Set up on Mac

Five minutes from install to your first paste.

1. Open PastePal

PastePal lives in the menu bar. After you open it, look for its icon at the top right of your screen. Right-click the icon to open the Main Window or pause tracking.

On first launch, the Set up screen asks for a shortcut. Do it there, or in step 2.

2. Pick a shortcut for the Side Window

The Side Window is where you’ll spend most of your time. It has no shortcut until you set one.

1. Open Settings ▸ Shortcuts.
2. Click the field next to Toggle side window.
3. Press the keys you want, for example ⌘⇧V.

3. Allow paste

PastePal needs permission to paste into other apps for you. Without it, clips are only copied to the clipboard.

1. Open System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security.
2. On macOS 27, open Device Control and Data Access. On macOS 26 and earlier, open Accessibility.
3. Turn on PastePal.

On macOS 15.4 and later, also set PastePal to Allow under Privacy & Security ▸ Paste from Other Apps, so macOS stops asking each time PastePal reads the clipboard.

More detail on the Permissions page.

4. Launch at login

Open Settings ▸ General and turn on Launch at login, so PastePal is always there to save what you copy.

5. Try it

1. Copy a few things: some text, a link, an image.
2. Press your shortcut. The Side Window opens with your clips.
3. Use the arrow keys to pick one and press Enter to paste it.

A few keys worth learning now:

Next

• Sync with your iPhone and iPad
• Paste faster
• Windows and Tips