Is there a default clipboard history in Ubuntu? If there is, how can I access it?

Question

Is there a default clipboard history in Ubuntu 20.04 or later? If there is, how can I access it? I know there are lots of available applications for saving clipboard history in the default Ubuntu repositories.

I was a bit surprised by this, but it's true, I just tried my ubuntu 21.04 and it doesn't have a clipboard history. But I mostly use my other installation, which is kubuntu 20.04.3 LTS, and it does have a clipboard with history (accessed via the menubar). — michael, Aug 24 '21 at 06:57

score 87 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 22 '21 at 10:34

87

You can give "CopyQ" a try, from Ubuntu Software store.

answered Nov 22 '21 at 10:34

ATorras

981

19

CopyQ (sudo apt install copyq) is an advanced clipboard manager with editing and scripting features. CopyQ monitors system clipboard and saves its content in customized tabs. Saved clipboard can be later copied and pasted directly into any application. – karel Nov 22 '21 at 17:57
2

Thank you, it helped me. Especially after assigning a shortcut Super + V to act like Windows clipboard. – Mina F. Beshay Dec 25 '21 at 01:06
9

This worked for me as well. However, I found adding the Super + V Global Shortcut through the app that I had to press it twice for it to work . Instead, I assigned the Super + V shortcut through Ubuntu's Settings -> Keyboard Shortcuts, adding a custom one that runs a command copyq menu that brings up the tray menu. – Sam Mar 02 '22 at 22:37
As a shortcut, I use CTRL + Super + V without any problem, as Super + V is already captured by default. – ATorras Mar 03 '22 at 15:36
sudo apt install copyq not work in my ubuntu16 – linjiejun Mar 27 '22 at 13:19
1

Man, thanks a lot for CopyQ. "Paste on selection" feature is super useful – chill appreciator May 06 '23 at 16:44
It doesn't see my clipboard on Ubuntu 23.10. Also, the UI is ugly - it probably uses older Qt/KDE libs. – Ivan Yarych Mar 27 '24 at 09:27
Ivan, it looks to me an issue in Ubuntu 23 (Wayland VS X11 internals), so please look at CopyQ forums/docs. – ATorras Mar 28 '24 at 08:39
Ubuntu 24 + nix: nix-env -iA nixpkgs.copyq. You can start it with Alt+F2 and type copyq. It will show up in the system tray on the top right. Open preferences, and the rest is up to you – s3c Aug 28 '24 at 14:06

karel · Accepted Answer · 2022-11-16T10:28:44.883

There isn't a default clipboard history in 20.04, just the current item in the clipboard or nothing if nothing has been copied to the clipboard. If nothing has been copied to the clipboard, the clipboard is empty. If something has been copied to the clipboard then by default the clipboard contains the last item that was copied to it.

Pasting a selected text snippet with your middle mouse button is completely separate from the normal clipboard. Selecting text does not copy it to your clipboard. This quick method of pasting only works with the middle mouse button. For more information visit GNOME help Middle-click.

score 22 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 10 '21 at 03:59

22

I am now using ClipIt - https://github.com/CristianHenzel/ClipIt in my Ubuntu 20.04 ever since I have posted this question and am happy with it, everything is okay in terms of performance, features and etc. You can install it via ubuntu software or flathub or just click github link and follow the installation instruction they have provided in their github repo.

answered Mar 10 '21 at 03:59

Cherwen Molina

1,451

3

I install clipit from the Ubuntu APT repositories. When I run it, this message is displayed: "ClipIt has been deprecated and is no longer supported in Ubuntu. Diodon, a supported replacement for ClipIt, has been automatically installed for your convenience". The GitHub repo says that the version in the Debian and Ubuntu repositories is broken. – Flimm Apr 11 '22 at 09:43
1

