How to Copy Multiple Items to the Clipboard in Windows 10

Windows 10 can keep a short list of things you copy, so you can paste an earlier item instead of copying it again. Turn on Clipboard history, copy text or an image as usual, then press Windows key + V and select the clip you need. The built-in feature works on your PC without a Microsoft account; syncing clips to other devices is a separate, optional setting.

Windows 10’s regular clipboard still holds the latest item for Ctrl + V. Clipboard history gives you a menu of recent items when you want to choose a different one.

Turn on Clipboard history

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then select System and Clipboard. You can also open Start and choose Settings.
2. Under Clipboard history, switch the setting on.
3. Or press Windows key + V. If history is off, select Turn on in the prompt.

You do not have to enable syncing to use the local history. In the same Clipboard settings page, keep Sync across devices off if you only want to use clips on this PC. Turning sync on requires the same Microsoft or work account on each device and sends eligible text clips to Microsoft for syncing. Microsoft explains the options in its Clipboard support guide.

Copy several items the normal way

Open the app that contains the first item, select it, and press Ctrl + C. Repeat for each additional item. For example, copy a name from a document, a link from a browser, and then a short note from another app. Each copy becomes a separate entry in Clipboard history, even though the standard clipboard now contains only the most recent copy.

Clipboard history can also show supported image data. Microsoft lists text, HTML, and bitmap formats, with a maximum of 4 MB per item. Whether an item can be pasted still depends on the destination app: place the cursor in a text field for text, or use an app that accepts images for a picture. Windows history is not a general file archive, so do not expect every copied file or format to appear as a reusable entry.

Choose an older item and paste it

1. Switch to the app where you want to paste, and click the text field or document position that should receive the item.
2. Press Windows key + V to open the Clipboard history flyout.
3. Select the entry you want. Windows inserts that clip at the current focus in the app. If you simply press Ctrl + V, Windows pastes the latest clipboard item instead.

If the flyout says there is nothing to show, copy a small piece of text with Ctrl+C and open it again. If Windows key + V displays a prompt, enable history as described above. Microsoft’s Windows keyboard shortcut reference also lists Windows key + V as the shortcut for opening Clipboard history.

Pin useful clips or clear the history

For a clip you use repeatedly, open its three-dot menu and choose Pin. Pinned items stay in history after a restart; unpinned entries are cleared when you restart Windows. The history holds up to 25 copied entries. As new items arrive, older unpinned entries are removed to make room, so pin anything you need to keep.

To remove one clip, open its three-dot menu and choose Delete. To clear the unpinned list, press Windows key + V and choose Clear all. You can also open Settings > System > Clipboard and select Clear under Clear clipboard data. Pinned clips are excluded from Clear all; remove a pinned clip individually if you no longer want it saved.

Privacy and Windows 10 support

Clipboard history can temporarily contain personal information. Avoid copying passwords, payment details, or private messages when you do not want them retained, and delete a sensitive clip if it appears in the history. With cross-device sync off, you can use the built-in history without sending clips through Windows clipboard sync.

These steps apply to Windows 10, although Microsoft ended its general support for the operating system on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes ended on that date. See the current Microsoft clipboard documentation for feature details and troubleshooting.