Mac clipboard history. Find an earlier copy.

Apple introduced Spotlight clipboard history with macOS Tahoe 26. If you only need to retrieve an earlier copy on a supported release, try this built-in option first. Earlier macOS releases need a compatible third-party history app for this workflow.

1. Open Spotlight with Command-Space.
2. Switch to Clipboard with Command-4, or choose its button beside the search field.
3. If prompted, allow clipboard access before searching.
4. Find an item, select it and use Command-C to copy it again. Paste in the destination app with Command-V.

Apple's Spotlight instructions also explain how to erase this history: open More, then Clear History. Copied sensitive information can appear there. Clearing Spotlight does not clear NotchPop's separate history; manage each tool's stored items independently.

Choose NotchPop if you prefer a notch or floating-island panel, want to pin reusable items, or use a compatible Apple Silicon Mac on macOS 14 Sonoma or macOS 15 Sequoia. The steps below describe NotchPop specifically, including its opt-in monitoring and optional paste shortcuts.

Command-C copies the selected content, and Command-V pastes the item currently on your Mac's clipboard. Apple explains the standard behavior in its copy and paste guide. A history manager retains earlier copies so you can return to one after copying something else.

NotchPop puts that history in a panel at the top of your screen. It can show preview cards for text, links, colors, images and files, with the source app when available. This is useful when moving a screenshot, a reference link and a short piece of text between apps: you can copy them first and retrieve each when you need it.

You do not need a physical notch. The same clipboard tool works in the floating island on compatible Apple Silicon Macs without a notch. NotchPop requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and every tool is included in the seven-day free trial.

1. Open NotchPop and open the notch or floating island. You can also use the app's ⌥ Space shortcut.
2. Select the Clipboard tool. If monitoring is off, the panel says Clipboard history is off.
3. Choose Enable Clipboard Monitoring. History starts from this point; it cannot recover copies made before monitoring was enabled.
4. Copy a short, non-sensitive piece of text in another app with Command-C, then return to Clipboard to check the new card.

Monitoring is off by default. You can use the music controls, file shelf and other NotchPop tools without enabling clipboard history. If you pause monitoring later, new copies stop being added until you turn it on again.

Use the search field to find captured content instead of reading every card. The type filters narrow the list to text, links, images or files. Clear the search or change the filter if an expected item does not appear: it may be hidden by the current view rather than missing from history.

A single click on a card copies that item back to the current clipboard. You can then return to your destination app and use Command-V. This is also the fallback when you prefer not to grant Accessibility permission for automatic pasting.

Keyboard navigation is available while the Clipboard panel has focus. Left and right arrows select a card, Return pastes it, and typing starts a search. Escape first clears an active search and otherwise closes the panel. These controls help you retrieve a copy without moving between a separate clipboard window and your work.

Pin a card when it contains something you want to reuse, such as a support reply, a project link or a color value. NotchPop keeps up to 50 recent unpinned items in memory. Only the items you deliberately pin are persisted for later sessions.

Treat recent history as a temporary working list, not a backup of everything you have ever copied. An unpinned item can disappear when it falls out of the recent list or the app restarts. A file reference in history also does not create a second backup of that file; keep the original available if you want to use it later.

Choose Set up keyboard shortcuts from the Clipboard tool to open the app's settings. The history shortcut and numbered paste shortcuts are separate options, and both start off. Enable only the ones you want.

The default modifiers are Option and Command. Shortcut settings let you change the history combination and numbered-paste modifiers. If another app already owns a combination, NotchPop reports a conflict. Choose a different combination or free it in the other app instead of assuming the shortcut has registered.

Automatic pasting uses macOS Accessibility permission to press Command-V in the app you were using. Without that permission, NotchPop still copies the selected item onto the clipboard, so you can paste it yourself. Apple's Accessibility permission guide explains where that permission is managed.

Open Clipboard options and choose Pause History to stop collecting new items. Choose Clear History… to remove recent unpinned items; the confirmation explains that pinned items stay. Remove or unpin a saved card separately when you no longer want to retain it.

History stays on your Mac. NotchPop ignores clipboard content marked as concealed or transient, as used by password managers and other apps. That filtering depends on the source app supplying those markers; it is not a guarantee that every sensitive value will be recognized. Pause monitoring before copying content you do not want recorded.

The clipboard's local processing is separate from optional online tools. Revenue, analytics and weather connections make requests to their selected providers. Read the privacy policy for the details rather than treating the whole app as offline.

• Check that clipboard monitoring is enabled, then copy a new plain-text sample. Earlier copies are not imported retroactively.
• Clear the search and type filters before deciding an item is missing. Concealed and transient items are intentionally excluded.
• Check that the relevant shortcut option is enabled and does not show a conflict with another app.
• If a card copies successfully but automatic paste does not happen, use Command-V yourself and check Accessibility permission.
• Check the destination app accepts that content type. A text field may not accept an image or a file reference.
• If the problem continues, send support@notchpop.com your macOS and NotchPop versions and the content type involved. Use a harmless sample; do not send passwords or private copied content.

For version-specific changes, see the NotchPop changelog. You can combine clipboard history with the file shelf when collecting assets, or explore the rest of the built-in tools once your copying workflow is working.