Made for macOSNative clipboard manager

Native Mac Clipboard Manager:

That address from Tuesday, the photo from last week, the link you lost — press ⌘⇧V and it's back. It even finds a screenshot by the words inside it, and nothing you copy is ever sent anywhere.

Free to start — no sign-up, ever · eligible subscribers may receive a 7-day Pro trial · macOS 13+

ClipBuddy clipboard manager running on a MacBook — searchable clipboard history Instant search Snippets Quick actions
  • 100% private

    Your history is stored only on your Mac. ClipBuddy ships without the outbound-network entitlement, so the app cannot send anything anywhere — macOS enforces that, it isn't a promise we make.

  • No account, ever

    No sign-up, no email, no password. Pro is bought through the Mac App Store and Apple handles it, so there is no login and nothing to breach.

  • Works offline

    History, search and reading the words inside screenshots work offline. Translation, voice search and AI also run locally when their required Apple language and model resources are available.

  • One keystroke away

    Press ⌘⇧V in any app to open your whole history, type to search it, and press Enter to put a clip back on your clipboard.

Where it earns its keep

Three moments you already know.

Nothing here is a demo trick. These are the reasons people keep ClipBuddy in the menu bar.

  1. 01⌘⌥Z

    You copied over something you still needed.

    One shortcut puts the previous copy back on your clipboard. No hunting, no retyping, no going back to the tab you already closed.

  2. 02⌘⇧V

    The screenshot you want is somewhere in four hundred screenshots.

    ClipBuddy reads the words inside your images on your Mac, so searching “invoice” surfaces the right screenshot — and you can copy the text straight out of it.

  3. 03⌘⇧V

    You retype the same three paragraphs every week.

    Save them once as a snippet with a keyword. Type the keyword, hit Enter, and ClipBuddy fills the placeholders and puts the result on your clipboard, ready for ⌘V.

No permissions needed to start. ClipBuddy runs as soon as you open it — no scary pop-ups. macOS only asks for permission if you later turn on an optional extra like direct paste, voice search or watching a screenshot folder.

The app

One small app instead of eight little tools.

Clipboard history, snippets, an emoji picker, QR codes, translation and text cleanup — in the menu bar, a keystroke away.

Instant search.

Find anything.

Search thousands of clips in milliseconds — by keyword or by meaning, and even the words inside your screenshots. Type “wifi password” and it finds the clip, even if you never copied those exact words. Tap a chip to see only links, pictures, code or files — try it right here. In the app you can also filter by the app you copied from, or by date, and save any search to reuse it.

ClipBuddyClipBuddy
15/7,315 loaded · 7,315 total
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LAUNCH OFFER
Screenshot OCR · 5m ago
Text
Let me tell you what this needs- 1. Pro Claude subscription at <$20/month 2. Free google MCP 3. DataforSEO MCP. Pay...
120 chars · 12m ago
Color
F
#f26a0drgb(242, 106, 13)
Color Swatch · 45m ago
Vault
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Encrypted in Touch ID Vault · 1h ago
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Settings panel · 1h ago
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S
158/7,315 loaded · 7,315 total ⓘ
System status · 1h ago
Math
240 * 1.18 =
283.20
Calculator clip · 2h ago
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S
Design comp · 2h ago
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Dashboard preview · 2h ago2x
Text
>_
😄 Release 3.0.1 verified clean: 0 warnings, 0 errors, 43 static routes compiled in 1.1s
88 chars · 2h ago
Text
// Lighten toward white so chips read as soft pastels on the dark bar, not heavy dark blocks. return base.blended(with: .white, fraction: 0.18)
142 chars · 3h ago
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UI design · 3h ago
Code
>_
git rebase -i HEAD~3 && git push --force-with-lease
51 chars · 4h ago
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Marketing asset · 5h ago

Smart Actions

Context-aware tools the moment you copy.

ClipBuddy automatically detects what’s on your clipboard and surfaces the exact action you need. Calculate math expressions, preview and convert color codes, extract text from screenshots via Apple Vision OCR, or generate QR codes — completely on-device without cloud latency.

COLOR DETECTEDFigma · 2m ago
HEX#f26a0d
RGBrgb(242, 106, 13)
Instant swatch & color converter whenever you copy any hex, rgb, or hsl string.

