Clipboard managers make it much easier to re-enter text or anything else that you've recently copied and pasted, adding an array of new capabilities to the default Windows clipboard. Although they differ in features, the typical clipboard director automatically saves text, images and other items as they are copied to your clipboard, displaying them in a list-style GUI that makes it simple to re-re-create or paste something after.

Once you're used to relying on a clipboard manager, it works out similarly as how yous become more efficient with multiple monitors or virtual desktops. In this case, knowing y'all tin can copy several items before moving on to where you want to paste, performing several copy processes at one time lets you lot save fourth dimension and clicks, without having to go back and forth between windows or applications.

Nosotros've been fans of Flycut (free) and Paste (paid) on macOS and like how seamless their interface is, peculiarly its hotkeyable overlays which show a clean list of your clipboard history and an editable text field if you lot want to make some changes. We went out looking for a like tool that runs on Windows with a similarly polished interface (that aspect in particular was challenging to find on Windows apps unfortunately) and useful configuration options that don't get overboard -- essentially something that "simply works" without getting in the manner.

Features such as automatically excluding passwords from the clipboard history and ignoring duplicate entries are a nice bonus with Flycut, but aren't bachelor in every clipboard manager, then nosotros'll exist taking those types of extras into consideration throughout testing and equally we brand our picks...

The best Windows clipboard managers

ClipClip

Our number ane pick for having the nearly straightforward interface that is responsive and provides just enough functionality. ClipClip is also ane of the about modern looking options we could find. Like well-nigh other managers it lets y'all assign a hotkey (defaults to Ctrl + Shift + V) which and so displays a pocket-sized overlay with your last copied items. Y'all can browse this listing with the arrow keys and configure how many items and how much information you desire to see (file size, type, etc.) The list is also searchable (going back hundreds of clips if you lot configure information technology to).

ClipClip also lets you ignore certain type of items (images or files) based on size, for case to ignore images that are over 5MB. There are configurable hotkeys for pasting with and without formatting and the overlay also lets yous edit text on the fly. Nosotros wish we could configure arrow keys equally the Paste card hotkey, then browsing betwixt clips would be more seamless, but this seems to be a limitation that affects all other apps. Thanks to its clutter-gratuitous UI and straightforward operation, nosotros give ClipClip the top recommendation for most users.

Ditto

Using Ditto is meant to exist a straightforward thing though the wealth of options available and old school UI may turn off many. Ditto works by correct clicking the system tray icon which opens a context carte du jour with options, while left clicking icon launches your clipboard history, which can too be opened with a keyboard shortcut of your choosing (Ctrl + ` by default).

You tin collaborate with the clipboard history in a diversity of ways: double clicking an detail on the listing will accept it automatically copied and/or pasted depending on whether y'all have a text field selected in the groundwork.

You can perform the same action by tapping a number on your keyboard that corresponds to an item on the list, while correct clicking something in your clipboard history provides a greater range of options such as the ability to open the particular in a text editor or paste it with special character formatting (all caps or all lower case for instance). Of note, although the software detects duplicate entries, if two text entries are copied with different attributes such as two different types of fonts and then they will announced as separate entries.

Although it doesn't automatically exclude passwords, if you use dedicated password management software such as Keepass so you tin can have Ditto exclude annihilation copied to the clipboard from that awarding and this is likewise provided by many of the other tools mentioned in this article.

Overall, it doesn't feel like whatsoever major feature is missing from Ditto except mayhap a more than intuitive interface and more than attainable configuration panel. Thumbnail or icon previews for files instead of but displaying the directory text could be another potential addition though for those who prefer simplistic interfaces, thumbnails wouldn't look as clean.

ClipboardFusion

Initially installs with a trial of the Pro version which is downgraded to the gratuitous copy subsequently 30 days simply retains most of the core features assuming you don't care virtually the company'due south online offerings such as clipboard syncing. This i is worth trying if you like how polished Ditto is merely wish it had a more fully featured interface and options such as macros.

