macOS also supports the copy-paste functionality. However, if copy and paste stop working on your Mac, you can find it troublesome. Nevertheless, you need not worry about it; we’ll show you a few ways to fix the copy-paste not working on Mac.
Fix Copy-Paste Not Working on macOS
Fix Copy-Paste Not Working on macOS
There can be several reasons why copy and paste function stops working on Mac. This function relies on a buffer to hold the copied items called a clipboard. Usually, it’s an issue with the clipboard or the operating system’s glitches. Nonetheless, here’s how to fix copy and paste not working on Mac.
1. Restart Your Mac
The first and foremost solution is to restart your Mac. In most cases, a restart is sufficient to reset all the memory in the RAM to get the clipboard back up and running. Here’s how to restart your Mac:
2. Close Any Applications With Clipboard Access
There are various clipboard apps available for the Mac. Some of the popular ones are Paste and Maccy. There are also some Spotlight alternatives like Raycast that also do the same. These clipboard managers are good, but they tend to replace the existing clipboard manager of the Mac. So it’s best to close all the programs once and see which application is causing this issue.
3. Remove Third-Party Clipboard Apps
If you have any third-party clipboard apps, removing them from your Mac is best if closing them doesn’t work for you. Follow these instructions to uninstall any app from your Mac:
4. Force Close the pboard
pboard in Mac stands for Pasteboard. It acts as a buffer when you copy and paste any item, like a clipboard. So it’s apparent that it may not function when it starts malfunctioning. Since it’s not an app, you may not need to use the Activity Monitor to force close it. Here’s how to use the Activity Monitor to close Pasteboard on Mac:
5. Force Quit WindowServer
Another background process in macOS that may affect the clipboard management is WindowServer. It’s also an essential process that keeps macOS up and running. However, closing it may fix the copy-and-paste not working issue on your Mac. Here’s how to end the WindowServer process on your Mac using Activity Monitor.
6. Update Your Mac
If nothing mentioned above works for you, it could be a bug with macOS. Hence, installing the latest updates on your Mac is best, where Apple fixes most bugs. Here’s how to check for the latest updates on macOS:
7. Reset Your Mac
If you’re having no luck getting it working, go for the last resort, reset your Mac. Resetting your Mac will switch to its default settings, which can fix many things for you, including the copy-and-paste error. However, make sure to take a backup of your Mac files before you proceed with this. Follow these instructions to reset your Mac:
8. Contact Apple Support
If you’re completely out of luck getting the copy-and-paste work on your Mac, the only option left for you is to contact Apple Support. Take your Mac to the nearest Apple Store or an authorized service center. They’ll ask you to submit the Mac for diagnosis. Later, they’ll mention the issue and fix it for free if it’s under warranty or Apple Care+, otherwise provide you a quote for it. They may take 3-5 days to thoroughly diagnose and fix the issue based on the availability of parts.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
These were some of the best ways to fix the copy-and-paste not working on your Mac. We hope you resolved the issue through this guide. If Apple Support can’t fix the problem, they’ll replace the Mac for you if it’s under warranty or the Apple Care+ plan. If you have any further queries or suggestions about this issue, you can mention them in the comments below.
