PasteBar - Limitless, Free Clipboard Manager for Mac and Windows. Open Source.

[skurdin]

Hi guys!
I was a web developer all my life and always wanted to create a native app using a web stack. I decided to create the PasteBar app because I could not find a decent clipboard manager with all the features I needed, so I created my own with custom clips and menus for quick copy and instant pasting. It's free and open source.

Please check https://www.pastebar.app/
Mac App store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pastebar/id6497567805
Github: https://github.com/PasteBar/PasteBarApp


Any feedback is appreciated! Thank you.

List of Features for the PasteBar App:

• Unlimited clipboard history
• Searchable copy history
• Custom saved clips
• Quick-access paste menus
• Collections, tabs, and boards for organization
• Local storage for privacy and security
• Lock screen and passcode protection
• Support for text, images, files, links, and code snippets
• Automatic programming language detection and syntax highlighting
• Markdown support in notes
• Instant pasting from system menu
• Dark theme
• Global search functionality
• Customizable clips and menus
• Support for forms and templates
• Web scraping and API data extraction capabilities
• Available for macOS and Windows (including Apple Silicon M1, Intel, AMD, and ARM processors)
• Free and open-source
  

 

[Ben J.]

Interesting. I guess I'm replying to the thread just so I can get notifications. I'm not too keen on trying it out myself, for now. I'll see what people say first.

First impression is: isn't this a bit too much? Like "bloated"? I hate utilities that gets in my way more than they help me out.

Good luck with your app.

 

[skurdin]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Ben J! Yeah I understand your concern about bloat. PasteBar actually came from my own need to quickly access bits of info I use all the time. It's designed to be super lightweight, just quietly hanging out in the background until you need it. If you ever decide to try it out, I'd love to hear your thoughts. PasteBar will help to save time if you work with a lot of text and copy and paste a lot of content or images, screenshots, etc.

Thanks again for your message.

 

[8px]

does it need accessibility access?

one-click copy-to-clipboard? Time to get your offering on AlternativeTO site

so I can get notifications.

Isn't that what 'Watch' does?

 

[skurdin]

> does it need accessibility access?

Yes it does.

>one-click copy-to-clipboard?

Yes, and one click paste from menubar as well.

 

[skurdin]

>Time to get your offering on AlternativeTO site

Submitted. Thank you for an idea!

https://alternativeto.net/software/pastebar

 

[skurdin]

PasteBar App Release 0.6.0

New Features:

• Quick copy/paste access to using keyboard, press Ctrl + [number] (copy) or Ctrl + Alt (Cmd) + [number] (paste)
• PasteBar Quick Paste window with keyboard navigation and global hotkeys, Enter or Ctrl + [number] to paste, Ctrl + F to search
• Global hotkeys for show/hide the main app window option
• Global hotkeys for show/hide Quick Paste window
• New option Hide the app dock icon (macOS)
• New option The app starts with main window hidden
• New option Show navbar elements on hover only
• New option Hide collections name on the navbar

Enhancements:

• Support for zhCN Simplified Chinese language translation
• Support for UK Ukrainian language with auto-generated translation (seeking help to improve)
• Support for esES Spanish language with auto-generated translation (seeking help to improve)
• Support for IT Italian language with auto-generated translation (seeking help to improve)
• History items multi select/deselect using Ctrl + click or Cmd + click

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed a bug where the contact form used an invalid link on Windows
• Fixed a bug causing a markdown undefined error on window

 

[svenmany]

Does your application skip using the system clipboard? I'm looking for an application that's a stand-in for the normal clipboard that adds the security of its copied data not being accessible to other applications.

 

[skurdin]

Does your application skip using the system clipboard? I'm looking for an application that's a stand-in for the normal clipboard that adds the security of its copied data not being accessible to other applications.

No, PasteBar using system clipboard for copy and paste. What you asking is not possible on system level. You won't be able to copy and paste anything to any other apps without using system clipboard.

 

[svenmany]

No, PasteBar using system clipboard for copy and paste. What you asking is not possible on system level. You won't be able to copy and paste anything to any other apps without using system clipboard.

There is an application that does this.

GitHub - s1ntoneli/Copi: A Secure Alternative to macOS Clipboard

A Secure Alternative to macOS Clipboard. Contribute to s1ntoneli/Copi development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

My guess is that it uses screen recording and accessibility and for copy and paste, respectively. It keeps the intermediate data in its own memory space.

 

[skurdin]

There is an application that does this.

GitHub - s1ntoneli/Copi: A Secure Alternative to macOS Clipboard

A Secure Alternative to macOS Clipboard. Contribute to s1ntoneli/Copi development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

My guess is that it uses screen recording and accessibility and for copy and paste, respectively. It keeps the intermediate data in its own memory space.

