System Enable or Disable Clipboard History in Windows 11


  • Staff
Clipboard_History_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable clipboard history for your account or all users in Windows 11.

When you copy something on your Windows PC, it’s automatically copied to your clipboard for you to paste.

Clipboard History in Windows 10 and Windows 11 lets you save multiple items to your clipboard.

Clipboard history also allows you to copy images and text from one PC to another with a cloud-based clipboard. Not only can you can paste from your clipboard history, but you can also pin the items you tend to use all the time and sync your clipboard history to the cloud.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22463, when you have a file or folder selected in File Explorer, you can now use CTRL + Shift + C to copy the path to your clipboard.

Clipboard history size limitations are 4 MB per item. Text, HTML, and Bitmap are supported.

Clipboard history is limited to 25 copied entries. Older items—unless they're pinned—are removed automatically to make room for new clipboard items.

Clipboard history gets cleared each time you restart the PC, except for those items you’ve pinned.

The sync feature in clipboard history is tied to your Microsoft account, or your work account, so remember to use the same login information on all your devices.




Contents

  • Option One: Turn On Clipboard History for Current User from Win+V
  • Option Two: Turn On or Off Clipboard History for Current User in Settings
  • Option Three: Turn On or Off Clipboard History for Current User using REG file
  • Option Four: Enable or Disable Clipboard History for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Five: Enable or Disable Clipboard History for All Users using REG file


EXAMPLE: Clipboard history

Clipboard_History-1.png
Clipboard_History-2.png





Option One

Turn On Clipboard History for Current User from Win+V


1 Press the Win + V keys to open clipboard history.

2 If clipboard history is currently turned off, click/tap on Turn on. (see screenshot below)

Clipboard_History_turn_on.png




Option Two

Turn On or Off Clipboard History for Current User in Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Clipboard on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Clipboard_History_Settings-1.png

3 Turn On or Off (default) Clipboard history for what you want on the right side. (see screenshot below)

Turning off clipboard history in Settings will clear all your clipboard data and pinned items.


Clipboard_History_Settings-2.png

4 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Three

Turn On or Off Clipboard History for Current User using REG file


1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.

2 To Turn On Clipboard History for Current User

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Turn_ON_Clipboard_History_for_current_user.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Clipboard]
"EnableClipboardHistory"=dword:00000001

3 To Turn Off Clipboard History for Current User

This is the default setting.

Turning off clipboard history using this option will not clear your clipboard data or pinned items.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Turn_OFF_Clipboard_History_for_current_user.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Clipboard]
"EnableClipboardHistory"=dword:00000000

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.




Option Four

Enable or Disable Clipboard History for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor


You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

Local Group Policy Editor will only be available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Five below instead for the same policy.


1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

2 Navigate to the location below in the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\OS Policies

Clipboard_History_gpedit-1.png

3 In the right pane of OS Policies in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Allow Clipboard History policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

5 Enable Clipboard History for All Users

This is the default setting to allow users to use Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.


A) Select (dot) Not Configured. (see screenshot below)​

B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below.​

Clipboard_History_gpedit-2.png

6 Disable Clipboard History for All Users

This will disable and prevent users from using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.


A) Select (dot) Disabled. (see screenshot below)​

B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below.​

Clipboard_History_gpedit-3.png

7 Either sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.

8 Close the Local Group Policy Editor.




Option Five

Enable or Disable Clipboard History for All Users using REG file


You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.


1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


 2. Enable Clipboard History for All Users

This is the default setting to allow users to use Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Enable_Clipboard_History_for_all_users.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"AllowClipboardHistory"=-


 3. Disable Clipboard History for All Users

This will disable and prevent users from using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Disable_Clipboard_History_for_all_users.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"AllowClipboardHistory"=dword:00000000

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 Either sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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