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How to Use Universal Clipboard Between Mac and iPhone

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Sign into both devices with the same Apple ID

    Your Mac and your iPhone (or iPad) both need to be signed into the same Apple ID, with two-factor authentication turned on.

  2. Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

    Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both devices, and either connect them to the same Wi-Fi network or keep them within Bluetooth range of each other.

  3. Turn on Handoff

    On the Mac, go to System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff and turn on "Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices." On the iPhone, go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff and turn on "Handoff."

  4. Copy something on one device

    Copy text, an image, or a photo as you normally would -- Command+C on the Mac, or a long-press-and-copy on the iPhone.

  5. Paste it on the other device

    Shortly after copying, switch to the other device and paste (Command+V on Mac, or the paste option on iPhone) -- the copied content appears exactly as it was.

  6. What to check if it isn't working

    Make sure both devices are near each other, that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both on, and that you're signed into the same Apple ID -- restarting both devices often clears up a stuck connection.

When Universal Clipboard actually saves you time

It shines when you spot a link or a line of text on your iPhone and want it in a document you're writing on your Mac, or when you've just taken a screenshot on your Mac and want to drop it straight into a Messages conversation on your iPhone -- no retyping, no emailing it to yourself.

What kinds of content it handles best

Universal Clipboard works reliably with plain text, images, and photos. Very large files, or content copied from apps that use nonstandard clipboard formats, sometimes don't transfer cleanly -- if a paste comes through empty, copying the item again usually fixes it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does copied content stay available?

You generally need to paste it on the other device within about two minutes -- after that, the clipboard content may be cleared.

Can I use this with a Windows PC?

No. Universal Clipboard only works between Apple devices (Mac, iPhone, and iPad) that are signed into the same Apple ID -- it doesn't work with Windows or Android devices.