Pasteboard Viewer
A developer utility for inspecting system pasteboards (clipboards) on macOS, iOS, and visionOS.
What is Pasteboard Viewer?
Pasteboard Viewer is a macOS, iOS, and visionOS utility that allows developers to inspect the system pasteboards (clipboards) in real-time. It helps debug and verify that apps are correctly placing data on NSPasteboard or UIPasteboard by previewing text, RTF, images, and other content formats. The tool is designed specifically for development purposes, not as a general clipboard manager for everyday users.
Apple platform developers (macOS, iOS, visionOS) who need to debug clipboard data interactions in their applications, particularly those working with NSPasteboard or UIPasteboard APIs.
Developers choose Pasteboard Viewer for its real-time pasteboard inspection, clean interface that hides obsolete types, and focused feature set tailored specifically for debugging clipboard issues without the bloat of general clipboard managers.
Overview
📋 Inspect the system pasteboards on macOS
Use Cases
Best For
- Debugging clipboard data placement in macOS apps
- Inspecting NSPasteboard or UIPasteboard content in real-time
- Verifying correct format support for copied content
- Copying pasteboard type identifiers for development
- Previewing clipboard images, text, and RTF during app testing
- Ensuring cross-app clipboard compatibility on Apple platforms
Not Ideal For
- General users needing a clipboard manager for daily copying and pasting, as it's strictly for debugging, not everyday functionality.
- Developers working on Windows or Linux platforms, since it's exclusive to Apple ecosystems (macOS, iOS, visionOS).
- Projects requiring automated clipboard monitoring or scripting, due to its GUI-only interface and lack of API or command-line tools.
- Teams needing localized applications, as the developer explicitly states no plans for app localization.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Automatically updates to show current pasteboard contents in real-time, which is critical for debugging dynamic clipboard interactions as mentioned in the README.
Displays text, RTF, images, and any content with a Quick Look preview, providing clear visualization of clipboard data for development verification.
Hides obsolete system pasteboard types like CorePasteboardFlavorType, focusing developers on modern equivalents for a clearer debugging experience.
Allows right-clicking or long-tapping to copy pasteboard type identifiers, a feature highlighted in the README for development and API integration.
Includes a 'Stay in Front' option in the Window menu to keep the window always visible, useful during extended debugging sessions.
Cons
Limited to macOS, iOS, and visionOS, excluding developers on other operating systems and reducing its utility for cross-platform projects.
The developer has stated no plans to localize the app, which can hinder non-English speaking developers from using it effectively.
The non-App Store version is updated only once a year, as noted in the README, potentially missing timely fixes and features compared to the App Store version.
Lacks command-line interface or scripting capabilities, making it unsuitable for automated testing or integration into development pipelines beyond manual inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
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