MacOS Remote Desktop clipboard

Sharing Clipboards for Copy and Paste

You can transfer data between the Clipboards of the administrator and client computer. For example, you may want to copy some text from a file on the administrator computer and paste it into a document open on the client computer. Similarly, you could copy a link from the client computer’s web browser and paste it into the web

browser on the administrator computer.

The keyboard shortcuts for Copy, Cut, and Paste are always passed through to the
client computer.

To share clipboard content with the client:

1

Control a client computer.

2

Click the “Get the remote clipboard contents” button in the control window toolbar to
get the client’s Clipboard content.

3

Click the “Send clipboard contents to the remote clipboard” button in the control
window toolbar to send content to the client’s Clipboard.

• no not really, but some of the other programs out there have a file transfer built into their software. I use team viewer and it works also that are a few others. Microsoft doesn't like to support this type as it gives them vulnerability in the OS. I would say that the easiest way would be to send it from a personal email to your work email as a attachment, as I had to do. 
  

• Under Local Resources in the RDP settings, there's one called "Apply Windows key combinations." This can be set to "On this computer," "On the remote computer," or "Only when using the full screen. These are pretty self-explanatory.

  Also, I don't believe you can copy and paste files between machines. Things copied on the remote computer can only be pasted on the remote computer, and things copied on the local computer can only be pasted on the local computer.

  EDIT: Edited for clarity.

• Actually, copy-paste does work [edited]: for clipboard contents that are text-only. I do so extensively between my Mac workstation and Windows PCs.

  I'm using *this* version of RDP for Mac:
  

  //itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id715768417?mt=12

  Use the Apple-native Command-C and Command-V to copy & paste, and the Windows native ctl-c and ctl-v.
  I do very occasionally see instances where copy-paste stops working, typically fixed by closing the session and quitting the program outright [and then relaunching]. 

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• You can definitely copy & paste text between a Mac and a RDP Windows machine; it's how I manage my company Domain Controllers - you just need to remember to use CMD+C on the Mac and then CTRL+V on the Windows [or vice versa].

  I don't think you can copy files [documents, images, etc]; I tend to save those in a fileshare they can both access. Or they can create a folder redirection - in MS RDP on the Mac, edit the Remote Desktop settings for the PC, click on Redirection then add a new link to ther Desktop or whichever folder they wish.

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• Copy-pasting of files definitely works, I use it all the times [between 2 Windows, RDP is set up via ssh tunnel].
  

• I copy and paste from local to remote all the time, but it is only text. Never really tried it with documents or files/folders as I would just drop files into a network share to access. 

• Yea she brought her macbook in and Ctrl +C worked. Not sure what she was talking about lol

• You could try stopping and restarting RDPCLIP.EXE on the session, and that usually fixes and copy/paste issues between the host and client PC.

  Also, copy is Command-C on a Mac, and not Control-C.

• Nelson9480 wrote:

  You can definitely copy & paste text between a Mac and a RDP Windows machine; it's how I manage my company Domain Controllers - you just need to remember to use CMD %uFEFFC on the Mac and then CTRL %uFEFFV on the Windows [or vice versa].

  I don't think you can copy files [documents, images, etc]; I tend to save those in a fileshare they can both access. Or they can create a folder redirection - in MS RDP on the Mac, edit the Remote Desktop settings for the PC, click on Redirection then add a new link to ther Desktop or whichever folder they wish.

  This is the correct answer.  If the clipboard sharing stops working, kill and restart rdpclip.exe on the windows session.

I use Remote Desktop Connection on my 10.6.2 to connect to Windows XP and Windows7. I can share clipboard between mac and Windows XP but Windows7.

Any idea how to make it work for Windows 7?

It seems to me that it work sometimes. Not sure when and why.

You can copy any files to one or more client computers, except for system software files.

Copying files works fastest with a small number of files. For example, copying ten files that are 10 KB each takes longer than copying one file that’s 100 KB. For faster copying, copy a single file archive [like a .zip file] to remote computers. If a client computer is asleep when you attempt to copy items, you must use Remote Desktop to wake the target computer and then copy the items.

You can copy items by dragging them between Finder windows on your administrator computer, the Remote Desktop window, and control windows.

This can be good way to collect or distribute files between remote computers.

• Drag an item from a Finder window to a selected computer in the main window or in a control window.

  When dragging items to or from a control window, you need to consider the following:

  • The logged-in user must have write permissions in the location where items are being added.

  • If an item with the same name already exist in the location you’re copying an item, the item is copied and renamed with an appended number at the end.

  • Items copied are shown in the File Transfer window, and not logged as a task in History.

  Copied items keep their original owners and permissions.

You can copy items to any number of client computers simultaneously.

1. In Remote Desktop

   , select a computer list in the sidebar of the main window, select one or more computers, then choose Manage > Copy Items.

2. Add files or folders to the “Items to copy” list.

   • Click Add

     to browse local volumes for items to copy, or drag files and folders to the list.

   • If you want to remove an item from the list, select the item, then click Remove

     .

   Repeat this step until all the items you want to copy are in the list.

3. Select your copy options.

4. If you want to schedule this event for another time, or set it to repeat, click the Schedule button.

   For information, see Schedule tasks.

5. Click Copy.

   The items are copied to the indicated destination. If the copy is unsuccessful, an error message appears in the task feedback window.

You can copy files or folders directly from the Finder on your administrator computer to a control window.

1. In Remote Desktop

   , select a computer list in the sidebar of the main window, then select one or more computers.

2. In the Finder, locate the item or items you want to copy, then drag the items from the Finder to the client’s screen in the control window.

3. Select your copy options, then click Copy.

You can copy files or folders from a remote computer to the administrator’s computer.

To copy a file, you must find it by using a report or locating it in a control window. Alternatively, you can drag items from a control window to the administrator computer’s desktop. Copied items keep their original owners and permissions.

1. In Remote Desktop

   , select a computer list in the sidebar of the main window, select one or more computers, then choose a file search report to find the item.

   For information, see Search for files.

2. Select the item you want to copy in the report window.

3. Drag the item from the report window to the administrator’s Finder, or click the Copy To This Computer button at the top of the report window.

4. Select your copy options, then click Copy.

You can copy files or folders between remote computers.

To copy a file, you must find it using a report, and then select a target computer or list to receive the file.

1. In Remote Desktop

   , select a computer list in the sidebar of the main window, select one or more computers, then choose Report > File Search or Interact > Spotlight Search.

   For information, see Search for files.

2. Select the item you want to copy in the report window, then select one or more computers in the Remote Desktop window.

3. Drag the item you want to copy from the File Search report window to the selected clients in the Remote Desktop window.

4. Select your copy options, then click Copy.

You can use the Copy Items command to restore non-system files on client computers using a master copy. This is helpful to make sure each client computer has the same files.

The Copy Items command doesn’t copy system software that is hidden [not visible in the Finder]. You can’t use the Copy Items command to copy macOS system software to client computers.

You can start by creating a disk image that contains the macOS folders and files you want to copy. Alternatively, you can copy files from any local volume or removable storage devices. You can also automate the restoration process, as described in Schedule tasks.

1. Make a master copy of the volume that has the files to be restored.

2. Mount the master copy volume on the administrator computer.

   Master copy volumes must be local volumes, not mounted over a network.

3. In Remote Desktop

   , select a computer list in the sidebar of the main window, select one or more computers, then choose Choose Manage > Copy Items.

4. Add the master copy volume to the Copy Items list, then select your copy options.

5. If you want to schedule this event for another time or set it to repeat, click the Schedule button.

   For information, see Schedule tasks.

6. Click Copy.