Here’s How to Fix the “Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed” Error on Mac
Encountering the “Sorry, no manipulations with clipboard allowed” error on your Mac can be frustrating, especially when you rely on the clipboard for copying and pasting text or files. This error can occur due to various reasons, including software conflicts, system glitches, or even malware.
Understanding the Error
This error typically appears when the clipboard service on your Mac is unable to process copy and paste commands. This could be due to a temporary glitch, a conflict with other software, or a more serious underlying issue.
Solutions
1. Restart Your Mac
- Simple reboot: Often, a simple restart can resolve temporary glitches causing the error.
2. Restart the “pboard” Server
- Activity Monitor: Open Activity Monitor and find the “pboard” process.
- Force Quit: Click the “X” button and confirm Force Quit.
3. Restart the “WindowServer” Process
- Activity Monitor: Locate the “WindowServer” process in Activity Monitor.
- Force Quit: Click the “X” button and confirm Force Quit.
4. Update macOS
- App Store: Check for any available updates for your macOS.
- Install updates: Install any pending updates to ensure you have the latest bug fixes.
5. Check for Suspicious Software
- Uninstall recently installed apps: If you’ve recently installed new software, try uninstalling it to see if it’s causing the issue.
- Scan for malware: Use a reliable antivirus or anti-malware software to scan your Mac for any threats.
6. Delete Cache Files
- Library folder: Navigate to ~/Library/Caches and delete the contents of the folder. Be cautious not to delete any important files.
7. Remove Third-Party Clipboard Managers
- Uninstall: If you’re using a third-party clipboard manager, temporarily uninstall it to see if it’s causing the conflict.
8. Run Maintenance Scripts
- Disk Utility: Use Disk Utility to repair disk permissions and verify disk integrity.
9. Force Quit the Clipboard with Terminal
- Terminal: Open Terminal and type
sudo killall pboard
. - Enter password: Enter your administrator password.
Additional Tips
- Check for conflicts: If you have multiple clipboard managers or other apps that interact with the clipboard, try disabling them one by one to identify the culprit.
- Create a new user account: Create a new user account and see if the issue persists. If it doesn’t, the problem might be specific to your existing user account.