Frequently asked questions

Short answers, with links to the details.

General

Is it free?

Yes. ClipTrail is open source under the MIT license. No account, no paid tier, no ads.

Is it ready to use?

It's an alpha. v0.1.2 has installers for Windows and Linux, the Android app (APK), an experimental macOS build and the clipd CLI. Get them on the download page. See the changelog.

How is it different from Win+V?

Windows' built-in history keeps a limited number of recent items, and unpinned items are cleared when you restart. ClipTrail keeps everything you choose, sorts it by kind, searches it instantly, has a timeline and smart actions, and syncs with Linux and Android, without a Microsoft account.

Why does it need to run all the time?

To see every copy as it happens. It sits quietly in the tray, and you can pause capture at any time.

Privacy

Does my clipboard leave my computer?

Only to devices you pair yourself, encrypted, over your own network. There is no ClipTrail server and no telemetry. See Privacy & security.

What about passwords?

Copies from password managers aren't stored. One-time codes, API keys, private keys and card numbers are masked, never searchable or synced, and deleted after an hour by default. A plain password copied from somewhere else looks like ordinary text, so pause capture first.

Is my history encrypted on disk?

Yes. The database is encrypted with ChaCha20-Poly1305 and copied images with XChaCha20-Poly1305, with a key kept in your OS keychain (on Android, in the app's private storage). Sync is end-to-end encrypted too.

Platforms

Is there an Android app?

Yes. It captures copies through an accessibility service plus a Quick Settings tile and the share menu. It isn't on the Play Store: it ships as an APK you download and install yourself. See Android setup.

Does it work on macOS?

Yes, experimentally: the .dmg is a universal build (Apple silicon and Intel). Clipboard capture (text, rich text, images, file URLs) works; paste-back needs Accessibility permission, and first launch needs System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway because the build isn't notarized. It has been tested on Apple silicon; Intel Macs are untested — report what you find.

Does it work on Wayland?

Capture works on compositors with the data-control protocol (KDE Plasma, Sway, Hyprland). GNOME is limited. Paste-back needs X11; on Wayland you press Ctrl V yourself. See Troubleshooting.

Sync

Do I need two devices?

No. Every app is complete on its own. Pair devices only if you want shared history.

Does sync work when I'm away from home?

On the same network, devices sync directly. Away from home they catch up when they're together again, or you can add a relay you host yourself (Settings → Devices → Sync anywhere); the relay only sees encrypted data. See Sync.

Will a copy on my phone overwrite my laptop's clipboard?

No. Synced clips show up in history and the picker; nothing changes your clipboard until you choose a clip.

How many devices can I pair?

There's no fixed limit. One computer acts as the hub; phones and other computers join it.

Data

Is there a limit on history?

No item limit. Keep everything forever, or let ClipTrail delete clips older than 30 days, 90 days or a year. Pinned clips are always kept. Single text clips over 2 MB are skipped.

Can I get my data out?

Yes. It's a SQLite database and PNG files in a folder you own, and clipd list --json / clipd search --json export clips as JSON. See Data, backup & uninstall.

How can I help?

Try it, report issues, or contribute code; see CONTRIBUTING.md. A star on GitHub helps others find it.