How to Install Edge-Drop on Windows 10 and 11

Edge-Drop is a Windows-only, local-first, hover-activated clipboard shelf. It sits invisibly on the left or right edge of a chosen monitor, opens on a hover trigger, and supports drag-out into desktop apps via real OS file handles. Installing it takes five minutes, and most of that is choosing between two install paths: the GitHub NSIS .exe installer and the Microsoft Store MSIX package. This article walks through both, then covers first launch, where the shelf hides, and the three settings that matter on day one.

For the broader context on the two install paths, see GitHub installer vs Microsoft Store: which build and Microsoft Store clipboard apps vs GitHub releases. For the onboarding that follows, see your first ten minutes with Edge-Drop. For the Store-rating angle on the Microsoft Store listing, see store ratings vs actual clipboard quality.

Before installing: the pre-install checklist

Edge-Drop is a clipboard monitor and asks for the same trust grant as any other clipboard app. Before installing, apply the pre-install checklist:

• Storage. Edge-Drop stores payloads on disk under the user profile, with large text offloaded to disk files and image thumbnails served via a local edgelocal:// scheme.
• Encryption. History is encrypted at rest using Windows DPAPI / safeStorage.
• Sync. None. Edge-Drop has no cloud sync.
• Excludes. Edge-Drop ignores concealed formats and copies from 1Password, Bitwarden, and KeePass.
• Source. Apache-2.0 on GitHub at https://github.com/Deepender25/Edge-Drop.
• Uninstall. Data folder under user profile; manual deletion recommended for full wipe.

If any of these answers is unclear, read the source or the README before installing. The README is the source of truth for the current version.

Choose the install path

Edge-Drop is distributed via two channels:

The GitHub build auto-updates. The Store build does not. For users who want to stay on the latest version without manual intervention, the GitHub build is the right pick. For users in managed environments where the Microsoft Store is the only sanctioned install source, the MSIX build is the right pick.

Path A: install from GitHub

Step 1: download the installer

Open a browser and navigate to the Edge-Drop GitHub releases page. The current public beta is around version 0.2.7; check the releases page for the actual latest version. Download the NSIS .exe installer for Windows. The filename follows the pattern Edge-Drop-Setup-<version>.exe.

Step 2: verify the download (optional but recommended)

For an open-source app, verifying the download is good hygiene. The GitHub releases page should publish a checksum (SHA-256) for each asset. Open PowerShell and run:

Get-FileHash .\Edge-Drop-Setup-<version>.exe -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the output to the checksum published on the releases page. If they match, the download is intact. If they do not, re-download.

Step 3: run the installer

Double-click the .exe file. Windows SmartScreen may warn that the app is unrecognized; this is normal for a new publisher. Click "More info" and then "Run anyway" to proceed.

The NSIS installer presents the usual options:

• Install location. Default is under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Edge-Drop\ for a per-user install. This avoids the need for admin rights.
• Start menu shortcuts. Enabled by default.
• Desktop shortcut. Optional.
• Launch on finish. Enabled by default.

Click Install and wait. The installer typically completes in under a minute.

Step 4: first launch

On first launch, Edge-Drop opens a small settings window. The shelf itself is hidden until the user moves the cursor into the configured edge hot zone. Three things to do on first launch:

1. Confirm the stick side. The default is the left edge of the primary monitor. If the user wants the right edge, see how to move the Edge-Drop shelf to the right edge.
2. Confirm the monitor. On multi-monitor setups, the default is the primary display. If the user wants a different monitor, see how to pick which monitor Edge-Drop uses.
3. Confirm the hotkey. The default toggle hotkey is Alt+C. If this conflicts with another app, see how to change the Edge-Drop toggle hotkey.

After configuration, close the settings window. Edge-Drop continues running in the background; the shelf appears when the cursor enters the edge hot zone. First launch also starts the in-app walkthrough; what the onboarding tutorial covers and how to replay it if the gestures do not stick.

Path B: install from the Microsoft Store

Step 1: open the Microsoft Store

Open the Microsoft Store app on Windows 10 or 11. Search for "Edge-Drop" or follow the direct Store link from the Edge-Drop website at https://www.edgedrop.app.

Step 2: install

Click the "Get" or "Install" button on the Store listing. The MSIX package downloads and installs. No SmartScreen warning appears because the Store handles signing and trust.

Step 3: first launch

Same as Path A step 4. The settings window opens on first launch; configure stick side, monitor, and hotkey.

Step 4: be aware of the auto-update limitation

The Store build does not auto-update. To check for updates, open the Microsoft Store → Library → Get updates. Install any available Edge-Drop update manually. For users who want auto-updates, switch to the GitHub build.

