Clipboard History MCP

io.github.d-khomenkoPublished by GitHub account d-khomenkov0.5.0-alpha.0Updated Oct 24, 2026

Your clipboard, but Claude can read it. Type-classified, secret-encrypted. macOS + Linux.

VerifiedSTDIODesktop onlyProductivity & WorkflowSecurity & Monitoring

Overview

AI-generated overview

A local macOS/Linux clipboard history server that lets an assistant search, filter, restore and manage past clips, with secrets encrypted and gated behind Touch

What you can do
List, search and inspect clipboard history by kind, source app, time or pinned status, including full-text search over content and window titles, plus stats and daemon status. Retrieve grouped clips: URLs deduplicated by host, code by language, and JSON with parsed structure. View secret metadata without values, and decrypt a single secret through a biometric-gated unlock that requires a logged reason. Restore a clip to the system clipboard, pin or tag items, delete single items, and clear history by scope.
When to use it
Useful when you copy many things while working and want the assistant to find, reuse or restore earlier clips, such as a URL, JSON snippet, SQL query or code sample, without leaving the conversation. Also suited to setups that want clipboard capture with secret detection and encryption rather than a plain history list.
Requirements
Runs as a local process on the user's machine; desktop only, macOS 13+ or Linux (X11, partial Wayland). Installed as a one-click bundle, a Rust crate (Rust 1.95+), or built from source; a background daemon captures clips. Linux needs a Secret Service implementation such as GNOME Keyring or KWallet. Optional environment variables configure poll interval, history size, ignored apps, window-title capture, secret handling, data directory and Obsidian vault mirroring.
Before you install
It continuously captures everything copied, including passwords and API keys, and stores it locally; secrets are detected and encrypted but still recorded unless paranoid mode is set. Window-title capture needs Accessibility permission. Ignored apps and secret handling are configured by environment variables such as CLIPBOARD_IGNORE_APPS and CLIPBOARD_NEVER_STORE_SECRETS. Tools can restore, pin, tag, delete and clear history, and unlock_secret returns plaintext after biometric approval. Optional

Installation

In SourceWeft

  1. Open Clipboard History MCP in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
  2. Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.

Desktop only via STDIO. STDIO servers start a local process, so they need the SourceWeft desktop host.

Other MCP clients

Follow the launch instructions in the repository.

README

clipboard-history-mcp

Your clipboard, but Claude can read it. Type-classified, secret-encrypted, macOS-native.

[Power-draw comparison: a small green Daemon (idle ~1 mW solid, burst ~30 mW dashed) shares a bottom baseline and a vertical edge with a much larger red Chrome tab (Google Doc — idle ~100 mW solid, burst ~500 mW dashed). Square area is proportional to power.]

mermaid
flowchart LR  U[You ⌘C something] --> D[Rust daemon<br/>launchd-managed]  D -->|classify + encrypt| DB[(SQLite + FTS5)]  D -. non-secret clips .-> O[Obsidian vault<br/>optional]  C[Claude] -->|MCP stdio| M[15 tools]  M --> DB  M -->|Touch ID| V[Vault<br/>AES-256-GCM]

One Rust binary. No Node.js, no Swift toolchain, no other apps to install. Drag a .mcpb into Claude Desktop, done.

One process · ~1 mW idle · ~24 MB RAM. Replaces the clipboard-manager + secret-scanner + Obsidian-export stack a typical setup needs three or four background apps to assemble.

[Demo: copy a URL, a JSON snippet, code, an OpenAI key — daemon classifies each, then Claude lists them in chat and unlocks the secret behind Touch ID.]

What this gets you

You're working in Claude. You've copied 47 things today — URLs, JSON snippets, an OpenAI key from a dashboard, a SQL query from your DB tool, half a Stripe webhook payload. Now Claude can use any of them:

You: "Find that API key I copied from the OpenAI dashboard yesterday"Claude: Found 1 secret matching "OpenAI" — kind: openai_api_key,source: Safari, copied 14h ago. Last 4 chars: ab12.To reveal, call unlock_secret(id=23, reason="...").
You: "Give me all the GitHub URLs I copied"Claude: Returns 12 unique GitHub URLs deduplicated by repo,ranked by how often you pasted them back.
You: "There was a Stripe JSON config in the buffer — restore it to my clipboard"Claude: Found, restoring. ✓ ready to ⌘V.
You: "What code did I copy from ChatGPT over the last 2 hours?"Claude: 3 Python snippets, 1 SQL query, 1 shell command.
You: "Show me the screenshot I just copied"Claude: Returns a 142×120 PNG, mime image/png, captured from Preview 2 minutes ago.

