That heart-sinking moment: you highlight text, press Command + C, switch apps, hit Command + V… and nothing happens. Or worse — you get random gibberish.
On a $2,000+ machine built for flawless workflow, this isn’t just annoying — it’s productivity sabotage.
If you’re frantically searching “copy paste not working Mac”, take a deep breath. You’re not alone — and you don’t have to live with this. Here’s your ultimate, step-by-step Mac clipboard repair guide.
Why Copy-Paste Breaks on macOS
Before we dive into solutions, it helps to understand what’s going wrong so you can fix it quickly.
Here are the most common culprits:
- Clipboard Daemon Crash (pboard): Your Mac has a hidden process called pboard that manages all copy-paste operations. When it crashes, your clipboard stops working system-wide.
- App-Specific Bugs: Sometimes, a single misbehaving app (like Safari, Word, or Photoshop) can block or corrupt clipboard actions.
- WindowServer Issues: This core system process handles everything you see on your screen. If it glitches, copy-paste often goes down with it.
- Keyboard Shortcut Conflicts: Damaged keyboard settings, sticky keys, or third-party remapping apps can stop Command + C / Command + V from working.
- Permission Problems: Trying to copy protected files or folders can silently fail.
- Third-Party App Interference: Clipboard managers, virtualization tools, or background utilities can conflict with macOS’s built-in clipboard.
- Outdated macOS: Bugs in older macOS versions sometimes break basic functions — updates often fix them.
- External Drive Format Issues: Copying to a Windows-formatted (NTFS) drive will fail without special software.
Step-by-Step Fixes for Mac Clipboard Problems
Work through these in order — start with quick fixes before moving to advanced steps.
Tier 1: Quick Wins (Fastest Fixes First)
1. Restart the Problem App
If copy-paste only fails in one app, quit it (Command + Q) and reopen. Many “clipboard is broken” cases are just app glitches.
2. Reboot Your Mac
Old-school, but effective. Restarting resets pboard, clears RAM, and fixes most temporary clipboard issues.
3. Try Right-Click Copy-Paste
If keyboard shortcuts fail:
- Highlight your text/file.
- Right-click → Copy
- Go to your destination, Right-click → Paste.
If this works, your keyboard or shortcut settings may be the issue.
Tier 2: Reset Core Clipboard Services
4. Restart pboard via Activity Monitor
- Press Command + Space, search “Activity Monitor”.
- Search for pboard in the top right.
- Select it → click the Stop (X) icon → Force Quit.
- macOS will restart it automatically — test copy-paste immediately.
5. Restart pboard via Terminal (Faster)
Open Terminal and type:
bashkillall pboard
Press Return — no output means success.
6. Restart WindowServer (Careful)
⚠️ This logs you out instantly — save your work first.
- Open Activity Monitor → Search WindowServer.
- Select it → Stop (X) → Force Quit.
- Log back in and test.
Tier 3: Deeper Troubleshooting
7. Check File/Folder Permissions
Right-click the file → Get Info → Sharing & Permissions → Make sure your account has Read & Write access.
8. Boot in Safe Mode
Safe Mode disables all third-party interference. If copy-paste works here, a background app is the cause.
9. Update macOS
Go to System Settings → General → Software Update and install the latest version.
10. Reset Keyboard Shortcuts
System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Restore Defaults.
11. Turn Off Mouse Keys
System Settings → Accessibility → Pointer Control → Ensure Mouse Keys is off.
Tier 4: Advanced Fixes & Edge Cases
- Clear System Caches: Tools like OnyX or CleanMyMac can safely remove old clipboard-related cache files.
- Check External Drives: If the destination drive is NTFS, install NTFS support software.
- Reinstall the Problem App: If only one app fails to paste, reinstall it fresh.
- Test with External Keyboard: Rules out hardware faults.
- Create a New User Account: If copy-paste works there, your main profile’s preferences may be corrupted.
- macOS Reinstall (Last Resort): Reinstalling macOS over your current system (without erasing) can fix deep system file issues.
Quick Symptom Guide
| Your Symptom | Likely Cause | Try These Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Copy-paste dead in one app | App glitch | Restart app, reinstall |
| Command+C/V does nothing | Keyboard, pboard crash | Mouse paste, reset pboard |
| Clipboard fails everywhere | pboard or WindowServer crash | Restart Mac, reset pboard |
| Can’t copy files/folders | Permissions, NTFS | Check permissions, drive format |
| Works then dies after a while | Memory leak, process crash | Restart, Safe Mode |
| Drag-and-drop also broken | WindowServer issue | Restart WindowServer |
Preventing Future Clipboard Problems
- Restart your Mac weekly.
- Keep macOS and apps updated.
- Limit startup apps in Login Items.
- Use reputable clipboard managers only.
- Avoid sketchy system utilities.
When Nothing Works
If you’ve tried everything:
- Run Apple Diagnostics (hold D during startup).
- Contact Apple Support or visit a Genius Bar.
- Consider a macOS reinstall via Recovery Mode.
The Bottom Line
A broken copy-paste on Mac is frustrating — but 90% of the time, you can fix it in minutes by restarting pboard or your Mac. Work through the steps above, from quick resets to deeper troubleshooting, and you’ll almost always restore your clipboard without a full system reinstall.