Frequently asked questions

Is there a way to always paste in plaintext like in ClipX 1.x?

Yes. Use Shift+Enter or Shift+Click in the standard Paste Menu to paste an entry in plaintext. If you always want plaintext, use the dedicated Plaintext Paste Menu instead; you can configure its hotkey in the Configuration dialog, Hotkey page.

Why does my old ClipX auto updater crash?

ClipX 1.x downloads updates straight into its own folder under Program Files. Modern versions of Windows no longer allow programs to write executables there without elevated rights, and the old updater predates that rule: when Windows refuses the download, the old plugin fails instead of explaining the problem.

The fix is a one-time manual step: grab the current installer from the download page and run it. From 2.x onward, updates install cleanly on modern Windows.

What happened to the SmartNavigate plugin?

It became Actions. Look for it in the plugin browser under its new name.

What happened to the Disklog plugin?

It is no longer available. A plugin that silently writes everything you copy to disk can far too easily serve as a means to steal clipboard data, and it bypasses the privacy and security choices you make in ClipX 2.x. It does not fit the standards the new version commits to, so it is gone.

Why is the installer bigger than before?

A few reasons add up. ClipX internals were significantly reworked for better memory management, security, privacy, and much more. Eighteen years of Visual C++ later, compiled binaries are simply larger in general. And the executables are no longer compressed: packed programs make antivirus software suspect you have something to hide, and ClipX doesn't.

The download is still under 1 MB. In this day and age, that definitely still qualifies as tiny.

Why do Chrome and Windows warn me about the installer?

Because the installer is not code-signed. Chrome warns about files it has not seen downloaded many times, and Windows SmartScreen's "Windows protected your PC" is the same thing at run time. Both mean "I don't know this file yet", not "this file is dangerous". The certificates that silence them cost hundreds of dollars a year... hard to justify for a free program.

If you downloaded ClipX from this site, it is safe to continue: choose Keep in Chrome, then More info and Run anyway in SmartScreen. If you got it anywhere else, don't run it, only download ClipX from clipx.org. And if the warnings make you uneasy, passing on ClipX is completely fine too. No hard feelings!

Was ClipX sold? Is this the same program?

No, ClipX was not sold. It is still made by the same person, eighteen years later. And yes, this is the same program, with significant improvements.

Why did updates stop for so long?

I was very busy with life, and ClipX 1.0.3.9g worked fine for me for many years. I eventually decided to come back and update it for the modern world, in particular to fix some of the privacy and security issues it had inherited from a more naive time. Once I was back at it, I found the motivation again to give it a real new life.

Have another question?

Ask me via the contact form, and if it comes up often it will earn a spot on this page.