KeyPasteDownload

How to sync your clipboard between iPhone and Mac

Updated July 19, 2026· Plain-text version

KeyPaste can keep one managed snippet library across your Apple devices using Apple’s iCloud and CloudKit. There is no separate KeyPaste account to create, and your content is not routed through a KeyPaste developer server.

This is different from Apple’s Universal Clipboard. Universal Clipboard moves the current clipboard item between nearby devices for a short time; KeyPaste keeps items you have collected or saved so you can organize and reuse them later.

Turn on iCloud sync

  1. Make sure every device is signed in to the same Apple Account.
  2. Confirm iCloud Drive is available for KeyPaste on those devices.
  3. Open KeyPaste and enable iCloud sync in Settings.

If KeyPaste shows Restart Required, quit and reopen the app before expecting the new sync setting to take effect. After that, eligible snippets, attachments, tags, and Inbox items sync in the background as the system allows.

What syncs

  • Text, rich text, image, and eligible managed-file snippets.
  • Tags and their order, folders, and folder ordering.
  • Inbox items after the main app has imported them, even before you move them to the Library.

Directly copied image data and managed attachments up to 25 MB can sync. Managed files from 25–100 MB stay only on the source device. Files automatically captured from Finder are local references: KeyPaste does not copy or upload the original file, so those references do not sync.

When will items appear on my other device?

Sync timing is managed by the system, so it can be affected by your network, iCloud sign-in state, available iCloud storage, Low Power Mode, Low Data Mode, and background scheduling. If something has not appeared yet:

  1. Open KeyPaste on both devices and confirm sync is enabled.
  2. Verify both devices use the same Apple Account and have a working network connection.
  3. Check whether the item is a large managed file or a Finder-only file reference.
  4. Leave KeyPaste open briefly so the system can deliver pending CloudKit changes.

Avoid repeatedly toggling sync while a first sync is still running. CloudKit delivery is asynchronous, so an item not appearing immediately does not necessarily mean it failed.

Where does my data live?

Everything starts in local app storage. When iCloud sync is enabled, eligible records and attachments are stored through Apple’s CloudKit under your Apple Account. KeyPaste never routes this content through a developer server. See what Full Access does for the separate rules that apply to the iOS keyboard.