Where the shelf hides

The most common first-launch confusion is "I installed Edge-Drop and nothing happened." The shelf is hidden by design. It appears only when the cursor enters the configured edge hot zone — a thin strip along the chosen edge of the chosen monitor.

To find the shelf:

1. Move the cursor to the far left edge (default) or the far right edge of the chosen monitor.
2. Pause briefly. The shelf opens with a short dwell delay (hysteresis) to avoid accidental opens.
3. Move the cursor away to close. The shelf closes after a grace period.

If the shelf does not appear:

• Check that Edge-Drop is running. Look for the tray icon in the taskbar's overflow area.
• Check the stick side and monitor in the settings window.
• Check that hover is enabled. If hover was turned off, the shelf only opens via the Alt+C hotkey. See how to turn hover off and use only the hotkey.
• Check that a fullscreen game or presentation is not suppressing hover. Edge-Drop suppresses hover when SHQueryUserNotificationState reports fullscreen. See how to keep Edge-Drop quiet in fullscreen games.

The three settings that matter on day one

After install, configure the three settings that determine the day-one experience:

1. Stick side (Position tab)

Default: left edge of the primary monitor. Switch to right if the user is left-handed, has a taskbar on the left, or finds the left edge interferes with app windows. See how to move the Edge-Drop shelf to the right edge.

2. Monitor (Position tab)

Default: primary display. On multi-monitor setups, pick the monitor where the user spends the most time. The choice persists across reboot. See how to pick which monitor Edge-Drop uses.

3. Hover sensitivity (Behaviour tab)

Default: thin trigger strip, short dwell, grace close. If the shelf opens too often (cursor brushing the edge during normal work), narrow the trigger strip or lengthen the dwell. If it does not open when wanted, widen the strip or shorten the dwell. See how to tune hover sensitivity in Edge-Drop.

Verifying the install

After install and configuration, verify the install is working:

1. Copy something. Press Ctrl+C on a selection in any app.
2. Open the shelf. Move the cursor to the configured edge.
3. Confirm the copy appears. The shelf should show the most recent copy at the top.
4. Drag out (optional). Drag an item from the shelf into a destination app (Word, Slack, Explorer). The drop should land as expected.

If any step fails, consult the troubleshooting articles. The most common day-one issues are covered in how to trial a clipboard app for seven days day-4 section.

Updating Edge-Drop

For the GitHub build, updates are automatic. The app checks for updates on launch and installs them in the background. The next restart picks up the new version.

For the Store build, updates are manual. Open Microsoft Store → Library → Get updates periodically.

To check the current version, open the Edge-Drop settings window → About. The version number is displayed. Cross-reference with the GitHub releases page to confirm the latest.

Uninstalling

To uninstall Edge-Drop:

• GitHub build. Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Edge-Drop → Uninstall. Run the uninstaller.
• Store build. Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Edge-Drop → Uninstall.

After uninstall, manually delete the data folder under %APPDATA%\Edge-Drop\ (and %LOCALAPPDATA%\Edge-Drop\ if present) for a full wipe. See how to uninstall Edge-Drop cleanly for the complete procedure.

When NOT to install Edge-Drop

Edge-Drop is one option among many. Do not install it if:

• The machine has 4 GB of RAM. Edge-Drop's typical RAM is 130–160 MB. Ditto or Win+V is the lighter pick.
• The user needs cloud sync. Edge-Drop has no cloud sync. Win+V with sync on (and the privacy trade-off) is the right pick.
• The user needs scripting. CopyQ is the right pick.
• The user needs text expansion. Espanso or PhraseExpress is the right pick.
• The user is on macOS or Linux. Edge-Drop is Windows-only.

For the longer treatment, see when not to use Edge-Drop.

Related reading

• What Local-First Software Means for Clipboard Apps
• Why Some Clipboard Apps Will Never Sync
• Apache-2.0 Clipboard Tools You Can Actually Audit
• Reading an Electron App's IPC Surface as a User

Sources

• Microsoft Support — Using the clipboard on Windows — official description of the Windows clipboard surface that Edge-Drop installs alongside
• Microsoft Learn — MSIX overview — official documentation for the Microsoft Store MSIX package format used by the Store build
• Microsoft Learn — SHQueryUserNotificationState — Win32 API reference for the fullscreen-detection call Edge-Drop uses to suppress hover in games and presentations
• Electron — safeStorage API — official documentation for the DPAPI-backed encryption API that Edge-Drop uses for at-rest protection
• Edge-Drop — GitHub README — official source of truth for the current version, install paths, and the changelog that documents release cadence

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