---
id: junk-yard.what-does-the-capturing-switch-do
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/what-does-the-capturing-switch-do
category: "Junk Yard"
subcategory: "What gets captured"
question: "What does the Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header do?"
alt_questions:
  - "Capturing toggle Junk Yard"
  - "Capturing vs Watch the clipboard"
  - "Pause Junk Yard capture quickly"
  - "How do I pause clipboard capture?"
  - "Junk Yard header switches"
  - "What is Capturing on the Junk Yard?"
short_answer: "Capturing is the master switch for saving what you copy on this Mac. Off means nothing you copy becomes a scrap, regardless of Watch the clipboard. It's independent of Sharing."
tags: ["capturing", "switch", "privacy"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/what-does-the-sharing-switch-do", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/how-do-i-stop-the-junk-yard-catching-everything-i-copy", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/does-the-junk-yard-save-passwords"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What does the Capturing switch in the Junk Yard header do?

**Capturing** is the master on/off for saving what you copy on this Mac. Turn it off and nothing you copy is recorded as a scrap, whatever **Watch the clipboard** is set to; turn it back on and capture resumes with your next copy.

It sits in the Junk Yard header next to **Sharing**, so it's one click away when you're about to copy something you'd rather not keep. The two are independent: you can capture without sharing to your devices, share without capturing, both, or neither.

See [What does the Sharing switch do?](https://storagestudio.us/faq/junk-yard/what-does-the-sharing-switch-do)