Snippets & Templates

Type less. Automate your daily writing.

Store frequently used replies, code boilerplate, and email templates with instant keyword triggers. ClipBuddy automatically fills in dynamic variables like today’s date, clipboard contents, and custom fill-in prompts so you never re-type repetitive messages.

⌘NNew
Client Follow-upWork
;followup
Hi {name=Alex}, thanks for meeting today! Here is our proposal: {clipboard}. Let's sync on {date: Monday}!

Clipboard Rules & Automations.

It files your clips automatically. You just copy.

Set conditions once and let ClipBuddy silently automate your workflow in the background. Strip tracking parameters from URLs, auto-burn single-use verification codes, compress screenshots, or tag code from your IDE — without ever opening the picker.

Strip Link Trackers

Type: URL · Source: Any Browser
1. WHEN YOU COPY
https://stripe.com/docs?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR09...
Clean Tracking Parameters
2. CLIPBUDDY FILES AUTOMATICALLY
https://stripe.com/docs

Automatically strips utm_source, utm_medium, fbclid, gclid from the URL before saving.

Built-in Diff Tool.

Compare any two clips in one keystroke (⌘⇧X).

Mark any two items in your history with ⌘M and press ⌘⇧X. ClipBuddy generates an instant, syntax-aware unified or split diff on your Mac — no external diff tools, no web uploaders, zero tracking.

Mark 2 clips with ⌘M → Press ⌘⇧X to Diff
Clip A: Staging config (10m ago)Clip B: Production release config (just now)
1 "service": "billing-engine",
2 "version": "3.0.0",
3- "timeoutMs": 3000,
4++ "timeoutMs": 5000,
5- "retryPolicy": "none",
6++ "retryPolicy": "exponentialBackoff",
7++ "idempotencyKey": true,
8 "encryption": "AES-256-GCM"

Your data.

100% private.

Everything stays on your Mac. There is no server, no account and no sync — your copies have nowhere to go but your own computer.

See every feature

Why ClipBuddy

Made for how you work.

One native Mac app, built around your muscle memory, that keeps your clipboard organized across every tool.

ClipBuddy clipboard manager running on a MacBook with searchable visual history

100% Native AppKit

Written in pure Swift 6. Opens in milliseconds, uses 14 MB of RAM, and sits quietly in your menu bar using 0% CPU.

Keyboard-driven speed

Press ⌘⇧V, filter instantly, hit Enter to paste. Designed so your hands never need to leave the keyboard.

On-device SQLite index

Stores thousands of text, image, link, file, and code clips securely in a local SQLite database with zero cloud latency.

Zero network sandbox

Shipped without the outbound network client entitlement. Your clipboard physically cannot be sent anywhere.

Keyboard first

You never have to reach for the mouse.

⌘⇧V opentype search copy back⌘V paste⌘M multi-paste⌘⌥S paste stack⌘⌥V paste next⌘⇧X diff⌘⌥Z undo a copy⌘⌥T extract text⌘K quick actions⌘⌫ deleteesc close
Ecosystem pipeline

Coming soon to the ClipBuddy ecosystem.

We are expanding ClipBuddy beyond the Mac menu bar with local AI protocols, companion mobile apps, and private end-to-end sync.

AI Developer Protocol

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Local context for Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Zed

Connect ClipBuddy directly to your local AI coding agents. Agents can query your clipboard history, inspect error traces, and retrieve code snippets without manual roundtrips. 100% offline with zero cloud telemetry.

100% on-device stdio transport
Direct Claude Desktop & Cursor support
Zero network telemetry or data egress
Status: In Prototype
View roadmap details
stdio
Claude / CursorAgent Prompt

"Find the PostgreSQL connection string and staging secrets I copied earlier."

clipbuddy-mcp://search?source=local
Environment Configfrom Terminal3m ago
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://app_user:s3cr3t@localhost:5432/clipbuddy_dev
CACHE_REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379/0
Found in 1.2ms via stdio socket · 0 network requests · 100% on-device
In Prototype
AI Developer Protocol

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Connect ClipBuddy directly to your local AI coding agents. Agents can query your clipboard history, inspect error traces, and retrieve code snippets without manual roundtrips. 100% offline with zero cloud telemetry.

