# iOS Limitations

iOS shares the same core workflow as desktop, but the OS is the strictest about **when** the clipboard can be read and about **true background residency**. This page explains which constraints are hard system limits, so you can align expectations and avoid mistaking "this is how iOS works" for a bug.

## Who this is for

- Users who "copied but nothing appears in history" on iOS and suspect it's broken
- Users who want to understand what iOS can and can't do before deciding how to use it

## Main limitations

### No continuous OS-level background monitoring

iOS **does not** offer the continuous background clipboard monitoring that Windows / macOS / Android do. "Copy and record" can't happen reliably without opening the app; it needs **foreground use**, **Share Sheet**, or **Shortcuts** as visible triggers.

> [!TIP] The Quick Input keyboard is the most direct iOS path
> While the Octoclip Quick Input keyboard (1.13.0+) is active, it gives you clip history and instant sync without opening the main app. This isn't always-on background monitoring, but it's the most direct way to use your clips on iOS (see [Quick Input Overview](/features/quick-input/overview)).

### Clipboard reads depend on foreground and visible actions

The OS allows clipboard reads only in the foreground or on visible user actions, and may show "pasted from …" style prompts. This is a system privacy mechanism, not an app fault.

### No desktop-style programmable global shortcuts

iOS doesn't provide the same global paste chain as desktop. Auto paste / global triggers are limited and rely more on manual actions.

### Background is aggressively suspended

The OS aggressively reclaims background tasks; you may need to return to the app to finish a sync.

### Store policy

The App Store build is bound by store policy; some capabilities may be removed or restricted — see [Platform Differences](/advanced/platform-differences).

> [!INFO] Align expectations before assuming a bug
> When you "copied but nothing appears in history" on iOS, first confirm whether you returned to the app or used the Share/Shortcuts path. These are normal iOS behaviors, not a broken sync.

## What to do when constrained

On iOS, the most direct path is the **Quick Input keyboard** (1.13.0+): while it's active you get clip history and instant sync without opening the app. To capture content into the app, use the manual paths: see [iOS Manual Sync & Share Entry](/advanced/ios/manual-sync-sharing).

## Next steps

:::cards{cols=2}
:::card{title="iOS Manual Sync & Share Entry" icon="lucide.share-2" href="/advanced/ios/manual-sync-sharing"}
Hand content to the app via Share Sheet and manual triggers.

:::
:::card{title="iOS platform overview" icon="lucide.layout-grid" href="/advanced/ios/"}
Return to the iOS overview for overall expectations.

:::
:::card{title="Clipboard background monitoring" icon="lucide.monitor-cog" href="/features/source/background-monitoring/"}
Understand how iOS differs from desktop clipboard monitoring.

:::
:::card{title="Platform differences" icon="lucide.git-compare" href="/advanced/platform-differences"}
Compare capability boundaries across platforms.
:::
:::