How to Export and Backup Clipboard History on Mac
Your clipboard history contains months of useful text — addresses, code snippets, notes, links. If you switch Macs, reinstall macOS, or your clipboard manager corrupts its data, you lose everything. Most managers have no export feature at all.
Option 1: The Hard Way (Manual)
- 1 Dig through your clipboard manager's internal data files (if you can find them).
- 2 Try to parse proprietary formats — SQLite databases, binary plists, or encrypted blobs.
- 3 Accept that your clipboard history is locked inside one app forever.
Option 2: The Sane Way (SaneClip)
- ✓ One-Click Export: Export your entire clipboard history to a clean JSON file with timestamps, source apps, and metadata. Readable by any text editor or script.
- ✓ Import with Merge: Import previously exported history with merge or replace options. Transfer your clips to a new Mac without losing anything.
- ✓ Your Data, Yours: 100% transparent code means your data is never locked in a proprietary format. JSON is universal — use it however you want.