Apple may finally let iPhone users copy and paste to Windows PCs, but there's a catch

Apple is expected to roll out this feature to iPhone and Windows users sometime in 2028.

Apple's interoperability within its own ecosystem is unparalleled. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about interoperability of Apple devices with other products. Case and point: an iPhone and a Windows PC. Sure, you can set up your iPhone, share internet connectivity, update your iPhone and even sync the two devices to transfer files, but using them a single unit wherein you open a file on your iPhone and edit it on your Windows PC, just isn't possible. But that is about to change as Apple is working on a new feature that will support cross-device copy and paste between iPhones and Windows PCs.

Apple could be developing a Universal Clipboard for Windows PC. (Apple)

By Shweta Ganjoo

Shweta Ganjoo is a Chief Content Producer at HT Tech. She has over 10 years of experience covering technology, during which time she has focused on consumer tech devices, AI, social media, gadgets, and tech policy, delivering authoritative and reader-focused insights across India’s fast-evolving digital ecosystem.

She began her career in the early 2010s, building a strong foundation in digital-first reporting as India’s tech landscape rapidly expanded. Over the years, she has worked with leading media organizations including India Today Tech, Indian Express Group, and Techlusive, where she played a key role in scaling editorial content and audience engagement. At HT Tech, she drives product recommendation coverage, combining newsroom leadership with hands-on reporting experience.

Her expertise spans smartphones, wearables, smart home devices, AI, and social media ecosystems, along with regulatory developments shaping the tech industry. Shweta is known for her analytical approach to product reviews and news coverage, grounded in hands-on testing and real-world usability. She has conducted industry interviews, tracked emerging tech trends, and produced research-backed stories using verified sources and expert inputs. She holds a masters in Mass Communication, which complements her professional experience in digital journalism and content strategy, and aligns with her academic background in technology. Shweta follows a reader-first editorial philosophy, prioritising accuracy, transparency, and fact-checked reporting to deliver reliable, insightful, and practical insights.

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What's Apple cooking?

According to a report by MacRumours, Apple is working on a new feature that will let iPhone users to copy and paste text between an iPhone and a Windows PC. This feature is being developed after Microsoft filed an interoperability request back in March this year using Apple's interoperability request system for developers in the European Union, which the iPhone-maker implemented to comply with EU's Digital Markets Act.

Responding to the request in April this year, Apple had said that it would not be able to develop a feature comparable to its Universal Clipboard 'as it would compromise the integrity of the operating system'. For the unversed, Apple's Universal Clipboard feature lets users copy content such as text, images, photos and videos on one Apple device and then paste it on another Apple device.

Following Apple's response, Microsoft asked Apple to provide a continuous clipboard access between an iPhone and a Windows PC. The company outlined three main use cases for this feature, which include:

- Copy text and other content from an iPhone and paste it on a Windows PC, and vice versa.

- Perform common productivity workflows without needing the app to run in the foreground or take a specific set of actions repeatedly to transfer content or workflow.

- Experience clipboard synchronization as a continuous capability than a manual action.

Upon evaluation, Apple proposed a solution that would require Microsoft to adopt its AccessorySetupKit. This tool kit would require the users to give their consent once for the necessary permissions and activate a feature that would facilitate interoperability between between an iPhone and a Windows PC.

When will iPhone users get this feature?

The report further says that Apple believes this cross-device clipboard functionality will take 'significant engineering effort' and that it would be able to complete its development by the fall of 2027. End users are expected to get this feature sometime in 2028.