Raycast Clipboard History Not Working? Check This First

Raycast Clipboard History can fail in several different ways. The hotkey might stop opening it. New copies might be missing. An old entry might copy successfully but never paste into the destination. A database error is another problem again.

Start by identifying which step fails. Do not delete Raycast's data or Keychain entries as a general clipboard fix. A recording preference and an unreadable database need different responses.

The checks below use harmless text and preserve the information you may still need to recover.

Find the failing step

Type a unique line in TextEdit, such as raycast-check-1842. Copy it, then open Raycast from its normal search window and run Clipboard History directly.

Testing by opening the command directly avoids mistaking a shortcut problem for missing history. Using a unique text value makes it clear whether you are seeing a new entry or an old duplicate.

If ordinary copy and paste fail throughout macOS, switch to our Mac copy-and-paste troubleshooting guide. The rest of this article assumes the clipboard works independently of Raycast.

If the hotkey does nothing

Open Raycast and run Clipboard History by name. If that succeeds, the history feature is available and the hotkey is the smaller problem to investigate.

Inspect its assigned shortcut in Raycast Settings. Try a temporary unused combination. Then test with the destination app open, because a shortcut that works on the desktop may conflict with one used by an editor or browser.

For example, ⇧⌘V is also used for plain-text paste in Google Docs. A global utility claiming that combination can make one of the workflows appear broken.

Change one shortcut at a time and record the result. Our Raycast history setup guide covers assigning a dedicated hotkey.

If new copies are missing

Raycast's Clipboard History manual documents an enable switch, Disabled Applications, and history-retention settings. Check that recording is enabled and that your test source is not excluded.

Then repeat a small cross-app test:

1. Copy a fresh harmless value from TextEdit.
2. Look for it in Raycast.
3. Copy another harmless value from the app where capture seemed to fail.
4. Look for that value too.

If one source works and the other does not, inspect source-specific settings before changing your entire history configuration. Keep sensitive apps excluded; use ordinary test material rather than a real password to investigate capture.

An iPhone copy is a separate test. Raycast documents that Universal Clipboard items are normally saved after being pasted on the Mac unless its immediate-saving setting is enabled. Confirm a normal local Mac copy first.

If only older entries are missing

Try a distinctive fragment and remove any active type filter. A URL may be easier to find by domain than by the title you remember from the webpage.

Next, inspect the configured retention period. A history app can be working correctly while an older item has already expired. Changing retention now does not prove that an expired entry can be restored.

Ask three concrete questions:

• Was Raycast recording when the item was copied?
• Was the source eligible for capture at that time?
• Could the entry have been removed by retention or a deletion action?

If the answer points to a copy that was never saved, look for its original source. Our overwritten clipboard recovery guide lists the other places worth checking.

If entries copy but do not paste

Select a harmless history entry and use Copy to Clipboard. Click a text field in TextEdit and press ⌘V manually.

If that works, retrieval is working. The failing step is automatic insertion.

Check the Clipboard History command's Primary Action: Raycast can configure Return to copy rather than paste. If it is configured to paste, inspect Raycast's Accessibility access in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

Raycast's troubleshooting guidance recommends checking permissions, current versions, duplicate running versions, and conflicts with other tools. Work through those checks before treating the history database as damaged.

If text inserts but the style is wrong, inspect the paste-format setting and destination. That symptom belongs with pasting with formatting, rather than with capture or search.

What about a Raycast database exception?

A database exception is not enough information to identify a universal cause. Capture the exact message, your Raycast version, your macOS version, and whether the error began after an update or another change.

During research on October 18, 2026, we did not verify a current official procedure that safely repairs every Raycast “database exception.” We therefore do not recommend deleting a database directory, resetting Keychain, or promising a particular SQL repair.

Use Raycast's Send Feedback command if the app still opens, or its official support page. Explain whether existing history is important and ask what a proposed reset will remove before following it.

A useful report contains:

Raycast version:
macOS version:
Exact error message, with sensitive details removed:
Did it begin after an update or account change?
Can normal copy and paste still work in TextEdit?
Can Raycast open Clipboard History?
Can it save a fresh harmless copy?
Is existing history important to preserve?

Do not include the contents of private clips in an initial report. If support needs logs or a recording, inspect them for personal information before sharing.

Restarting the macOS pasteboard service with killall pboard is a different operation. It is not an established repair for Raycast's history database.

Make a switching decision after diagnosis

If a hotkey or permission change fixes the issue, keep the tool that fits your workflow. One resolved problem is not a reason to rebuild your setup.

If you want a separate history app, our Raycast clipboard alternatives guide compares the choices, including Pastea. A new app can record future copies once configured. It should not be presented as a way to recover an unreadable Raycast database.