Overview
- Microsoft filed an interoperability request on March 25, 2026 and Apple moved the proposal forward on June 26, 2026, triggering work to build cross‑device clipboard sharing between iPhones and Windows PCs.
- Apple’s plan would let a paired PC import items from an iPhone pasteboard by using an accessory extension similar to the Accessory Notifications framework and requiring developers to implement AccessorySetupKit for setup.
- Under current iOS rules an app can only read the clipboard while running in the foreground with a permission prompt each time, a limitation Microsoft said prevents continuous background syncing to a PC.
- Apple calls the project a significant engineering effort and expects to finish development by fall 2027, with a developer beta first and an initial rollout limited to the European Union.
- If implemented, third‑party developers and accessory makers will need to adopt new APIs to enable one‑time user consent for each paired PC, and the change could give EU iPhone and Windows users native clipboard sync that today requires clunky third‑party tools.