Viewing, saving files in, and clearing the
clipboard history is very simple if you understand everything under the hood.
All you need is to follow this article keenly.
To view and clear clipboard history on your
computer, you can undertake 5 main routes.
These include paths through the graphical
user interface. Alternatively, you can use the command line. Using the command
line may (and mostly) require computer programming skills.
However, all you need (here) is to copy and
paste the commands as I shall outline in this article. What is more? Let us get
started.
Highlights
of Viewing and Clearing the Clipboard
For easier understanding, l shall group the
commands into 2 categories, depending on the permanency of clearing the
clipboard history.
To access and clear the history, use two
short-cuts. This entails pressing the Windows and V keys, or Windows key +
V.
The long route entails accessing it
through Settings when you start by clicking the windows button. Once at the
clipboard you can clear the history.
Alternatively, you can restart your
computer. If you want to permanently clear the history, use the command
line or Notepad.
Before undertaking the above processes chronologically,
here’s all you need to know about the clipboard and its history.
Why
You Should Use or Clear the Clipboard
The clipboard enables you to cache various
pasted items. It has improved efficiency since even if you delete or
accidentally discard a copy of an item, you can trace it in the clipboard.
The
clipboard saves a maximum file size of 4MB, averaging 25 items. If the number
of saved items exceed 25 items, new saves auto-replace old ones.
Another reason to clear the clip history is
the possibility of a hacker accessing and maliciously using it. That is why you
may need to read more about malware software.
Having known what a clipboard entails and why it is important to you, let us have a look at
how to use it. Here is the most explicit procedure to view and clear the
Clipboard.
Way
No. 1 of Viewing and Clearing the Clipboard History
Click the Windows Key. Type settings
in search (autofocus) bar. The Settings App avails to you a myriad of options,
the first one being system. Click on it.
This lands you in a long dropdown menu.
Scroll down the bar until you see Clipboard. Tap it.
On the Clipboard interface, you will see if
the clipboard is on. If it is on (already) it means the clipboard has some
history. You can clear the history by tapping Clear, down the interface.
If it is Off, turn it On, then proceed to
make several copies of a file(s). This
takes us to another step, viewing and clearing your clipboard history.
Way
No. 2 of Viewing and Clearing the Clipboard History
Simultaneously press Windows Key + i,
on your keyboard. This leads to the settings menu. Move to system, Clipboard,
and finally clear the history, as in step 1 above.
Way
No. 3 of Viewing and Clearing the Clipboard History
Press Windows key and V. This lands
you into clipboard history. On each of the saved copies, click on ellipses (3
dots) followed by delete or Clear all.
If you Pin it, you will not clear
the copy permanently until you unpin it and redo the process of Delete
or Clear all.
The following are other ways of clearing
clipboard history permanently.
Way
No. 4 of Clearing the Clipboard History
Type CMD in the search bar. On the
command line presented, paste and run this command: %windir%\System32\cmd.exe /c "echo off | clip". Then, close the command line. To confirm successful history
clearance, try pasting a former copy.
Way
No. 5 of Clearing the Clipboard History
Open Notepad. Copy, paste, and save
the following file with a .bat extension:
“
%windir%\System32\cmd.exe /c "echo off | clip"
wmic service where "name like '%%cbdhsvc_%%'" call
stopservice
wmic service where "name like '%%cbdhsvc_%%'" call
startservice
“
Reopen the saved file from the File
Explorer or search bar. The clipboard history should be cleared.
Conclusion
The shortcuts to viewing (and temporarily
clearing) the clipboard history are:
1.
Windows key + V => Clear all
2.
Windows key + I => System
=> Clipboard => Clear Clipboard data => Clear
Alternately, tap Windows key => Settings
=> System => Clipboard => Clear Clipboard data => Clear or use
the Windows Prompt or Notepad as outlined in this article.
