Setup Guide
Get started with CopyHotKey in minutes
1. Download & Install
- Download the MSI installer from the downloads page
- Run the installer (CopyHotKey-Setup.msi)
- Follow the installation wizard
- CopyHotKey will start automatically after installation
2. First Launch
After installation, CopyHotKey runs in your system tray. Look for the icon near your clock.
- Right-click the tray icon to access settings
- The app starts automatically with Windows
- Your first clipboard copy will be automatically captured
3. Using Hotkeys
Default Hotkeys:
- Ctrl+Alt+V - Open clipboard history
- Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+9 - Quick paste from history
- Ctrl+Shift+V - Paste previous item
All hotkeys can be customized in Settings → Hotkeys. If a hotkey conflicts with another app, a fallback will be automatically assigned.
4. Configure Settings
Right-click the tray icon and select "Settings" to customize:
- History Size: Adjust how many items to keep (default: 100)
- Encryption: Enable DPAPI encryption for history at rest
- Session Mode: Enable to prevent history persistence
- OCR: Enable text extraction from images
- Auto-Start: Configure startup behavior
5. View History
Press Ctrl+Alt+V to open the history window:
- Browse your clipboard history with arrow keys
- Search using the filter box at the top
- Click or press Enter to paste an item
- Delete unwanted items with the Delete key
Troubleshooting
Hotkeys not working?
Check for conflicts with other applications. Try customizing the hotkey in Settings.
History not persisting?
Make sure "Session Only" mode is disabled in Settings.
App not starting?
Check that .NET 9 runtime is installed. Reinstall if necessary.
Need more help?