Universal Clipboard not working (Mac > iPhone, iPhone < Mac)

[craigy2302]

I've been having a weird issue for a few weeks now, where universal clipboard no-longer works between my MacBook and iOS devices, but it works between iOS devices.

I have tried logging out of iCloud, resetting the bluetooth settings on my Mac, and logging out of iCloud and toggling handoff on my iOS devices (not sure this would make a difference as it works between iOS devices).

I have noticed the following in the console on the Mac, not sure how "clipboard sharing has been disabled"

default    12:48:56.499836+0100    useractivityd    [PBOARD CONTROLLER] Got type update from client, gen: 6, <private>
default    12:48:56.499525+0100    pboard    Sending pasteboard update to server: <private>
default    12:48:56.499555+0100    pboard    [Local Pasteboard] Adding alias: public.text for type: public.utf8-plain-text
default    12:48:56.499979+0100    useractivityd    [PBOARD CONTROLLER] Ignoring type updates, clipboard sharing disabled
default    12:48:56.552644+0100    pboard    Sending pasteboard update to server: <private>
default    12:48:56.552711+0100    pboard    [Local Pasteboard] Adding alias: public.text for type: public.utf8-plain-text
default    12:48:56.552988+0100    useractivityd    [PBOARD CONTROLLER] Got type update from client, gen: 6, <private>
default    12:48:56.553145+0100    useractivityd    [PBOARD CONTROLLER] Ignoring type updates, clipboard sharing disabled

I've done some searching and have been unable to find any information about this.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

 

[craigy2302]

So I set up a fresh user profile and it was working on there, so I decided to dig into my users ~/Library folder...

I found the cause, how to fix it and it's below! (Just so this doesn't become a thread like the classic xkcd comic - https://xkcd.com/979/)

In ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist I discovered a key ClipboardSharingEnabled with the value 0 Setting it to 1, logging out and back in had no effect. So I removed the entry… logged out and back in and now it’s working!

 

[licn]

Somehow I had the same problem, your solution saved me! Thanks so much!

 

[brezz]

I just stumbled on this thread. I haven't been able to use the universal clipboard forever between my iOS devices and my MacBook. This looks like a possible solution. I'm not very savvy with this stuff. I tried to find the ~Library file but don't know what to do from there. Is it possible for someone to walk me through what I need to do to edit this so I can try to fix the clipboard?

Brian

 

[licn]

I just stumbled on this thread. I haven't been able to use the universal clipboard forever between my iOS devices and my MacBook. This looks like a possible solution. I'm not very savvy with this stuff. I tried to find the ~Library file but don't know what to do from there. Is it possible for someone to walk me through what I need to do to edit this so I can try to fix the clipboard?

Brian

~/Library is a hidden folder. Go to your home folder, press cmd+shift+. to show hidden files.

 

[brezz]

One I get to the file, what do I do? It says I need to “remove the entry” but I am not sure exactly what that means.

Appreciate the help.
Brian

 

[licn]

One I get to the file, what do I do? It says I need to “remove the entry” but I am not sure exactly what that means.

Appreciate the help.
Brian

There is another way to modify this setting, open Terminal and run command,

defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled 1

Hope it helps you

 

[brezz]

That totally worked!!! This has been broken for me for literally years over multiple different iOS's and macOS's, can't believe it.

Thank you!
Brian

 

[Daniel Pego]

Hello,
Having the same issue here.
when I try to the command on terminal I get this response:
zsh: permission denied: /Users/danielpego/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist
Can anyone help me?
Thanks!

 

[ss442]

Had the same issue, and incredibly pleased to report that @craigy2302's solution worked (thanks!) Exact steps:

1. Run app "terminal" (Command + space to open search then "terminal")
2. Run this command to check your settings, confirm output has ClipboardSharingEnabled = 0 (if so, proceed to #3)

    defaults read ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist

3. Run this command to delete the ClipboardSharingEnabled = 0 setting

   defaults delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled

   Can run step #2 again to confirm ClipboardSharingEnabled setting is deleted
4. Reboot your mac. Copy paste across devices should now work

PS - I wonder how clipboard sharing got disabled for us in the first place? Hmm a mystery 🤔

 

[distantsuns]

Had the same problem since I moved to Big Sur B5.

The ClipboardSharing key was already missing from the plist. I get two other keys, kLocalPasteboardBlobName, and kRemotePasteboardBlobName. I added in the Clipboard key, set it to 1, rebooted, then removed it, and rebooted. And nothing.

