Clipboard history and everyday copy-and-paste shortcuts
You probably know Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste. Windows can also remember the last things you copied, so you can paste an older item. A few other shortcuts save a surprising amount of time.
Turn on clipboard history
- Press Windows key + V.
- If asked, click Turn on.
To check or change it later, open Settings, System, Clipboard. This feature is in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Use it
- Copy several items one after another, as normal, with Ctrl + C.
- Click where you want to paste.
- Press Windows key + V. A list of recent items appears.
- Click one to paste it.
Click the pin icon to keep an item in the list, or the X to remove it. Use Clear all to wipe the list.
A note about privacy
The history keeps copied text, which could include a password or bank details. Clear it after copying anything private. By default, the history is wiped when the PC restarts, apart from pinned items. Be careful about turning on syncing across devices, unless you want it.
Shortcuts worth learning
- Ctrl + X: cut. Ctrl + Z: undo. Ctrl + Y: redo.
- Ctrl + A: select everything.
- Ctrl + F: find a word on a page or document.
- Ctrl + S: save.
- Alt + Tab: flip between open windows.
- Windows key + D: show the desktop.
- Windows key + L: lock the PC when you walk away.
- Windows key + E: open File Explorer.
- Windows key + full stop (.): open the emoji and symbols panel.
On a laptop, some shortcuts use the Fn key too. Try them in a safe document first.
Paste without the formatting
Use Ctrl + Shift + V in many programs to paste plain text only, without the fonts and colours.
When to get more help
Get in touch if Windows key + V does nothing, if copied items vanish or the wrong one pastes, or if shortcuts behave differently on your laptop. We can look at the keyboard settings with you.