Copying texts and images on a clipboard is one of the common tasks you perform with your macbook. It makes transferring and copying large texts and documents easier. Sometimes, copying also aids in internet search!
It’s one of the most basic things that a computer or laptop should perform properly. But, many Mac users have reported that their laptop was unable to copy texts or even perform the copy and paste task through the clipboard. When tried, the user received a message – “sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed.”
It can be frustrating as you are forced to type the texts to copy the needed portion elsewhere manually! Instead of taking this complicated route, you can always solve the copy-to-clip [board error from your macbook easily.
This article will teach you about the top five hacks to solve the issue. So, read on to know more!
What Does The “Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed” Error Mean?
Whenever you try to copy some text or image, you get a message “sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed”. To understand this, you first need to know how to copy and paste function work on your macbook.
When you copy any text or image on your macbook, the copied item or text is stored temporarily on the virtual clipboard. The whole pasting, the copied item is retrieved from that clipboard section. The copied item stays on the clipboard unless you shut down or restart the device.
If you get a message saying “sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed,” it means the clipboard somehow does not work properly. That means the whole copy-paste function cannot be executed on your macbook due to some internal issue.
There can be different reasons behind this-
- The clipboard has crashed, leading to the copy-paste function becoming useless.
- The clipboard has a fixed space. You will get this message if you copy a large amount of file or text or a large image that is more than the clipboard’s permitted storage.
- Your macbook storage is probably full; hence, there is no space left to store something on the clipboard.
- The macbook is not working properly, resulting in a faulty clipboard. It can happen due to any hardware or software error in your macbook.
- The document, image, or text you are trying to copy has no permission to be copied by its original owner.
- Your macbook has malware that is causing this problem. Even if the chances of getting malware infestation on a macbook are very low, it may happen for some users.
Five methods For fixing “Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed.”
Whatever the reason, you may not need to visit the apple service centre to solve this issue. Here are the top five hacks to solve the problem.
Method 1. Restart Pasteboard Server Using Activity Monitor
If you encounter this problem, try to restart the pasteboard or clipboard server first. The software may start to work poorly after getting a restart, and you may be able to copy and paste normally after trying this hack.
Here is the step-by-step guide for this-
- To open the Activity monitor. Open finder, Go to the “Applications folder”.
- In this select “Utilities folder”, Here you will see the activity monitor, double click on it.
- Wait till the activity monitor window opens.
- Look for the search bar in the top right corner of this window.
- Here, type “pboard.” You will view the board or pasteboard process for each user from this Mac device as you type.
- Now, double-click on the desired pboard procedure.
- Now a Pop Window will appears here click on “Quit.”
- In the pop-up box, confirm your decision and click on “Force Quit” or “Quit.” The pasteboard will restart automatically.
Method 2. Restart the Pasteboard Server Using The Terminal
If restarting the board through Activity Monitor does not work out, it is time to use the terminal to restart it. You can follow these steps to complete the process-
- On your desktop, Click on the “Launchpad icon”. Then search for a “Terminal”. Click on it to open. Or Go to the “finder”, select the “Application” there and search for the “terminal”. Then double click on it to open.
- In the new screen, type “killall board” and press “return.”
- Alternatively, type “sudo killall pboard.” then, enter your macbook.
Method 3. Restart or Update the Macbook
Has the copy and paste function of your macbook completely crashed? Probably, your macbook needs some upgrading. Often, outdated software leads to a faulty clipboard and copy-paste function.
So, check out the available updates for your macbook. Restart and update the macbook. Wait till your device restarts and check if the copy and paste function works.
Method 4. Restart the WindowServer
If none of those mentioned above methods works, try restoring the windowServer. It is a background process that controls all the open windows on your macbook. If the WindowServer has crashed or encountered any problem, it may cause the copy and paste function to stop abruptly.
Before you quit the WindowServer, make sure to save all of your documents or information on any window. As you quit the WindowServer, all the windows will get closed.
When you open it again, the previously opened windows will be relaunched without the past data. Hence, if there is any unsaved document, you may lose it. So, make sure to save every unsaved item first.
Here is the step-by-step method-
- First, press the spacebar and the command key together.
- Type “Activity Monitor” on the screen and press “Return.”
- In the Activity Monitor, type “WindowServer”
- Double-click on the WindowServer process
- Next, Click on “Quit” or “Force Quit” to finish the process.
Method 5. Perform an Antivirus Scan
In case none of those mentioned above methods work. You should check out if there is any malware in your macbook. Malware or virus can often lead to a faulty copy-and-paste system. If you have an active antivirus, open that software and run the scan process(opt for the detailed scan; not the quick scan”.
If there is any dubious file in your device, delete that to prevent any further malware attack on your macbook.
Conclusion
You can try solving the issue “sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed” using the five hacks mentioned above. But, if nothing works out, you may need to visit the apple service center to get a proper solution for this problem.