The paste is one way, I can copy from my iPad and paste okay on the MBP, but not the other way around.

I did get a Pboard error in the console but lost it and can't reproduce it.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

Suddenly today after updating to iOS14 pb8 my iPhone cannot paste to Mac Mini (2018) with Catalina. Works fine iPhone to Mojave MacBook Air and from Mac mini to iPhone! Basic disable/enable Handoff on both devices did nothing. After finding this thread, I checked com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist and found no ClipboardSharingEnabled just two "kLocalPasteboardBlobName" entries (which I presume are keys for other Handoff devices).

Added ClipboardSharingEnabled= 1 using defaults write... no change. Disabled handoff again and saw no change in com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist contents.

This Draconian approach worked for me. Not sure which element did it though:

1. Disable Handoff in System Prefs
2. Terminal: rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist
3. Keychain Access -> delete "handoff-own-encryption-key" (this is the local device's handoff key)
4. Restart in Safe Mode
5. System Prefs -> Enable Handoff.
6. Reboot.
7. Universal Clipboard working correctly!

 

[Sicapo]

SaguaroSeven's solution worked in my case.
(macOS Catalina + iOS 13.7)

 

[ajayjp]

Had the same issue with BigSur and IOS 14. I disabled handoff on Mac, deleted the “handoff-own-encryption-key” from keychain and rebooted. Post that enabled Hand Off on MAC and it worked !!!

 

[salva2230]

Suddenly today after updating to iOS14 pb8 my iPhone cannot paste to Mac Mini (2018) with Catalina. Works fine iPhone to Mojave MacBook Air and from Mac mini to iPhone! Basic disable/enable Handoff on both devices did nothing. After finding this thread, I checked com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist and found no ClipboardSharingEnabled just two "kLocalPasteboardBlobName" entries (which I presume are keys for other Handoff devices).

Added ClipboardSharingEnabled= 1 using defaults write... no change. Disabled handoff again and saw no change in com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist contents.

This Draconian approach worked for me. Not sure which element did it though:

1. Disable Handoff in System Prefs
2. Terminal: rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist
3. Keychain Access -> delete "handoff-own-encryption-key" (this is the local device's handoff key)
4. Restart in Safe Mode
5. System Prefs -> Enable Handoff.
6. Reboot.
7. Universal Clipboard working correctly!

hi, i tried the two solutions posted in the forum and i couldn't fix it. what I copy on my macbook pro does not go to the iphone.

Tried this explanation and for some reason it won't let me delete the KeyChainAccess file.

How did you do to remove it?
thank you very much in advance

 

[SaguaroSeven]

As i recall, I simply deleted it. I may have had to enter admin user/pwd. Don't remember.
You're just trying to delete this entry, right? What error are you getting?

Suggestions:
1. Make sure you're an admin user.
2. Try Safe Boot with same user, then try deleting. Maybe restart again; try deleting.

 

[salva2230]

As i recall, I simply deleted it. I may have had to enter admin user/pwd. Don't remember.
You're just trying to delete this entry, right? What error are you getting?
View attachment 958255

Suggestions:
1. Make sure you're an admin user.
2. Try Safe Boot with same user, then try deleting. Maybe restart again; try deleting.

Well, the is truth was trying to eliminate it and it didn't move, it was as if I hadn't done anything, nothing came out and it didn't indicate any response. But I just started in safe mode and tried to delete it after putting the password on the left and it has worked ... very happy, thanks for answering
(the selected entry is the one that I unlocked)

 

[rwky]

Hello, after updating to 11.10.1 (big sur - intel - mbp 15.6 2018) and on iOS 14.2 on iPhone X, my universal clipboard stopped working.

I followed all the suggested solutions in this thread and none worked.

Any other solutions/ideas I can try?

Tried the following:
- log off icloud on macbook and re-log in.
- methods described by SaguaroSeven
- method described by ss442

Still my handoff does not work.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

Hello, after updating to 11.10.1 (big sur - intel - mbp 15.6 2018) and on iOS 14.2 on iPhone X, my universal clipboard stopped working.

I followed all the suggested solutions in this thread and none worked.

Any other solutions/ideas I can try?

Tried the following:
- log off icloud on macbook and re-log in.
- methods described by SaguaroSeven
- method described by ss442

Still my handoff does not work.

