Compare
Zmina next to Spotlight.
macOS 26 added a clipboard history to Spotlight. It brings back what you copied, free and built in. Zmina does that too, and it also offers actions that fit where you're pasting. Here is what each one does, and when Spotlight is all you need.
| Feature | Spotlight | Zmina |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Built into macOS | $35 once, 14-day free trial |
| Runs on | macOS 26 Tahoe | macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later |
| Open it | ⌘Space, then ⌘4 | ⌘⇧V to paste, ⌘⇧H for History |
| What you do with a copy | Find it and paste it | Paste it, or pick an action for the app you are pasting into |
| Search | Search your clipboard history | Search everything, filter by type, language or date |
| How long it keeps history | 30 minutes, 8 hours or 7 days | As long as you set, and pinned items and collections stay |
The Spotlight details come from Apple's Mac User Guide for macOS Tahoe, last checked 2026-09-29. Apple doesn't say which history length is the default. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@zmina.app and we will fix it.
Spotlight
When Spotlight is enough.
If you want back something you copied this morning, Spotlight does it, and it costs nothing. It is already on your Mac, there is nothing to install, and you can clear the history from the same window.
Spotlight can also run Shortcuts. If you like building your own automations, you can make one that cleans up text and run it from there.
Zmina
What Zmina adds.
Zmina is about the moment you paste. Press ⌘⇧V instead of ⌘V, and it offers a short list of actions for what you copied and the app you're pasting into, or the site, in most browsers: like removing the tracking codes from a link before you send it, wrapping code in a code block for chat, or fixing the line breaks in text copied from a PDF. You pick one, see the result, and it pastes.
Its history is one you can act on. Every item gets a type, code is highlighted, and you can search with filters like type:json or when:week, then run any action on something you copied last week. You can group items into collections you name. You choose how long it keeps things, and pinned items and items in a collection stay.
It skips copies from password managers and secure fields, and nothing you copy leaves your Mac. It runs on macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later, so it also works on Macs that have not moved to macOS 26.
Pick Spotlight if you only need back what you copied recently. Pick Zmina if you want actions offered at the moment you paste.
See Smart Paste on the home page, the full list of actions, or Zmina next to Paste, Maccy, Raycast and Pastebot on the comparison page.