Vanta Logo
SPONSOR
Automate SOC 2 & ISO 27001 compliance with Vanta. Get $1,000 off.
Up to date
Published
3 min read

Trevor I. Lasn

Staff Software Engineer, Engineering Manager

navigator.clipboard - The New Asynchronous Clipboard API in JavaScript

Copy and paste text, images, and files using the new navigator.clipboard API

When I first encountered the new navigator.clipboard API, I was amazed by how simple it made copying and pasting in web applications. Gone were the days of hacky document.execCommand solutions.

In the past, we relied on document.execCommand("copy") to handle clipboard operations. This approach was synchronous and limited - it could only copy text from selected DOM elements. Plus, it didn’t work consistently across browsers.

The navigator.clipboard API solves these issues by providing asynchronous methods that work with various data types. It’s more secure too - browsers require explicit permission before allowing clipboard access.

Reading text works similarly:

Copying complex data like images or files:

Note that clipboard operations need permission and HTTPS in most browsers. Error handling is key since operations can fail if permission is denied or in restricted environments.

Browser Support Considerations

While clipboard API support is strong, it’s good practice to provide fallbacks:


When to Use navigator.clipboard API

The async clipboard API shines in several common scenarios:

  • Copy-to-clipboard buttons in documentation
  • Saving code snippets from editors
  • Moving rich content between applications
  • Handling image uploads via paste

The API’s permission model might seem like extra overhead, but it’s a worthwhile trade-off for security and reliability. Gone are the days of wrestling with text selection and synchronous clipboard operations.

Next time you need to implement clipboard functionality, reach for navigator.clipboard

Remember to add fallbacks for older browsers, and your users will thank you for the smooth experience.

If you found this article helpful, you might enjoy my free newsletter. I share developer tips and insights to help you grow your skills and career.


More Articles You Might Enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you might find these related pieces interesting as well. If you like what I have to say, please check out the sponsors who are supporting me. Much appreciated!

Javascript
4 min read

Promise.try: Unified Error Handling for Sync and Async JavaScript Code (ES2025)

Stop mixing try/catch with Promise chains - JavaScript's new Promise.try handles return values, Promises, and errors uniformly

Nov 10, 2024
Read article
Javascript
4 min read

The Only Widely Recognized JavaScript Feature Ever Deprecated

The 'with' statement is the only feature ever deprecated in JavaScript

Aug 22, 2024
Read article
Javascript
4 min read

JavaScript Import Attributes (ES2025)

Understanding the new import attributes syntax and why we can't rely on file extensions alone

Nov 10, 2024
Read article
Javascript
6 min read

setImmediate() vs setTimeout() in JavaScript

both setImmediate() and setTimeout() are used for scheduling tasks, but they work differently.

Sep 8, 2024
Read article
Javascript
3 min read

Float16Array in JavaScript

Understanding the new 16-bit floating point array in JavaScript

Apr 14, 2025
Read article
Javascript
6 min read

AggregateError in JavaScript

AggregateError helps you handle multiple errors at once in JavaScript. This makes your code easier to manage and more reliable.

Sep 2, 2024
Read article
Javascript
7 min read

JavaScript Sets and Maps: Beyond Arrays and Objects

How to handle unique values and key-value pairs properly without type coercion and performance issues

Nov 17, 2024
Read article
Javascript
6 min read

Understanding JavaScript Closures With Examples

Closures are essential for creating functions that maintain state, without relying on global variables.

Sep 6, 2024
Read article
Javascript
7 min read

WeakRefs in JavaScript: Explained In Simple Terms

Understanding how WeakRef helps manage memory in JavaScript

Jan 7, 2025
Read article

This article was originally published on https://www.trevorlasn.com/blog/javascript-navigator-clipboard. It was written by a human and polished using grammar tools for clarity.