How to clear clipboard in Windows 10

How to clear clipboard in Windows 10

In this article, you’ll learn how to clear the clipboard in Windows 10 with different methods.

Can you even count how many times a day you cut/copy and paste data from one place to another?

We bet you can’t. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that copy-paste is the most used feature on our devices today.

Have you ever wondered who the real magician behind this trick is?

It’s the clipboard feature, present on your Windows system. As technology is about evolution and advancement, a clipboard can now store your copy/cut paste data so that you can access it and reuse it if required.

So, if you are a Windows 10 user, you can access all your copy/cut files (text and graphics mostly) from your clipboard history.

How cool is that? But every blessing has a curse side too.

Since we all are guilty of thousands copy paste transactions, they can cost us a little storage space but are a significant security threat thanks to the clipboard history feature.

Windows clipboard history can be harmful if you use a public computer device or share it with other people. Your data can be leaked and used by others through clipboard history.

Just like a recycle bin stores your data even after you delete it, a clipboard also stores your copy/cut files.

But we know that recycle bins can also be emptied. What if we want to empty our clipboard content too?

Are you interested to learn? Then, we have got your back.

This article takes you on a journey to understand four fantastic methods to clear clipboard history on a Windows 10 computer.

So, without further ado, let’s get right into it.

Table of Contents

  1. How to clear clipboard in Windows 10
    1. Clear clipboard history through the File Explorer shortcut option
    2. Clear clipboard history through settings
    3. Clear clipboard history through clipboard window
    4. Clear clipboard history through Command Prompt
  2. Wrap Up

How to clear clipboard in Windows 10

Clear clipboard history through the File Explorer shortcut option

  • Open File Explorer;
  • Navigate to the folder you wish to store your shortcut: for example, My documents, pictures, or desktop;
  • After navigating to the desired folder, click the Home tab from the File Explorer tab;
  • Click on “New Item” and select the “Shortcut” option from the drop-down menu;

Or

  • Right-click in the desired folder and go to “New? Shortcut”;

  • A new window opens now. In the “Type the location of the item” bar, copy and paste the following command:” %windir%\System32\cmd.exe /c “echo off | clip“:

  • Click “Next”;
  • Suggest a name under the “Type a name for this shortcut” bar;

  • Click “Finish”.

Note: You have created a clear clipboard history shortcut successfully.

To create a keyboard key for this shortcut, perform the following steps:

  • Right-click the shortcut and click “Properties”;

  • A new dialogue box opens. Go to the “Shortcut” tab;
  • In the Target bar, type the following command: “%windir%\System32\cmd.exe /c “echo off | clip“;

  • In the Shortcut bar, use up and down keys to suggest a keyboard key combination;
  • Click “Apply”;
  • Click “Ok”;

Note: You can pin this shortcut to your taskbar. You can also customize an icon for this shortcut from the “Change icon” option under the Security tab in Properties. Finally, you can right-click on this shortcut file to run and clear your clipboard history.

This method will immediately delete data available on your legacy clipboard. However, in a modern clipboard, you need to clear the clipboard history that is stored in a separate location. Let’s explore methods to clear clipboard history.

Clear clipboard history through settings

  • Go to the Start Menu;
  • Open Settings or use the keyboard shortcut “Windows key + I”;

  • Type “Clipboard settings” in the search bar;

Or

  • Go to System tile and click on “Clipboard” from the left window pane;

  • If your clipboard history is off, you can turn it on from the “Clipboard history” option available in the right window pane;

  • If your clipboard history is on, you can clear it by clicking clear under the “Clear clipboard data” option available in the right window pane.

Note: This method will clear all your clipboard data except pinned files. If you don’t want clipboard history, you can turn it off from the Clipboard History option. Turning off will delete all your clipboard data, including pinned.

Clear clipboard history through clipboard window

  • Press “Windows key + V”;
  • The clipboard window opens. It displays all files copied on your clipboard. Click on the three dots icon present on the right side of any file;
  • To delete that particular file, click “Delete”;

  • To delete all clipboard history, click “Clear all”;

  • To save a file from erasure, click “Pin”;

Note: Pinned files cannot be deleted unless you particularly select and delete them. To save a file that you don’t want to delete, you can pin it.

Clear clipboard history through Command Prompt

  • Search for Command Prompt in the search bar;

  • Right-click on the Command Prompt tile and select the “Run as administrator” option;

  • You will be asked permission to run Command Line as administrator. Click “Yes”;
  • Type “cmd c/”echo off | clip“;

  • Press Enter.

Note: Now, close the Command Prompt window and check your clipboard history using the keyboard shortcut “Windows key + V”.

Windows 10 clipboard history can store up to 25 files at a time.

As you shut down your computer device or laptop, clipboard history data disappears. So, you may say that a clipboard memory is a volatile memory.

But yes, pinned clipboard files cannot be erased. They need to be deleted manually and separately through the clipboard window.

Open the clipboard window by pressing “Windows key + I” and then click the three buttons on the right side of the file.

Click the delete button, and voila! You’re done.

Wrap Up

Windows 10 has many excellent features at its disposal.

However, while each component aims to enhance our user experience, every technological advancement has its own set of pros and cons.

For example, although clipboard history is beneficial in personal data copying/cutting, it may cause serious harm to the public or other people’s laptops.

We at TurboGadgetreviews aim to teach our readers about the latest technology evolutions and how to use them positively and optimally.

Therefore, we advise everyone to permanently disable clipboard history or clear clipboard history items after using a public device.

If you share your workplace device with other people, it is also safe to turn off clipboard history.

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