{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "The Junk Yard won't open or stops capturing",
  "slug": "the-junk-yard-wont-open",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-junk-yard-wont-open",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-junk-yard-wont-open.md",
  "category": "Troubleshooting",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/troubleshooting/",
  "tags": [
    "troubleshooting",
    "junk yard",
    "clipboard"
  ],
  "summary": "If the Junk Yard's edge strip won't open or copies stop arriving, check the Junk Yard switches in Settings, the Capturing switch in the Junk Yard itself, and whether Performance is set to Minimum. You can always open it from the main window or its shortcut.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:19:41.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:41:19.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Likely causes",
      "id": "likely-causes"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "How to fix it",
      "id": "how-to-fix-it"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "performance-modes",
      "label": "Performance modes",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/performance-modes"
    },
    {
      "slug": "keeping-storage-studio-up-to-date",
      "label": "Keeping Storage Studio up to date",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/keeping-storage-studio-up-to-date"
    },
    {
      "slug": "junk-yard",
      "label": "The Junk Yard",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/junk-yard"
    },
    {
      "slug": "opening-the-junk-yard",
      "label": "Opening the Junk Yard from the screen edge",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/opening-the-junk-yard"
    },
    {
      "slug": "clipboard-capture",
      "label": "Clipboard capture, pins and how long items last",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/clipboard-capture"
    },
    {
      "slug": "junk-yard-shortcuts",
      "label": "Junk Yard shortcuts",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/junk-yard-shortcuts"
    },
    {
      "slug": "troubleshooting-start-here",
      "label": "Something's not working: start here",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/troubleshooting-start-here"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "clipboard-capture",
      "title": "Clipboard capture, pins and how long items last",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/clipboard-capture"
    },
    {
      "slug": "opening-the-junk-yard",
      "title": "Opening the Junk Yard from the screen edge",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/opening-the-junk-yard"
    },
    {
      "slug": "troubleshooting-start-here",
      "title": "Something's not working: start here",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/troubleshooting-start-here"
    },
    {
      "slug": "junk-yard",
      "title": "The Junk Yard",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/junk-yard"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "Checking the switches that control the Junk Yard",
      "outline": "- Junk Yard won't open or stopped capturing\n  - leads to Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on?\n- Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on?\n  - No: leads to Turn it on\n  - Yes: leads to Is Performance set to Minimum?\n- Is Performance set to Minimum?\n  - Yes: leads to Choose Automatic or another level\n  - No: leads to Strip or capture?\n- Strip or capture?\n  - Strip: leads to Turn on the Edge curtain switch and check Dock to\n  - Capture: leads to Turn on Capturing and Watch the clipboard\n",
      "source": "%% caption: Checking the switches that control the Junk Yard\nflowchart TD\n  A[Junk Yard won't open or stopped capturing] --> B{Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on?}\n  B -->|No| C[Turn it on]\n  B -->|Yes| D{Is Performance set to Minimum?}\n  D -->|Yes| E[Choose Automatic or another level]\n  D -->|No| F{Strip or capture?}\n  F -->|Strip| G[Turn on the Edge curtain switch and check Dock to]\n  F -->|Capture| H[Turn on Capturing and Watch the clipboard]"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The Settings window on the Junk Yard pane showing Enable Junk Yard on this Mac, Watch the clipboard and the Edge curtain switch",
      "caption": "The Junk Yard pane in Settings"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "If the Junk Yard's strip doesn't slide out at the screen edge, or what you copy stops appearing, one of a few switches is usually off: the Junk Yard itself, the edge strip, clipboard capture, or the Minimum performance setting, which deliberately stops the Junk Yard. You can always open it another way while you check. Likely causes The strip won't open at the screen edge The edge strip is off. In Settings → Junk Yard , under Edge curtain , Open a strip of scraps when the pointer hits the screen edge must be on. You're aiming at the wrong edge. Dock to sets which edge it lives on — Top or Right . Push the pointer right up against that edge. The Junk Yard is switched off. Enable Junk Yard on this Mac is at the top of the same pane. Performance is set to Minimum — core only. Minimum is a deliberate lockdown: it stops clipboard capture and the edge strip until you change it. Copies stop arriving Capture is off. The Junk Yard window's header has a Capturing switch; when it reads Capture off , \"nothing you copy is saved to the Junk Yard.\" Watch the clipboard is off in Settings → Junk Yard , so only what you save on purpose is kept. It was a password. \"Passwords (from password managers) are never captured.\" You copied too many files at once. Copying more than the number set in Capture a multi-file copy of up to … files is skipped. Performance is set to Minimum , as above. A busy Mac doesn't pause the Junk Yard: only the Minimum setting you chose yourself does. Checking the switches that control the Junk Yard Flowchart outline: Checking the switches that control the Junk Yard Junk Yard won't open or stopped capturing leads to Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on? Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on? No: leads to Turn it on Yes: leads to Is Performance set to Minimum? Is Performance set to Minimum? Yes: leads to Choose Automatic or another level No: leads to Strip or capture? Strip or capture? Strip: leads to Turn on the Edge curtain switch and check Dock to Capture: leads to Turn on Capturing and Watch the clipboard How to fix it Open the Junk Yard another way so you can see it: the Junk Yard tab in the main window, the Open the Junk Yard keyboard shortcut (set it in Settings → Junk Yard or Shortcuts ), or the Junk Yard button in the Advanced view's popover. Check Settings → Junk Yard. Turn on Enable Junk Yard on this Mac , Watch the clipboard , and Open a strip of scraps when the pointer hits the screen edge , and check Dock to . Check the Capturing switch in the Junk Yard window's header. Check Performance. Open Storage Profile… from the More menu; the performance menu at the top shows the current level. If it says Minimum , choose Automatic — adapts to your Mac or another level. See Performance modes . Copy something and watch it appear. Copies made while capture was off aren't collected afterwards — copy them again. If the strip opens and then closes straight away, make sure you're on the latest version — see Keeping Storage Studio up to date . See also: The Junk Yard · Opening the Junk Yard from the screen edge · Clipboard capture, pins and how long items last · Junk Yard shortcuts · Something's not working: start here",
  "markdown": "If the Junk Yard's strip doesn't slide out at the screen edge, or what you copy stops appearing, one of a few switches is usually off: the Junk Yard itself, the edge strip, clipboard capture, or the **Minimum** performance setting, which deliberately stops the Junk Yard. You can always open it another way while you check.\n\n## Likely causes\n\n**The strip won't open at the screen edge**\n\n- **The edge strip is off.** In Settings → **Junk Yard**, under **Edge curtain**, **Open a strip of scraps when the pointer hits the screen edge** must be on.\n- **You're aiming at the wrong edge.** **Dock to** sets which edge it lives on — **Top** or **Right**. Push the pointer right up against that edge.\n- **The Junk Yard is switched off.** **Enable Junk Yard on this Mac** is at the top of the same pane.\n- **Performance is set to Minimum — core only.** Minimum is a deliberate lockdown: it stops clipboard capture and the edge strip until you change it.\n\n**Copies stop arriving**\n\n- **Capture is off.** The Junk Yard window's header has a **Capturing** switch; when it reads **Capture off**, \"nothing you copy is saved to the Junk Yard.\"\n- **Watch the clipboard is off** in Settings → **Junk Yard**, so only what you save on purpose is kept.\n- **It was a password.** \"Passwords (from password managers) are never captured.\"\n- **You copied too many files at once.** Copying more than the number set in **Capture a multi-file copy of up to … files** is skipped.\n- **Performance is set to Minimum**, as above.\n\nA busy Mac doesn't pause the Junk Yard: only the Minimum setting you chose yourself does.\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: Checking the switches that control the Junk Yard\nflowchart TD\n  A[Junk Yard won't open or stopped capturing] --> B{Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on?}\n  B -->|No| C[Turn it on]\n  B -->|Yes| D{Is Performance set to Minimum?}\n  D -->|Yes| E[Choose Automatic or another level]\n  D -->|No| F{Strip or capture?}\n  F -->|Strip| G[Turn on the Edge curtain switch and check Dock to]\n  F -->|Capture| H[Turn on Capturing and Watch the clipboard]\n```\n\n*Flowchart — Checking the switches that control the Junk Yard. Outline:*\n\n- Junk Yard won't open or stopped capturing\n  - leads to Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on?\n- Is Enable Junk Yard on this Mac on?\n  - No: leads to Turn it on\n  - Yes: leads to Is Performance set to Minimum?\n- Is Performance set to Minimum?\n  - Yes: leads to Choose Automatic or another level\n  - No: leads to Strip or capture?\n- Strip or capture?\n  - Strip: leads to Turn on the Edge curtain switch and check Dock to\n  - Capture: leads to Turn on Capturing and Watch the clipboard\n\n## How to fix it\n\n1. **Open the Junk Yard another way** so you can see it: the **Junk Yard** tab in the main window, the **Open the Junk Yard** keyboard shortcut (set it in Settings → **Junk Yard** or **Shortcuts**), or the **Junk Yard** button in the Advanced view's popover.\n2. **Check Settings → Junk Yard.** Turn on **Enable Junk Yard on this Mac**, **Watch the clipboard**, and **Open a strip of scraps when the pointer hits the screen edge**, and check **Dock to**.\n3. **Check the Capturing switch** in the Junk Yard window's header.\n4. **Check Performance.** Open **Storage Profile…** from the **More** menu; the performance menu at the top shows the current level. If it says **Minimum**, choose **Automatic — adapts to your Mac** or another level. See [Performance modes](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/performance-modes).\n5. **Copy something** and watch it appear. Copies made while capture was off aren't collected afterwards — copy them again.\n\nIf the strip opens and then closes straight away, make sure you're on the latest version — see [Keeping Storage Studio up to date](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/keeping-storage-studio-up-to-date).\n\nSee also: [The Junk Yard](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/junk-yard) · [Opening the Junk Yard from the screen edge](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/opening-the-junk-yard) · [Clipboard capture, pins and how long items last](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/clipboard-capture) · [Junk Yard shortcuts](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/junk-yard-shortcuts) · [Something's not working: start here](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/troubleshooting-start-here)\n"
}