Yeah, I understand how it works. It keeps copied content inside its app space and overrides system copy paste shortcuts with its own action. I don't think this is a good idea, but yeah, I understand that for some use cases this could be useful. I like to use my clipboard across all my devices it's very convenient and secure as well.

 

[svenmany]

Yeah, I understand how it works. It keeps copied content inside its app space and overrides system copy paste shortcuts with its own action. I don't think this is a good idea, but yeah, I understand that for some use cases this could be useful. I like to use my clipboard across all my devices it's very convenient and secure as well.

There is a bunch of discussion about the security implications when using the clipboard to store confidential information on this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1password-migrants-thread.2307443/page-108

That's a link to the current last page, which is focused some on the clipboard.

The clipboard is readily accessible to all applications running on the mac. I look forward to some polished application that provides clipboard-like functionality without using the clipboard. The open source application I referenced is too new.

 

[skurdin]

There is a bunch of discussion about the security implications when using the clipboard to store confidential information on this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1password-migrants-thread.2307443/page-108

That's a link to the current last page, which is focused some on the clipboard.

The clipboard is readily accessible to all applications running on the mac. I look forward to some polished application that provides clipboard-like functionality without using the clipboard. The open source application I referenced is too new.

I think the solution could be not to install too many apps and use only what you trust, but in your case, why not use this app https://github.com/s1ntoneli/Copi? It looks like exactly what you need.

 

[svenmany]

I think the solution could be not to install too many apps and use only what you trust, but in your case, why not use this app https://github.com/s1ntoneli/Copi? It looks like exactly what you need.

That's the app I linked to in my earlier post on this thread. It's just too new and I have no idea how safe it is. It's just a single developer working on it for four months.

 

[tigger.dev]

Hiya. I came here as I had been relying heavily on the cross-platform CopyQ, and every point release upgrade it seems to suffer some fatal flaw on Apple Silcon, so looking for an alternative.
You app looks pretty nifty. But I must admit I hesitate at your opening line ...

"always wanted to create a native app using a web stack"

Isn't that an oxymoron? It's either a native app, or it's built on a web stack. If the code is interpreted rather than compiled then it isn't native at all – I don't see how "web stack" can be native. Am I misunderstanding something?

The Clipboard has a delay already, as a matter of fact. Why add to the latency with all that web stack when something that natively compiles would perform much better.
why not write it in swift, to make it truly native? In my humble experience, even python or lua perform better for writing desktop utilities than HTML, CSS and Javascript whether in a mini browser, Electron or otherwise.

 

[skurdin]

PasteBar App Release 0.7.0

What's New:

🔐 Protected Collections
Secure your sensitive clips with PIN-protected collections. Keep confidential information safe while maintaining quick access.

📁 Custom Data Location
Choose where to store your clipboard data. Perfect for syncing across devices using cloud storage or shared network drives.

⌨️ Advanced Keyboard Shortcuts
Navigate faster with enhanced keyboard shortcuts and support for up to 3-key combinations. Streamline your workflow without touching the mouse.

💾 Backup & Restore
Export and import your entire clipboard database and images. Never lose your valuable clips again with comprehensive backup functionality.

🎯 Special Copy/Paste Operations for Different Workflows
Over 30 specialized copy/paste operations for different workflows. Enhanced clipboard operations with context-aware options.

🔍 Smart Auto-Search
Quick Paste window automatically activates search when you start typing. Find what you need instantly without manual search activation.

View Complete Release Notes
https://github.com/PasteBar/PasteBarApp/blob/main/WHATS_NEW_0.7.0.md

 

[cbsvitzer]

I have a Mac Mini and use PasteBar as clipboard manager
It's working fine, and set to autostart with the Mac and displays the windows on the desktop
The first thing I do is to minimize PasteBar to the Dock after startup
Is there a way to automatically minimize PasteBar after logging in?
I think of Automation and an Apple Script
In Windows you can create a link that minimizes a program after startup

 

[Huey_Pilot]

I have a Mac Mini and use PasteBar as clipboard manager
It's working fine, and set to autostart with the Mac and displays the windows on the desktop
The first thing I do is to minimize PasteBar to the Dock after startup
Is there a way to automatically minimize PasteBar after logging in?
I think og Automation and an Apple Script
In Windows you can create a link that minimizes a program after startup

May this helps, this works for me!

 

[cbsvitzer]

May this helps, this works for me!

Thanks a lot @Huey_Pilot. It worked perfectly :⁠-⁠)