Clipboard Issues
Fix text not pasting, old clipboard content appearing, or clipboard overwrites.
How VoiceInk Pastes Text
VoiceInk pastes by temporarily placing the final text on your clipboard and sending Command+V to the active app. If Keep Clipboard Content is enabled, VoiceInk restores your previous clipboard content after the paste.
Paste settings live in Settings -> Pasting.
Old Clipboard Content Gets Pasted
This usually means the clipboard was restored before the target app finished pasting.
Fix it:
- Open Settings -> Pasting.
- Keep Keep Clipboard Content enabled.
- Increase Restore Delay.
The default is 2 seconds. Increase it if the target app finishes pasting slowly; available delays range from 250 ms to 5 seconds.
Transcription Replaces Your Clipboard
If your previous clipboard content disappears after each recording, Keep Clipboard Content is off.
Open Settings -> Pasting and enable Keep Clipboard Content.
Text Is Transcribed But Nothing Pastes
Try these in order:
- Click into the target app or text field before recording.
- Confirm VoiceInk has Accessibility permission in macOS System Settings.
- Open Settings -> Pasting and switch Paste Method from Default to AppleScript.
- If you use a custom keyboard layout, keep AppleScript paste enabled.
First confirm that the Mode uses Paste output. Respond and Custom Command deliberately deliver elsewhere, and imported files stay in the Transcribe queue and History. With Paste output selected, check focus, permissions, and paste delivery.
Extra Space After Paste
If VoiceInk adds or does not add a trailing space the way you expect, open AI Models -> gear -> Transcription and change Add Space After Paste.
Text Pastes but Does Not Send
Auto Send is enabled globally in Settings → Pasting. Choose a send key, then press Return while recording to finish, paste, and send. Stopping with the normal recording shortcut only pastes. See Shortcuts.