Paste faster
Clipboard undo: get back what you just overwrote
The one key for the mistake everyone makes twice a day.
⌘⌥Z
What it does
macOS holds one clipboard item, so a stray ⌘C destroys whatever was there. Clipboard undo steps that single slot backwards through the copies ClipBuddy already recorded, which turns a small disaster into one keystroke.
When to use undo instead of the picker
Undo wins when the thing you want is one or two copies back and you do not want to leave the keyboard. The picker wins as soon as you have to think about which copy it was.
Tips
- Learn this key before you need it. The moment you need it is the moment you are least likely to look up a shortcut.
- If you overwrite the same value repeatedly, put it in a slot. A slot cannot be overwritten by an ordinary copy.
Recover the copy you just lost
- 1 Do not panic and do not recopy
Your earlier copy is still in ClipBuddy's history, so the copy that replaced it changed only what macOS is holding right now.
- 2 Press ⌘⌥Z
Clipboard undo steps the clipboard back to the previous item in your recent history.
- 3 Press it again if you need to
Keep stepping back until the clipboard holds the item you want.
- 4 Paste as normal
Press ⌘V. If you would rather pick visually, open the picker with ⌘⇧V and choose the clip instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is this different from opening the picker?
Only in speed. Undo is the no window path when you know the item you want is one or two copies back.
Does it work for images and files?
Yes. Undo walks your recent history, which holds text, images, links and files alike.
What if I copied over something an hour ago?
Use search instead. Undo is for the last few copies, search is for anything older.