Ditto Store vs GitHub: Which Should You Install?

Install the Microsoft Store version of Ditto if you want the simplest install and updates handled by the Store. Install from GitHub (or winget or Chocolatey) if you want the newest release as soon as it ships, a scripted install, or the portable build. Both are the same free, open-source Ditto with the same default hotkey, Ctrl plus the backtick key (the key just below Esc on a US keyboard). The practical difference is where your clips are stored and how updates arrive.

The official ways to get Ditto

Ditto's GitHub README lists six install options:

1. Installer from GitHub Releases
2. Portable build
3. Chocolatey: choco install ditto
4. Chocolatey portable: choco install ditto.portable
5. winget: winget install -e --id Ditto.Ditto
6. Microsoft Store app (Ditto Clipboard, publisher Scott Brogden)

The GitHub releases are at version 3.25.113.0 as of October 2026. The README notes that the Windows binaries are code-signed through SignPath. The Store listing is free and requires Windows 10 version 14316.0 or later. Download Ditto only from these sources; clipboard managers see everything you copy, so a repackaged installer from a download site isn't worth the risk. Is Ditto safe to use? covers the other settings worth checking.

Where each version stores your clips

This is the difference that matters most. Ditto's privacy policy gives the locations:

Most forum answers and guides assume the installed version's AppData\Roaming\Ditto path. If you use the Store version, look in the package folder instead.

The same policy says Ditto collects no data: everything stays on your PC. The only network use is the optional Friends feature, which sends clips to other computers you define on your local network. You can turn receiving off in the Friends options.

How updates work

• Microsoft Store: updated through the Store like other Store apps. You get a new version once the publisher submits it and the Store processes it.
• GitHub installer: download the new installer from GitHub Releases and run it over your existing install.
• winget: winget upgrade -e --id Ditto.Ditto
• Chocolatey: choco upgrade ditto
• Portable: replace the program files with the new version, keeping your database and settings file in place.

winget and Chocolatey suit PCs you manage with scripts. The Store suits people who don't want to think about updates at all. Store and GitHub delivery differ the same way for other clipboard apps; see Microsoft Store clipboard apps vs GitHub releases.

Which version should you install?

Choose the Microsoft Store version if

• Your PC allows Store apps but blocks downloaded installers.
• You want updates without visiting GitHub.
• You don't need a portable copy.

Choose GitHub, winget or Chocolatey if

• You want each release the day it ships.
• You install software with winget or Chocolatey already.
• You want your data in the standard AppData\Roaming\Ditto location that most help articles describe.

Choose the portable build if

• You can't install software on the PC.
• You want Ditto and its history to live on a USB drive.

Ditto isn't the only clipboard manager that runs without installing; portable clipboard managers for a USB stick compares the others.

Don't install two versions at once

The Store and GitHub versions are separate installs with separate databases. Running both gives you two tray icons, two histories and two programs reacting to every copy. The same applies to running Ditto alongside another clipboard manager; see two clipboard managers fighting each other.

How to switch from one version to the other

There's no built-in migration between versions, but the history is a single SQLite database you can carry over:

1. Open Ditto's Options and note the database location (or use the table above).
2. Quit Ditto from the tray icon.
3. Copy the database file to a backup folder.
4. Uninstall the old version.
5. Install the new version and quit it once it starts.
6. In the new version's Options, point the database path at your copy, or copy the file into the new version's data folder.

Your settings won't come across automatically, because the installed version keeps them in the registry and the Store version keeps them in a file. Re-check your hotkey and options after switching.

FAQ

Is the Store version of Ditto official?

Yes. The listing is published by Scott Brogden, Ditto's developer, and the GitHub README lists it as an official install option.

Can I change Ditto's hotkey?

Yes, in Ditto's options. Change it if Ctrl plus backtick clashes with your terminal or editor, or if your keyboard layout makes the backtick key awkward.

Related reading

• Ditto vs CopyQ vs Win+V: Which Should You Use?
• Ditto Clipboard Manager Review: When It's the Right Pick
• Clipboard Managers on the Microsoft Store vs GitHub
• Best Ditto Alternatives for Windows: 8 Clipboard Managers

Sources

• sabrogden/Ditto (GitHub) — install options and commands, SignPath signing, license, default hotkey, local-first statement.
• Ditto releases (GitHub) — current release 3.25.113.0.
• Ditto privacy policy (GitHub wiki) — settings and database locations for each version; Friends network port.
• Ditto Clipboard (Microsoft Store) — publisher, price, Windows version requirement.
• winget upgrade command (Microsoft Learn) — --id and -e options.
• choco upgrade (Chocolatey docs) — upgrade syntax.

Copy. Stack. Drop.

Transform your clipboard into an interactive edge shelf. Stack, pin, and drag assets into any app with zero friction.

Download for Windows Get from Microsoft Store

How to Install Guide · First 10 Minutes Guide · Drag & Drop Guide · Edge Drop vs Win+V · Support