When you copy some text on your Samsung phone, where does it go before you paste it? It goes to your phone’s clipboard. But where is the clipboard on my Samsung phone?
The Samsung clipboard lives in the Samsung Keyboard. Tap any text box, then tap the clipboard icon on the keyboard toolbar. If you don’t see the icon, tap the three dots (or the arrow) on the toolbar and choose Clipboard. You can also tap and hold a text box, or use the Edge panel. Everything you copied, text, links and images, is listed there.
If you’ve been copy-pasting on your Samsung phone, you’ve been using the clipboard without even noticing.
But how do you access it? And can you see your past copy-paste history? These are the questions you’ll get answers to in this article.
For demonstration purposes, we used a Samsung phone (duh!) with Android 12. The clipboard works the same way on newer One UI versions (One UI 8.5 on Android 16 is the current one), but the icon positions and menu names can differ a little by model and version. I’ve added a note where it matters.
What is a Clipboard?
In real life, a clipboard is a board with a clip, usually made of metal. The clip holds papers tightly.
Your Android phone also has a clipboard. It is a location in the RAM where your copied text, URLs, or objects are stored temporarily so you can transfer them between different applications.
Where is the Clipboard on my Samsung Phone?
In earlier Android versions, the user had no access to the clipboard. It first appeared in the user interface in Android 8.0.
Since you’re a Samsung user, the clipboard is already built into your phone. There are multiple ways to access it. We’ll show you each one, so stay with us.
Method 1: Access Clipboard From Samsung Keyboard
This is the one most people need. If you’re using the Samsung Keyboard on your Samsung device, you can open the clipboard from there. Make sure your default keyboard is set to Samsung Keyboard.
To set Samsung Keyboard as the default:
- Go to Settings → General management → Keyboard list and default.
- Tap on Default Keyboard. Select Samsung Keyboard.
Now:
- Go to any app with a textbox. Even your browser will do.
- Tap on the text area so that your keyboard pops up.
- Tap the clipboard icon on the keyboard toolbar. On the Android 12 phone we used, the clipboard was behind the three dots at the top right of the keyboard, so tap the three dots and select Clipboard.
- You will see all your copied text and images. You may pin and delete any if you want.
If you can’t see the clipboard icon: the keyboard toolbar may be switched off or collapsed. Tap the arrow at the left end of the toolbar to expand it. Or go to Settings → General management → Samsung Keyboard settings and make sure the keyboard toolbar is turned on. The exact wording depends on your One UI version.
Method 2: Access the Clipboard By Holding onto A Text Box
This method is even easier. While you’re in a textbox, tap and hold it. You will see some options appear in a popup. The clipboard is one of them.
Tap on the clipboard to access it.
Method 3: Access Clipboard From Edge Panel
The Edge panel keeps the clipboard one swipe away on your home screen, without opening the keyboard. It is not available on every model, and since One UI 7 you can only pick from the panels that come preinstalled (Clipboard is one of them).
- Go to Settings → Display
- Scroll down a little till you find Edge panels. It will be turned off, so you can turn it on by pressing the slider.
- Tap on Edge panels text. You will be taken to another menu. Tap on Panels.
- Slide to the right till you see the clipboard. Select it by tapping on the circle above. You can keep only the clipboard or add other options (Tools, Apps, Tasks) with it. But to better understand how it works, untick all other options.
- Now go to your home screen. On the top right, notice a gray-colored bump that wasn’t there before. That’s the Edge Panel.
- Gently tap on it and swipe to the left. You will find the clipboard with all the copied text, images, and links.
Note: If you had multiple options enabled on the Edge panel, you might have to swipe multiple times to the left to see the clipboard.
- Copy from the clipboard history and paste it anywhere. You can tap on the Copy button and then paste. Or you can drag the items to where you want to paste them.
How to use the Clipboard on your Samsung Phone?
Once you have access to the clipboard, you can use it for copy-pasting as you like.
To paste something from the clipboard, tap that item while you’re in a textbox. It will be pasted into the textbox straight away.
If you are looking for something you copied a few days earlier, you can scroll through your clipboard to find it. Pin any item you need often, so it stays at the top and you can refer back to it quickly. Delete items you don’t need any more to keep the list tidy.
Next time you copy text or links, or take a screenshot, they will appear on this clipboard, ready to use between apps.
How do I view the clipboard history on my Android phone?
Open the clipboard with any of the methods above. That list is your clipboard history, and it is also where you find things saved to your clipboard. Samsung keeps several items and shows the newest first. Pinned items stay until you remove them.
If you use Gboard (the Google keyboard) as your default, it has its own separate clipboard, so you would look for it in the Gboard toolbar instead.
How to Clear The Clipboard?
Want your clipboard to be empty? You can do that in a few taps. After opening your Samsung clipboard from the keyboard:
- Tap on the trash icon.
- Tick All.
- Press Delete.
Your clipboard is now clear. To remove just one item, select that item only and tap Delete.
Clearing your keyboard’s data from Settings also empties the clipboard, but it wipes the other saved keyboard data too, so use the trash icon unless you really want a full reset.
Does the same clipboard work on a Samsung tablet?
Yes. The clipboard on a Samsung Galaxy tablet is in the same place. A Galaxy Tab uses the same Samsung Keyboard, so the keyboard method and the long-press method work the same way. The Edge panel is the one that can differ by model.
Latest Samsung Phones to Pick Up
While you’re here, it would be a crime not to talk about the latest Samsung phones 🙂
The Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra are the current flagships, and the Galaxy A57 5G is a good pick if you want something cheaper. If you like foldables, Samsung has moved on from the Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 to the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8. Check Samsung’s site for what is on sale in your country.
If you are on a PC or a Mac as well, we also covered how to clear the clipboard in Windows and how to clear the clipboard on Mac. If you are fixing other Samsung problems, see Gmail not receiving emails on a Samsung Galaxy phone and what to do when a Samsung wireless charger blinks yellow.
Conclusion
Copy-pasting is something we do every day, and the Samsung clipboard makes it much more convenient. You can:
- Browse your clipboard history
- Paste any past item with one tap
- Pin any item you need to paste often
- Delete or clear your clipboard
Have any other method to access the Samsung clipboard? Let us know in the comments.
