"Sorry, No Manipulations with Clipboard Allowed" - How to FiX

Wendy Wu
Last updated: May 17, 2024

This post is aimed at helping you fix the error "Sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed". Keep reading for the step-by-step guide.

The popup message "Sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed" means that you cannot use the copy and paste function on your Mac normally.

But, don't worry! You'll find practical workarounds in this post.

sorry no manipulations with clipboard allowed

Why the Error "Sorry, No Manipulations with Clipboard Allowed" Occurs on Mac

The error "Sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed" is mainly caused by issues related to the system's security policies and browser settings.

Here are the specific reasons why this error occurs on your Mac:

  • macOS security policies.
  • Browser security settings
  • Clipboard error.
  • Your Mac is running out of space.
  • The app you are performing the copy and paste action crashed.

How to Fix No Manipulations with Clipboard Allowed

Once this message appears, you should know that the content in your clipboard is already lost. You have to follow the methods below to recopy the content. In total, there are 8 helpful solutions for you to fix this error. Read on!

Tip
If it's your keyboard that fails your Mac to copy and paste, try using the mouse or trackpad.

1. Force Quit Clipboard via Activity Monitor

A quick fix is to force quit the clipboard via Activity Monitor.

Here is how:

  1. Open Activity Monitor via Spotlight.
  2. Enter pboard in the search box and press the Return key.
  3. Select pboard and click the X button.
  4. Click the Force Quit button.
Force quit clipboard with activity monitor

2. Take a Screenshot and Extract the Text

As we mentioned above, browser security setting is one of the main reasons leading to this issue. Some pages forbid the copy action.

Check browser permissions:

For example: Google

Go to Settings>Privacy and security>Site settings>Find and click Clipboard under Additional permissions. Make sure you have selected "Sites can ask to see text and images on your clipboard".

Google clipboard permission

A smart skill for you: take a screenshot and extract the text you want to copy.

3. Restart Your Mac

Sometimes, this error may be just caused by an occasional system glitch. A simple restart will close all abnormal processes and system settings, thus fixing this error.

4. Force Quit Clipboard with Terminal

Besides Activity Monitor, Terminal can also help you force quit the clipboard. All you need do is copy and paste the following command in Terminal: sudo killall pboard.

Force quit clipboard with Terminal

5. Kill WindowServer Process

WindowServer controls Mac window's related activities. As the popup message is one kind of window controlled by WindowServer, kill the WindowServer process.

Here is how:

  1. Open Activity Monitor via Spotlight.
  2. Enter windowserver in the search box.
  3. Select the WindowServer>Click the X button.
  4. Click Force Quit.
Kill windowserver process

6. Update Your Mac

An old macOS system is more likely to have system issues. New macOS always carries bug fixes. Always keep your Mac running on the latest macOS will reduce the frequency of errors occurring.

The newest macOS is macOS Sequoia. Check update: go to System Settings>General>Software Update.

upgrade-to-macos-sequoia.png

7. Uninstall Problematic Apps

Running a problematic app influences a lot, including the copy and paste feature. If this error message only appears while you are using a specific app, consider uninstalling that app.

8. Free Up Mac Space

The clipboard will no longer keep your copied content if your Mac does not have enough space to save the content.

Always keep your Mac space free to run normally. BuhoCleaner is a powerful Mac cleaner and Mac performance monitor. With it, you can free up your Mac space and optimize your Mac performance in minutes.

DownloadFor macOS 10.10 and above
100,000+ Satisfied Users Worldwide

Here are its main features:

  • Delete duplicate files, large files, old files, etc. in minutes.
  • Uninstall apps and delete their leftovers completely.
  • Monitor Mac's system status in real time.
  • Manage startup items easily.
Quickly Free Up Disk Space on Mac with BuhoCleaner

Conclusion

Hope this post helps you solve the problem "Sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed" successfully. Get access to your clipboard again with these workarounds!

Wendy Wu is a tech enthusiast with a deep passion for all things iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Wendy is always on the lookout for Apple products and is committed to providing Apple users with some of the latest information and useful tips.