Documentation
Everything you need to know to get started with Clipboard Guard
Getting Started
1. Download and Install
Download the appropriate version for your platform from the download page. Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
2. Grant Permissions
macOS Users:
You'll need to grant Accessibility permissions for paste blocking to work. Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Accessibility and add Clipboard Guard.
3. Configure Protection
Once installed, Clipboard Guard will appear in your system tray (Windows/Linux) or menu bar (macOS). Click the icon to open settings and configure your protection rules.
4. You're Protected!
Clipboard Guard now monitors all clipboard operations and will alert you when suspicious activity is detected.
macOS Permissions
Clipboard Guard requires specific permissions on macOS to function properly:
Accessibility Permission (Required for Paste Blocking)
- Open System Preferences (or System Settings on macOS 13+)
- Navigate to Security & Privacy → Privacy → Accessibility
- Click the lock icon to make changes (enter your password)
- Click the "+" button and add Clipboard Guard
- Ensure the checkbox next to Clipboard Guard is checked
Important:
Without Accessibility permission, Clipboard Guard can monitor clipboard activity and show notifications, but cannot block paste operations. The app will still provide valuable security alerts.
How to Grant Permissions
When you first run Clipboard Guard, macOS will automatically prompt you to grant necessary permissions. If you decline initially, you can always grant them later through System Preferences.
Configuring Rules
Clipboard Guard uses a rule-based system to determine when to show notifications or block paste operations. Each rule specifies a source app, destination app, and action.
Rule Components
From
Source application
To
Destination application
Action
Notify or Block
Actions Explained
NOTIFY
Shows a notification when the paste operation occurs, but allows it to proceed.
BLOCK
Prevents the paste operation and shows a confirmation dialog.
Wildcards
Use "Any App" in the From or To field to create rules that apply broadly:
- "Any App" → "Terminal": Alert for any content being pasted into Terminal
- "Chrome" → "Any App": Monitor all pastes from Chrome
- "Any App" → "All Apps": Log all clipboard activity
Common Examples
Block Browser → Terminal
Recommended for developers
From: "Chrome" → To: "Terminal" → Action: "BLOCK"
From: "Safari" → To: "iTerm" → Action: "BLOCK"
Monitor All Cross-App Pastes
Good for general awareness
From: "Any App" → To: "All Apps" → Action: "NOTIFY"
Protect Sensitive Apps
For financial or admin tools
From: "Any App" → To: "Banking App" → Action: "NOTIFY"
From: "Browser" → To: "Database Tool" → Action: "BLOCK"