How to copy multiple things at once on Mac
macOS only stores one item on the clipboard. To copy multiple things at once on Mac and paste them in order, install Maus (free), copy each item normally, then press ⌘⇧V, ⌘+Click the items you want, and hit ⏎ — they paste in sequence. Download here.
Why Mac can't copy multiple things natively
The macOS system clipboard is a single slot. Every ⌘C overwrites whatever was there. There's no built-in way to "queue" copies, no shortcut to recall the previous item, no mode that holds onto multiple things at once.
What about macOS Tahoe? Tahoe (macOS 26) added a clipboard history accessible through Spotlight (off by default — here's how to enable it). It lets you browse and re-copy old items one at a time. It does not support multipaste — pasting several items in order with a single keystroke. For that you still need a clipboard manager.
The fix is a clipboard manager with multipaste. It captures every copy automatically, then lets you select several at once and paste them in order with a single action.
The simplest method: multipaste with Maus
Maus is free, native Swift, and adds a multipaste keyboard flow that takes 5 seconds to learn.
Step-by-step
- Install Maus. Download from mausformac.com and grant accessibility permissions when prompted.
- Copy each item normally with
⌘C. Maus captures each one to its history. - Switch to where you want to paste (a form, a document, a chat, an AI prompt — anywhere).
- Press
⌘⇧V. Maus opens at your cursor with your full clipboard history. ⌘+Clickeach item you want to paste, in the order you want them pasted. They get numbered as you select.- Press
⏎. Maus pastes them all in sequence and closes.
That's the whole interaction. No drag-and-drop, no modal dialog, no setup. Five copies become one paste.
The faster method: autopaste
If you know in advance you're going to copy several things and paste them in order, autopaste is even faster than multipaste.
Step-by-step
- Double-tap
⌘(anywhere, no app needed). A small badge appears at your cursor saying Maus is listening. - Copy several items in a row with
⌘C. Each one queues up. - Switch to where you want to paste and press
⌘V. - Maus pastes the whole queue in order, automatically.
Autopaste is what you want when you're filling a form, transferring data between sheets, or feeding multiple files into a chat with an AI assistant.
Common use cases
Filling out forms
Copy your name, email, phone, address, company in quick succession. One ⌘V per field with autopaste, or one multipaste with all five into a single text block. Either way: five fields, one workflow.
Moving code between files
Copy three imports, two helper functions, one type definition. Switch to the new file, multipaste, they all land in order. No tab juggling, no temp scratch file.
Feeding context to an AI
Copy a code file, an error message, a related file, a question. Multipaste them all into Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor in one paste action. The whole context arrives in the order you intended. See Maus for vibe coding for the full pattern.
Transferring data between spreadsheets
Copy cells one at a time from the source, switch to the destination, multipaste row by row. Useful when you can't bulk-copy because the column order differs or values need transformation in between.
Replaying terminal commands
You're debugging across two terminal sessions. Copy three commands plus a long-running output. Multipaste in order — your sequence runs cleanly without you scrolling back through history.
What about copying multiple files in Finder?
That's a different question. To copy multiple files at once on Mac, just hold ⌘ and click each file in Finder, then ⌘C to copy them all and ⌘V to paste the group. macOS handles file groups natively.
What macOS doesn't handle is copying the content of multiple things — text, images, links — to be pasted later. That's where a clipboard manager comes in.
Other clipboard managers that support multipaste
- Maus — multipaste + autopaste, opens at cursor, free with all features. Pro $12.99 once for unlimited history.
- Paste — supports multi-select and pinboards. Subscription ($2.49/mo or $29.99/yr).
- Maccy — open source, lightweight, but does not support sequential multipaste.
- Raycast Clipboard History — included in Raycast Pro ($10/mo). Single-item paste only.
For a deeper comparison: the best clipboard managers for Mac in 2026.
FAQ
Can you copy multiple items at once on Mac?
Not natively for sequential paste. macOS Tahoe (26) added a clipboard history via Spotlight where you can re-copy old items one at a time, but no built-in multipaste. To paste several items in order in one action, install a clipboard manager like Maus: ⌘+Click several items, press ⏎, they paste in sequence.
What is multipaste?
Multipaste selects several clipboard history items and pastes them sequentially with one keystroke. In Maus, ⌘+Click each item you want, then press ⏎.
How do I copy multiple files at once on Mac?
In Finder, hold ⌘ and click each file, then ⌘C to copy and ⌘V to paste. For copying file content from multiple sources to paste later, you need a clipboard manager.
Does Mac have a clipboard manager built in?
No. Finder → Edit → Show Clipboard shows only the current item. For multiple items you need a third-party manager.
Can I copy multiple things and paste them in order on Mac?
Yes, with multipaste in any clipboard manager that supports it. Maus's autopaste (double-tap ⌘) takes it further — every copy enters a queue automatically and the next ⌘V pastes the whole queue.
Is there a free clipboard manager with multipaste?
Yes. Maus is free with multipaste and autopaste included on every tier. Paste also has multi-select but is subscription-based. Maccy is free but doesn't support sequential multipaste.
Copy several things, paste them in order
Maus adds multipaste and autopaste to your Mac. Free with every feature, 24h history. Pro $12.99 once for unlimited history.
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