Heading to Settings > Hotkeys > Show History Bill of fare and applying a shortcut such as Ctrl + ` will toggle your clipboard history in a compact list just like Ditto. Incidentally, so will "Evidence History Bill of fare," although when we tested this selection it seemed to automobile-close the history afterward letting the hotkey go. This can be annoying at get-go, merely if you go on holding 1 key the list remains open for you to hover over an particular with your mouse and that item is automatically pasted as the list closes when you allow the key go.

As well adept

CLCL

Not quite equally modernistic looking as Ditto just similarly straightforward functionality and may fifty-fifty be preferred by power users for its former school simplicity and the amount of information displayed. Left clicking CLCL's system tray icon opens a compact list containing your clipboard history while right clicking opens the history in an explorer style window with full details about each entry and you tin can edit an item with one click (click one in the left cavalcade). This tool doesn't have quite the polish or feature fix as the other two just you can set a custom hotkey for launching both menus.

1Clipboard

1Clipboard arguably looks even better than ClipClip, just it lacks many basic customization options that the old provides without getting into circuitous territory similar Ditto. Like many other clipboard managers, 1Clipboard'due south paste menu shows up every bit a sidebar and not every bit an overlay at the cursor location, and its interface may be the best of all apps we tested, showing prototype thumbnails and other items in a very clean manner.

Ultimately what turned us abroad from 1Clipboard is that it's not every bit keyboard shortcut friendly as we expect. Summoning the paste carte du jour results in the user having to enter a number or selecting what prune to re-create. Using the arrow keys to brand your selection is erratic, which is not helped by the fact that 1Clipboard volition not automatically paste the detail in your working window, which we found confusing for our workflow.

ClipX

Like old school interface as CLCL only strips information technology down to the essentials. Doesn't have a ton of configuration options and it won't car-exclude duplicate entries to the running list of saved clips just it is surprisingly seamless to use once you head to Configure > Hotkeys and gear up a keyboard shortcut for "Paste Carte du jour (Master)" as well as "Manage" (we used Ctrl + ` and Ctrl + Alt + `).

Alternatives with some caveats

M8 Free Clipboard - Dated, semi-clunky interface (particularly the options card) and doesn't have features such as detecting duplicate items or many options for hotkeys. However, the software is seamless with the way it shows the full clipboard entry in a pop-up window as y'all hover, and you tin can tap a single key to brainstorm editing the item.

ArsClip - Similar drawbacks here: the interface isn't as clean as the tools mentioned higher up and in fact we discover the clipboard history difficult to read. It could employ better spacing and/or less clutter, non to mention that it doesn't car-delete duplicates etc. Nevertheless, the software does what it claims if you're interested in this tool over the others for some reason.

More than alternatives with even more caveats

ClipboardMaster - Has features such as an integrated screenshot tool, countersign managing director and a list of prewritten letter closings (Warm regards etc.) but falls short on some basic interface functionality in our opinion. For example, both the left and right mouse button perform the aforementioned action when clicking the system tray icon -- they both open the same options menu instead of i of them being used to open your clipboard history. However, you can set your clipboard history to open with a hotkey every bit we described in the intro and you can edit these entries within a click or ii from at that place, and so overall this software fits our needs, although information technology'southward bulkier than necessary and not equally seamless as information technology could be.

Clipboard Assistant - Our evaluation of this software concluded upon seeing its overwhelming/ancient interface and errors on launching -- the reverse of a tool that "only works".

Clip Plus - Instead of having compact menus, this tool runs entirely in a full screen window, albeit ane that is much more than organized and modern looking than Clipboard Assistant. While we could see how some users might prefer a unmarried-window solution, Clip Plus doesn't provide the level of functionality we'd expect from a clipboard director, lacking hotkey settings for example and other features that are available for costless in Ditto and others, whereas Clip Plus costs $12 after 30 days.

And a barebones bonus...

Equally a terminal mention, ClipCube may exist of involvement if yous desire a barebones tool that only records text from your clipboard, runs in a single emulator-esque window that closes to your system tray and has just one page of options. However, it's lightweight and works well as a basic clipboard manager if you lot aren't looking for bells and whistles merely simply want a running history of the text from your Windows clipboard.

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