# Pasteboard Viewer

Inspect the system pasteboards. Price: Free. Platforms: macOS, iOS, visionOS. Get it from: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1499215709). Requires macOS, iOS, or visionOS 26 or later. Free older versions for macOS 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, and 10.15: [download](https://sindresorhus.com/pasteboard-viewer#older-versions). Version 2.12.0, released March 30, 2026.

URL: https://sindresorhus.com/pasteboard-viewer

A developer utility that shows the contents of the system pasteboards live, with previews of text, RTF, images, and anything that has a Quick Look preview.

The sidebar lists the types of the current item, like `public.url`. Select a type to see its content. A `dyn.` type shows the type it stands for below its name.

Use it to check that your app puts the correct data on [`NSPasteboard`](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appkit/nspasteboard) or [`UIPasteboard`](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/uipasteboard).

Note that this is not a clipboard manager. If you are not a developer, you probably don’t want this app. To only see the text or image on the clipboard, select “Edit › Show Clipboard” in Finder. To see what you copied before, use Spotlight on macOS 26 or later: press Command+Space, and then Command+4.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### I have a feature request, bug report, or some feedback

Click the feedback button in the app or [send it here.](https://sindresorhus.com/feedback?product=Pasteboard%20Viewer&referrer=Website-FAQ)

### Can it show what I copied before?

No, it only shows what is on the clipboard now. On macOS 26 and later, Spotlight has a clipboard history: press Command+Space, and then Command+4. The first time, click “Allow”.

### How do I stop the paste prompt?

The system asks before an app can read the pasteboard. To always allow it:

**macOS:** Allow the app in “[System Settings › Privacy & Security › Paste from Other Apps](x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.settings.PrivacySecurity.extension?Privacy_Pasteboard)”.

**iOS:** Go to “Settings › Apps › Pasteboard Viewer › Paste from Other Apps” and choose “Allow”.

### Why is this free without ads?

I just enjoy making apps. Consider leaving a nice review on the App Store.

### Can you localize the app into my language?

I don’t plan to localize the app.

## Older Versions

- [2.11.0](https://github.com/sindresorhus/Pasteboard-Viewer/releases/download/v2.11.0/Pasteboard.Viewer.2.11.0.-.macOS.15.zip) for macOS 15+
- [2.8.0](https://github.com/sindresorhus/Pasteboard-Viewer/releases/download/v2.8.0/Pasteboard.Viewer.2.8.0.-.macOS.14.zip) for macOS 14+
- [2.5.1](https://github.com/sindresorhus/Pasteboard-Viewer/releases/download/v2.5.1/Pasteboard.Viewer.2.5.1.-.macOS.13.zip) for macOS 13+
- [2.4.1](https://github.com/sindresorhus/meta/files/13539167/Pasteboard-Viewer-2.4.1-macOS-12.zip) for macOS 12+
- [2.2.2](https://github.com/sindresorhus/Pasteboard-Viewer/releases/download/v2.2.2/Pasteboard.Viewer.2.2.2.-.macOS.11.zip) for macOS 11+
- [1.5.2](https://github.com/sindresorhus/Pasteboard-Viewer/releases/download/v1.5.1/Pasteboard.Viewer.1.5.2.-.macOS.10.15.zip) for macOS 10.15+

## Non-App Store Version

A special macOS version for users that cannot access the App Store. It won’t receive automatic updates. I will update it here once a year.

[Download 2.12.0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ofwrr7xwgkbh2gpyosdkl/Pasteboard-Viewer-2.12.0-1774843275.zip?rlkey=5xslv1f9me08bgwsn9yb2kpp8&raw=1)

*Requires macOS 26 or later*