Unable to access Windows 11’s clipboard history? Clipboard is an essential part of the Windows OS, a pretty handy feature that we frequently use for copying and pasting text and images. It is a storage area that saves items temporarily when you copy or cut anything.
Also, once you enable the Clipboard history on your Windows device, you can access the last 25 items that you pinned to the clipboard. Pretty awesome, right? It allows you to save multiple items to the clipboard that you can use later. The Clipboard History feature initially rolled out along with the Windows 10 update. Moreover,with Windows 11, the clipboard history feature becomes so much better and productive. The revamped clipboard on Windows 11 includes emojis, symbols, GIFS, and more.
You can quickly access the Clipboard History on Windows 11/10 by pressing the Windows + V key combination.
Although, if you’re unable to access the clipboard history on your device, we might have some workarounds for you. In this post, we have listed simple yet effective troubleshooting methods that you can use for fixing the “Clipboard not working” issue on Windows 11.
Also read: How To Use The Clipboard To Copy-Paste Across Windows 10 Devices
Let get started.
How To Fix Windows 11 Clipboard History Not Working
1. Manually Enable Clipboard History via Settings
If the clipboard history feature is not turned on by default, you can manually enable it via Settings. Here’s what you need to do:
Tap on the search icon placed on the Taskbar, select “Settings”. Switch to the “System” section from the left menu pane.
Scroll down through the list and tap on “Clipboard”.
Enable the “Clipboard History” feature if it wasn’t turned ON already.
Once the Clipboard History feature is enabled, you can press the Windows + V key shortcut to quickly access your recently copied items.
2. Restart File Explorer
Press the search icon placed on the Taskbar, type “Task Manager” and hit Enter.
In the Task Manager window, switch to the “Processes” tab.
Look for “Windows Explorer” in the list, select it, and then hit the “Restart” button.
Reboot your device and then try accessing the clipboard history whether it fixed the issue.
3. Clear the Clipboard Data
Another workaround to fix the “Windows 11 clipboard history not working” issue is by clearing the previously-stored data. Here’s what you need to do:
Open Settings> Clipboard.
Hit on the “Clear” button placed next to the “Clear clipboard data” option.
Reboot your device and start afresh.
Also read: How To Clear Clipboard Windows 10
4. Enable Clipboard History Feature via Group Policy Editor
Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type “Gpedit.msc” in the textbox and hit Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
In the Group Policy Editor window, navigate to the following folder location:
Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates> System> OS Policies.
Double-tap on the “Allow clipboard history” file placed on the right side of the window.
In the Properties window, check on “Enabled”.
Hit on the OK and Apply buttons to save changes.
Also read: Syncing Clipboards Between Mac and Windows Just Got Easier!
5. Edit the Registry
Another solution to fix the “Clipboard not working” issue is to edit the Registry values. Follow these quick steps:
Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type “Regedit” and hit Enter.
In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following folder location:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
Now right-click on the System folder, select New > D-WORD (32-bit) Value.
Rename the new file as “Allow Clipboard History” and then enter 1 in the Value Data field.
Hit on OK when done. Reboot your device and check whether it fixed the issue.
Also read: Best Clipboard Manager Alternatives For Windows
Conclusion
So, yes, copy and paste like a Pro while making the most of the Clipboard History feature on Windows 11. We hope the above-mentioned solutions help you in fixing the clipboard and making it functional again. Windows 11’s revamped Clipboard History is worth a shot. Rather than using third-party clipboard managers, we would recommend you to give it a try and troubleshoot the clipboard by using the above-listed workarounds.
Do let us know which solution worked out the best for you? Feel free to drop your feedback in the comments section. Follow us on social media – Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