Search uses SQLite FTS5 + window-title indexing — you find clips by where you copied them, not just by content.

Why nothing else does this

Maccymaccy-clipboard-mcpclipboard-history-mcp
Captures clipboard✓(reads Maccy's DB)✓
Classifies clip type (URL/JSON/code/SQL/secret)✗✗✓
Indexes window titles for context-search✗✗✓
Detects secrets at capture (252 gitleaks rules)✗✗✓
Encrypts secrets at rest with Touch ID gate✗✗✓
Standalone binary (no runtime needed)n/a✗✓ macOS + Linux
.mcpb one-click installn/a✗✓

The other ~20 clipboard-mcp repos on GitHub only read the current clipboard. None capture history.

Install

One-click — Claude Desktop

  1. Download clipboard-history-mcp.mcpb from the latest release.
  2. Claude Desktop → Settings → Extensions → "Install from file" → pick the .mcpb.
  3. Restart Claude Desktop. Ask: "List my recent clipboard URLs."

Manual — Claude Code / CLI

bash
curl -L https://github.com/d-khomenko/clipboard-history-mcp/releases/latest/download/clipboard-history-mcp.mcpb \  -o clipboard-history-mcp.mcpbunzip clipboard-history-mcp.mcpb -d ext
# register MCPclaude mcp add -s user clipboard-history -- ./ext/server/clipboard-history-mcp serve
# install background daemon (captures even when Claude is closed)./ext/server/clipboard-history-mcp install

Quick install — cargo install

If you have a Rust toolchain (Rust 1.95+) and use Claude Code:

bash
cargo install clipboard-history-mcpclipboard-history-mcp install                      # start daemonclaude mcp add -s user clipboard-history -- clipboard-history-mcp serve

This pulls a release crate from crates.io and compiles locally. Slightly slower than the .mcpb drag-and-drop above (compile takes ~2 min on Apple Silicon), but it's the cleanest path for Claude Code users — three commands and you're capturing.

From source (macOS)

Requirements: Rust 1.95+, macOS 13+.

bash
git clone https://github.com/d-khomenko/clipboard-history-mcpcd clipboard-history-mcpcargo build --release./target/release/clipboard-history-mcp install                                 # start daemonclaude mcp add -s user clipboard-history -- "$(pwd)/target/release/clipboard-history-mcp" serve

Linux (X11; Wayland partial)

Requirements: a working Secret Service implementation (GNOME Keyring or KWallet — comes with most desktop installs), xvfb not required for normal use (only for headless CI).

bash
git clone https://github.com/d-khomenko/clipboard-history-mcpcd clipboard-history-mcpcargo build --release
# Set a master password (used to wrap your AES master key)./target/release/clipboard-history-mcp migrate-v2
# Install systemd user service./target/release/clipboard-history-mcp install# Optional: keep daemon running after logout./target/release/clipboard-history-mcp install --linger
# Register with Claude Codeclaude mcp add -s user clipboard-history -- "$(pwd)/target/release/clipboard-history-mcp" serve

Wayland note: clipboard read/write works on Wayland via arboard's portal handling. Window-title capture (opt-in via CLIPBOARD_CAPTURE_WINDOW_TITLE=1) currently only works on X11; Wayland support is deferred to v0.4.x once xdg-desktop-portal window-title APIs are widely shipped.

1Password / Bitwarden: add app names to CLIPBOARD_IGNORE_APPS so password-manager paste events are skipped:

bash
CLIPBOARD_IGNORE_APPS="1Password,Bitwarden,KeePassXC" \  ./target/release/clipboard-history-mcp install

Auto-mirror to Obsidian vault (optional)

If you also use Obsidian, the daemon can write a sidecar .md for every captured clip plus a daily-note timeline entry. Configure at install time:

bash
clipboard-history-mcp install --vault ~/Documents/Obsidian/MyVault

Result: every non-secret clip lands as <vault>/clipboard/YYYY-MM/<id>-<kind>-<slug>.md with frontmatter (kind, source, captured-at), and a bullet appended to <vault>/daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md linking back to the sidecar. Secrets are never mirrored — they stay encrypted in the SQLite vault.

The daemon owns the ## Clipboard captures H2 section in your daily notes — append-only, idempotent. You can write anything else above or below it.

