Chrome Extension clipboardRead Permission (2026)

Chrome extension clipboardRead permission

The clipboardRead permission lets an extension read the contents of your clipboard, shown to users as "read data you copy and paste". Extensions request it for features like clipboard managers, paste-formatting tools or password managers that need to read what you copied.

Last reviewed September 26, 2026 · 1 listing · Independent, not affiliated with Google

Your clipboard can briefly hold sensitive information, such as a copied password or a credit card number, so this permission is treated with caution. It appears in clipboard history tools, formatting utilities and some password managers, and it is worth understanding exactly when it is used.

What the clipboardRead permission allows

With this permission, an extension can read text or other data currently on your system clipboard when you use a copy or paste action within its interface. It does not continuously monitor everything you copy across the browser; it typically reads the clipboard when triggered by a user action.

Which extensions legitimately need it

Clipboard managers, text formatting tools, password managers that let you paste credentials, and productivity extensions with a paste feature need this permission because reading clipboard content is their core function. An extension with no copy or paste feature has little reason to request it.

How to check or remove the clipboardRead permission

Open chrome://extensions, click Details on the extension to review its permissions. Chrome does not offer a separate toggle for clipboard access, so removing the extension from Manage extensions is how you revoke this permission.

Chrome extension clipboardRead permission: FAQs

What does the Chrome extension clipboardRead permission do?

It lets the extension read the current contents of your system clipboard, typically when triggered by a user action such as pasting. Chrome shows this as "read data you copy and paste".

Is the clipboardRead permission dangerous?

It can be sensitive because clipboards briefly hold copied passwords, card numbers or personal data. It is reasonable for extensions with a clear clipboard feature but worth questioning otherwise.

Why do password managers request clipboard access?

Some password managers let you copy a generated password or read what you pasted into a form, which requires clipboard access to work as intended.

Does clipboardRead let an extension see everything I copy all the time?

Typically it accesses the clipboard when the extension performs a copy or paste action, not by continuously monitoring the clipboard in the background at all times.

Can an extension read a password I copied using this permission?

If a password is on the clipboard when the extension reads it, yes, it could access that value, which is why this permission should only be granted to trusted extensions.

How do I remove an extension with clipboard access?

Open chrome://extensions, find the extension, and click Remove. Check its Details page first to confirm exactly which permissions, including clipboardRead, it holds.

Why does a clipboard manager extension need this permission?

A clipboard manager's entire purpose is to save and organize things you copy, which is only possible by reading clipboard contents through the clipboardRead permission.

Is clipboardWrite different from clipboardRead?

Yes. clipboardWrite lets an extension place data onto your clipboard, such as a copy button, while clipboardRead lets it read what is already there, which is the more sensitive direction.

Should I be cautious of extensions combining clipboard and all-urls access?

Yes. That combination could let an extension read clipboard data after acting on any website you visit, so review the extension's reputation and purpose carefully.

Can I limit clipboard access without uninstalling the extension?

Chrome does not provide a separate toggle for clipboardRead like it does for site access, so removing the extension is generally the way to revoke this permission.

Does the clipboardRead permission work the same in Edge and Brave?

Chromium-based browsers like Edge and Brave support the same clipboard permission model as Chrome, so clipboardRead behaves comparably across these browsers.