Clipboard Inspector
Inspect clipboard HTML, images, plain text, and MIME types. All processing is done locally in your browser.
How to inspect clipboard HTML, images, and MIME types
When you copy something, such as text, an image, a table from a spreadsheet, or a rich-text selection from a web page, your operating system stores it in the clipboard in multiple formats at once. A single copy operation can produce plain text, HTML, RTF, and image data simultaneously. Most applications only show you one of those formats; the rest are invisible.
The Clipboard Inspector reveals every format (MIME type) present in your clipboard. You can see the raw HTML source behind a rich-text copy, preview images, and understand exactly what an application will receive when it pastes your clipboard contents.
Clipboard inspector examples
- See the hidden HTML markup when you copy text from a web page
- Check whether a clipboard copy includes an image or just text
- Debug why pasting into an app produces unexpected formatting
- Inspect the MIME types available after copying from Excel or Google Sheets
- View the raw source of rich-text clipboard data from an email client
How to use the clipboard inspector
- Copy something to your clipboard from any application (text, image, table, etc.).
- Click to select the paste area on this page.
- Press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on macOS).
- The inspector displays every MIME type found in your clipboard, with previews for images.
Clipboard inspector FAQ
Why do I see HTML when I only copied plain text?
Many applications, including browsers, word processors, and email clients, place both a plain-text and an HTML version of your selection on the clipboard. The rich version preserves formatting like bold, links, and colors, while the plain-text version is a stripped-down fallback.
Does this tool upload my clipboard contents?
No. This runs entirely in your browser. Your clipboard data never leaves your device; nothing is sent to any server.
Why can't the tool read my clipboard automatically?
Browsers require a user-initiated paste action (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V) before granting access to clipboard contents. This is a security measure to prevent websites from silently reading your clipboard.
Which browsers are supported?
The Clipboard Inspector works in all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). Some older browsers may not support all MIME types or the Clipboard API.
Privacy
All clipboard inspection happens entirely in your browser using the Clipboard API. Your clipboard data never leaves your device; nothing is transmitted or stored on any server.