Cannot Paste
You can see the content in clip history but can't paste it into the target app. Work this page. This is a paste/use-layer problem: the content is already on this device, so separate "won't paste" from "didn't sync over."
Not sure this is the right page? Use the minimal test in the Troubleshooting overview to find the layer first.
Who this is for
- Users who can see a clip in history but get nothing when pasting into some app
- Users whose auto paste / shortcut paste fails
If the content isn't visible in the target device's history at all, see Sync Failed first; if it's missing from the local history, see Clip History Not Showing.
Check in order
Paste into the system notes or a text editor. If it pastes, the target app is restricting it; if it doesn't, continue below.
Some apps (password fields, secure keyboards, certain sandboxed apps) restrict programmatic pasting. Click into the field to focus it before pasting.
Auto paste, input monitoring, or automation features need the matching system permission:
- macOS: Accessibility / Automation (input monitoring) permission — see macOS Permissions.
- Android: Accessibility Service — see Quick Input Alias and background monitoring docs.
- Windows: confirm the app runs in the tray and global shortcuts don't conflict.
Confirm the paste shortcut or trigger isn't taken by another app. Try a manual paste (copy back to the system clipboard, then paste) for comparison.
Paste plain text first, then an image or file reference, to tell "nothing pastes" apart from "a certain type won't paste" — some target apps don't accept image/file paste.
Password fields, banking apps, or fields with a secure keyboard may block programmatic pasting at the system level. Use a manual paste, or verify in an ordinary field first.
How to verify after fixing
- Select a plain-text clip in history.
- Paste the same content into an ordinary text field successfully.
- Confirm your usual target app accepts it too.
Still not solved
Please include:
- Platform and OS version
- App version
- Target app name and context (ordinary field / password field / specific app)
- Content type (plain text / link / image / file reference)
- Paste method (manual / auto paste / shortcut / trigger)
- Whether required permissions are granted (macOS Accessibility / Android Accessibility)
- Reproduction steps (shortest path)
Next steps
On macOS, auto paste depends on Accessibility/input-monitoring permission.
Review the full cross-device paste path and prerequisites.
If the target history has no such clip, debug sync first.
Work through OS-level permission problems by platform.