Workflows & Productivity | Published Aug 21, 2026 | Updated Oct 13, 2026 | 6 min read

Windows 11 Clipboard Settings: Every Toggle Explained

The Windows 11 clipboard settings are at Settings > System > Clipboard. The page has four controls: Clipboard history (turns the Win+V list on or off), Clipboard history across your devices (sends copied text to your other PCs), Clear clipboard data (wipes the list) and, on some PCs, the deprecated Suggested actions (pop-ups when you copy a phone number or date). History is the only one most people need on; sync is best left off unless you use it.

To open the page, select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard, or press Windows logo key + R, type ms-settings:clipboard and press Enter.

Clipboard history

This switch turns the Win+V list on and off. It's off until you turn it on, either here or by pressing Win+V and selecting Turn on.

With it on, Windows keeps up to 25 recent copies of text, HTML and images (up to 4 MB each), cleared on restart except pinned items. With it off, copy and paste still work, but only the latest copy is available.

Leave it on if you paste several things in a row. Turn it off on a shared PC where you don't want a list of earlier copies kept. Enabling clipboard history and disabling clipboard history have the steps for each.

Clipboard history across your devices

This switch lets Windows send copied text to your other Windows PCs. It only works between devices signed in with the same Microsoft account or work account. On Windows 10 the same switch is called Sync across devices.

When it's on, Windows 11 offers two options:

Option	What it does
Automatically sync text that I copy	Every piece of text you copy is sent to your other devices
Manually sync text that I copy	Nothing is sent until you open Win+V and select the sync button on an item

Microsoft documents syncing of text. Automatic sync includes anything you copy as text, such as passwords or one-time codes, so the manual option is the safer choice if you want sync at all.

Leave it off unless you regularly paste between two of your own PCs. It's also the first switch to check before you work from a café or other public place. Disabling clipboard cloud sync shows how to switch it off and what that changes.

Clear clipboard data

The Clear button deletes everything in clipboard history except pinned items, both on this PC and in the cloud. It's the most complete built-in clear, so use it rather than Win+V's Clear all if you've ever had sync turned on.

It doesn't remove pinned items; delete those individually in Win+V. Clearing clipboard history covers pins and how to empty the current clipboard too.

Suggested actions

On some Windows 11 PCs, this switch controls pop-ups that offer actions when you copy a phone number or a future date, such as making a call or adding a calendar event. It has nothing to do with clipboard history; turning it off doesn't affect Win+V.

Microsoft has deprecated Suggested actions and says the feature will be removed in a future Windows 11 update, so many PCs no longer show the switch. If yours does and the pop-ups get in the way, turn it off. Suggested actions on copy explains what it does in more detail.

Recommended settings

Setting	Personal PC	Shared or work PC
Clipboard history	On	Off, or on and cleared after use
Clipboard history across your devices	Off, or manual sync	Off
Clear clipboard data	After copying anything sensitive	After every session
Suggested actions (if shown)	Your preference	Off

Settings grayed out or missing

On a work or school PC, an administrator can turn off clipboard history or cross-device sync with Group Policy or device management. The affected switches then appear grayed out, and only IT can change them. Clipboard history grayed out by organization explains how to check.

If Suggested actions is missing, your PC doesn't have the feature; nothing needs fixing.

What isn't on this page

The number of items or the size limit. The 25-item and 4 MB limits are fixed; there's no setting to change them.
Keeping history after a restart. Only pinning keeps an item.
What Print Screen does. That's under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, with the option to use the Print Screen key to open screen capture.
Phone-to-PC clipboard sharing. That's set up in the Phone Link app, not here.
The Office Clipboard. It's part of Microsoft Office, with its own options in the Clipboard pane.

FAQ

Does turning on clipboard history send data to Microsoft?

Not by itself. Only Clipboard history across your devices sends copied text off the PC. Clipboard history with sync off stays on your device.

Can I increase the 25-item limit?

No. Windows has no setting for it. A third-party clipboard manager can keep more; the 25-item limit explained covers the options.

Where were these settings in Windows 10?

The same place, Settings > System > Clipboard, with the sync switch named Sync across devices. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025.

Sources

Using the clipboard (Microsoft Support) — Clipboard history, sync switches and options, Clear clipboard data, limits and restart behaviour.
How to use clipboard history in Windows 11 (Microsoft) — Settings location, sync steps, IT policy note.
Deprecated features in the Windows client (Microsoft Learn) — Suggested actions deprecation.
Policy CSP - Experience (Microsoft Learn) — Allow Clipboard History policy grays out the setting.
Launch Windows Settings (Microsoft Learn) — the ms-settings:clipboard link.

Written by Khushi Yadav · Author & Content Writer

Khushi Yadav writes Edge Drop's workflow and design guides and is a B.Tech Computer Science Engineering student. Khushi's posts are checked against Microsoft's documentation and the Edge Drop fact sheet.

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