What the app stores

Short answer: copied text, links, and references to copied files or folders are kept in a local SQLite database on your Mac.

The default history limit is 1,000 items and can be changed from 100 to 10,000 in Settings. Starred clips and clips placed in a group are kept until you remove them.

Copied files are saved by reference. The app remembers the file location and a small preview thumbnail; it does not duplicate a large file into its database.

~/Library/Application Support/Clipboard History/clipboard.sqlite

What the app skips

Clipboard History ignores copies from 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane, KeePassXC, Apple Passwords, Keychain Access, and LastPass. You can add other applications to the skip list in Settings → Privacy.

It also honors the standard concealed and transient clipboard markers used by password managers and privacy-conscious apps. Content marked that way is not recorded, even when the source app is not on the built-in list.

No clipboard manager can identify every secret from its text alone. The strongest protection is the source app marking sensitive copies correctly; you can also pause recording before copying anything private.

What leaves your Mac

Your clipboard history is not uploaded or synced. The Mac app has no account system and no product telemetry. It connects for its software update check so it can find signed releases.

This website uses Plausible for aggregate, cookie-free traffic measurement. Website analytics are separate from the Mac app and never include the contents of your clipboard database.

Your controls

  • Pause recording: choose Pause Recording from the menu bar. The app stays paused across restarts until you resume.
  • Clear history: open Settings → Storage → Clear all history.
  • Remove stored data: quit and uninstall the app, then delete its Application Support folder if you want a complete removal.

For exact removal steps, follow the Clipboard History uninstall guide.