Published: May 30, 2026 | Last updated: June 4, 2026
Quick Answer: macOS does not save clipboard history by default. To keep your clipboard history forever on Mac, the best and most reliable solution is to use maccy. It stores your history locally and allows you to control how long items are kept.
Why macOS Doesn’t Keep Clipboard History
By default, macOS only remembers the last item you copied. As soon as you copy something new, the previous item is permanently deleted. There is no built-in setting to increase the number of saved items or keep history for a long time.
This limitation becomes very inconvenient for developers, writers, researchers, and anyone who frequently works with text and code.
Best Way to Keep Clipboard History Forever
The most effective solution in 2026 is to use maccy app. Unlike the built-in clipboard, maccy macos saves your entire clipboard history locally on your Mac and gives you full control over how long items are stored.
How to Set Up Maccy to Keep History Permanently
Follow these steps to ensure your clipboard history is never automatically deleted:
- Install maccy from the official website.
- Open Maccy → Preferences → History.
- Set “Maximum items in history” to a high number (e.g. 2000 or more).
- Disable any automatic cleanup options if available.
- Enable “Launch at login” so Maccy always runs in the background.
Additional Tips for Long-Term History
To make sure your clipboard history stays safe for a long time:
- Regularly back up the folder
~/Library/Application Support/Maccy. - Avoid enabling iCloud sync if you want everything to stay only on one Mac.
- Use strong ignore rules so sensitive data doesn’t pollute your history.
- Pin important items so they stay at the top permanently.
Alternative Solutions
Other options exist, but they are generally less convenient:
- Paste – Paid app with cloud sync and good history features.
- Raycast – Has clipboard history, but it’s more limited than maccy.
- Custom scripts – Possible but complicated and not user-friendly.
Final Recommendation
If you want to keep your clipboard history forever on Mac, maccy is currently the best and simplest solution. It is free, fast, private, and gives you full control over how long your history is stored.
Most users who need long-term clipboard history switch to maccy app and never go back to the default macOS behavior.
Ready to keep your clipboard history forever? Download maccy here: maccy download free
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