To clear clipboard history on Windows, press Win+V (Windows logo key + V) and click Clear all. This removes every item except the ones you pinned. If clipboard sync is on, also open Settings > System > Clipboard and click Clear next to Clear clipboard data. That page clears data on this PC and the copy synced with Microsoft.
Pinned items, other synced PCs, the item on your clipboard right now, and clipboard managers that keep their own history each need a separate step. They are covered below.
Clear clipboard history on Windows with Win+V
This is the fastest method, and it works on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
- Press Win+V to open clipboard history.
- In Windows 11, make sure the clipboard section is showing. The same panel also holds emoji and symbols.
- Click Clear all at the top of the clipboard list.
On Windows 10 you can also click the three dots (…) on any item and choose Clear all.
What Clear all leaves behind:
- Pinned items. Pinned items are designed to survive Clear all.
- Copies in third-party clipboard managers. Apps such as Ditto or Gubb keep their own history. See Clear history in third-party clipboard managers.
Delete a single item
Use this to remove one thing, such as a password or an address you copied by mistake.
- Press Win+V.
- Click the three dots (…) on the item.
- Choose Delete. In Windows 11 this is the trash can icon.
Remove pinned items
Pinned items stay until you remove them yourself.
- Press Win+V.
- Click the three dots (…) on the pinned item.
- Choose Delete to remove it now. Or choose Unpin so the next Clear all removes it.
Clear clipboard data in Settings
The Settings page clears the same unpinned history as Clear all, plus the clipboard data Windows has synced with Microsoft. Use it if clipboard sync is on.
- Press Win+I to open Settings.
- Go to System > Clipboard.
- Next to Clear clipboard data, click Clear.
Pinned items are still kept. Remove them with the steps above.
Clear the clipboard on synced devices
Windows can sync clipboard history between PCs signed in with the same Microsoft account or work account. When sync is on, copied text passes through Microsoft's cloud.
To clean up synced copies and stop new ones:
- On the PC you are using, open Settings > System > Clipboard and click Clear next to Clear clipboard data.
- On the same page, turn off the setting that syncs clipboard history across your devices. The label differs slightly between Windows 10 and 11.
- Repeat both steps on every other PC signed in with that account. Each PC keeps its own local history.
You can leave clipboard history switched on and only turn sync off. That keeps passwords and other sensitive text on the PC where you copied it.
Clear only what's on your clipboard right now
Clearing history may not change what Ctrl+V pastes next. If you just copied something sensitive, replace it.
The simplest way is to copy something harmless, such as a single word. Ctrl+V now pastes that instead.
You can also empty the current clipboard from Command Prompt or PowerShell:
cmd /c "echo off | clip"
This sends empty text to the clip tool, so the clipboard ends up holding nothing. It changes no settings, so there is nothing to undo. It does not remove older entries in the Win+V history. Clear those separately.
Stop Windows saving clipboard history
If you don't use clipboard history, turn it off so nothing builds up.
- Open Settings > System > Clipboard.
- Turn off Clipboard history.
Clipboard history is off by default. When it's off, Win+V shows a Turn on button instead of a list. The clipboard still holds the last item you copied, as it always has.
Restarting your PC also clears clipboard history, except for pinned items. That's a useful fallback if the Win+V panel won't open.
Clear history in third-party clipboard managers
A clipboard manager saves what you copy in its own storage. Clearing Windows clipboard history leaves that storage alone, and clearing the app leaves the Windows history alone. For a full wipe, clear both.
Ditto
Ditto is a free, open-source clipboard manager for Windows. It stores copies in a database that persists between sessions, so restarting your PC won't clear it. Delete entries from inside Ditto. Its site has documentation for its options.
Gubb
We make Gubb, a notes app for Windows and Mac with a built-in clipboard history panel. Gubb saves copied text in a local database on your computer, separate from Windows clipboard history. It keeps up to 1,000 unpinned items and keeps pinned (favorite) items indefinitely. It captures text only, not images or files.
To clear it:
- Open the Clipboard History panel in Gubb.
- Click Clear History at the bottom of the panel.
- Check the Keep favorites switch. It's on by default. Turn it off to remove pinned items as well.
- Click Clear. Gubb warns that this can't be undone.
To remove one entry, hover over it and click Delete item.
Two things to know:
- Gubb doesn't filter out passwords. Once capture is running, any text you copy is saved, including text from a password manager. Delete those entries or clear the history.
- Capture starts the first time you open the panel in a session and keeps running until you quit Gubb. Quit the app to stop it recording.
More detail is in the Gubb clipboard history guide.
PowerToys
Microsoft PowerToys' Advanced Paste works alongside Win+V rather than keeping a separate persistent history (as of November 2026). The Windows steps above cover it.
Which method to use
| Method | Clears | Keeps | Synced data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win+V > Clear all | Unpinned history on this PC | Pinned items | Use Settings to be sure it's cleared |
| Win+V > … > Delete | One item, pinned or not | Everything else | Local item only |
| Settings > Clear clipboard data | Unpinned history on this PC and with Microsoft | Pinned items | Cleared |
| Restart the PC | Unpinned history | Pinned items | Other PCs not affected |
Copy something else, or echo off | clip |
What Ctrl+V pastes next | All history entries | Not affected |
| Clipboard manager's own clear | That app's history | Windows clipboard history | Depends on the app |
For a full wipe on one PC: delete or unpin pinned items, use Clear clipboard data in Settings, then clear any clipboard manager you run.
If clipboard history doesn't clear
Some items are still there after Clear all. They are pinned. Delete or unpin them from the … menu.
New items appear that you didn't copy on this PC. Another PC that syncs your clipboard is sending them. Turn off sync on every PC signed in with that account, then clear the history.
A copied password still shows up somewhere. Check any clipboard manager you have installed. Its history is separate, and clearing Windows doesn't touch it.
Win+V does nothing. Clipboard history may be off. Turn it on in Settings > System > Clipboard, or follow our fixes for Windows clipboard history not working.
The Clipboard settings are grayed out. On a work or school PC, your organization may manage clipboard settings. Ask your IT team.
Ctrl+V still pastes the old text. Copy something else, or run the clip command above.
FAQ
Does restarting my PC clear clipboard history?
Yes, except for pinned items. Third-party clipboard managers that save to their own storage are not affected.
Can someone else see my clipboard history?
Anyone using your PC while it's unlocked can press Win+V and see the list. Lock your PC with Win+L when you step away, and clear the history after copying anything sensitive.
How many items does Windows keep?
Microsoft says each item can be up to 4 MB. A community answer on Microsoft Q&A puts the limit at 25 entries, but that isn't from Microsoft's own documentation, so clear the history yourself rather than waiting for old entries to drop off.
How do I use clipboard history in the first place?
See our guide to using clipboard history on Windows. If you want a history that survives a restart, compare the best clipboard managers for Windows 11.