Active Preview ✦
In Development
iOS 18 Companion

ClipBuddy for iPhone

Carry your clipboard in your pocket. Features a custom iOS keyboard extension to paste clips anywhere, Lock Screen and Action Button widgets, camera Vision OCR capture, and private zero-knowledge iCloud sync with your Mac.

Explore Interactive Demo ➔
In Development
iPadOS Productivity

ClipBuddy for iPad

Engineered for Stage Manager and Split View. Keep a floating clipboard palette beside your workspace, drag clips directly into Notes or Procreate, and use full hardware keyboard shortcuts (⌘⇧V).

Explore Interactive Demo ➔
From the developer

Why I built ClipBuddy

I kept needing something I had copied an hour earlier and having no way to get it back — a link, a code from a text message, an address. So I built the clipboard app I always wanted: fast, out of the way, and completely private. Your copies stay on your Mac. That's a promise the design makes, not just me.

Akashthe one person behind ClipBuddy
Simple pricing · powerful features

Choose the plan that works for you.

Start free with no account. Upgrade inside the app only when ClipBuddy has earned its place on your Mac.

Free forever

Free

Free

No sign-up · keep it forever

  • Your last 10 copies, always there — no account
  • Any copy back in a keystroke (⌘⇧V)
  • Emoji picker ⌘⌥E — 2,300+ emoji
  • Get back a copy you overwrote (⌘⌥Z)
  • Hide ClipBuddy from screen shares & recordings
  • 100% private — stays on your Mac
Get it on the App Store

Eligible subscribers may receive a 7-day Pro trial

Monthly

Pro Monthly

$1.99 / month

Flexible · cancel anytime

  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • Full history — unlimited & searchable
  • Search by meaning — “that wifi password”
  • Filter by app, type or date — save searches you reuse
  • Describe what you want and it builds the filters (macOS 26+)
  • Redact passwords, cards and faces out of a screenshot
  • Rules that clean up, file and lock what you copy
  • AI that shortens or cleans up text, privately (macOS 26+)
  • Find screenshots by their words & copy the text out
  • Copy several things, paste them back in order
  • Snippets, collections & text tools
  • Encrypted backups you own — restore your history on a new Mac
  • +15 more features →
View on the App Store

Billed monthly · Apple confirms trial eligibility

Best value · save 46%

Pro Annual

$12.99 / year

$1.08/month · cancel anytime

  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • Full history — unlimited & searchable
  • Search by meaning — “that wifi password”
  • Filter by app, type or date — save searches you reuse
  • Describe what you want and it builds the filters (macOS 26+)
  • Redact passwords, cards and faces out of a screenshot
  • Rules that clean up, file and lock what you copy
  • AI that shortens or cleans up text, privately (macOS 26+)
  • Find screenshots by their words & copy the text out
  • Copy several things, paste them back in order
  • Snippets, collections & text tools
  • Encrypted backups you own — restore your history on a new Mac
  • +15 more features →
View on the App Store

Eligible subscribers: 7 days free · then $12.99/yr

Apple In-App Purchase

100% processed securely by Apple ID. No third-party payment gateways or web forms.

Synced to your Apple ID

One purchase works across all personal Macs signed into your Apple ID. Restore anytime with one click.

No Card Upfront

Download and use free forever without entering payment details. Cancel anytime in System Settings.

FAQ

Questions?

Everything people ask before installing a clipboard manager.

What is ClipBuddy?

ClipBuddy is a native macOS clipboard manager app — a Mac app, not a browser extension. It remembers everything you copy — text, images, links, files and code — so you can search your history and paste anything again instantly.

Does Mac save clipboard history?

Not one you can open — macOS gives you no built-in list of what you have copied. ClipBuddy adds that history: it saves everything you copy so you can search it and paste an older copy any time.

Where does copied text go on a Mac?

Copied text goes onto the macOS pasteboard, but macOS gives you no built-in history you can open. With ClipBuddy running, every copy is also kept in a searchable history on your Mac, so an earlier copy stays easy to find.

How do I paste something I copied earlier on Mac?

