Apple is developing a way for iPhone users in the European Union to copy content on an iPhone and paste it onto a Windows PC, with the reverse also supported. Multiple reports say the effort follows an interoperability request submitted by Microsoft through Apple’s EU “Interoperability Requests” system created to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Microsoft characterizes the clipboard capability as a basic cross-device productivity feature and says current clipboard restrictions for third-party apps prevent truly continuous, background-style syncing from iOS.
Apple evaluates the request after it is submitted and, according to the reporting, proposes an implementation plan on June 26, after beginning evaluation in March. Instead of extending the existing iPhone-to-macOS “Universal Clipboard” approach, Apple says replicating that functionality on Windows is not feasible or appropriate as an interoperability solution. Apple plans a new approach that uses an accessory-style mechanism: when users pair the devices, the system notifies an extension when clipboard items are copied, and the extension can share clipboard content via an “Accessory Transport Extension” using approved transports. Users must grant one-time consent for each paired accessory.
Reported timelines indicate completion for fall 2027 (often described as iOS 28), with initial availability via a developer beta.
