How to Fix Windows 11 Clipboard Not Working

In today’s time, technology is constantly evolving. With every new update or release, there are bound to be some issues that arise. One of the common issues that Windows 11 users might face is Windows 11 Clipboard History not working.

Clipboard History is a convenient feature that allows users to access their previously copied items and paste them again without having to re-copy. If you are experiencing this issue and looking for ways to resolve it, you have come to the right place.

In this blog, we will discuss several potential solutions to help you fix Clipboard History not working in Windows 11.

Fix 1: Make Sure that Clipboard History is Enabled in Settings

If you want to activate Clipboard History on your Windows 11 device, you can follow these steps:

1. To access the Start menu, click the Windows icon in the taskbar.
2. Find and click on the pinned Settings app in the Start menu.
3. In the Settings app, navigate to the Clipboard section.
4. Toggle on the Clipboard history option if it is currently off.
5. To access Clipboard History, press the ‘Windows key + V’ hotkey.

If you are experiencing issues with Clipboard History in Windows 11, ensure you have enabled it in the Settings app by following the above steps.

Fix 2: Restart File Explorer

If you’re having issues with the Clipboard History function in Windows 11, one solution is to restart the Windows Explorer process. Sometimes, this process can encounter issues that prevent the Clipboard feature from working properly. To do this, you’ll have to access the Task Manager utility, which allows you to manage and monitor running processes on your device. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you restart the Windows Explorer procedure using the Task Manager in Windows 11:

1. Click on the “magnifying glass icon” in the taskbar to open the search box.
2. Type “Task Manager” in the search box to locate the utility.
3. Click on Task Manager in the search results to open its window.
4. In the Task Manager, select the “Processes” tab.
5. Look for the “Windows Explorer” process in the list of running processes and select it.
6. Finally, click the Restart button to restart the Windows Explorer process.

Fix 3: Clear Clipboard Data

Suppose you’re worried about the security of your clipboard data or are experiencing issues with the Clipboard History function in Windows 11. In that case, you can clear the clipboard data. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the Settings window on your Windows 11 device, following the steps outlined in the first resolution.
2. Navigate to the “Clipboard” section in Settings under the “System” tab.
3. Click the Clear button to delete all clipboard data stored on your device.
4. Finally, open the Start menu and select the Power option, followed by Restart to reboot your device.

This should clear the clipboard data and may resolve any issues you’re experiencing with the Clipboard History function.

Fix 4: Enable the Allow Clipboard History Group Policy setting

Suppose you’re experiencing issues with the Clipboard History function on your Windows 11 device. In that case, you can enable the ‘Allow Clipboard History Group Policy’ setting. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Tap the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar to search.
2. Type “Run” on the search bar. Press enter.
3. In the Run dialog box, enter the Group Policy command “gpedit.msc”.
4. Tap OK to run the Group Policy Editor.
5. Double-click Computer Configuration and Administrative Templates in the Group Policy Editor” on the left side.
6. Then, select System and OS Policies to open the settings that you can see below.
7. Double-click on the Allow Clipboard History setting to open it.
8. Click the Enabled radio button on the “Allow Clipboard History” policy window.
9. Select Apply to save the new policy.
10. Finally, press the OK button to exit the “Allow Clipboard History” window.

Enabling the Allow Clipboard History Group Policy setting should resolve any issues you’re experiencing with the Clipboard History function on your Windows 11 device.

Fix 5: Edit the Registry.

If you’re experiencing issues with the Clipboard History function on your Windows 11 device, editing the registry may help resolve the problem. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open “Run” using the same steps outlined in the first resolution.
2. Type “regedit.msc” within the Open box, and click OK to launch the Registry Editor.
3. Within the Registry Editor, navigate to this key: “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System.”
4. Right-click System on the left side of the window, and select the New option from the context menu.
5. Select “DWORD (32-bit) Value” from the submenu.
6. Name the new DWORD “AllowClipboardHistory.”
7. Double-click on AllowClipboardHistory to open the “Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value” window.
8. Input “1” within the “Value data” text box and click OK.
9. Finally, click the Start button on the taskbar, select the Power option, and click the Restart button.

By following these steps and editing the registry, you can fix all the issues you’re experiencing with the Clipboard History function on your Windows 11 device.

Fix 6: Clean Boot Windows 11

Sometimes third-party programs or services interfere with the Clipboard History feature in Windows 11. To solve this problem, you can clean-booting your system to stop any conflicting programs from running at startup. Here are the steps to clean-boot Windows 11:

1. Press the Windows key + X hotkey to open the shortcuts menu.
2. In the Run’s Open box, type “msconfig” and click OK to launch the MSConfig.
3. Click the Selective startup radio button, then deselect the Load startup items checkbox.
4. If not already selected, choose the options for Load system services and ‘Use the original boot configuration.’
5. Choose the tab labeled “Services” at the top of the window.
6. Click on the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox to select it.
7. Press the Disable all button to deselect checkboxes for remaining third-party services.
8. Select the Apply option and click OK to close System Configuration.
9. Finally, press the Restart button on the dialog box that pops up.

After performing a clean boot on Windows 11, attempt to enable clipboard history again. If the issue is resolved, you can restore your PC to its original boot configuration by checking the “Load startup items” box on the General tab of MSConfig. To re-enable all third-party services, press the Enable all button on the Services tab of the same utility.

Conclusion

In conclusion, clipboard history is a valuable feature in Windows 11 that allows users to access previously copied items easily. However, it can sometimes stop working, which can be frustrating. Fortunately, several potential solutions exist before resorting to more drastic measures like reinstalling Windows 11. These include checking the clipboard history settings, running the Windows 11 troubleshooter, enabling the Allow Clipboard History Group Policy setting, and clean-booting Windows 11.

Additionally, it’s important to note that clipboard history has undergone significant changes in Windows 11, with additional tabs for selecting and adding GIF images, emoticons, and symbols to documents and text editors. Users can make the most of this helpful feature by trying these solutions and familiarizing themselves with the revamped clipboard history.

Peter Brown

Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.