How to View the Clipboard History on a Chromebook (2024)

Chromebook users rely on Chrome OS operating system, which has some excellent advantages. It is a very fast and stable system and not prone to malware.

But it also offers some fantastic productivity features. For instance, you can access the Chromebook clipboard manager, making multitasking much more efficient. Chrome OS allows users to view five last copied items, whether text, links, or images.

However, to view and use this functional, you first need to enable it. If you’re not sure precisely how to go about it, this article will guide you through all the necessary steps.

How to View the Clipboard History on a Chromebook

How many times have you copied an item only to forget and copy another, thus losing the first item entirely? It indeed sounds frustrating and happens to many of us.

That’s precisely why the clipboard manager is so helpful, especially if you’re processing a lot of data every day.

If you’re a first time Chromebook user, you’ll need to ensure the clipboard history is available to you, and here is how you can do that:

1. Launch Chrome browser and enter “chrome://flags” and search for “Clipboard.”
   
2. Among other results, the search will yield “Productivity Experiment: Enable Enhanced Clipboard.” Make sure to enable the feature via the button next to it.
   
3. Also, switch on the “Enable Copy Images from Files App” button to have the option to save images to the clipboard.
   
4. At the bottom right corner of the screen, click on the “Restart” option.
   

Viewing History

When you’ve enabled all the clipboard manager features, you’re safe to copy up to five items without the fear of losing track of them. For example, you want to send a few links to your friend but save them first. With the clipboard history on Chromebook now enabled, that’s a straightforward process.

Here’s what you should do:

1. Press the Search or the Launcher Key + V on your keyboard.
   
2. This will launch the clipboard history and show all the links you have saved.
   
3. You can also right-click on any field and select “Clipboard” from the menu.
   

Both options give you quick and easy access to the clipboard history and the floating clipboard app. You can use any saved items and paste them anywhere you want.

If you’ve copied an item by mistake and want to remove it, launch the clipboard manager, and click on the “X” symbol next to the saved item. This will ensure you have more space for keeping items you really need.

Troubleshooting the View Clipboard History on a Chromebook

Are you trying to use the Launch key + V with your Chromebook, but it’s not opening the clipboard history?

If that’s the case, the Launch key is probably configured to Caps Lock function, which is sometimes the case with Chromebook. Fortunately, that’s a quick fix. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Make sure you’re signed in to your Chromebook.
   
2. Press Alt + Shift + S or click on the clock at the bottom right corner.
   
3. Go to the “Device” section and select “Keyboard.”
   
4. Change the settings for the Launch key.
   

Note: If you’re using an external Windows keyboard, the Launch key is the Windows key, nestled between Ctrl and Alt keys.

Using Clipboard Sharing Feature

One of the best perks of using a Chromebook is that it can work in sync with your Android phone. With the clipboard manager, you can instantly share items from your Chromebook to your smartphone. But you first need to enable this feature. Here’s how:

1. Open the Chrome browser and go to “chrome://flags” and search for “Clipboard.”
   
2. When the result pops up, make sure to switch on the “Enable shared clipboard feature signals to be handled.”
   

Once you enable this feature, you can bypass the clipboard manager to copy and paste items to your device directly. Essentially, all you have to do is:

1. Make sure you’re signed in to your Chromebook and Android device.
   
2. On your Chromebook, select any text.
   
3. Right-click on the text, and from the menu, select “Copy to your Android Phone.
   

If you select “Copy” instead, the text will be saved in the clipboard history.

Managing Your Clipboard History on Chromebook

Chromebooks are an excellent choice for students and people who don’t need to use heavy software every day. These devices are all about speed, efficiency, and productivity, and using the clipboard manager correctly fits into that concept.

In many ways, the Chromebook clipboard manager mimics the built-in Windows software that works the same way. The only downside is the five-item limitation with the Chromebook clipboard history.

Still, it comes in handy in various situations and certainly can boost your efficiency when completing specific tasks. Remember that all you have to do is press the Launch key + V to get instant access to recently copied items.

How can access to clipboard history help you? Let us know in the comments section below.