Apple is developing a cross-device clipboard feature that will let users copy content on an iPhone and paste it on a Windows PC — or vice versa — with a target completion date of fall 2027, when it expects to ship the feature in a developer beta.
The development was first spotted by MacRumors and stems from an interoperability request Microsoft filed with Apple in March 2026. Microsoft argued that iOS restrictions on clipboard access prevent third-party developers from enabling seamless copy-and-paste synchronization between an iPhone and a PC or other connected device in the background.
Apple confirmed its plans in a June 26th update, describing the work as “a significant engineering effort.” The proposed solution would allow Microsoft to create an extension “to share and import pasteboard items with paired accessories.” Apple also noted that users will need to grant permission before their clipboard content is shared with paired devices.
The effort is driven by the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which allows developers and government agencies to request that designated digital gatekeepers — a category that includes Apple — open their systems to interoperability with third-party tools and services. Apple’s existing Universal Clipboard feature currently works across its own devices: Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro.
The same EU framework has already pushed Apple to extend features such as notifications, proximity pairing, and automatic audio switching to third-party smartwatches and earbuds in the European Union. The forthcoming clipboard feature would similarly apply to EU users, suggesting Windows PC users outside the region may not benefit from the change.
Source: The Verge