How To Fix Universal Clipboard Not Working In macOS Big Sur
Last updated on November 28th, 2020 at 04:40 pm
Posted in Bug Fixes by Tyrone on November 27, 2020You’ve recently updated to macOS Big Sur but the Universal Clipboard between Mac and iPhone isn’t working anymore? Are you trying to copy-paste across your Apple devices without success? Is your MacBook not found when trying to AirDrop from your iPhone, or worse you’re not able to airdrop at all files from your Apple computer?
How To Fix Universal Clipboard
AirDrop and Universal Clipboard issues are common for macOS Big Sur. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to fix them. Here are some of the best options:
1. Reset Bluetooth Settings
This is yet another Bluetooth related macOS 11.0.1 problem. Resetting the Bluetooth settings should fix it. Proceed as follows:
- Click on the Bluetooth icon, in the top menu bar and turn it off.
- Open Finder and search for Library. Make sure that you’re using the ‘This Mac’ filter.
- Double-click the Library folder and scroll for Preferences.
- Locate and delete the com.apple.Bluetooth.plist file.
- Reboot your Mac and enable Bluetooth. The Universal Clipboard and AirDrop features should work now.
2. Use Terminal Commands
If Universal Clipboard is still not working on your Mac you can attempt to fix it with Terminal commands. However, be extremely cautious with executing code in the Terminal app. A wrong move could brick your Mac.
- Open the Terminal app, using Finder.
- Execute the command available below to check if ClipboardSharingEnabled is equal to zero. If it is, proceed to the next step:
Command:defaults read ~/Library/Preferences com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist
- Copy/Paste the command string available below and press ‘Enter’ to delete ClipboardSharingEnabled = 0 (only if it’s ‘0’):
Command:defaults delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled
- Reboot your Mac and test out the Universal Clipboard. Does it work now?
- Extra: You can also execute the following command to set the default ClipboardSharingEnabled setting on your Mac:
defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled 1
Credits for this fix: patpluto on Reddit
3. Make Sure That Handoff Is Enabled
If none of the above fixes work, do check for Handoff to be enabled on both Mac and iPhone / iPad.
On Mac: System Preferences -> General -> Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
On iPhone / iPad: Settings -> General -> AirPlay & Handoff -> Handoff
Updated (November 28)
4.iCloud Account Fix
Reader DD has informed us, using the comments section available at the end of this article that she managed to fix the macOS Big Sur Universal Clipboard bug, by signing out of her iCloud account on both Mac and iPhone and then signed back it and allowed the devices to sync.
How To:
– On Mac: System Preferences -> Apple ID -> Overview -> Sign Out.
– On iPhone: Settings -> Apple ID -> scroll for Sign Out.
Tip: Sign back in using the same Settings menus. Be patient until the info is synced and try to use the Universal Clipboard and AirDrop functions.
Have you managed to fix the Universal Clipboard not working problem in macOS Big Sur? What about AirDrop not working on your Mac? Use the comment section and let us know. Did we miss something? Do you have another fix for this? Don’t hesitate to share it.
Related: Other Bluetooth problems have been reported for the M1 Mac lineup. Intermittent connectivity and reports about Bluetooth accessories not connecting to the new Macs are reported on the dedicated forums. We’ve put up a list with the available fixes over here.
I am getting com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist does not exist
Neither option resolved my issue but I WAS able to fix the issue by signing out of iCloud on both MacBook and iPhone. signed in on both and let it sync. Now, everything is working properly.
Diana, thanks for getting back to and for sharing this fix. We will update it in the main article and credit you with the information. We truly appreciate your contribution. Enjoy macOS Big Sur!
The first command should be “defaults read ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled” instead of just “defaults read ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist”
Signing out and back in on iCloud did it for me, thank you
You’re welcome. Glad it helped.
Hi, number 2 “Use Terminal Commands” works for me!
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
You’re welcome. Thanks for confirming.
This feature broke for me with the latest update to BigSur 11.1 and iOS 14.3
Signing out of iCloud on both the mac and the iphone (the last fix mentioned above), then signing back in – worked!
Chris, thanks for your feedback. Glad that it worked.
Only work copy from Mac to iPhone 6, but not the other way around. Besides now when I open a website in safari from the phone it doesnt appear on the mac.
HELP!!
Pedro can you confirm that this happens in macOS Big Sur 11.1?
The Safari iCloud tabs issue has been tackled here: https://www.iphonetricks.org/fix-safari-icloud-tabs-not-syncing/
The logging off thing and logging back on just did the trick when nothing else worked. Thanks for the help!
Nick, you’re welcome. Glad that we could.
signing out and signing in again on both devices fixed it for me
(Mac OS: 11.2.2, IpadOS: 14.4)
Thanks for confirming!
Yes, same for me. My iPhone had signed out of iCloud without me realising :/
Glad we could help!
Awesome, solution #2 works for me!
Glad it did! Thanks for confirming.
Universal Clipboard was not working from iOS to MacBook. However, MacBook to iOS WAS working, as was app handoff. The following worked for me: On the MacBook, I went into bluetooth preferences. I had a choice to connect to my iPhone. I connected. Then I disconnected. The problem was solved.
Thanks for your feedback and for contributing to this topic. I will update your troubleshooting tip in the main article to make it more visible.
Was not working on laptop and mac pro, had checked (turned off and on) the handoff session on each machine to no avail.
Just needed the one step:
defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled 1
No reboot was required. All working.
Suggest people try just that step first.
Thanks for confirming. Will edit the info asap.
For me it was fixed…..after doing an airdrop from phone to Mac (allowing contacts..)
first did : defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist ClipboardSharingEnabled 1 but it started working after the airdrop…
Thanks for the feedback Sander.
Explicitly writing setting ClipboardSharingEnabled to 1 worked for me (the step labeled “Extra” in the Terminal commands section).
Both `com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist` and `com.apple.coreservices.useractivityd.plist` did not already exist on my new 2021 MBP.
I had this problem: suddenly universal clipboard stopped working between my iPhone/iPad (which still talked to each other) and my iMac. This worked for me:
I logged out of iCloud on my iMac and then immediately logged in again.
But I didn’t have to log out of iCloud on my mobile devices.
Instead I saw that each one now had an alert in the iCloud area of Settings prompting me to enter my Apple ID password and my unlock codes for the device and for my iMac.
Once I did that universal clipboard and handoff features started working again.