The clipboard can sometimes contain sensitive information. To stop prying eyes, you can create a custom clear clipboard shortcut. Follow the below steps to learn how.
Every time you copy something, the clipboard stores that content in a temporary storage place for your next use. This helps you paste the copied contents as, when, and where needed. However, there will be times when you copy sensitive information and would like to clear the clipboard to stop unauthorized access.
In those cases, you can either copy something else to override the last copied content or you can create a simple shortcut that will clear the clipboard when executed. If needed, you can even assign a keyboard shortcut to clear the clipboard.
Without further ado, let me show you how you can do it in simple steps.
Note: If you are using Windows 10’s Cloud Clipboard feature then it has its own option to clear contents.
Create Custom Clear Clipboard Shortcut
Though Windows has no point and click option, there is a built-in command that allows you to clear clipboard content. So, all we have to do is create a new shortcut with that command. It is pretty simple to do.
1. First, right-click on the desktop and select “New → Shortcut” option.
2. The above action will open the shortcut creation wizard. In the blank field, enter the following code and click on the “Next” button.
%windir%\System32\cmd /c echo off | clip
3. Now, type a name for the shortcut. You can name it anything you want. In my case, I named it “Clear Clipboard Contents”. Click on the “Finish” button.
4. With that, you’ve successfully created the shortcut. If you look at the desktop, you will see a new shortcut. Double-click on it and the clipboard will be cleared instantly.
When the command is being executed, you might see a brief flash of the Command Prompt window. It is pretty normal. So, don’t mind it.
(Optional) Assign Keyboard Shortcut:
5. Right-click on the shortcut you just created and select the “Properties” option.
6. Now, under the “Shortcut” tab select the “Shortcut key” field and press the keyboard shortcut you’d like to assign. In my case, I’m assigning Ctrl + Alt + Q. You can assign anything you want.
7. Once you are done, click on the “Apply” and “Ok” buttons to save changes.
From this point, you can clear the clipboard with the keyboard shortcut you assigned. Keep in mind that if the keyboard shortcut you assigned is already in use by other applications or the Windows system, it might not work with the custom shortcut. In that case, assign another one.
Wrapping Up
That is all. It is that simple to create your own clear clipboard shortcut in Windows. Though I’ve specifically shown this in Windows 10, the same procedure will work on older systems like Windows 7 and 8.
Hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and I will try to help as much as possible.