How Do I Open a Clipboard in Windows 10?

To open the clipboard in Windows 10 and view your copied items, simply press the Windows key + V.

This key combination opens the clipboard history feature in Windows 10. Unlike the traditional clipboard which only holds one item at a time, the clipboard history can store multiple items you've copied, including text, images, and more.

Accessing Clipboard History

The clipboard history allows you to see everything you've copied from various devices and programs, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, if you have clipboard syncing enabled across your devices.

Here's how it works:

1. Press the Shortcut: Simultaneously press the Windows key and the V key on your keyboard.
2. View History: A panel will appear showing a list of recent items you've copied.

Using Items from Clipboard History

Once the clipboard history is open, you can interact with the items stored there:

• Select and Paste: Clicking on an item in the list will automatically paste it into the application you currently have open and focused (where the cursor is).

• Advanced Options: For more control, you can right-click on a specific item within the clipboard history panel.

  • Choosing Copy places that item back onto the current active clipboard slot, allowing you to paste it using the standard Ctrl + V if clicking didn't work or if you need to copy it again for other purposes.
  • Choosing Cut (if applicable) will remove the item from its original location and place it on the current clipboard slot.
  • You may also see options to Delete a single item or Clear all items from the history.

• Pin Items: You can pin frequently used items to the clipboard history list so they don't disappear when you clear your history or restart your computer.

After selecting or re-copying an item from the history, you can paste it into your desired location by pressing the standard Ctrl + V.

Note: Clipboard history is enabled by default on most recent Windows 10 installations. If the Windows key + V shortcut doesn't work, you might need to enable it in your Windows Settings under System > Clipboard.