Apple is developing an iPhone clipboard feature that will let users copy and paste text and other content directly between iPhones and Windows PCs, following an interoperability request submitted by Microsoft under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act.
Apple already offers Universal Clipboard across iPhone, iPad and Mac, but not on Windows. According to Apple’s interoperability document, Microsoft submitted a formal request in March 2026 and Apple presented its implementation plan on June 26, 2026.
Microsoft asked for an instant, two-way experience that allows content copied on an iPhone to be pasted on a Windows computer and vice versa, with clipboard synchronization running automatically in the background so users do not need to open a specific app or manually transfer data.
Apple proposed a solution in which iPhones share and receive clipboard content through paired devices such as Windows PCs. The system will use an approach similar to the Accessory Notifications feature Apple introduced for third‑party wearables in the EU with iOS 26.5. In Apple’s design, users must grant one-time consent to each Windows computer they pair, and developers must use the AccessorySetupKit so the permission flow complies with Apple’s security and privacy standards.
Currently, iPhone apps can read the clipboard only when active in the foreground and with user permission for each copy‑paste action; Microsoft says that restriction impedes continuous clipboard synchronization between iPhone and Windows. Apple acknowledged the cross‑platform feature requires considerable engineering work and estimates development will be completed in fall 2027. The company plans to ship a developer beta first, with a public release expected in late 2027 or early 2028.
iPhone clipboard rollout in EU
For the initial stage, the feature is expected to be available only to iPhone and Windows users in EU countries as part of Apple’s compliance with the DMA rules. Apple remains open to bringing the feature to markets outside the EU in the future.
Context: other DMA-driven changes
Apple has already shipped several features resulting from DMA compliance to international markets, such as easier eSIM transfer from iPhone to Android and simplified device‑to‑device data transfer. Other features introduced under DMA rules—installing third‑party wearable devices like AirPods and forwarding notifications—remain limited to users in the European Union.
