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Clipboard Sharing
Sometimes the easiest way to share between Mac and PC is through the cloud:
| Service | Free Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| OneDrive | 5 GB | Microsoft 365 users, deep Windows integration |
| Google Drive | 15 GB | Cross-platform, browser-based |
| iCloud Drive | 5 GB | Already on your Mac, iCloud for Windows app available |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | Simple syncing, good sharing links |
OneDrive is the most practical for a mixed Mac/PC setup since it integrates with both Finder and File Explorer natively.
Clipboard Sharing Tools
There's no built-in universal clipboard between Mac and PC, but these tools bridge the gap:
| Tool | Price | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Barrier | Free (open source) | Software KVM: share keyboard/mouse/clipboard across machines |
| Synergy | $30 | Commercial version of Barrier with better polish |
| 1Clipboard | Free | Cloud-synced clipboard via Google account |
Barrier Setup (Recommended)
Barrier lets you use a single keyboard and mouse across your Mac and PC like they're one computer:
- Install Barrier on both machines
- Pick one machine as the server (the one with the keyboard/mouse)
- Set the other as a client
- Drag your mouse across screen edges to switch machines
- Copy/paste works across both: including text and files
AirDrop Alternatives for PC
AirDrop only works between Apple devices. For quick file transfers to a PC:
| Method | Speed | Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Nearby Share (Windows) + AirDrop (Mac) | Fast | No cross-platform support: use alternatives below |
| Snapdrop / Pairdrop | Fast | Browser-based, same network. Search for "pairdrop" in your browser. |
| LocalSend | Fast | Free, open-source, works offline. brew install --cask localsend |
| Shared folder (SMB) | Fast | Permanent setup, see File Sharing above |
LocalSend is the standout here: it's basically AirDrop for everything. Install on both Mac and PC, and it discovers devices automatically on the same network.