Support iOS clipboard with "* and "+ registers

[sedm0784]

In other versions of Vim, I can copy text to and from the OS's global clipboard by using the "* and "+ registers. This doesn't appear to work in iOS Vim.

[Ecco]

Indeed, that's a very legitimate request. I haven't seen this implemented in other gvim variants, but I may simply have overlooked this. For reference, what other versions is this already available in ? Nonetheless, this shouldn't be too hard to implement, and clearly is a nice feature. Feel free to submit a pull request :-)

[sedm0784]

Well, it certainly works in MacVim and in Windows gvim. It's all documented in :help registers.

Pull request is unlikely for the next few months, but there's a slim chance it might happen in late 2012 ;).

[rcarmo]

This would be grand, since regular copy/paste is the easiest way to move files to and fro iOS Vim (seriously, my iPad 3 has never been synced with iTunes, and probably never will).

[au-phiware]

👍

I might make a crack at implementing this, if I find the time... Unless someone has already started?

[raimo]

👍

[jgucio]

For me this feature is a go/nogo to use vim on the Iphone . Or is there another way to copy / paste from Safari browser into vim ?

[dokitoki]

This is a must, I don't know why it's marked as an enhancement.

[raimo]

Switched phone and haven't installed the app to the new phone at all, because this feature is still outstanding.

[mon10a]

Ecco,

It would mean so much to us if Vim for iOS supported the iOS system clipboard via the * register. Vim on the iPad has so much promise. Right now it's just extremely cumbersome to get files in and out and if I'm traveling without my computer, impossible.

I do not have the programming skills or I would try to help.

Thank you for considering this change.

[WhiteBlackGoose]

Bump. Would be nice to have it 😅

[bkmdev]

Any update on this ~13 years later? 😕 The lack of iOS-native copy/paste support for a text editor is disappointing for those of us extremely familiar & fast with vim keybindings 😔

I recommend looking at Termius in the iOS App Store for an excellent example of how a traditionally CLI-based tool was so elegantly implemented in iOS leveraging intuitive gestures, ex: I think one can long press to get the system cut/copy/paste/etc. popup menu to perform operations. Couldn't something like this be implemented?

PS: In the meantime does anyone know how to cut/copy/paste just with the keyboard?? (the normal "d(d)"/"yy"/"p|P" commands don't seem to work? 😣) ok, seems one needs to execute :set clipboard=unnamed

[WhiteBlackGoose]

Btw I found a solution: quit using Apple stuff. Worked like a charm for me!

[mon10a]

Hi, Copy and paste to the iOS clipboard using a Magic Keyboard  with an iPad have been working for me for a long time. Use the trackpad to select text in iVim, then cmd-c to copy. Then switch to another app and cmd-p to paste. It also works to paste text into iVim at the cursor. Using the onscreen keyboard is not as convenient but still works using native Vim commands to address the system clipboard. Select the text in iVim, then:“*y (double-quote, asterisk, y) (copy selected text to iOS clipboard)“*p (double-quote, asterisk, p) (paste the text contents of the iOS clipboard)Sorry if I have misinterpreted your question. Regards.mon10aOn Mar 15, 2025, at 12:58 PM, BN ***@***.***> wrote: Any update on this ~12 years later? 😕 The lack of iOS-native copy/paste support for a text editor is disappointing for those of us extremely familiar & fast with vim keybindings 😔—Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***> bkmdev left a comment (applidium/Vim#7) Any update on this ~12 years later? 😕 The lack of iOS-native copy/paste support for a text editor is disappointing for those of us extremely familiar & fast with vim keybindings 😔 —Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>