How to check which application has the clipboard hold?

When working with computers, one of the most important tools that an IT admin will use is the clipboard. It is a powerful way to quickly copy and paste data between applications and documents, allowing for efficient and accurate workflows. However, it can be difficult to determine which application currently has the clipboard’s contents.

The clipboard is part of the Windows operating system and is shared among all the applications running on the computer. It is not exclusive to a single application and so it can be difficult to determine which program currently has the clipboard's contents.

The easiest way to check which application has the clipboard is to use the Windows Task Manager. To open the Task Manager, press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys at the same time. In the Task Manager, select the Details tab and scroll down to the app that you want to check. Right-click the app and select “Open File Location”. This will open the folder where the application is stored.

In the folder, right-click the application and select “Properties”. This will open a window with information about the application. In the General tab, look for the “Clipboard” option. If this is checked, the application has access to the clipboard. If it is not checked, it does not have access to the clipboard.

Another way to check which application has the clipboard is to use a clipboard viewer. These are programs that allow you to view the contents of the clipboard in real time. They are available for free download from various websites and are easy to use.

Once you have downloaded and installed the clipboard viewer, open it and look for the “Clipboard” tab. This tab will display the contents of the clipboard and will also tell you which application has it. The application will be listed in brackets next to the clipboard contents.

It is important to note that some applications may not have access to the clipboard. For example, if you are running a program in a sandboxed environment, the program may not have access to the clipboard. In this case, the clipboard viewer will not be able to display the contents of the clipboard.

In addition to using the Windows Task Manager and clipboard viewers, you can also use the Windows Event Viewer to check which application has the clipboard. To open the Event Viewer, press the Windows key and type “Event Viewer”. In the Event Viewer, look for the “Clipboard” section. This section will tell you which application currently has the clipboard's contents.

Finally, you can also use the Windows registry editor to check which application has the clipboard. To open the registry editor, press the Windows key and type “regedit”. In the registry editor, go to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Clipboard

The registry key will tell you which application currently has the clipboard.

In conclusion, there are several ways to check which application has the clipboard. The easiest way is to use the Windows Task Manager or a clipboard viewer. You can also use the Windows Event Viewer and the Windows registry editor to check the clipboard. Knowing which application has the clipboard is an important part of managing a computer.