How to Clear the Clipboard on a Mac

Knowing how to clear the clipboard on your Mac can be helpful when you want to ensure sensitive information doesn’t remain saved in your system’s memory. Though there is no direct “Clear Clipboard” option, there are a few techniques you can follow to achieve this. Let’s delve into the methods below:

1. 1. Restart Your Mac

   The easiest way to clear the clipboard is to restart your Mac. Upon restarting, the clipboard’s contents will be cleared out from the memory. Simply click on the Apple Menu located on the top-left corner of your screen and choose “Restart”. Confirm the restart when prompted, and the clipboard will be empty once your Mac reboots.

2. 2. Copy and Paste Blank Text

   If you prefer not to restart your Mac, you can clear the clipboard by copying and pasting blank text. Follow the steps below to perform this method:

   1. Open a text editor or any application where you can input and edit text.
   2. Press the following keys simultaneously: Command + Shift + V. This keyboard shortcut will paste the text without formatting (plain text).
   3. The clipboard will be overwritten with the blank text, effectively clearing its previous contents.

3. 3. Use Terminal

   If you are comfortable using Terminal, you can clear the clipboard using a command. Follow these steps:

   1. Open the Terminal application by going to Applications > Utilities > Terminal, or by searching for it using Spotlight.
   2. In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter:
      pbcopy < /dev/null
   3. The command will redirect the null device (/dev/null) to the clipboard (pbcopy), effectively clearing its contents.

By following these methods, you can ensure that any sensitive or unwanted information stored in your Mac’s clipboard is cleared out. Choose the method that suits you best and keep your clipboard clean!

Remember, regularly clearing your clipboard can help protect your privacy, especially if you frequently copy and paste sensitive data.