Getting started
Up and running in under five minutes
SnipTray is a clipboard manager — it should not need a manual. Here is the entire setup, from download to inviting your first teammate.
Install SnipTray from the Mac App Store
Search "SnipTray" in the Mac App Store, or follow the Download for Mac button at the top of this page. SnipTray is a single 12 MB download — no installer, no system extensions, no kernel modules. It runs as a tidy menu-bar app from the moment you launch it.
Grant accessibility permission (one click)
macOS asks every clipboard app for accessibility permission so it can paste on your behalf. SnipTray opens System Settings to the right pane for you, you flip the toggle, and you are done. We use the permission only to paste — we never read keystrokes or watch other apps.
Copy anything — it is saved to your tray
Hit ⌘C anywhere. The clip is in your tray. Press ⌘⇧V to open the tray and you will see it at the top of the list, with a preview, a source app, and a timestamp. Type a few characters to fuzzy-search, hit return to paste, and SnipTray dismisses itself instantly. That is the entire core loop.
Sign in to iCloud and invite your team
Open SnipTray Settings → iCloud and sign in with the Apple ID you already use. Your clipboard is now syncing across every Mac, iPhone, and iPad signed in to that ID. To share with a team, create a Pinboard, click Share, and invite teammates by email or iCloud handle. Pick their role (viewer, editor, admin) and hit Send.
Power-user tips
Six things every SnipTray user should know
Once you have the basics down, these six tricks will make SnipTray feel even faster.
Customize your hotkey
The default tray hotkey is ⌘⇧V, but you can change it to anything in Settings → Shortcuts. Most users settle on something one-handed like ⌥V.
Pin your most-used snippets
Press P on any clip to pin it. Pinned items get their own number shortcut from ⌘⇧1 through ⌘⇧9 — no more digging through history for things you reach for daily.
Search like Spotlight
Open the tray and just start typing. Search matches across content, source app, file name, and even color values. Use prefixes like "color:", "code:", or "image:" to filter by type.
Tag clips you want to keep
Press T on any clip and add a tag. Tagged items survive auto-cleanup and can be filtered with #tagname in the search bar.
Exclude private apps
In Settings → Privacy, add 1Password, Bitwarden, or any other app you do not want recorded. SnipTray will see something has been copied, but the contents will never enter history.
Plug into Apple Shortcuts
Every SnipTray action — read, write, search, paste — is available in Shortcuts. Build flows that grab the latest clip, format it, and send it somewhere with one button.
Team sharing
How to share a clipboard with your team via iCloud
SnipTray's team sharing piggybacks on iCloud — there is no separate account, no third-party server, and no setup beyond what you already have. Here is exactly what your team will do:
- 1. Create a pinboard you want to share — for example, "Customer support replies".
- 2. Click the Share icon on the pinboard. SnipTray opens a familiar iCloud share sheet.
- 3. Add teammates by email or iCloud handle. Pick a role: Viewer (read only), Editor (can add and edit), Admin (can manage members).
- 4. Send invites. Each teammate accepts with a single click, and the pinboard appears in their SnipTray instantly.
- 5. From now on, every clip anyone adds to that pinboard syncs to the whole team in real time.
Setup FAQ
Questions people ask while setting up SnipTray
The quick answers to the things that come up most often during the first five minutes.
How do I install SnipTray on my Mac?
Why does SnipTray need accessibility permission?
How do I share a clipboard with my team using SnipTray?
How do I sync SnipTray between my Mac and iPhone?
How do I pin a clipboard item in SnipTray?
How do I uninstall SnipTray?
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