Clipboard Read & Write Tester
Test whether your browser supports clipboard read and write, and copy/paste text.
How to use this tool
- Open this page — it runs instantly in your browser, no signup or install.
- Allow any permission prompt if asked; everything stays on your device.
- Use the on-screen controls — results update live.
Test whether your browser supports clipboard read and write, and copy/paste text.
How it works
The Clipboard Read and Write Tester checks whether your browser supports the modern asynchronous Clipboard API (navigator.clipboard) and lets you perform a live read and write test to confirm the API is working with your current permissions.
Writing to the clipboard copies text you provide into your system clipboard so you can verify the write succeeded by pasting into another app. Reading from the clipboard fetches whatever text is currently in your clipboard and displays it on screen.
The Clipboard API requires an explicit browser permission for reading in most browsers (writing is generally allowed in response to a user gesture). If the permission is denied, the tool shows the error so you can adjust site permissions in your browser settings.
This is useful for web developers testing clipboard integrations, and for end users checking why a 'Copy to Clipboard' button is not working on a particular site.
Worked example
Test why a website's Copy button is not working
- Open the Clipboard Tester in the same browser as the failing website.
- Click 'Test Write' to attempt a clipboard write.
- If it fails, read the error message — it indicates whether the API is unsupported or permission was denied.
- Adjust browser permissions for the site and retry.
- Retest on the original website.
Identification of whether the failure is a browser support issue, a permissions issue, or a bug in the website itself.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Dismissing the clipboard permission prompt and then expecting the read test to work — grant the permission first.
- Testing clipboard functionality in a browser extension popup or iframe where clipboard access may be more restricted.
- Assuming a failed clipboard read means the browser does not support it — it usually means the permission was denied or has not been requested yet.
Key terms
- Clipboard API
- A modern browser API (navigator.clipboard) that allows web pages to read from and write to the system clipboard asynchronously with explicit user permission.
- Clipboard permission
- A browser permission that controls whether a web page is allowed to read the contents of the user's clipboard without an explicit paste action.
- User gesture
- A deliberate user action such as a click; many browser security features require a user gesture before a sensitive action like clipboard write is allowed.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does clipboard read ask for permission?
- The Clipboard API requires explicit user permission for reading to prevent silent data theft. Writing usually does not require a prompt.
- Why is the Clipboard API not available?
- The Clipboard API requires HTTPS (secure context) and a modern browser. Older browsers fall back to document.execCommand which is deprecated.