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Set-Clipboard

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

Sets the contents of the clipboard.

Syntax

Set-Clipboard
   [-Value] <string[]>
   [-Append]
   [-PassThru]
   [-AsOSC52]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Set-Clipboard cmdlet sets the contents of the clipboard.

Note

On Linux, this cmdlet requires the xclip utility to be in the path. On macOS, this cmdlet uses the pbcopy utility.

Examples

Example 1: Copy text to the clipboard

Set-Clipboard -Value "This is a test string"

Example 2: Copy the contents of a file to the clipboard

This example pipes the contents of a file, a public ssh key, to the clipboard. Then, the key can be pasted into another application, like GitHub.

Get-Content C:\Users\user1\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub | Set-Clipboard

Example 3: Copy text to the clipboard of the local host over an SSH remote session

The AsOSC52 parameter allows you to set the clipboard of the local machine when connected to a remote session over SSH.

Set-Clipboard -Value "This is a test string" -AsOSC52

Example 4: Set the default value of the **AsOSC52** parameter

You can detect if you are connected to a remote session over SSH by checking the value of the $env:SSH_CLIENT or $env:SSH_TTY environment variables. If either of these variables are set, then you are connected to a remote session over SSH. You can use this information to set the default value of the AsOSC52 parameter. Add one of the following lines to your PowerShell profile script.

$PSDefaultParameterValues['Set-Clipboard:AsOSC52'] = $env:SSH_CLIENT
$PSDefaultParameterValues['Set-Clipboard:AsOSC52'] = $env:SSH_TTY

For more information about $PSDefaultParameterValues, see about_Parameters_Default_Values.

Parameters

-Append

Indicates that the cmdlet should add to the clipboard instead of replacing it. By default, the cmdlet clears the current content from the clipboard and sets it to the new content. When this parameter is specified, the cmdlet appends the new content after a newline to the current content.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-AsOSC52

When connected to a remote session over SSH, Set-Clipboard sets the clipboard of the remote machine, not the local host. When you use this parameter, Set-Clipboard uses the OSC52 ANSI escape sequence to set the clipboard of the local machine.

For this feature to work, your terminal application must support the OSC52 ANSI escape sequence. The Windows Terminal supports this feature.

This parameter was added in PowerShell 7.4.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:ToLocalhost
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:cf
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-PassThru

Returns an object representing the item with which you're working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Value

The string values to be added to the clipboard.

Type:String[]
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet isn't run.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:wi
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

String

You can pipe a string containing the content to set to the clipboard to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None

This cmdlet returns no output.

Notes

PowerShell includes the following aliases for Set-Clipboard:

  • All platforms:
    • scb

Support for this cmdlet on macOS was added in the PowerShell 7.0.0 release.