I Built a Browser-Based Clipboard Sync Tool That Works on Any Device

Tumic — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:24:48 +0000

I switch between my phone, tablet, and laptop constantly. Like many developers, I often copy links, notes, commands, or small files that I want to access on another device.

But surprisingly, moving small pieces of information between devices is still awkward.

Most of the time I end up doing one of these:

emailing something to myself
sending it through a chat app
saving it in a notes app
uploading it to cloud storage

All of that just to move a link or a small snippet of text.

So I decided to build a small side project to solve this problem.

The Idea

The goal was simple:

Create a temporary shared clipboard between devices that works instantly.

No accounts.

No installation.

No setup.

Just open a webpage on multiple devices, enter the same room code, and share content instantly.

That project became ClipSync.

How It Works

ClipSync uses a simple concept: temporary rooms.

Each room acts as a shared clipboard where devices can send and receive content in real time.

Workflow:

Open ClipSync on two or more devices
Enter the same room code
Anything you paste appears instantly on the other devices

You can share:

text
images
files

All connected devices see updates in real time.

Real-Time Sync

To make syncing instant, the application uses WebSockets.

When a user sends text or uploads a file, the server broadcasts the event to every device connected to the same room.

This allows updates to appear immediately without refreshing the page.

Technology Stack

The project is intentionally simple.

Backend

Node.js
Socket.io for real-time communication
Redis for temporary storage

Frontend

Typescript
Modern browser APIs
Responsive layout for mobile and desktop

Redis stores room data and automatically expires entries after a set time.

Temporary Storage

ClipSync is designed for quick temporary sharing, not long-term storage.

Rooms automatically expire after 24 hours.

There are also some limits to keep the service stable:

maximum 30 items per room
maximum 5 files per room
maximum file size of 25 MB
maximum text length of 30,000 characters

If limits are exceeded, the oldest items are removed automatically.

Cross-Platform by Default

Because ClipSync runs entirely in the browser, it works on:

Windows
macOS
Linux
Android
iOS

Any device with a modern browser can join a room and start sharing content instantly.

Why I Built It

This project started as a small experiment, but I quickly realized how often I needed something like this.

Sometimes the simplest tools solve everyday annoyances better than complex solutions.

Instead of installing apps or creating accounts, I just wanted something that works instantly when needed.

Try It

If you're curious, you can try ClipSync here:

https://clipsync.live

I'm always interested in feedback from other developers. If you have ideas for improvements or features, I'd love to hear them.

DEV Community: Tumic