Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

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Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac? Universal Clipboard or Universal Clipboard is a feature that lets you share the Clipboard between devices.However this feature is only available to those users who can run Handoff. Before entering to see how the Sierra Universal MacOS Clipboard works, it is important to know which computers are able to use it . Apparently, the main restriction is that it has bluetooth 4.0 or higher. Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

Requirements for Using Universal clipboard on Mac and iPhone:

  1. An iOS device running iOS 10 or above. The feature is only accessible on iPhones and iPads with Apple’s latest major firmware version, so this is very important.
  2. A MacBook or iMac running macOS Sierra. Universal Clipboard is a feature introduced with macOS Sierra, and therefore the latest desktop platform is needed.

In addition, Handoff must be enabled on both the Mac and the iOS device:

  • On the Mac, System Preferences> General> Allow Handoff between this mac and your iCloud devices
  • In iOS, Settings> General> Handoff> Handoff
  • On both Bluetooth devices.

Once everything is activated, understand how Universal Clipboard works. To get started:

  • All devices must be using the same Apple ID
  • All devices must use the same Wi-Fi network. If you have your Mac connected to ethernet and did not enable Wi-Fi, in general the Handoff features will not work for you and the Universal Clipboard will not work either.
  • No internet connection is required, all data is moved locally.

What happens is that when both devices are close,  within range of Bluetooth, they communicate with each other to indicate that they have something on the clipboard. Then, the clipboard whose creation date is most recent is synchronized with the other devices, and moves the data now via Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth. Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

If you are out of Bluetooth range, the clipboards will not sync.

So these are compatible Macs, marked with the release date onwards:

  • 2015 MacBook.
  • 2012 MacBook Air.
  • MacBook Pro of 2012.
  • Mac mini of 2012.
  • IMac of 2012.
  • Mac Pro 2013.

Similarly, in order to use the Universal Clipboard you will need an iOS device with bluetooth 4.0. These are (each model on): iPhone 5, iPod Touch sixth generation, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Pro and iPad mini 2. Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

How to activate Sierra Universal Clipboard

Note the Universal Clipboard only serves three types of “actions”: copy text, photos and videos. So they stay out of files, folders and so on. Here are the steps to work on your compatible devices : Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

  • Have all devices involved under the same Apple account.
  • Activate bluetooth and WiFi in all of them.
  • Be physically close to the devices you want to share the contents of the clipboard.

It is important to note that this functionality is temporary and the contents of the clipboard expire from time to time. The idea is to avoid hitting something you copied a while ago and that is no longer relevant in the situation you are working on.

The purpose of sending you photos, videos, text and links to yourself

Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac? The Universal Clipboard from macOS Sierra comes to solve an obstacle when working between our devices. Before, to send us photos, videos, text and links to ourselves we had to do it through iMessage, email, Notes or Photos . But they are not always fast enough. Of course not for me.

With macOS Sierra, Apple continues to iron out rough edges and obstacles in the user experience

This is how Apple has created this functionality, which is born directly from the concept of Continuity presented more than two years ago.  . It should also be said that it is intended for users who own several devices from Apple, who will see it as a welcome novelty. But also as an argument in favor for those who are thinking of making the leap.

I recognize that this functionality attracts me a lot, along with Auto Unlock from Apple Watch . Unfortunately, my 2011 MacBook Pro is not compatible and stays out of the Continuity features. It is not essential in my day to day, but I will thank you at the time you can use it . Users who do not have a Mac compatible, we will have to continue to resort to iMessage, email, Notes or Photos to send us content to ourselves. Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac

How to Use universal clipboard Mac?

You will no longer send yourself the links, documents and photos attached to the mail or the cloud. With this simple trick you can transfer information from one device to another without having to connect it. The Mac Universal Clipboard is one of the main innovations brought by the MacOS Sierra operating system .

It is Apple’s proposal to copy and paste information from one device to another to transfer any text, links, photos and other files from Apple’s ID.

How to activate Mac universal clipboard?

Follow the steps below to activate it correctly:

  • Add all your devices to the same Apple ID account .
  • Activate in each terminal WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0
  • Place close the different devices to quickly share the required content from the clipboard.

Connections must be enabled on all Apple accounts, check these options on both devices.

Sometimes it may take a few minutes to run from the time you sync your computers, so we recommend you go out and log in to sync.

How to send text and images through the universal clipboard of Mac?

The operation is very simple, you will simply have to use the traditional Copy and Paste .

Synchronize iOS / OS X content and access the clipboard. Write or insert over the texts, images or links you want to transfer, copy and paste in another device.

Although it is a very quick way to pass information from one computer to another, the paste action may take a few seconds to appear available on our other Apple device.

Why? The clipboard uploads the documentation to iCloud and download it at the time of copying, so it will depend on the correct synchronization and the speed of our connection.

Universal clipboard Mac: How to use Universal Clipboard on your Mac?

Universal Clipboard not working on macOS Sierra | Mac os universal clipboard not working

Universal Clipboard not working on macOS Sierra | Mac os universal clipboard not working

1. Check device compatibility

The fix that is at the top of the list has to do with device compatibility – you need to make sure your devices are compatible and can use this new Continuity feature.

  • MacBook Air (mid-2012 and later)
  • MacBook Pro (mid-2012 and later)
  • MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, early 2015)
  • iMac (late 2012 and later)
  • Mac mini (late 2012 and later)
  • Mac Pro (late 2013)

2. Use the same iCloud account on your Mac and iPhone or iPad

If any of your devices are on a different iCloud account, sign in to the common one before trying out the clipboard again.

3. Turn on your Bluetooth

 

If you are copy-pasting between Mac OS and iOS, make sure both iOS and Mac OS devices have their Bluetooth on and are paired.

4. Turn on Handoff in iOS 10

On iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > General > Handoff, then turn on Handoff. On Apple Watch, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, then tap General and turn on Enable Handoff.

5. Turn on Handoff in macOS

On your Mac: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click General, then select “AllowHandoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices” (below “Recent items”). To turn it off, deselect the option. Universal Clipboard not working on macOS Sierra | Mac os universal clipboard not working

6. Sign Out of iCloud and Sign in Again

On iOS: On your iOS device, you can do that by going into “Settings” -> “iCloud” -> “Sign Out”. Then go back to the same iCloud page to sign in again.

On your Mac, open “System Preferences” -> “iCloud” -> “Sign Out”. Then from the same iCloud pane, sign in again.

7. Reboot Both Devices iPhone and Mac

Restart iPhone: How to restart

  1. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the red slider appears.
  2. Drag the slider to turn your device completely off.
  3. After the device turns off, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again until you see the Apple logo.

Force restart Frozen Mac

If the Mac has a power button on the keyboard, like all modern MacBook laptops do, this is how you forcibly reboot it:
  1. Hold down the Power button on the keyboard until the MacBook shuts down completely, this may take 5 seconds or so.
  2. Wait a few seconds then hit the Power button again to boot the Mac.

8. Reset Network Settings on iPhone

Reset your Network Settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings

9. More troubleshooting

If the three methods above doesn’t work, then you will need to try this one instead:

 

  • Under System Preferences > iCloud on your Mac. Enable “Back to my mac”
  • Under Settings > General > Handoff, make sure Handoff is turned on in your iOS device.
  • Sign out and sign in iCloud account on both your Mac and iOS devices.
  • Turn off your bluetooth and WIFI on Mac, turn them on again. Do the same for your iOS device.

Universal Clipboard not working on macOS Sierra | Mac os universal clipboard not working

 

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