Cross-Device Copy and Paste on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone
What each platform offers for copying between devices, and how a browser clipboard fills the gaps between ecosystems.
Built-in clipboard sharing usually works only within one ecosystem — Apple devices with Apple devices, or Windows with supported apps. To copy between different ecosystems, such as an iPhone and a Windows PC or a Linux laptop and an Android phone, a browser-based clipboard signed in on both is the simplest option that needs no installation.
Within one ecosystem
- Apple devices can share the clipboard between devices signed in to the same Apple account when the system feature is enabled and the devices are nearby.
- Windows offers clipboard history and an optional sync feature tied to your Microsoft account, depending on version and settings.
- Linux and Android users often rely on separate apps to connect the two.
Check each vendor's current documentation: availability and requirements change between versions.
Across ecosystems
Mixing platforms — an iPhone with a Windows PC, or Linux with Android — is where built-in features usually stop. A browser clipboard works the same on all of them because every platform has a modern browser.
| From → To | Browser method (MyClipCloud) |
|---|---|
| Windows → iPhone | Copy in MyClipCloud on Windows, tap Copy latest on iPhone |
| Mac → Android | Copy in MyClipCloud on Mac, tap Copy latest on Android |
| Linux → Windows | Copy in MyClipCloud on Linux, click Copy latest on Windows |
Limits to keep in mind
- Mobile browsers pause pages in the background, so open MyClipCloud to receive the latest item.
- Only copies made inside MyClipCloud are synced.
- Writing to the clipboard on the receiving device needs one tap or click.
Want to try it? Open the online clipboard or create a free account to sync between your devices.