macOS 27 compared with macOS 26: We rewrote this guide on macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo): it now has 9 steps instead of 7. The macOS 26 page keeps the steps and screenshots as they were.

Version history: the macOS 26 version of this guide, with its own screenshots.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-copy-on-an-iphone-and-paste-on-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Neo (macOS 27.0.1) and iPhone 17e (iOS 27.0.1)

In this guide

Use the same Apple Account on both
iPhone: check Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Mac: check Allow Handoff
iPhone: check Handoff
Copy on the iPhone
Paste on the Mac
The other way: copy on the Mac
Paste on the iPhone
Check the result
If you do not see this option
If this does not work
Good to know
Sources

Quick answer

Sign in to the same Apple Account on both, switch on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Handoff, and keep them close. Copy on the iPhone, then press Command-V on the Mac. On our setup only Mac to iPhone worked: our Mac used a wired connection and no Wi-Fi network, and Apple asks for Wi-Fi on both.

9 of 9 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device: iPhone
Shown on: macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo), iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
App: System Settings
Real screenshots: 9 of 9 steps
Checked: October 2026
Sources: 1 official, linked below

Step by step

Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size
Use the same Apple Account on both
On the Mac, open System Settings and click your name at the top of the sidebar. Under Devices, the iPhone should be listed; ours listed the iPhone 17e (names blurred).
Done
iPhone: check Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
In Settings, Wi-Fi should show a network and Bluetooth should say On. Apple says both need to be on, on both devices.
Done
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size
Mac: check Allow Handoff
Open System Settings, General, AirDrop & Continuity. Under Continuity, switch on Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices. It was on for ours.
Done
iPhone: check Handoff
Open Settings, General, AirPlay & Continuity and switch on Handoff. It was on for ours.
Done
Copy on the iPhone
Select the text and tap Copy. In Notes on iOS 27, tapping a selected word gave Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete; touching and holding did not open the menu on ours.
Done
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size
Paste on the Mac
Press Command-V, or choose Edit, Paste. On our MacBook Neo, Paste stayed greyed out: the iPhone's text did not arrive. Our Mac used a wired connection and no Wi-Fi network; see If this does not work.
Done
Zoomed in on the setting. Tap to see the whole screenTap the picture to see it full size
The other way: copy on the Mac
Select the text and press Command-C. We copied a test line in TextEdit.
Done
Paste on the iPhone
Tap once where the text should go and tap Paste.
Done
Check the result
The line copied on the Mac appeared on the iPhone. On ours there was no Allow Paste question and no banner.
Done

If you do not see this option

No Handoff switch on the iPhone On our iPhone 17e it was under Settings, General, AirPlay & Continuity, together with AirPlay settings.
No Allow Handoff on the Mac On our MacBook Neo it was under System Settings, General, AirDrop & Continuity, in the Continuity group.
Your devices are older Apple says Universal Clipboard needs devices that meet the Continuity system requirements, signed in to the same Apple Account. Source: Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices

If this does not work

Paste is greyed out on the Mac Apple lists Wi-Fi on, Bluetooth on, Handoff on and the same Apple Account on each device, close together. Our Mac used a wired connection and was not on a Wi-Fi network, and pasting from the iPhone did not work; pasting from the Mac to the iPhone did. Join the Mac to Wi-Fi and copy again. Source: Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices
An old item is pasted instead The Mac pasted its own last copy. Copy again on the iPhone, then paste on the Mac soon after, since Apple says the content is available only briefly. Source: Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices
Still nothing after the checks Apple suggests installing the latest software updates on both devices and restarting them, then copying again. Source: Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices

About this guide

Apple calls this Universal Clipboard: what you copy on one device can be pasted on your other Apple devices nearby for a short time. There is no app to open, only settings to check.

Screenshots: iPhone 17e with iOS 27.0.1 and MacBook Neo with macOS 27.0.1, both in dark mode, 19 October 2026. Copying from the Mac to the iPhone worked. Copying from the iPhone to the Mac did not work on our setup, and steps 5 and 6 show what we saw.