Local Clipboard moves text, images, and files across a trusted LAN or private VPN. One always-on machine—usually a NAS—runs the hub, desktop machines run local clients, and phones connect through the hub’s web app. There is no cloud service and no account system.
Send on Demand
Local Clipboard does not watch every clipboard change. Ordinary Cmd+C and Ctrl+C stay local. Content leaves a machine only when the user presses the dedicated hotkey, chooses a tray action, or runs a command.
The built-in macOS and Windows hotkeys copy the current selection before sending the new clipboard value. Tray actions and send-clipboard send only what is already on the clipboard. Incoming text and images are written to the desktop clipboard; incoming files become pending offers and are saved to the downloads directory after acceptance.
Phones send and receive explicitly through the hub page. A single image can be sent to a desktop clipboard or transferred as a file. Received text, images, and files remain under the phone user’s control to copy, save, or download.
Hub and Network
desktop A ── WebSocket ──▶ NAS hub ◀── WebSocket ── desktop B
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└── mobile web pageThe hub maintains device connections, forwards messages, and temporarily stores relayed files. Desktop clients keep a WebSocket connection and expose a local Console at 127.0.0.1:9101; phones use the hub page. A shared token authorizes HTTP and WebSocket requests. A trusted mobile browser can store a derived credential instead of entering the token on every visit.
The hub uses plain HTTP and WebSocket, so the shared token does not encrypt traffic. The service belongs on a trusted LAN or private VPN, and port 9100 should not be exposed directly to the public internet.
Platform Scope
The repository includes Docker deployment for a Linux amd64 hub, an Apple Silicon macOS installer, a Windows amd64 installation script, and a Linux client. The macOS and Windows clients include built-in hotkeys. The static Linux build requires the user to copy first, then invoke send-clipboard from a desktop shortcut.
The mobile page includes a Web App Manifest. Over plain HTTP, installation and clipboard APIs depend on the browser. A trusted HTTPS URL enables more complete PWA and clipboard behavior.