Apple plans cross-platform copy-paste link with Windows PCs by 2027

Microsoft asked Apple, via the EU interoperability request system, for a way to grant apps continuous clipboard access so iPhone users could copy items to Windows PCs without keeping the app open or re-authorising each time. Apple replied that it will create a new solution built on its AccessorySetupKit, the same toolkit that lets third-party wearables receive iPhone notifications. Users will need to approve clipboard sharing with each accessory only once.

The company describes the work as a major engineering effort and expects to complete it by the fall of 2027, after which beta testing will begin for the European market. Availability outside the EU remains uncertain pending further decisions.