Try asking Claude

Copy any of these prompts into Claude after install:

List my last 20 clipboard entries.
Show me only the URLs I've copied today.
Search my clipboard history for "anthropic".
Find any code snippets in Python from the last 3 hours.
How many secrets are in my clipboard vault, by kind?
Pin the JSON I just copied — I'll need it again.
Show me only my pinned clips.
What apps did I copy from most this week?
Restore that GitHub PR link to my clipboard.

Claude picks the right tool from 15 available and answers directly.

Configuration

Set env vars in the launchd plist (install writes them) or via claude mcp add --env KEY=val:

VariableDefaultWhat it does
CLIPBOARD_POLL_MS1500Watcher poll interval (ms)
CLIPBOARD_HISTORY_MAX1000Ring-buffer size (unpinned clips only — pinned items sit outside the ring buffer)
CLIPBOARD_CAPTURE_WINDOW_TITLE0Capture window titles (needs Accessibility permission)
CLIPBOARD_IGNORE_APPS(empty)Comma-separated app display names to skip
CLIPBOARD_NEVER_STORE_SECRETS0Paranoid mode — metadata only, no ciphertext
CLIPBOARD_DATA_DIR~/Library/Application Support/clipboard-history-mcpOverride data dir
CLIPBOARD_VAULT_PATH(empty)Auto-mirror non-secret clips to this Obsidian vault directory (sidecar .md per clip + bullet in daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md). Set via --vault PATH at install time.
CLIPBOARD_MAX_BLOB_BYTES26214400 (25 MB)Skip image / file pasteboards larger than this. Logs a WARN line with the source app + size.

Tools (15)

Read

list_history(limit?, kind?, source_app?, since?, pinned_only?)Paginated history, newest first. pinned_only=true returns only pinned clips.
get_item(id)Single clip by id
search_history(query, limit?)FTS5 BM25 across preview + window title
get_urls(limit?)URL clips, deduped by hostname
get_code(language?, limit?)Code clips, optional language filter
get_json(limit?)JSON clips with parsed structure
get_secrets_index(kind?)Secret metadata — no values
unlock_secret(id, reason)Decrypt one secret — gated by Touch ID
get_statsCounts by kind, oldest/newest, db size
daemon_statusPID, running state

Write

copy_item(id)Restore a clip back to system clipboard
pin_item(id, pinned)Pin so it survives clear_history
tag_item(id, tag, remove?)Free-form tagging
delete_item(id)Hard delete
clear_history(scope)'all' | 'older_than_days:N' | 'kind:K'

CLI

clipboard-history-mcp daemon         # run watcher (managed by launchd)clipboard-history-mcp serve          # MCP stdio server (Claude spawns this)clipboard-history-mcp install [--window-titles]clipboard-history-mcp uninstall [--keep-data]clipboard-history-mcp status         # JSON: daemon pid, db size, etc.clipboard-history-mcp vault list     # secret metadataclipboard-history-mcp vault unlock N # decrypt secret #N (Touch ID)clipboard-history-mcp doctor         # diagnose perms/Keychain/pasteboardclipboard-history-mcp migrate-v2     # validate v0.2.x SQLite (no-op import)clipboard-history-mcp clean-legacy [-y]  # remove the v0.3.x macOS data dir (~/Library/Application Support/clipboard-history-mcp/)

Security model

  • Secrets detected at capture — 252+ gitleaks regex patterns + RFC 7519 JWT + Luhn-validated cards.
  • Encryption at rest — AES-256-GCM with a 32-byte master key in macOS Keychain.
  • Touch ID gate — unlock_secret calls LAContext.evaluatePolicy(.deviceOwnerAuthenticationWithBiometrics). 5-minute auth cache per session.
  • LLM-blind by default — list_history and search_history return secret rows with text: null and preview: "[REDACTED:kind]". The only path that returns plaintext is unlock_secret(id, reason), and the reason argument is mandatory and audit-logged.
  • Paranoid mode — CLIPBOARD_NEVER_STORE_SECRETS=1 keeps metadata only; ciphertext never written.
  • Transient-type respect — clips marked by password managers (1Password, Bitwarden) with org.nspasteboard.ConcealedType are never captured.

