{"id":"junk-yard.the-junk-yard-isnt-capturing-anything","url":"/faq/junk-yard/the-junk-yard-isnt-capturing-anything","category":{"id":"junk-yard","title":"Junk Yard"},"subcategory":{"id":"troubleshooting","title":"Troubleshooting the Junk Yard"},"question":"Why isn't the Junk Yard capturing anything I copy?","alt_questions":["Junk Yard not saving copies","Junk Yard stopped capturing","Clipboard history empty","Nothing lands on the Junk Yard","Junk Yard not working"],"short_answer":"Check that Enable Junk Yard on this Mac, the Capturing switch and Watch the clipboard are all on, and that Storage Studio is running. Then copy some text and watch for the green blink.","answer_markdown":"Something is switched off. Check, in order:\n\n1. Settings → Junk Yard → **Enable Junk Yard on this Mac** is on.\n2. The **Capturing** switch in the Junk Yard header is on.\n3. **Watch the clipboard** is on in Settings → Junk Yard.\n4. Storage Studio is running — its icon is in the menu bar.\n\nThen copy some ordinary text: the menu bar dot should blink green and a new card appear. If only some copies are missing, see [Why didn't something I copied show up?](/faq/junk-yard/why-didnt-something-i-copied-show-up)","answer_html":"

Something is switched off. Check, in order:

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  1. Settings → Junk Yard → Enable Junk Yard on this Mac is on.
  2. The Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header is on.
  3. Watch the clipboard is on in Settings → Junk Yard.
  4. Storage Studio is running — its icon is in the menu bar.
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Then copy some ordinary text: the menu bar dot should blink green and a new card appear. If only some copies are missing, see Why didn't something I copied show up?

","answer_text":"Something is switched off. Check, in order:\n\n1. Settings → Junk Yard → Enable Junk Yard on this Mac is on.\n2. The Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header is on.\n3. Watch the clipboard is on in Settings → Junk Yard.\n4. Storage Studio is running — its icon is in the menu bar.\n\nThen copy some ordinary text: the menu bar dot should blink green and a new card appear. If only some copies are missing, see Why didn't something I copied show up?","tags":["troubleshooting","capture"],"related":[{"id":"junk-yard.why-didnt-something-i-copied-show-up","question":"Why didn't one particular thing I copied show up in the Junk Yard?","url":"/faq/junk-yard/why-didnt-something-i-copied-show-up"},{"id":"junk-yard.what-does-the-capturing-switch-do","question":"What does the Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header do?","url":"/faq/junk-yard/what-does-the-capturing-switch-do"},{"id":"settings.how-do-i-turn-the-junk-yard-on-or-off","question":"How do I turn the Junk Yard on or off on this Mac?","url":"/faq/settings/how-do-i-turn-the-junk-yard-on-or-off"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Why isn't the Junk Yard capturing anything I copy? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Check that Enable Junk Yard on this Mac, the Capturing switch and Watch the clipboard are all on, and that Storage Studio is running. Then copy some text and watch for the green blink.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Junk Yard","path":"/faq/junk-yard/"},{"name":"Why isn't the Junk Yard capturing anything I copy?","path":"/faq/junk-yard/the-junk-yard-isnt-capturing-anything"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/the-junk-yard-isnt-capturing-anything","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Why isn't the Junk Yard capturing anything I copy?","alternateName":["Junk Yard not saving copies","Junk Yard stopped capturing","Clipboard history empty","Nothing lands on the Junk Yard","Junk Yard not working"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Something is switched off. Check, in order:\n\n1. Settings → Junk Yard → Enable Junk Yard on this Mac is on.\n2. The Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header is on.\n3. Watch the clipboard is on in Settings → Junk Yard.\n4. Storage Studio is running — its icon is in the menu bar.\n\nThen copy some ordinary text: the menu bar dot should blink green and a new card appear. If only some copies are missing, see Why didn't something I copied show up?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/the-junk-yard-isnt-capturing-anything"}}]},"fragment":"
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Junk Yard · Troubleshooting the Junk Yard

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Why isn't the Junk Yard capturing anything I copy?

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Short answer: Check that Enable Junk Yard on this Mac, the Capturing switch and Watch the clipboard are all on, and that Storage Studio is running. Then copy some text and watch for the green blink.

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Something is switched off. Check, in order:

\n
  1. Settings → Junk Yard → Enable Junk Yard on this Mac is on.
  2. The Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header is on.
  3. Watch the clipboard is on in Settings → Junk Yard.
  4. Storage Studio is running — its icon is in the menu bar.
\n

Then copy some ordinary text: the menu bar dot should blink green and a new card appear. If only some copies are missing, see Why didn't something I copied show up?

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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Also available as Markdown and JSON.

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