Apple is developing a new feature that will allow copy and paste between iPhones and Windows PCs.

Apple is reportedly developing a feature that will allow users to paste copied text and other files between iPhones and Windows PCs. This is being developed in response to Microsoft's request for interoperability under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), and Apple plans to complete development by the fall of 2027, after which it will release a beta version for developers.

Interoperability Requests in the EU
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/28534430/eu-interoperability-apple-developer.pdf

Apple Plans iPhone-to-Windows Copy and Paste in EU After Microsoft Request - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/03/apple-iphone-windows-copy-paste/

Apple is working on iPhone-to-Windows copy-paste | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/tech/975020/apple-windows-pc-copy-paste-eu

Apple already offers a feature called 'Universal Clipboard' that allows users to paste content copied on their iPhone or iPad to their Mac. However, Apple has not yet released a mechanism to access a similar function from other platforms such as Windows.

On March 25, 2026, Microsoft requested a mechanism to share the clipboard between iOS and Windows through Apple's interoperability request program for the EU. According to Microsoft, for an iOS app to read the clipboard, it would generally need to run in the foreground and obtain user permission each time a copy or paste operation is performed, making it impossible to implement continuous background synchronization.

Microsoft envisions a feature that allows users to directly paste text copied from an iPhone to a Windows PC, and vice versa. This would eliminate the need to open a dedicated app or repeatedly perform transfer operations, allowing users to use it with the same ease as regular copy and paste.

On June 26, 2026, Apple presented a development plan to meet Microsoft's request. The new system will allow developers to create extensions that receive notifications when items are added to the iPhone's clipboard and send the content to a paired PC or other device.

To use this feature, you need to use Apple's 'AccessorySetupKit' and allow the user to share the clipboard. The design is such that permission is only requested the first time you connect a device, and once approved, it is expected that you will not need to repeat the confirmation process every time you copy something.

Apple explains that developing this system will require 'extensive engineering work.' The goal is to complete development in the fall of 2027, after which a beta version for developers will be released for testing before the official release. However, there is no indication yet of when it will actually be available to the general public.

Microsoft's application specifies the EU as the target region. Therefore, it may initially be limited to iPhones and Windows PCs in the EU, but it is currently unclear whether Apple will expand the same functionality to other regions in the future.