Architecture

src/├── main.rs               # binary entry; clap subcommand dispatch├── core/│   ├── db.rs             # SQLite WAL + migrations + FTS5│   ├── store.rs          # add/list/search/delete clips│   ├── crypto.rs         # AES-256-GCM + Keychain│   ├── types.rs          # classifier (url/json/sql/shell/code:lang)│   ├── secrets.rs        # gitleaks rules + JWT + Luhn│   ├── pasteboard.rs     # NSPasteboard via objc2│   └── biometry.rs       # LAContext Touch ID gate├── daemon/{watcher,context}.rs    # poll loop on pinned thread├── mcp/tools.rs                   # 15 MCP tools via rmcp└── cli/{install,uninstall,status,vault,doctor,migrate_v2}.rs

Tech stack: Rust 1.95 · rmcp 1.6 · tokio · objc2 · rusqlite (bundled FTS5) · aes-gcm · security-framework · objc2-local-authentication · clap 4

Performance

Daemon idle footprint, measured on Apple Silicon with default CLIPBOARD_POLL_MS=1500 and vault-mirror enabled:

MetricValueHow measured
CPU steady-state0.05 %ps cumulative CPU-time delta over 60 s (0.03 s / 60 s)
Memory (RSS)~24 MBps -o rss
Power draw (avg)~1 mW0.05 % of an E-core (~1 W full tilt) running continuously
Battery impact~1 % per 3 weeks1 mW × 504 h = 0.5 Wh on a 52 Wh MacBook Air battery, assuming 24/7 continuous run

See the two-squares comparison at the top of this README for a visual on how this compares to a single Chrome tab.

Burst cost on each ⌘C: ~30 ms tick at 1–3 % CPU (secret-classifier regexes + FTS5 index + AES-GCM + optional vault file write), then back to idle. Activity Monitor's Energy Impact column reports ~0 — below its detection threshold.

Linux numbers untested but expected similar order of magnitude (arboard polling + SQLite is portable).

FAQ

Does this run on Linux/Windows?
Linux: yes since v0.4 (X11 + Wayland clipboard via arboard; window-title capture is X11-only for now). See the Linux install section above. Windows: not yet — arboard works there, but the launchd/systemd-style installer hasn't been ported. PRs welcome.

What if I copy a 50MB blob?
Currently captured. A CLIPBOARD_MAX_BYTES guard is on the roadmap.

Can Claude leak my secrets?
Not without you (a) installing this tool, (b) approving Touch ID, (c) the LLM choosing to call unlock_secret with a reason that gets logged. The text field for secret rows is always null in list_history/search_history.

Does it sync across Macs?
No native cross-device sync — the SQLite vault stays local. If you set --vault PATH to point inside a synced Obsidian vault (iCloud, git, Syncthing, etc.), the per-clip sidecar markdown files follow your sync — but secrets are never mirrored to the vault, so password-protected items remain on the originating machine.

Can I use this with Maccy already running?
Yes. They don't conflict — Maccy provides UI, this provides the MCP layer. Both poll NSPasteboard.changeCount independently.

What about [other clipboard manager]?
Same answer — there's no exclusive lock. Worst case, both store the same clip; storage cost is trivial.

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md. Latest: v0.3.0-alpha.0.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md. PRs welcome — issues with macOS 13/14 reproductions especially.

Sponsor

Pre-1.0 alpha. Built solo, in bursts. If clipboard-history-mcp finds you a leaked key, saves you from typing the same JSON twice, or just makes Claude slightly more useful at your terminal — consider becoming a backer or Founding Sponsor on Patreon.

  • $3 / month — backer ☕ — name in SUPPORTERS.md, Discord role
  • $10 / month — founding sponsor 🥇 — name + avatar in this README, permanently listed if you join before v1.0

Sponsorship is gratitude, not a support contract. It does not buy priority issue triage, custom features, or response-time SLA — solo OSS doesn't scale that way. What it buys: visibility, the occasional roadmap vote, and proof that this kind of tool is worth maintaining past 0.x.

GitHub Sponsors works too — see the Sponsor button at the top of the repo.

License

MIT. vendor/gitleaks.toml is the gitleaks rule catalog (also MIT) — see vendor/README.md.

Source: README.md at commit c0a8177

Tools

0
SourceWeft has not started this package in its sandbox yet, so its tools are not known.

Version history

1
  1. v0.5.0-alpha.0LatestSep 16, 2026

Score

50% of the applicable checks met

How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.

  • Reached in the last 30 days25 pts

    Keep the endpoint answering the MCP handshake; SourceWeft probes it every 30 days.

  • Auth declared10 pts

    Declare the credential headers in the registry entry, or keep the endpoint answering the probe so its auth can be classified.

  • Tools listed15 pts

    Answer tools/list without a credential, or ship a package that starts in a sandbox without one.

  • DescriptionRequired15 pts
  • Logo10 pts
  • Documentation15 pts
  • License10 pts