Apple to develop iPhone-Windows clipboard sharing for EU

Apple has agreed to develop a feature that will allow users to copy and paste content directly between an iPhone and a Windows PC, following a formal request from Microsoft under European Union regulations. The company plans to complete development by fall 2027, with the functionality expected to debut in the EU.

The move stems from the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires major tech platforms to enable interoperability. Apple established a public web portal where developers can submit requests for such features. Microsoft submitted its formal request, identified as FB22329535, on March 25, 2026. The company argued that cross-device copy and paste is a foundational productivity interaction that users expect to work seamlessly between their primary devices, a functionality Apple already provides between its own devices through its Universal Clipboard.

In its request, Microsoft outlined that current methods for sharing clipboard content between iOS and Windows require third-party apps to be open in the foreground and involve repeated permission prompts for each action. The company sought a persistent access mechanism that would enable continuous, background...