Yoink

Active

Country: Austria (AT)
Founded: 2011
Developer: Eternal Storms Software
Pricing: Paid ($9 one-time for macOS)
Open source: No
Platforms: macOS, iOS

Indexes

Clipboard Managers

Overview

Yoink is a drag-and-drop utility that provides a temporary shelf for holding files, text, links, images, and other items during transfers between apps or spaces. It functions as a clipboard manager with visual shelf access, allowing users to drag items to it, switch applications, and retrieve them later. Targeted at macOS and iOS users who manage multiple apps or full-screen spaces, it stands out with its minimal, summonable UI and system integrations like hotkeys and widgets.

Key Features

Drag-and-Drop Shelf - Temporary holding area for files, text, links, images, and videos dragged from any app.
Hotkey Summon - Default F5 key or custom hotkey to show/hide the shelf and restore removed items.
Clipboard Monitor - Automatically saves copied or cut items to Yoink even when running in background.
Clipboard History - Stores 6 to 36 recent clipboard items accessible via preferences or extensions.
Today Widget - Access recent clipboard items and add them to shelf from Notification Center.
Handoff Support - Transfers items between macOS and iOS devices.
Quick Actions - Share sheet integration on iOS for adding files to Yoink.
Stage Manager Compatibility - Enhanced shelf visibility and usability with macOS Stage Manager.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
macOS License	$9 one-time	Full access to Yoink on macOS with all features.
iOS App	Paid (App Store)	Yoink for iOS/iPadOS with share sheet and widget support.

Platforms & Requirements

Runs on macOS with support for features like Stage Manager and Dark Mode; minimum requirements not specified in sources. Available on iOS and iPadOS via App Store, with strong iPad integration including share sheet but reduced functionality on iPhone such as no snapping while using other apps.

Integrations & Ecosystem

macOS Stage Manager
Handoff between macOS and iOS
iOS Share Sheet
Today Widget (macOS/iOS)
Siri Shortcuts
Quick Actions
Notification Center
Apple Pencil sketching on iPad

Alternatives

App	Difference
Dropshelf	Similar shelf-style drag-and-drop but lacks deep clipboard monitoring and iOS Handoff.
Paste	Full-featured clipboard manager with unlimited history but no visual drag shelf.
Clipy	Free macOS clipboard manager focused on history syncing, without temporary shelf.
Maccy	Lightweight open-source clipboard history tool, no drag-and-drop shelf or iOS version.

Reputation

Yoink receives positive feedback for simplifying drag-and-drop across apps and spaces, with users noting increased productivity especially with Stage Manager on macOS. iPad users praise share sheet integration, though iPhone functionality is seen as limited. Criticisms include awkward clipboard history access via preferences and fixed increment options (6-36 items). Overall perceived as reliable since 2011 with ongoing updates.

Sources (6)