Press Command-Shift-V to open ClipBuddy, type a word from what you copied earlier (or scroll the list), and press Enter — that older copy is back on your clipboard, and Command-V pastes it into the app you were using.

How do I copy and paste multiple things on Mac?

ClipBuddy keeps a running list of your copies. Copy as many items as you like, then multi-select them in the picker and copy them back as one combined clip, or bring any single item back to your clipboard with one keystroke.

How do I open my clipboard history on Mac?

Press Command-Shift-V (Cmd+Shift+V) anywhere to open ClipBuddy, type to search your history, and press Enter to copy it back — then Command-V to paste.

Can ClipBuddy search the text inside images and screenshots?

Yes. ClipBuddy reads the words inside screenshots and images on your Mac, so you can find a screenshot by searching for the text it contains, and copy that text back out.

Does ClipBuddy support snippets?

Yes. Save reusable text as snippets with keyword triggers and dynamic placeholders (date, time, clipboard, fill-in fields, UUID). Press Command-Shift-V, type the keyword, and press Enter — ClipBuddy fills the placeholders and puts the snippet on your clipboard, ready to paste with Command-V.

Is ClipBuddy private and secure?

Yes. Your clipboard history never leaves your Mac — there is no cloud, no tracking, and no analytics on what you copy. Copies a source app marks concealed, such as anything from a password manager, are never saved at all. If you enable Detect & vault secrets, recognized credentials go into the Touch ID Vault on Pro instead of your plain history; this setting is off by default. ClipBuddy ships without the outbound-network entitlement, so it makes no network requests at all.

Does ClipBuddy work offline?

Yes. History, search and reading the words inside screenshots work offline. Translation, voice search and AI also run locally when their required Apple language and model resources are available; ClipBuddy itself ships without outbound-network access.

Does ClipBuddy need special permissions to work?

Core clipboard history works without special permission prompts. Optional direct paste, voice search and screenshot-folder access request only the relevant macOS permission when you enable those features.

Can ClipBuddy act on what I copy, like a phone number or address?

Yes. ClipBuddy notices what a clip is and offers a one-tap action: a phone number offers Call, an email offers a new message, an address offers Map, a link opens, a sum shows its answer and a colour shows a swatch. It spots these inside screenshots too.

Does ClipBuddy have an emoji picker?

Yes. Press Command-Option-E to open a searchable emoji picker with more than 2,300 emoji, including country flags and skin-tone variants, generated on your Mac.

Do I need an account to use ClipBuddy?

No — there is no account or sign-in at all. Upgrading to Pro is a purchase through the Mac App Store, handled entirely by Apple.

Is ClipBuddy free?

ClipBuddy is free for your last 10 clips. Eligible subscribers may receive a 7-day free trial of Pro; Apple confirms eligibility before purchase. Pro unlocks unlimited searchable history, filters, snippets and more for $1.99 per month or $12.99 per year. Prices are shown in your own currency on the App Store.

Does ClipBuddy have a one-time or lifetime purchase?

Yes. Besides the monthly and yearly Pro plans, ClipBuddy offers a one-time Lifetime license for $24.99 — pay once and own Pro forever.

Which macOS version does ClipBuddy need?

ClipBuddy runs on macOS 13 (Ventura) and later.

Install

How to see your clipboard history on Mac

See everything you've copied on macOS and bring any earlier copy back to your clipboard in one keystroke, using ClipBuddy.

  1. 1

    Install ClipBuddy. Get ClipBuddy from the Mac App Store and launch it — a clipboard icon appears in the menu bar.

  2. 2

    Keep copying as normal. ClipBuddy saves everything you copy — text, images, links, files and code — into a private, on-device history.

  3. 3

    Open your history. Press Command-Shift-V (⌘⇧V) anywhere to open your searchable clipboard history.

  4. 4

    Search and paste. Type to find any earlier copy — even the text inside a screenshot — then press Enter to copy it back to your clipboard and paste it with Command-V.

Stop losing what you copy.

Get ClipBuddy on the Mac App Store — free to start, no account, nothing to lose.

Free to start — no sign-up · eligible subscribers may receive a 7-day Pro trial · macOS 13+

Enjoying ClipBuddy? ★ Rate it on the App Store

  • Private & secure
  • Powerful & fast
  • Made for macOS