I don't have any problem with my installation, it's a bit longer since I posted this question and successfully installed clipit and still using clipit til this time. I have googled "diodon clipit", and you're right, "clipit" has been replaced by "diodon" in debian official package. Here's the link of the debian official package, https://packages.debian.org/sid/clipit – Cherwen Molina May 16 '22 at 20:52
clipit still installs via APT on Ubuntu 24.10, but starting it produces a message appears indicating that it's deprecated; and that "Diodon, a supported replacement for ClipIt," has been installed. I uninstalled clipit and installed diodon directly. man diodon doesn't indicate who the authors are, but I found a possible Github page here. – user643722 May 15 '25 at 09:18
Though clipit itself is a well maintained project, not sure why it's deprecated in the Linux repos, maybe the didion guys have something to do with that? – Pablo Pazos Jun 17 '25 at 21:55

score 6 · Answer 4 · edited Apr 11 '22 at 09:45

6

I've released a clipboard manager Gnome extension which is a rewrite of Clipboard Indicator with vastly improved performance, new features, and bug fixes.

edited Apr 11 '22 at 09:45

Flimm

43,943

answered Feb 25 '22 at 05:13

SUPERCILEX

215

score 6 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 28 '22 at 14:03

6

GPaste

You can download it with

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions-gpaste

By default the history will by shown by pressing <Ctrl><Alt>H, it can also be called with the command gpaste-client show-history

answered Aug 28 '22 at 14:03

Alexandre Daubricourt

171
1
6

1

for me (ubuntu22.04) i never got to work Gpaste probably (e.g. couldn't set up hotkeys). But *Qlipper** does the job for me. It also offers "sticky entries" for thinks you use often e.g. your email – tturbo Nov 23 '23 at 14:42
It seems the package name is not plural: sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-gpaste. But it never seemed to see my clipboard content. Is it a problem with Wayland? Uninstalled. – user643722 May 15 '25 at 09:40

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 14 '21 at 03:04

3

Go to https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/779/clipboard-indicator/ and install it.

Make sure you have the Firefox add-on of Gnome-shells website https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/gnome-shell-integration/?utm_source=addons.mozilla.org&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=search

You will have a clipboard on the top bar you can access. It resets after shutdown by the way.

answered Oct 14 '21 at 03:04

Rudra Pratap Chinhara

31

in the current version, the clipboard history is preserved after a reboot by default – masterxilo Jul 12 '24 at 07:15

score 2 · Answer 7 · edited Jan 30 '24 at 13:38

2

I really like gnome-shell-pano.

You need to install libgda and gsound for this extension to work.

sudo apt install gir1.2-gda-5.0 gir1.2-gsound-1.0

edited Jan 30 '24 at 13:38

karel

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answered Jan 30 '24 at 06:44

YoniChechik

121

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Interesting tool but how do you use it then? I tried shfit + super + V and nothing pops out – Revolucion for Monica May 02 '24 at 10:05
The APT command above only installs the dependencies. It's not a package in Ubuntu 24.10. For installation, visit here. I'll wait for it to appear in APT. – user643722 May 15 '25 at 09:50

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Aug 10 '22 at 16:14

1

Go for Clipman if you are using Xfce.

answered Aug 10 '22 at 16:14

e.saleh

111

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 24 '25 at 10:02

Even if the original question is Ubuntu related it should be added here that this topic looks somewhat different for Kubuntu users. On Kubuntu there exist with Klipper an nice little in-built tool which also offers a small clipboard history.

So I have simply opened with an editor like Kate the history2.lst file in ${HOME}/.local/share/klipper and was able to recover my lost text.

Note, this was tested on Kubuntu 24.04 LTS but should work on any KDE Plasma based distro.

An additional askubuntu source is available here.

This is indeed great if one uses KDE. It just saved me from retyping a lot of things I didn't remember and I would have had to search for again. — Andyc, Mar 09 '25 at 17:06

Is there a default clipboard history in Ubuntu? If there is, how can I access it?

9 Answers9

GPaste

Linked