How to Copy Resource Content to Clipboard
A clipboard, in computer terms, is a buffer that some operating systems provide for short-term storage and transfer within and between application programs.
- Log in to your passbolt account
- Select the resource holding the content you want to copy
- Click the Copy button above the resource list
- Choose what to copy from the dropdown
- If required, enter your passphrase and click Ok to confirm
- The content is copied to the clipboard
Right-clicking the resource in the list opens the same set of copy actions, so you can skip the toolbar if you prefer.
What you can copy
| Entry | Copies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Copy username | The username stored on the resource | Absent on a standalone TOTP, which has no username. Greyed out when the resource has one but it is empty |
| Copy password | The password | Only listed when the resource holds a password and your role allows copying secrets |
| Copy TOTP | The one-time code as it stands at that moment | Only listed when the resource holds a TOTP and your instance has the TOTP content type enabled |
| Copy URI | The first address stored on the resource | Greyed out when the resource has no URI |
| Copy permalink | A direct link to the resource in passbolt, of the form https://your-passbolt-domain/app/passwords/view/<id> | Always available. The link is not a substitute for sharing: it only opens for someone who already has access |
The details panel on the right of the workspace has its own copy button beside each field, which also covers pin codes and custom fields.
Copying a password is controlled by RBAC (Role-Based Access Control). Access may vary according to your organisation's policy, so if you require access, please contact your administrator.
Secrets clear from the clipboard after 30 seconds
Since 5.3.2, passbolt removes a copied secret from the clipboard 30 seconds after you copy it, so a password does not stay there waiting to be pasted somewhere you did not intend. The confirmation message tells you at the time: "The password has been copied to clipboard. It will clear in 30 seconds."
This covers secrets only: passwords, TOTP codes, pin codes, and a password generated from the quick access popup. A username, a URI and a permalink are copied normally and stay in the clipboard until something else replaces them.
Two things stop the countdown, so passbolt does not clear content you put in the clipboard yourself:
- Copying or cutting anything else on a web page cancels the pending clear.
- Copying another secret starts a fresh 30 seconds.
Logging out clears the clipboard immediately if a copied secret is still in it.
The 30 seconds is fixed. There is no setting for it, for administrators or for users.