How can I get the "clipboard history" to show in Windows 7?

I stumbled upon a nice work around. It requires that you have MS word 2010 or later

Word maintains 24 clips.

If you insert one of them into a word document, it is automatically put into the windows 7 clipboard.

So, here is the work-around:

• Open empty document in word.
• Copy to clipboard as usual (i.e. in any application)
• If you want to paste an older clip, switch to word, open the clip history (ALT, H, F, O) and click the clip you want to be back in the clipboard

Thank you Christian, that's amazing. It's almost equally as amazing that only two people (three now) have voted this as helpful. That'll be because it's buried down here almost out of sight.  I've had to 'stumble upon' your 'stumble upon'.

I've lost count of the number of times I've put something on the clipboard and then copied something else, so overwriting the first item which is gone forever (content of a webform for example).  Now I've learned that just having a Word document open provides insurance against this problem.

Why, with all the resources it has available, Microsoft hasn't simply extended the functionality of the clipboard in Windows 7 to offer a history must be one of the great unanswered questions of our time :-)

Hi Ruth,

Windows only remembers the last thing on the clipboard however this behaviour is different in different applications (i.e. Microsoft Word).

The clipboard has evolved somewhat over the years and many applications manipulate it / handle it in their own way. In Windows you get the basic functionaility and it's up to the various applications to expand on this.

You may use your favorite search engine and look for utilities that may perform that task .

THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE DISCLAIMER: Using Third Party Software, including hardware drivers can cause serious problems that may prevent your computer from booting properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Third Party Software can be solved. Using Third Party Software is at your own risk.

Please reply if you have any questions.

Boooo. How Many times I have wanted to go back two steps and get something I saved to the clipboard. How Unfortunate!

Hi Ruth,

Windows only remembers the last thing on the clipboard however this behaviour is different in different applications (i.e. Microsoft Word).

The clipboard has evolved somewhat over the years and many applications manipulate it / handle it in their own way. In Windows you get the basic functionaility and it's up to the various applications to expand on this.

You may use your favorite search engine and look for utilities that may perform that task .

THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE DISCLAIMER: Using Third Party Software, including hardware drivers can cause serious problems that may prevent your computer from booting properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Third Party Software can be solved. Using Third Party Software is at your own risk.

Please reply if you have any questions.