4) may still have it; see how to get back something you copied.

Never lose what arrives from your iPhone

Anything Universal Clipboard delivers lands on your Mac's clipboard, and a clipboard manager keeps everything that lands there. With EasyPaste, the link or text you copied on your phone stays in your history even after you copy five other things on the Mac. Press ⌃ ⌘ V, find it, and paste it whenever you need it.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Universal Clipboard work one way but not the other?

Usually Handoff is off on one device, or one device is signed in to a different Apple Account. Check both settings on both devices, then restart them.

How long does Universal Clipboard keep what I copied?

Only a short time. Apple doesn't promise a duration, so paste soon after copying, or use a clipboard manager on the Mac to keep it.

Does Universal Clipboard need the same Wi-Fi network?

Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on and must be near each other. Being on the same network helps but isn't strictly required.

Can I see things I copied on my iPhone later on my Mac?

Not with Universal Clipboard alone. A Mac clipboard manager such as EasyPaste saves whatever arrives on the Mac's clipboard, so it stays searchable after you copy something else.