Local-Only Clipboard Managers for Windows 11 (No Sync)

If you want clipboard history that never leaves your PC, the main local-only choices on Windows 11 are Ditto, CopyQ, EcoPaste and Edge Drop. None needs an account, and none syncs your clips to a vendor cloud. Windows' own Win+V history is local too, as long as Clipboard history across your devices is turned off, and that switch is the first thing to check.

"Local-only" here means three things: no sign-in to capture history, no built-in cloud sync, and history stored in a folder on your own disk. It doesn't mean "no network traffic at all". Some apps check for updates or offer an optional LAN feature, and those are listed for each app below.

Turn off Windows clipboard sync first

Windows clipboard history and Windows clipboard sync are separate settings. History stays on your PC. Sync sends copied text to Microsoft so other devices signed in to the same Microsoft or work account can paste it. A third-party manager doesn't change either setting, so if sync is on, your text is still uploaded no matter which app you install.

1. Open Settings > System > Clipboard.
2. Turn off Clipboard history across your devices (on Windows 10 it's called Sync across devices).
3. Leave Clipboard history on or off as you prefer. It only controls the local Win+V list.

How to disable Windows clipboard cloud sync covers the same setting on managed PCs, and does Windows clipboard sync upload what you copy? explains what the sync sends.

Local-only clipboard managers compared

Windows clipboard history (Win+V)

Built in, nothing to install. With sync off, the list stays on your PC. Microsoft documents a limit of 25 items and 4 MB per item, supports text, HTML and bitmaps only, and clears everything except pinned items when you restart. Apps such as password managers can flag a copy so Windows keeps it out of history and sync.

If those limits are fine, you don't need a third-party manager at all. How to enable clipboard history in Windows 11 shows the setup.

Ditto

Ditto's website describes it as local-first: no login, no cloud and no telemetry. Its privacy policy says settings and clips are stored only on your machine. The standard install uses the registry and a SQLite database under AppData, the portable build keeps both in the folder it runs from, and the Microsoft Store build uses its app package folder.

The one network feature is Friends, which sends clips to computers you list on your local network. The privacy policy says the port is used only for that, and you can stop incoming clips with Friends - Disable Receiving Clips. If you never set up Friends, nothing is sent. Is Ditto safe to use? goes further.

CopyQ

CopyQ's security documentation says it "does not send anything over network". It stores text and images automatically and recognises clipboard content marked as secret, such as copies from password managers, and ignores it.

One detail matters for privacy: CopyQ's tab data is stored unencrypted in its configuration folder unless you enable its Encryption feature. Turn that on if your history may hold anything sensitive. Scripts you add yourself can reach the network, so only run commands you trust.

EcoPaste

EcoPaste is an open-source (Apache 2.0) manager for Windows and macOS. Its README describes it as local-first, keeping clipboard data, resources and settings on your machine. It also says it skips high-confidence secrets such as private keys, service tokens and JWTs, and it can export and import backup files, including encrypted ones.

Edge Drop

Edge Drop is made by the team behind this site. It's a free, Apache 2.0 clipboard shelf that slides out from the edge of the screen. It has no account, no sync and no telemetry, and it honours the standard Windows flags that keep password-manager copies out of clipboard monitors.

Its history lives in %APPDATA%\Edge-Drop. The history index is encrypted with Windows DPAPI, but captured images and the full text of long clips are stored as plain files, so treat that folder as private. The GitHub build checks GitHub for updates by default; set Automatic updates to Off in Settings and it makes no automatic network requests. The Microsoft Store build has no in-app update check. Where Edge Drop stores data on disk lists every file.

Apps that aren't local-only by default

Some popular tools are built around syncing, so they fail a strict "never upload" rule even when they're well made:

• ClipboardFusion Pro adds syncing between computers, online pinned items and phone apps. The free edition keeps history locally but is for personal use only.
• 1Clipboard syncs through Google Drive with a Google account, though it has an offline mode. See 1Clipboard alternatives.
• Microsoft SwiftKey on Android shares copied text with Windows through Windows clipboard sync, so it only works with that sync turned on.

How to check a "local" claim yourself

1. Install from the official site, GitHub releases page or the Microsoft Store, not a download mirror.
2. Look for a documented data folder you can find and delete.
3. Confirm sync, sharing or LAN features are off or absent in the default settings.
4. Copy a test password from your password manager and check it doesn't appear in the history.
5. Run only one clipboard manager at a time, so there's only one history to clean.
6. If you want proof, watch the app's connections with a network monitor. How to audit whether a clipboard app talks to the network walks through it.

Local storage isn't the same as protected storage. Anything running under your Windows account can usually read the files, so disk encryption and a locked screen still matter. Clear history before you sell or hand over the PC.

FAQ

Is Win+V local-only?

The history list is stored on your PC. It becomes cloud-connected only if you turn on Clipboard history across your devices, which sends copied text to other devices on the same account.

Does "no telemetry" mean an app never uses the internet?

No. An app can collect no usage data and still check for updates. Local-only is about where your clips go; update checks are a separate question.

Is a portable clipboard manager more private?

It keeps history in the folder you run it from, which makes it easy to carry or delete. The data still sits on disk unencrypted unless the app encrypts it. See portable clipboard managers.

Related reading

• What Does Local-First Mean for a Clipboard Manager?
• Most Private Clipboard Managers for Windows, Compared
• Clipboard Manager Privacy Settings: A Checklist
• Does a Local Clipboard App Need Encryption at Rest?

Sources

• Using the clipboard (Microsoft Support) — history limits, sync settings and account requirement.
• Clipboard Formats (Microsoft Learn) — formats apps use to keep copies out of history and sync.
• Ditto website — no login, no cloud, no telemetry.
• Ditto privacy policy (GitHub wiki) — storage locations and the Friends network port.
• CopyQ security (CopyQ docs) — no network use, secret formats ignored, unencrypted tabs unless Encryption is on.
• EcoPaste (GitHub) — local-first storage, secret skipping, backups, licence.
• ClipboardFusion Free vs Pro — which edition syncs.
• 1Clipboard — Google Drive sync and offline mode.
• Copy and paste between SwiftKey and Windows (Microsoft Support) — SwiftKey relies on Windows clipboard sync.

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