Getting started
Copy, open, fix, paste.
Keyboard shortcuts
Every command, by menu.
Clipboard permission
Allow TesserClip in Privacy & Security.
Getting started
- Copy some text in any app.
- Open TesserClip: launch it, click its Dock icon, or switch to it with Command Tab. A window shows the text you copied, with the cursor at the end.
- Make your changes.
- Click Copy All in the toolbar, or press Shift Command C. You can also select some text and press Command C.
- Switch back to the other app with Command Tab, or hide TesserClip with Command H, and paste with Command V.
The first time you open TesserClip, macOS may need your permission before TesserClip can read the clipboard. Allow TesserClip to read the clipboard
Windows and drafts
Each TesserClip window is its own draft. It holds the text that was on the clipboard when it opened, and nothing replaces it after that.
| When you… | TesserClip… |
|---|---|
| Open TesserClip with no windows open | Opens a new window with the text on the clipboard. |
| Switch to TesserClip with windows open | Brings your windows forward. Your text isn’t replaced. |
| Choose File, New Window Command N | Opens a new window with the text on the clipboard. |
Window titles
A window’s title is the first few words of its text. Under the title you’ll see where and when the text was copied, like “Safari · Oct 27 at 1:49 PM”. When the window has changes, macOS shows “Edited” next to the title.
When there’s new text to open
Copy something else while TesserClip is open and a dot appears on the New Window from Clipboard button in every window. Click it, or press Command N, to open the new text. TesserClip checks that the clipboard has text without reading it.
Closing and quitting
If you close a window with edits you haven’t copied, TesserClip asks “Discard your edits?” first. Choose Cancel (Escape) to keep the window, or Discard (Return) to close it. If you’ve copied the text since your last change, the window closes without asking.
Quitting never asks. Your windows, with their text, come back the next time you open TesserClip. Closing the last window leaves TesserClip running; click its Dock icon to open a new window.
The editor
- Plain text only. Anything you paste in becomes plain text.
- Substitutions are off. Smart quotes, smart dashes, smart links, data detectors and text replacement are off. Turn any of them on in Edit, Substitutions. TesserClip remembers your choices.
- Spelling is checked as you type. Misspelled words are underlined; nothing is changed for you.
- The usual Mac text tools work: Undo and Redo, Find (Command F), Transformations, Speech, Services, and dragging text in and out.
If the clipboard doesn’t contain text, such as an image or a file, the window opens empty. Type, paste with Command V, or copy some text and choose File, New Window.
Keyboard shortcuts
| New Window from Clipboard | Command N |
|---|---|
| Close | Command W |
| Undo | Command Z |
| Redo | Shift Command Z |
| Cut | Command X |
| Copy | Command C |
| Copy All | Shift Command C |
| Paste | Command V |
| Paste and Match Style | Option Shift Command V |
| Select All | Command A |
| Find | Command F |
|---|---|
| Find Next | Command G |
| Find Previous | Shift Command G |
| Hide TesserClip | Command H |
|---|---|
| Hide Others | Option Command H |
| Quit TesserClip | Command Q |
| Minimize | Command M |
| Cycle through windows | Command Grave Accent |
| TesserClip Help | Command Question Mark |
Clipboard permission
macOS asks before an app reads the clipboard on its own. Allow TesserClip once in Privacy & Security and it can show your copied text right away. Without it, you can still paste into a window with Command V.
Allow TesserClip to read the clipboard
Questions
Why is my new window empty?
Either the clipboard doesn’t contain text, or TesserClip doesn’t have permission to read it yet. You can paste with Command V any time. To let TesserClip read the clipboard, see Clipboard permission.
I copied something new. Why didn’t my window change?
That’s on purpose: a window never replaces the text you’re working on. Click New Window from Clipboard or press Command N to open the new text in its own window.
Does TesserClip keep a clipboard history?
No. TesserClip reads the clipboard only when it opens a window, and only keeps the text of the windows you have open.
Can TesserClip paste into the other app for me?
No. Copy your text with Shift Command C, switch back, and paste with Command V.
How do I save text to a file?
TesserClip doesn’t save files. Copy the text and paste it into the app where you want to keep it.
Why aren’t my quotes turning curly?
Substitutions are off so your text isn’t changed behind your back. Turn on Smart Quotes in Edit, Substitutions. TesserClip remembers the setting.
Still need help?
Email support@tesserclip.com or visit Support.