I was very surprised to see that Windows 10 stores all your clipboard items in history. If you weren't aware of this, you might want to remove some items.
I don't believe that article is accurate. It says (my
bold underline added),
By default, Windows will now store every clipboard copy and cut in a history file and bring them back up in this box when you press Windows-Key V.
I just checked 3 different Windows 10 systems here and in each case when I click the Windows Key + V, I get a popup windows that says, "Can't show history" with a button to "Turn on" history.
I can't be 100% certain with this computer but on those other two computers, I know for certain I did not disable that Settings > Clipboard feature. So that tells me "
by default" Windows does NOT now store every clipboard copy and cut. And that sure makes sense as it would be a serious security issue otherwise, for example, if a user copied several passwords from their password manager that were then saved in a history file others could access.
I note the author does seem to contradict himself in that area a couple paragraphs down when he talks about the computer going to sleep. He says (again, my
bold underline added),
...the clipboard is not cleared when your computer goes to sleep and wakes back up. If you're in the habit of closing the lid on your laptop and letting others open it back up and use the machine without logging into their own account, then they're going to have access to your clipboard history if you ever enabled the feature.
So yes, when it comes to sleep mode,
"IF" that feature was enabled, this clipboard history feature could become a serious security issue.
And the article is also accurate when it says the clipboard history is automatically cleared when you Sign Out, Shut Down or Reboot. So if you are the only user of that computer and the computer is not left in a publicly accessible location, then the worry is not as concerning. However, if me, if I did decide to enable that feature, I would make sure I signed out after each session. That said, because I do not trust me to be that disciplined, even in my own home where I am the only user of my systems, I will not change the default and I will keep it disabled.
FTR, 3rd party clipboard managers have been around for decades. I personally never felt I needed them so other than checking all my systems to make sure this feature has not been disabled, this is not big deal
for me.
