Disable Copy-Paste from Nearby Computer?

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Level 1

13 points

Disable Copy-Paste from Nearby Computer?

I have an iMac, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air that I use for business.

Occasionally, when I am working on one and someone else is working on another, and we are both copying and pasting content on our own projects, we end up with the other person's content on our computer.

e.g. Person A copies "Hello," while Person B copies "Goodbye," each on their respective computer. However, when Person A goes to paste, instead of "Hello" a small rectangular notification appears in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen that says, approximately (it is not there long enough for me to capture it), "copying from Person B's computer" and "Goodbye" is pasted, instead.

We are signed into all computers under the same apple ID, and that cannot be changed. However, cool as this feature is / could be, we have not once meant to use it, and it quickly becomes frustrating when it disrupts both individuals' work.

Could someone explain how to turn off this copy-paste between computers? or point me to the appropriate documentation, so we know how to control it? If the only option is to turn off the feature, that is fine; optimally, we would like to learn how we can use it, when we want to (as I'm sure we couldn't get it to happen reliably, if we wanted to make use of it!).

If you believe this would be better posted in a different community, please take a moment to reply with it's name: I am trying to familiarize myself with these communities, but the directory is rather overwhelming, at first and it is not clear to me where the best place to post it would be.

Thank you in advance for your time and help!

All the best,

R.A.

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12.6), i7; RAM: 8GB; 1TB SSD; 2TB HD

Posted on Aug 31, 2018 6:55 AM

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Answer 1

dialabrain

Level 10

136,481 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:56 AM in response to Rax Adam

Rax Adam wrote:
Still, I can't be the only one with the issue. If a family has multiple devices under a single apple ID (e.g. shared computer account between partners or children), the same issue would arise.

This is true and the way to avoid it is to turn off "Handoff" on any Mac you do not want sharing the Clipboard.

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Answer 2

Rax Adam Author

Level 1

13 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:36 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

Turn off "Handoff". System Preferences > General. Uncheck "Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices”.

From: Pick up where you left off with Handoff on Mac - Apple Support

Thanks again - but this turns off plenty of other features as well.

I like and make use of the other handoff features, what I dislike about the copy-paste is that you have no control over it (e.g. handoff doesn't force me to view the same webpages on my iPad and desktop, nor does it force me to continue an email on desktop, if started on the laptop).

Thank you for the quick response, and your patience ( ! ).

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

136,481 points

Aug 31, 2018 9:00 AM in response to Rax Adam

Regardless of your feelings, at the moment, the only way to disable the Universal Clipboard is to turn off Handoff. You can share you thoughts with Apple as far as how they should do things here… Feedback - macOS - Apple

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

136,481 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:25 AM in response to Rax Adam

See: macOS Sierra: Copy and paste across devices

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Answer 5

Aug 31, 2018 7:24 AM in response to Rax Adam

Unless you need if for something else, turn off Bluetooth on one or both computers.

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Answer 6

Rax Adam Author

Level 1

13 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:29 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

See: macOS Sierra: Copy and paste across devices

Thought this would have it all, but they don't mention anything about turning it off, unfortunately (except for by not meeting the requirements -- e.g. bluetooth, wifi network, same apple ID -- but those are not elements we can change *just* to deactivate this feature).

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Answer 7

dialabrain

Level 10

136,481 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:41 AM in response to Rax Adam

You're welcome.

(e.g. handoff doesn't force me to view the same webpages on my iPad and desktop, nor does it force me to continue an email on desktop, if started on the laptop).

Not sure I understand what you meant. Handoff doesn't "force" those things. It allows them.

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Answer 8

Rax Adam Author

Level 1

13 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:49 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright wrote:

Why do you have to be using the same Apple ID?

Small business. I use all of them as personal computers, as well. In this case, my office manager only uses the laptop to run certain programs and complete certain tasks. Unfortunately, it really isn't an option at this point, as many applications etc. are registered to my name.

Still, I can't be the only one with the issue. If a family has multiple devices under a single apple ID (e.g. shared computer account between partners or children), the same issue would arise.

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Answer 9

Rax Adam Author

Level 1

13 points

Aug 31, 2018 7:56 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

You're welcome.

(e.g. handoff doesn't force me to view the same webpages on my iPad and desktop, nor does it force me to continue an email on desktop, if started on the laptop).

Not sure I understand what you meant. Handoff doesn't "force" those things. It allows them.

Yes - that's what I said: for all other features of Handoff, except the Universal Clipboard, the service is optional. The copy-paste is forced (i.e. if someone copies on one computer, it will be automatically pasted on the other -- if you try to paste). There is no way to opt between "paste what was copied on this computer" vs. "paste what was copied on another computer / device" e.g. cmd + v = paste from this computer's clipboard; cmd + v + u = paste from universal clipboard.

I mean, they could easily have gone with a clipboard icon in the dock, the way the have for mail / safari etc: if you want to be able to paste what was copied elsewhere, you simply click on the icon and it is added to the local clipboard.

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Answer 10

dialabrain

Level 10

136,481 points

Aug 31, 2018 8:03 AM in response to Rax Adam

Rax Adam wrote:

I mean, they could easily have gone with a clipboard icon in the dock, the way the have for mail / safari etc: if you want to be able to paste what was copied elsewhere, you simply click on the icon and it is added to the local clipboard.

FWIW, Mail and Safari are apps. The clipboard is a service. So no, you cannot easily have a clipboard icon on the Dock. Just finding something "easy" to imagine doesn't make it easy to implement.

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Answer 11

Aug 31, 2018 8:04 AM in response to Rax Adam

Rax Adam wrote:

Still, I can't be the only one with the issue. If a family has multiple devices under a single apple ID (e.g. shared computer account between partners or children), the same issue would arise.

A family should NOT have multiple devices under a single Apple ID. Each user should have their own Apple ID, linked with Family Sharing. If you share an Apple ID everything is shared; calendar events, contacts, text messages, iMessages, bookmarks, photos, notes, reminders, health data, keychain (passwords), recent calls... while some parents like the idea of seeing their children's texts, they aren't happy about their children seeing their texts.

For businesses the problem is even worse. That's why Apple offers enterprise services for businesses of all sizes.

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Answer 12

Aug 31, 2018 8:38 AM in response to Rax Adam

Rax Adam wrote:

Still, I can't be the only one with the issue. If a family has multiple devices under a single apple ID (e.g. shared computer account between partners or children), the same issue would arise.

A family would use Family Sharing to avoid this problem.

Family Sharing - Apple

Depending on how many devices/people you have, you might be able to make Family Sharing work. If not, you might want to consider, as Lawrence suggested, Apple's enterprise solutions.

Best of luck.

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Answer 13

Rax Adam Author

Level 1

13 points

Aug 31, 2018 8:54 AM in response to dialabrain

dialabrain wrote:

Rax Adam wrote:

I mean, they could easily have gone with a clipboard icon in the dock, the way the have for mail / safari etc: if you want to be able to paste what was copied elsewhere, you simply click on the icon and it is added to the local clipboard.

FWIW, Mail and Safari are apps. The clipboard is a service. So no, you cannot easily have a clipboard icon on the Dock. Just finding something "easy" to imagine doesn't make it easy to implement.

My point regarding an alternative keyboard shortcut remains.

And the dock icon could simply be a GI for toggling between the shortcuts, to make it more visual.

Mail and Safari may be apps, but transferring the content from one device to another is a service (or action, if you prefer), and my point was just that those services are implemented in a optional way, whereas the copy-paste is not.

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