How to Access Clipboard on Android

The ability to copy and paste is a basic, simple function that any Android smartphone or tablet has and must have. The data you have copied will be stored in a special area of ​​the operating system called the Clipboard. Therefore, if you know how to access and manage the Clipboard, you can fully utilize and further develop Android's ability to copy and paste data. Let's get started!

How to Find the Clipboard in Android Using Gboard

Gboard is the default keyboard for stock Android . You might be using this keyboard if your phone doesn't have a skin overlay, like Samsung's OneUI. Here's how to access the clipboard on Gboard.

1. Open any application where you can enter text, then type the text you want to copy and select it. Once you have selected the text, the clipboard icon will appear on your keyboard toolbar.

2. If the clipboard icon doesn't appear, tap the menu icon (four squares) to display the clipboard icon. You can then tap and drag it to the top of the menu so it's always available.

3. Tap Clipboard and make sure the slider is turned on. If not, tap the slider or the Turn on Clipboard button .

Now that you know how to access Gboard's clipboard, here's how to copy and paste text. First, select the text you want by double-tapping the word you want to copy. You can adjust the selection by dragging either end of the selection cursor. When you're happy with your selection, the Cut | Copy toolbar will appear. Tap Copy and your selected text will appear on the clipboard.

Note : Any items you copy will be saved for one hour when the clipboard is enabled.

If you're just pasting the last text you copied, just tap and hold on any text box or input window and then tap the clipboard icon that shows the text you copied above the keyboard. To see the entire clipboard with all the items you've copied recently, tap the menu icon, then the clipboard icon. From there, tap any item saved on the clipboard to paste it.

Clipboard Management in Gboard

You can manage your clipboard contents by tapping and holding on copied text in the clipboard. When you do this, you'll see three options: Paste, Pin, and Delete .

Tap the trash icon to delete an item or the pin icon to save it to the clipboard. If you want to pin or delete multiple clipboard items, tap the pencil icon and select the items you want to change.

Along with that, you can now access your clipboard and save items to it. And if you're still using this keyboard, Gboard has settings you should enable to improve your typing experience.

How to Find Clipboard on Microsoft SwiftKey

If you use Microsoft's SwiftKey as your default keyboard, you can also use that keyboard to access the clipboard.

1. Open any app where you can enter text, then tap any text box to bring up the SwiftKey keyboard.

2. Select the three-dot menu icon at the far right of the keyboard toolbar, then tap Settings .

3. Tap Rich input > Clipboard to open Clipboard settings.

4. In the Clipboard menu, tap the Remember copied items slider and make sure it is turned on.

5. When the clipboard is enabled, you will see the clipboard icon on your keyboard. Tap it to see all the text you have copied in the past hour.

6. If you want to save the copied text to the clipboard, just tap the pin icon and it will stay there permanently. You can also rearrange the copied text by tapping and dragging them to the desired position.

Copying and pasting text or images using Microsoft SwiftKey is similar to Gboard — simply select the text or item you want to copy, tap Copy in the menu bar that appears, then hold down on any input or text window and select Paste in the menu that appears.

While you can't delete clipboard items on SwiftKey, it does let you copy and paste between Windows 10 or 11 and Android devices, making it easier to work across different devices.

Find Clipboard on Samsung Keyboard

If you have a Samsung phone, chances are you're using the Samsung Keyboard app as your default keyboard. So if you want to copy and save text to your clipboard, here's how to enable it.

1. Go to Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default > Default keyboard and select Samsung Keyboard . Tap the gear icon to open Samsung Keyboard settings.

2. Scroll down to Style and layout and tap the slider on the Keyboard toolbar to enable it.

3. Once you have enabled the Samsung Keyboard toolbar, open any app where you can enter text and tap any text box to bring up the Samsung Keyboard.

4. If you don't see the Clipboard icon on your keyboard toolbar, tap the three-dot icon to bring up the settings menu.

5. Swipe through the settings menu to find the Clipboard icon. Tap and drag it to the top of the keyboard toolbar for easy access to the clipboard whenever you open Samsung Keyboard.

6. Tap the Clipboard icon to see the items you've copied. To pin or delete an item, tap the pin or trash icon, then select the item or items you want to pin or delete and tap Done .

Like the other keyboard apps above, copying and pasting items with Samsung Keyboard is pretty straightforward. Tap and hold or double-tap the word you want to select, then tap Copy in the menu bar that appears. From there, tap and hold any text entry or window, then tap Paste in the menu bar that appears.

Use a third-party clipboard manager

If you want the clipboard to retain your entire copy history, you can't rely on the built-in clipboard on Gboard or Microsoft SwiftKey because it typically clears your copy history after an hour.

So, if you need a permanent record of your copied items, you should install a third-party app like Clipboard Manager . Here's how to use it:

1. Tap I Understand when you first launch the app. Now you can copy any item and save it to the clipboard app.
2. Open any app that allows you to enter text and select whatever you're typing. Then, select Share from the context menu. If you don't see it, tap the three-dot icon.
3. Select Clipboard from the bottom row of apps. If you don't see it, swipe right and tap More > Clipboard .
4. When the Clipboard app opens, you'll see all the items you've copied. Tap the item you want to paste and Clipped! will appear near the bottom of your screen.
5. Go to the application where you want to paste the copied item and paste it as usual.

You can follow these steps to save text to the Clipboard Manager app. You can also create multiple text entries directly in the app, allowing you to copy your most used phrases with just one tap instead of typing them manually every time you need them.

Here are ways you can find and check your clipboard history on your Android phone. The clipboard functionality on your phone's built-in keyboard should be enough for most users.

However, consider downloading Clipboard Manager if you need something more robust. Don’t store passwords in it, as it’s not a secure repository. If that’s what you need, you should use a secure and safe password manager instead.