Clipboard Managers

I’ve tried a number of other apps, but I always come back to LaunchBar. I like how fast it is to use. You just hold the modifier key and repeatedly tap the character key (e.g. hold option, tap “”) to choose an earlier item. If Copy’em can do that, I’d be interested in trying it out.

Top feature that I need is being able to collect a bunch of “copy” items before then pasting, and easily be able to choose what to paste. Next most important feature is to easily be able to choose to paste plain or rich text.

Currently using Copy’em

I use Paste, it comes with Setapp. It’s quick, easy, and the app I use the most with Setapp. I have BarTender keep in in the menu bar and clicking on it brings up the clipboard history, useful links, and you can even add items such as frequently used phrases or website links.

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The only people who ask this question are folks who haven’t tried using one. :slight_smile:

Seriously. Once you’ve gotten used to using a clipboard manager, even a simple one, you won’t go back.

I spent my first 15 or so years of Mac use not using a clipboard manager. Once I finally gave it a real go, it became essential. I literally use mine a dozen or more times a day—so often, I can’t actually count, it’s just muscle memory at this point.

I currently use the clipboard feature built into Alfred, and it works fairly well for me. (My usage isn’t advanced.) I do sometimes wonder what I’m missing. I’ve purchased e.g. PasteBot and Copied, but they never really clicked with me.

I’d be interested in a couple of things in your show:

(0. Clipboard manager basics, for folks who haven’t used one yet. Not for me, but you’re going to have to start here.)

  1. Comparing the clipboard managers built into various other “Mac Power User” general purpose utilities, like Alfred and Keyboard Maestro. (I believe these are all pretty basic, but don’t know for sure.)

  2. Understanding the features and capabilities of “advanced” dedicated clipboard manager tools that do more than the built-in features of e.g. Alfred, or other “general purpose” utilities that most of us probably already have. What’s the “next level” of clipboard managers, after you are experienced with “the basics”?

  3. “Super powered” clipboard management tasks, purposes, capabilities. Like, dazzle me: “I didn’t know a clipboard manager could do that!”, “look out, they’re a wizard!” kinds of stuff.

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I stick with Clipmenu. Al ways works for me.

Thanks for this reminder. Turns out my Alfred Powerpack license did not come over w/ Migration Assistant! After I retrieved and entered it I went through all of Alfred’s preferences. I’m not sure I ever used its clipboard feature, and I’ve had Powerpack for months! So. Many. Things. in here. I feel like I need a field guide…

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I use Paste, grandfathered so I won’t need to pay up until Q2 2022.

Paste consistently slide from bottom of the screen, which make it unobtrusive. Search is easy (type to search), has ‘protected clipboards’ and ‘folders’. Has built-in feature akin of Paste Queue from Copy 'Em.
Sync feels a little bit slow on iOS. No custom keyboard or iMessage app (like Copy 'Em or Drafts).

Paste can be navigated all from keyboard. I tried Keyboard Maestro built-in clipboard manager, but too clunky.

I might migrate to Copy 'Em once my grandfathered subscription coupon ends.

FYI, I just bought Copy’em, and it doesn’t support the LauchBar-style pasting.

I’m a huge LaunchBar fan for other purposes, but as far as I can tell, it doesn’t give thumbnail previews of images in the clipboard, which makes it hard to pick from several images you’ve copied.

I’m still using Copied on Monterey and iOS 15 - iCloud sync is broken but all my collections and scripts are still there. I wish the dev would fix or sell it - it was great.

Copy 'em is extremely similar. I don’t know if it supports scripting though–I suspect not.

Do you mind sharing your long tap km macro for markdown?

Sure. It isn’t original to me. You’ll see there’s a subroutine macro that I got from another kind soul.

Here’s the main macro, triggered by a keypress in my case (and lodged in muscle memory before I set up my hyperkey).

And here’s that subroutine macro — iirc, I only really modified it to work with Brave as well as Chrome, Firefox and Safari; I don’t remember if I added copying the browser selection as well, or if it was in the original:

You can get the original here: Get the Browser Page Title & URL for Safari, Chrome, or FireFox - Macro Library - Keyboard Maestro Discourse

Not sure how to share my modified version that include Brave. It pretty much just duplicates the Firefox version with some modifications.

EDIT: OK, I’m not sure that second screenshot is terribly useful… I can’t figure out how to share it more legibly…

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Thanks! I can get the screenshot by saving it as an image, so no biggie. I’ve re-created the subroutine, but still note getting the selected text to paste - the markdown link is fine, but highlighted text not so much, Will error check to see I’ve screwed something up…

I’m just using Copied. It sounds like I might be switching to one of the other ones mentioned after your episode…

i am using Raycast https://www.raycast.com/