Apple to Open Universal Clipboard to Third-party Tools Under EU Pressure

The move responds to an interoperability request from Microsoft, which asks Apple to open its Universal Clipboard feature that currently supports copying and pasting across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. Under the EU's Digital Markets Act, developers and government agencies can work with digital gatekeepers like Apple to make systems interoperable with third-party tools. The EU's ruling on connected devices has also pushed Apple to support third-party wearables, introducing notifications, proximity pairing, and automatic audio switching for more smartwatches and earbuds in the region.

Microsoft filed its request in March, saying iOS clipboard restrictions prevent third-party developers from using cross-device copy and paste. These constraints prevent an app from seamlessly synchronizing clipboard content from an iPhone to a PC or other connected device in the background, Microsoft said. In a June 26 update, Apple said it will introduce a cross-device clipboard solution, expected to finish in fall 2027 before shipping in a developer beta.