Find something you copied earlier on Windows

Start with Windows clipboard history

Windows 10 and Windows 11 include clipboard history. Press Windows + V and choose Turn on if history is disabled. After enabling it, copy a few items and open the same panel to select one. History records subsequent copies; it cannot recover something that was never saved.

You can pin an item you want to keep. See Microsoft’s clipboard instructions for the built-in panel and its limits.

Use CopySnip for a searchable clipboard shelf

CopySnip combines clipboard history with screenshot capture and annotation. Install it from Microsoft Store and copy a few harmless sample items, such as a web link and a sentence.

1. Press Ctrl + ` to open CopySnip. The second key is the grave accent; shortcuts can be customized.
2. Search for a word from the clip, or browse the saved list. Pin clips you reuse.
3. Return to the destination app and place the cursor where the clip belongs. Open CopySnip again and select the clip with Enter or a double-click.

If automatic pasting is unavailable in an elevated or protected app, copy the item and paste it manually.

Know what is saved

CopySnip keeps supported text, images and references to copied files. A file reference is not a backup of the file itself. Saved history uses Windows encryption tied to your Windows account; exported files and the Windows clipboard are outside that protection.

Pause recording before copying passwords or other sensitive material. The app offers exclusions and retention settings, but does not promise to detect every secret automatically. Clipboard history, capture and annotation are free.