Guide
How to send text or a link from your phone to your computer
Short answer
The way that works with any phone and any computer is a cross-device clipboard: open the UniClip web app on the computer, scan its QR code with the phone app, then send text or a link from the phone and click it in the browser to copy it. Built-in options cover some pairs only: Apple’s Universal Clipboard for iPhone and Mac, and Windows clipboard sync or Phone Link for Android and Windows.
What is built in for your phone and computer
| Phone and computer | Built in | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone and Mac | Apple’s Universal Clipboard | Same Apple Account, within about 10 metres |
| Android and Windows | Windows clipboard sync with Microsoft SwiftKey, or Phone Link | SwiftKey as the keyboard, or a supported Samsung, HONOR, OnePlus or OPPO phone |
| iPhone and Windows | Nothing for copy and paste | Phone Link handles calls, messages and notifications only |
| Android and Mac | Nothing | Apple’s feature stops at Apple devices |
| Any pair, for web pages | Chrome’s Send to your devices | Pages only, with Chrome signed in to the same Google Account on both |
Send text or a link from any phone to any computer
- Get the app on your phone. Install UniClip from Google Play or the App Store and sign in with Google or Apple.
- Link the computer. Open the web app in any browser, then in the phone app go to Settings, Linked devices, Link a computer and scan the QR code it shows. Nothing to install, no password to type.
- Send the text from Android. Select it in any app, tap the ⋮ menu next to Copy and Share, and choose Copy to Universal Clipboard.
- Send the text from the iPhone or iPad. Select it in any app, tap Share, and choose Universal Clipboard.
- Copy it on the computer. The clip shows up in the web app. Click it to copy, then paste it where you need it.
A link works the same way: share it to UniClip from the browser or app it is in. On Free, clips of up to 200 characters reach all your devices and disappear after 1 minute. Pro keeps every clip until you delete it, in a searchable history on every device.
Send from the computer to the phone
- Send from the computer. Paste or type into the web app’s box and press Send. The clip is on your phone a moment later.
- Tap it on the other device. Open the app there and tap the clip. It is on that device’s clipboard, ready to paste. On Pro, a notification with Copy Now does it without opening the app.
With the Chrome extension, you can also select text on any page and right-click Copy to Universal Clipboard.
Other ways, and where they fall short
- Message or email yourself. Works anywhere, but on the other device you have to find the message, select the text and copy it again, and the chat fills up with old links and codes.
- Chrome’s Send to your devices. Opens the page you are on in Chrome on your other device, when both are signed in to the same Google Account. It sends pages, not text you copied.
Questions
How do I send a link from my phone to my laptop without emailing it to myself?
Use a clipboard app or your browser. With UniClip, share the link to the app on the phone and click it in the web app on the laptop. If Chrome is signed in to the same Google Account on both, Send to your devices opens the page on the laptop.
Does it work on a computer where I can’t install apps?
Yes. The web app runs in a browser tab with nothing to install, and links by scanning a QR code, so you never type a password on that computer. Unlink it any time in the phone app under Settings, Linked devices.
How long does a clip stay after I send it?
On Free, clips of up to 200 characters reach all your devices and disappear after 1 minute. Pro keeps every clip until you delete it, in a searchable history on every device.
Is it safe to send a password this way?
No. Clips are encrypted in transit and at rest, but not end-to-end, so don’t send passwords or card numbers.
Sources
- Apple Support: Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices
- Microsoft Support: Copy and paste text between Microsoft SwiftKey and Windows
- Microsoft Support: Copy and paste between your Android phone and PC with Phone Link
- Microsoft Support: Phone Link requirements and setup
- Google Chrome Help: Share tabs in Chrome
UniClip – Universal Clipboard is an independent app by KharagEdition, not made by or affiliated with Apple, Google, Microsoft or Samsung. Facts about their products come from the sources above.