How to Clear the Clipboard in Windows 11

To clear the clipboard in Windows 11, press Windows + V and select Clear all. To also clear clipboard data synced to the cloud, open Settings > System > Clipboard and select Clear next to Clear clipboard data. Both methods keep pinned items, which you delete one at a time.

These steps apply to Windows 11 Home and Pro, and they work the same way on Windows 10. Clearing the clipboard never deletes the files or documents you copied from. It only removes the temporary copies Windows keeps so you can paste them.

Method 1: Clear Clipboard History with Windows + V

This is the fastest way if clipboard history is turned on.

1. Press Windows + V. Expected result: a small panel opens listing the text and images you copied recently.
2. Select Clear all at the top of the clipboard list. On some versions it’s under the See more (…) menu next to an item.
3. Expected result: the list empties, except for anything you pinned.

Save or paste anything you want to keep before you select Clear all. There’s no undo. New to the clipboard? See how to copy and paste on Windows 11.

Method 2: Clear Clipboard Data in Settings

Use this method if you sync your clipboard across devices. Microsoft says it clears everything except pinned items on your device and in the cloud.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select System, then Clipboard.
3. Next to Clear clipboard data, select Clear. Expected result: your unpinned clipboard history is cleared here and in the cloud.

Items that already synced to another PC stay in that PC’s own history. Run Clear all there too, or turn off Clipboard history across your devices if you don’t use it.

Method 3: Delete One Item, Including Pinned Items

1. Press Windows + V.
2. Find the item you want gone.
3. Select See more (…) next to it, then Delete (the trash can icon).
4. Expected result: only that entry disappears. To remove a pinned item, delete it the same way, or unpin it first so the next Clear all removes it.

This is the one to use if you copied a password or account number but want to keep the rest of your history.

Method 4: Clear the Current Clipboard with a Command

Clipboard history and the current clipboard (what Ctrl + V pastes right now) aren’t quite the same thing. These commands empty or overwrite the current clipboard, and they work even when clipboard history is off.

Command Prompt

1. Press Windows + S, type cmd, and open Command Prompt. Here are more ways to open Command Prompt.
2. Type the command below and press Enter.

echo off | clip

Expected result: pasting now produces nothing.

PowerShell

In PowerShell or Terminal, this replaces the clipboard with a single space:

Set-Clipboard -Value " "

Microsoft documents the clip command and Set-Clipboard.

Method 5: Make a One-Click or Hotkey Shortcut

If you clear the clipboard often, for example after copying passwords, put the command on your desktop.

1. Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and choose New > Shortcut.
2. In the location box, type cmd /c "echo off | clip" and select Next.
3. Name it Clear Clipboard and select Finish.
4. Optional: right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, click in Shortcut key, and press a combination such as Ctrl + Alt + C. Select OK.
5. Expected result: double-clicking the shortcut (or pressing your keys) empties the current clipboard. A Command Prompt window may flash briefly.

Other Ways the Clipboard Gets Cleared

• Restart: Microsoft says clipboard history is cleared every time you restart, except pinned items.
• Sign out: signing out of your account also clears the clipboard.
• Copy something harmless: copying a single letter or space replaces what Ctrl + V pastes, though the earlier item stays in history.
• Automatic limits: history holds 25 entries. Older unpinned items drop off as you copy new ones, and items over 4 MB aren’t saved to history.

Clear the Office Clipboard in Word or Excel

Microsoft Office has its own clipboard that holds up to 24 items and is separate from Windows + V. If Office says the clipboard is full, clear it inside the app:

1. On the Home tab, select the small launcher arrow in the corner of the Clipboard group.
2. In the Clipboard pane, select Clear All, or point at one clip, select its arrow, and choose Delete.

These are Microsoft’s steps for Excel; the same Clipboard pane appears in Word and other Office apps, as Microsoft’s Office Clipboard guide explains. See also how to clear the clipboard in Excel.

Turn Off Clipboard History to Stop Saving Items

If you don’t want Windows keeping a list at all, turn history off. Copy and paste still work; Windows just remembers only the last item.

1. Open Settings > System > Clipboard.
2. Turn Clipboard history off.
3. Expected result: Windows + V now shows a message offering to turn history on instead of a list.

Our guide to viewing the clipboard in Windows 11 covers turning history back on and pinning items.

Troubleshooting

Windows + V shows nothing or asks to turn on history

Clipboard history is off. Select Turn on in the panel, or turn on Clipboard history in Settings > System > Clipboard. Items you copied before turning it on won’t appear, but Ctrl + V still pastes the last one. Use Method 4 to clear it.

An item comes back after I clear it

It’s probably pinned, or it synced from another device. Delete pinned items individually, run Clear all on your other PCs, or turn off clipboard sync.

Copy and paste stops working

Clear the clipboard, then copy a short line of plain text and paste it into Notepad. If that fails, restart the app you’re copying from, then restart Windows. Our guide to fixing copy and paste problems in Windows 11 goes further. On work or school PCs, clipboard history and sync can be turned off by your organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a keyboard shortcut to clear the clipboard?

Not a single built-in one. Windows + V followed by Clear all is the quickest, or you can assign a hotkey to the shortcut in Method 5.

Does clearing the clipboard delete my files?

No. Copied files, text, and pictures stay where they were. If you cut something and clear the clipboard before pasting, the cut text is lost, so paste it first.

Does clearing the clipboard free up disk space?

Not meaningfully. For real space, delete junk files or empty the Recycle Bin.

Should I clear the clipboard for privacy?

It’s a good habit on a shared PC, especially after copying passwords or card numbers. Password managers can clear copied passwords for you after a short time. You might also want to clear recent files in Windows 11.