One of the biggest advantages of joining the Apple ecosystem is the tight integration between hardware and software. If you have an iPhone and a Mac, you know how well they work together. You can answer iPhone calls on your Mac via Handoff , use AirDrop, andScan documents via iPhone , and even use the Universal Clipboard feature. The Universal Clipboard allows you to copy something on your iPhone and paste it on your Mac, or vice versa. It's a useful feature, especially if you want to copy links between the two devices. If you use this feature frequently, you may have encountered certain situations where the Universal Clipboard stops working. Here are some ways to fix the Universal Clipboard not working on your Mac and iPhone.
1. Enable WI-FI and BLUETOOTH on both devices.
Universal Clipboard works wirelessly, using Wi-Fi to transfer the required data from one device to another. It uses Bluetooth to maintain a connection between the two devices. Therefore, you'll need to keep the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switches enabled on your iPhone and Mac for Universal Clipboard to work.
Swipe up from the top-right corner of your iPhone to access Control Center and enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Tap the Wi-Fi toggle switch on your Mac to turn it on.
2. Keep devices turned off.
Wireless transmission can often be interrupted or erratic if the two devices are far apart. Make sure your iPhone and Mac are close together without any solid obstructions, such as a wall, between them.
If you're trying to copy data from one room and paste it to your device in another room, and there are multiple walls between them, you may run into problems. Move to the same room and try again.
3. Sign in with the same Apple ID on both devices.
There's one key requirement for Universal Wallet to work across Apple devices: you'll need to use the same Apple ID on both devices. Here's how to check all the devices associated with your Apple ID.
Step 1: Click Apple logo In the upper left corner of your Mac screen.
Step 2: Locate System Preferences.
Step 3: Click Apple ID In the upper left side of the window.
Step 4: You will see Apple product list Your Apple ID is signed in to your device in the bottom left corner.
If your devices don't appear there, sign in with the same Apple ID on your iPhone and Mac. Then try using the Universal Clipboard. You can use the Universal Clipboard across all devices listed in this column.
4. Enable the Hand Switch on iPhone and MAC
The Handoff feature on iPhone and Mac is what enables the Universal Clipboard to work across all your Apple devices. Therefore, you'll need to enable Handoff on all your iPhones and Macs. Even if it's already enabled, it might be a good idea to turn it off and then back on to see if it works. Here's how.
Enable Handoff on iPhone and iPad
Step 1: Open Settings app and go to Public option.
Step 2: Click on AirPlay & Handoff.
Step 3: Enable the toggle next to hand off. If it is already enabled, turn it off and back on.
Enable Handoff on Mac
Step 1: Click Apple logo In the upper left corner of your Mac screen.
Step 2: Locate System Preferences.
Step 3: Now, click general.
Step 4: You will see a checkbox right at the bottom that saysTo “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.” Click it to select it. If it's already selected, disable it and click it again to select it.
Wait a moment, and your devices should establish a connection with each other.
5. Restart your iPhone and MAC.
Sometimes, just a simple thing can do the trick. Restart To fix many issues, try force restarting your iPhone and Mac to see if they start communicating with each other and allow you to use the Universal Clipboard. Here's how.
Force restart iPhone
For iPhone 6s or earlier:
Press and hold Home button Power button At the same time. Release it when you see it. Apple logo on the screen.
For iPhone 7:
Press and hold Volume down key and power buttonRelease it when you see it. Apple logo on the screen.
For iPhone 8 and later:
Click on Volume up key Edit it, and press Volume down key Release it, then press and hold Side/Power button until you see Apple logo on the screen.
Force restart your Mac
Press and hold power button Or Touch ID button On your Mac until the screen goes blank and you see Apple logo.
6. Reset network settings
Resetting your iPhone's network settings may come in handy. This will reset all network settings, such as saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth devices, data plans, and more. You'll have to manually set them up again. However, there's a good chance it will resolve your issues with the general clipboard.
Step 1: Open Settings app On your iPhone, tap general.
Step 2: Scroll down to find “Transfer or Reset iPhone” option. Click on it.
Step 3: Locate Reset option here.
Step 4: Now, select Reset network settings.
Log back into your Wi-Fi network and wait a while for your iPhone to connect to your Mac.
COMMAND + C, COMMAND + V
Follow these steps to get the Universal Clipboard working normally again between your Mac and iPhone, so you can copy any text you want on one device and paste it on the other. This makes your workflow much easier, especially if you frequently interact with your iPhone and Mac.
