Tuesday, August 4th 2026
EU Pressures Apple Into Universal Clipboard for Compatibility With Windows
Apple is once again complying with the rules of the European Union, as the company is now developing a universal copy and paste system to transfer text directly from an iPhone to a Windows-based PC. Under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is required to create a feature to align itself with Microsoft's formal interoperability request, which will help users with the simple copy and paste action that hasn't worked until now. Currently, third-party applications on iOS, which powers iPhone mobile devices, can only access the iPhone's clipboard contents while they are open and active on the screen. Every copy or paste action required the user's manual approval.
However, Microsoft has built a workaround, and the EU has been pressuring Apple to adopt the standard. The company reportedly reviewed the Union's request in March 2026, put forward project plans by late June, and is now in development. Apple will implement this universal clipboard through a framework called AccessorySetupKit. One permission is granted per device, and once a Windows PC is approved, clipboard items will move automatically in the background. No further prompts will be required. The Cupertino-based company already offers similar universal syncing between its own ecosystem of devices through the existing Universal Clipboard, which connects iPhones with Mac computers for seamless integration.
If this project is completed, similar convenience will be available for Windows PC users. What Android users have been accustomed to for years through the Microsoft Phone Link application, iPhone users will also experience with a similar feature. Apple has described the underlying rework as a major engineering undertaking and doesn't expect it to be finished before fall 2027. The company plans to release a developer beta first in late 2027, meaning ordinary users might not see the feature until early 2028. If readers recall, the EU has forced Apple into other significant changes, such as adopting the USB-C standard on its iPhones, abandoning the Lightning connector.
Source:
WinFuture
However, Microsoft has built a workaround, and the EU has been pressuring Apple to adopt the standard. The company reportedly reviewed the Union's request in March 2026, put forward project plans by late June, and is now in development. Apple will implement this universal clipboard through a framework called AccessorySetupKit. One permission is granted per device, and once a Windows PC is approved, clipboard items will move automatically in the background. No further prompts will be required. The Cupertino-based company already offers similar universal syncing between its own ecosystem of devices through the existing Universal Clipboard, which connects iPhones with Mac computers for seamless integration.
22 Comments on EU Pressures Apple Into Universal Clipboard for Compatibility With Windows
It's going to see abuse by malware.
Which could be classified as a MITM?
Because when the My Phone Companion App was launched, it was actually BT only and it worked very well (assuming you had BT 5.0, at least). And last I checked, that was still the case for iOS.It already was.
Currently, Microsoft is pushing "Phone Link" (if your Windows installation is somewhat vanilla enough, you should see a "Your Phone" application or something like that in the Start menu. You need a mirror application on Android as well.
It seems like a waste of time for the EU to force Apple to do something that only works between one phone and one PC OS as a niche thing. I'm all for consumer rights, but this is a bit overboard, imo.
I never had any use for that, still i see my shitty SAMSUNG devices have a stupid connect to windows service which can not be uninstalled, memory hog and storage waste.
i do not want a service where microsoft can do anything without my consent with any mobile device. they have lost my trust years ago.
for the eu beurocrats, open gmail, write an empty email with the contents, and that is instantly shared wiht any gmail www-client and native gmail client. it is called draft. no need for another security hole from eu and microslop.
But cool story bro.This IS useful if it makes them play together nice. But applied to only one company, its half-assed.
And the EU has done many useful things for consumers recently... so I would not be so pessimistic.Then maybe dont load their literal "Link" app?
Actually clicking an app notification requires mirroring the app in question, which requires unlocking the phone. Haven't found a way around that. So you can see the whatsapp notification but not type a reply (can't remember if the quick reply buttons are exposed to W11).
I assumed most corporations used iOS for work phones and W11 for work laptops, hence why EU is doing this. This is likely an issue the pencil pushers themselves deal with.