4 Best Ways to Enable Clipboard History in Windows 10

4 Best Ways to Enable Clipboard History in Windows 10

In Windows 10, the clipboard history feature allows users to view items copied over a specific time period. Elements can be text, HTML, or images (less than 4MB). You may have a list or history of the content you copied for later use. However, you will need to enable Clipboard History on your Windows computer first.


Enable Windows 10 feature image from clipboard history

Clipboard history can help you recover copied content, especially when the browser or an application crashes. Thus, the chain of copied content remains safe.

To activate yours, you can use the methods below.

1. Activate clipboard history through Windows settings

One of the ways to turn on Clipboard History on Windows 10 is through Settings. Here is how it works:

Step 1: Launch Windows settings from the Start menu or with the Windows key + I shortcut.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 1


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 1

2nd step: In the new window, click on System.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 2


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 2

Step 3: Scroll down the system tray and select Clipboard.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 3


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 3

Step 4: In the clipboard history menu, activate the option by toggling the switch to On. You can also turn off clipboard history by turning it off.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 4


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 4

Step 5: To make sure you’ve turned on the feature, press Windows Key + V to display the clipboard.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 5


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 5

When the Clipboard History is activated for the first time, it appears as empty. However, when items are copied to the PC, the items are automatically stored in the clipboard. These items can be copied from the clipboard and pasted elsewhere.

2. Activate clipboard history via keyboard shortcut

As the shorthand term suggests, this method is short and straightforward. Here’s all you need to do:

Step 1: Press these keys on your keyboard Windows key + V.

2nd step: The Clipboard History prompt should appear.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 6


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 6

Step 3: Click Activate to activate the clipboard history.

Enable clipboard history windows 10 step 7


Enable clipboard history windows 10 step 7

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3. Activate clipboard history through Windows registry

If you are an advanced Windows 10 user, you can use the Windows registry to enable clipboard history. This method is only advisable if the other options above fail, as one misstep can make your PC unstable.

Check out the steps below:

Step 1: Press Windows Key + R to launch the Run dialog box.

Enable clipboard history windows 10 step 8


Enable clipboard history windows 10 step 8

2nd step: When the Run dialog box opens, type regedit in the box and press Enter.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 9


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 9

Enable clipboard history windows 10 step 10


Enable clipboard history windows 10 step 10

Step 4: In Registry Editor, select the drop-down menu next to Computer.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 11


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 11

Step 5: Select the drop-down menu next to HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 12


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 12

Step 6: Select the drop-down menu next to Software.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 13


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 13

Step 7: Scroll through the options and select Microsoft

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 14


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 14

Step 8: Select the drop-down menu next to AuthCookies.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 15


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 15

Step 9: Select Clipboard and to the right of the pane you should see the Enable Clipboard History option. However, if it doesn’t, follow the steps below to include it.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 16


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 16

Step 10: Right-click on Clipboard to display a list of options.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 17


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 17

Step 11: Select New from the list of options.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 18


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 18

Step 12: Select DWORD (32-bit) Value from the following list of options.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 19


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 19

Step 13: Type Activate clipboard history as a name.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 20


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 20

Step 14: Double-click on the new name to open a dialog box.

Step 15: In the value data menu, enter 1 to enable clipboard history. To turn off clipboard history, type 2.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 21


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 21

Step 16: Click OK to save the changes.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 22


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 22

Step 17: Restart your PC to make the changes.

4.Enable clipboard history via local group policy editor

If you plan to enable clipboard history for multiple users, the fastest way to do this is through the Group Policy Editor. However, this method only works if you are a system administrator. Here’s how:

Step 1: Press Windows Key + R to launch the Run dialog box.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 23


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 23

2nd step: When the Run dialog box opens, type gpedit.msc in the box and press Enter.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 24


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 24

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 25


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 25

Step 4: In the editor, click the drop-down menu next to Computer Configuration.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 26


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 26

Step 5: Click the drop-down menu next to Administrative Templates.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 27


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 27

Step 6: Click the drop-down menu next to System.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 28


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 28

Step 7: Scroll down the menu bar and click on Operating System Policies.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 29


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 29

Step 8: Double click on Allow Clipboard History in the right pane and it brings up a new window.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 30


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 30

Step 9: To turn on clipboard history, select On. You can also turn it off by selecting Off.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 31


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 31

Step 10: Click OK to save the changes.

Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 32


Activate windows 10 clipboard history step 32

How to use clipboard history

It is important to note that the Clipboard History can only save a maximum of 25 entries. Copying new items replaces old ones. Clipboard history also automatically resets once your PC is restarted. To avoid losing a copied item, it must be pinned to the clipboard.

Last updated on July 23, 2021

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