Universal Clipboard can move a short URL or note from a nearby Mac to an iPhone with ordinary copy and paste. Treat it as a temporary handoff, not long-term storage or a channel for secrets.

Check the setup and paste

Both devices must meet Apple’s compatibility requirements, use the same Apple Account, and have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff on. Keep them nearby. Copy a short note on the Mac with Command-C, tap a text field on the iPhone, and paste. For example, copy a meeting-room address on the Mac and paste it into Maps on the phone.

If the text disappears

The clipboard item can expire or be replaced when either device copies something else. After pasting, check that the beginning and end arrived intact. If the item expired or another copy replaced it, copy again and paste promptly; keep anything needed later in a document. For several files, use a transfer or sync method intended for files rather than relying on this temporary clipboard handoff.

If nothing arrives

Confirm the same account, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Handoff, device compatibility, and proximity. Apple suggests installing available updates and restarting when the feature fails. Disabling Handoff can also affect other Continuity features such as opening a webpage on another device. For a file transfer, see AirDrop recipient settings. Read Apple’s Universal Clipboard requirements and Glenn Fleishman’s setup and troubleshooting guide.