Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac? Let’s See How to Fix It

Jason

By Jason

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Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac

Copying and pasting are considered to be the most routinely performed actions on your Mac computer. In fact, any Mac user will copy and paste at least a couple of times every day.

With that said, what will you do if copy and paste not working on Mac? This article intends to explain how to solve this “Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac” issue.

Whenever copy and paste are not working on Mac, it becomes a real frustration. Typing long sentences multiple times instead of simply copying them can be a time-consuming and bothersome task. Well, if you have come across such an issue, don’t get frustrated; the solution is here!

Practically, solving this issue is exceptionally easier than you think. In some cases, copy and paste functions can function again simply with a restart. As a result of a restart, clipboard daemons will be forced to launch again. But, in certain cases, restarting may not be the best solution.

For instance, restarting your Mac to fix the copy-paste issue during an online conversation is not a good idea. Likewise, there are plenty of other occasions where you cannot apply restarting as a solution. So, it is always good to know other ways to fix this “copy and paste not working on Mac” issue.

From this point onwards, we’ll explain some of the best ways to fix “copy and paste not working on Mac.”

01. Use Activity Monitor to Fix Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac

You can address many issues related to Mac simply through Activity Monitor. To fix the “copy and paste now working Mac” issue, you should quit and open the pboard process. Here’s how to do it through Activity Monitor.

1. Close all the applications that don’t respond to copy and paste functionality on Mac.

2. Then, open Activity Monitor from Applications and select Utility. You can search it through the Spotlight search window. You should type “Activity Monitor” in the search window to do that.

3. In the Activity Monitor search bar, you should type pboard.

Activity Monitor

4. Now, you should go to the respective pboard process and click on the X button in the toolbar. You should then click on the Force Quit button.

Fix Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac through Activity monitor

5. As the last step, you should close the Activity monitor.

After following the above steps, you should check if you can copy and paste data.

If you are aware of the functionality of the terminal app, you can use it to resolve copy/paste issues. This terminal can facilitate you to quit the malfunctioning processes. In fact, it can be solved with three easy steps.

1. Go to the Terminal app through the Applications and Utility folder.

2. You should type “killall pboard” in the terminal command line.

Fix Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac Using Terminal

3. Press enter to complete the mission.

Well, this should obviously fix the issue as it relaunches the daemon processes and thereby fix the copy/paste issue. You can select any method from the above list to fix the copy/paste issue on Mac.

However, if the problem tends to continue, you should consider performing a reboot. You should click on the Apple logo and hit Restart to do this.

Using MacKeeper to Solve the “Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac” issue

Are you looking for an easier and more effective way to solve “copy and paste not working on Mac” or Mac mouse problems? If yes, this is the content you must read.

In this case, we will use a very powerful yet simplified software called MacKeeper. In fact, MacKeeper comes with a large range of features to address various issues related to your Mac.

Just like the name suggests, MacKeeper is designed to keep the optimal performance of Mac computers.

Features associated with MacKeeper

  • MacKeeper is capable of cleaning your Mac and ensuring optimal performance
  • It can find and delete duplicate files stored in your Mac
  • You can use MacKeeper to uninstall unwanted applications without leaving traces
  • It can clear caches, binaries, languages, and logs effectively

Find & Fix

This feature facilitates you to delete junk files and clean the memory to optimize the Mac easily.

Safe Cleanup

This is to get rid of all the junk files without causing any harm to your system

Duplicates Finder

This useful feature allows you to find and remove all the duplicate files on your computer

MacKeeper Duplicates Finder

Antivirus

It can assure the safety of your Mac simply by detecting all viruses.

Adware Cleaner

You can use this tool to detect and remove all the malicious and unwanted software programs

Track My Mac

This software can find your Mac’s location and lock it remotely

Memory Cleaner

This specific tool can manage the memory of your Mac and ensure optimal performance

Fix Copy and Paste Not Working on Mac Using MacKeeper

Login Items

This feature lets you experience substantially reduced boot time on your Mac

Update Tracker

This tool notifies you about the latest versions of the installed apps

After performing a full scan using MacKeeper, it will identify all the potential issues associated with the system.

In addition to that, it will ensure that your Mac is free from unwanted applications, startup items, etc. Finding application leftovers is another impressive feature associated with this tool. This is the best solution if you want a tool to optimize your Mac.

In fact, MacKeeper is a highly versatile tool that comes with so many features. Its features fall into three main categories; Security, Cleaning, and Performance. This single app can optimize your Mac’s security, cleanliness, and performance without any issues.

As a smart Mac user, however, you should clean up your Mac on a regular basis to experience the best performance. That is when software like MacKeeper can be handy for any Mac user.

Advanced Solutions for Copy and Paste Problems

If the basic troubleshooting steps mentioned earlier didn’t resolve the issue, you can try these advanced solutions:

  1. Resetting the Clipboard: Clearing the clipboard’s contents can help eliminate any corrupt or conflicting data. To do this, open the “Terminal” application and type “pbcopy </dev/null.”
  2. Using Terminal Commands: There are various Terminal commands available that can reset specific components related to copy and paste functionality. Research and execute the appropriate commands based on your specific issue.
  3. Reinstalling macOS: If all else fails, reinstalling macOS can provide a fresh start and resolve any underlying system-level issues that may be affecting copy and paste.

Besides, click here to find out how to disable gatekeeper in your macOS.

Conclusion

Copy and paste not working on your Mac can hinder productivity and cause frustration. By following the troubleshooting steps outlined in this article, you can identify and resolve the underlying causes of this issue.

Remember to stay up to date with system updates and explore advanced solutions if necessary. With these methods at your disposal, you can regain smooth copy and paste functionality on your Mac.

FAQs

  1. Why is copy and paste not working on my Mac? Copy and paste issues on Mac can arise due to various reasons, such as outdated software, application-specific conflicts, or clipboard errors.
  2. How can I reset the clipboard on a Mac? To reset the clipboard on a Mac, open the “Terminal” application and type “pbcopy </dev/null.”
  3. Can I recover lost copied data on Mac? Unfortunately, once you’ve overwritten the clipboard content, it is not possible to recover previously copied data.
  4. Will reinstalling macOS fix copy and paste issues? Reinstalling macOS can often resolve underlying system-level issues that might be affecting copy and paste functionality.
  5. Is there a shortcut for copy and paste on a Mac? Yes, the keyboard shortcuts “Command + C” and “Command + V” are commonly used for copy and paste operations on a Mac.
Jason
Jason

Skilled software testing specialist with expertise in comparisons and research, passionate about blogging, reviews, and creating video tutorials.

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