Haven't taken plunge on Big Sur (increasingly glad I haven't), but if you haven't tried already, I would try these:
1. The most basic step is Turn Handoff OFF on affected devices, then back on. Many times doing so on just one of the devices will fix.
2. Turn off Handoff on all devices, reboot, turn back on.
3. Turn off Handoff on all, turn off all devices; safe boot Mac, restart normally, enable Handoff; turn on iPhone and enable Handoff. (<- this one boarders on witchcraft and is just a guess.)
4. One more idea: cycling BT and Wifi on all devices.

 

[rwky]

Haven't taken plunge on Big Sur (increasingly glad I haven't), but if you haven't tried already, I would try these:
1. The most basic step is Turn Handoff OFF on affected devices, then back on. Many times doing so on just one of the devices will fix.
2. Turn off Handoff on all devices, reboot, turn back on.
3. Turn off Handoff on all, turn off all devices; safe boot Mac, restart normally, enable Handoff; turn on iPhone and enable Handoff. (<- this one boarders on witchcraft and is just a guess.)
4. One more idea: cycling BT and Wifi on all devices.

Just tried all the suggestions and after checking keychain, I see only "own-handoff" not other handoff keys, it's interesting because before they were like 5.

Anyways, right now I have just my iPhone and my MacBook with handoff, both were restarted, and still not working.

Any other suggestions? Besides resetting my devices.

LE: after doing all the above, I decided a few days later to sign-out of icloud, restart and sign back in, now it works like a charm -- I don't understand why it didn't work from the first time, oh well.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

LE: after doing all the above, I decided a few days later to sign-out of icloud, restart and sign back in, now it works like a charm -- I don't understand why it didn't work from the first time, oh well.

Glad icloud sign-out worked. That has been mentioned before, I should have thought of it. Often people don't want to sign out because of all the data that's removed from devices. I guess the problem has mutiple causes and no way to tell what will fix it.

 

[rwky]

Glad icloud sign-out worked. That has been mentioned before, I should have thought of it. Often people don't want to sign out because of all the data that's removed from devices. I guess the problem has mutiple causes and no way to tell what will fix it.

Yes, but I tried it before and it did not work.

I think what worked, was the combination of cleaning the handoff keys in keychain then sign out of icloud, after all that restart and sign back in.

 

[mossme89]

Suddenly today after updating to iOS14 pb8 my iPhone cannot paste to Mac Mini (2018) with Catalina. Works fine iPhone to Mojave MacBook Air and from Mac mini to iPhone! Basic disable/enable Handoff on both devices did nothing. After finding this thread, I checked com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist and found no ClipboardSharingEnabled just two "kLocalPasteboardBlobName" entries (which I presume are keys for other Handoff devices).

Added ClipboardSharingEnabled= 1 using defaults write... no change. Disabled handoff again and saw no change in com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist contents.

This Draconian approach worked for me. Not sure which element did it though:

1. Disable Handoff in System Prefs
2. Terminal: rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist
3. Keychain Access -> delete "handoff-own-encryption-key" (this is the local device's handoff key)
4. Restart in Safe Mode
5. System Prefs -> Enable Handoff.
6. Reboot.
7. Universal Clipboard working correctly!

This worked for me on an M1 Mac on Big Sur.

deleting "handoff-own-encryption-key" via the UI didn't work so I just deleted all the fields in the entry for the key making it a blank key. Then the rest of the steps work.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

Glad a combination of these solutions seem to work for most. These problems are likely the result of sync issues with iCloud Keychain, because similar solutions seem to work for many Apple Watch Mac-Unlock problems too. Keychain sync can be effected by the states of all your devices (on, off, online, no internet, etc).

I've noticed that time for iCloud sync to occur on a device can vary quite a bit, and the more devices you have, the more time it can take for changes to replicate out to everything. I had an old MacBook Air that was off. When I turned it back on, many of the old entries I deleted for devices I no longer have, were sync'd to my other Mac. Not sure if that was a problem, but I deleted them again and made sure it sync'd. A little while later my Apple Watch couldn't unlock Mac again. Hmmm. Fortunately, just turning Handoff off/on and re-enabling auto unlock worked without incident.

There's some strange undocumented magic going on in the Keychain....

 

[Charmandrigo]

I have this problem except is from my ipad to Mac, Mac to ipad works fine but both universal clipboard and handoff from ipad to mac don't seem to work.
Right now I tried all of the solutions mentioned here, none have seem to worked so far. including deleting the handoff key from the keychain access, the plist entries, etc.

I have an iphone too but everything there works as expected with clipboard/handoff to mac and vice versa, even after doing these steps handoff works fine on my iPhone to Mac but still not on my ipad, I just don't know why, it's a device signed to the same icloud account