How to Delete Things off the Clipboard on an iPhone | Techwalla (2024)

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The iPhone clipboard is used to copy and paste text and images between different areas of the same app or between different apps on the phone. The clipboard functionality is simple and easy to use. It holds the most recently copied text until it is cleared, which requires only a couple of steps. The clipboard is intended for the temporary storage of information that is being moved or copied. Do not use the clipboard to copy and store information for a long period of time because that information will be cleared automatically during a restart, or it will be removed when you copy a new section of text.

Check the Clipboard on iPhone

The clipboard is not an accessible file on your iPhone, and you cannot retrieve it through the phone's Settings app. Before clearing the clipboard, you might want to check the content to make sure you want to erase it. Open an app that includes a text field, such as a blank email, a Note or any other compatible app's text field available on your iPhone. Click in a blank area with the cursor. Tap and hold the text field until you see the option appear that says "Paste" or "Paste from Clipboard." Select the option to paste the stored text. If nothing is stored on the temporary memory, you will not have the option to paste anything. If text appears, examine it to see if you want to overwrite it.

Clear the Clipboard

The text that you just pasted (if any appeared) is stored on the iPhone's clipboard. To clear the clipboard, you need to copy something new to it, which essentially pushes out any saved text and replaces it. In a blank text area, type a couple of punctuations marks – even a single period will do. Press and hold the text until you see "Copy to Clipboard" and select that option to copy the punctuation marks and clear the old text from the temporary memory.

Double Check

Before you assume the clipboard is clear, run a double-check to ensure the process worked. Press your finger against the text field and select "Paste" again. If only a couple of punctuation marks appear, the clipboard is clear. If the old text appears, the process didn't take. Repeat the previous process and test until the old text is finally cleared.