Paste faster
Clipboard slots: nine reusable registers
The values you type every day deserve a key, not a search.
⌘⌥1 to 9
What it does
A slot is a named place on the clipboard that does not change when you copy something else. Nine of them live behind number keys, so the text you retype all day is one chord away from any app.
Good candidates for a slot
- Your work email address and your phone number.
- A ticket or branch prefix you type dozens of times a day.
- The build or deploy command you run constantly.
- A greeting or sign off you use in every reply.
Tips
- Keep slot 1 for whatever the current task needs and let it churn. Keep the higher numbers for values that are stable for months.
- If you cannot remember which slot holds what, that is a sign the text belongs in a snippet with a keyword instead.
Put your daily values on keys
- 1 Copy the value
Copy the text you use constantly, for example your work email, a support address, a ticket prefix or a build command.
- 2 Save it into a slot
Press ⌘⌥⇧ and a number from 1 to 9. That slot now holds the value until you replace it.
- 3 Paste from the slot
Press ⌘⌥ and the same number anywhere in macOS.
- 4 Change the modifier if you want
The slot base modifier is a setting, so all nine shortcuts can be moved together if ⌘⌥ collides with an app you use.
Frequently asked questions
How many slots are there?
Nine, numbered 1 to 9.
Do slots change when I copy something else?
No. A slot holds what you put in it until you save over it, which is what separates it from your normal clipboard.
Slots or snippets?
Slots are for a value on a key that you change often. Snippets are for reusable text with a keyword and placeholders, which is better for anything longer than a line.
