Apple agrees to build iPhone-to-Windows clipboard sync under EU pressure

Apple ↗ 0.29% has confirmed it will develop a feature enabling seamless clipboard sharing between iPhones and Windows PCs, following a formal interoperability request from Microsoft ↗ 0.03% filed under the European Union's Digital Markets Act. The feature, which Apple has described as a "significant engineering effort," is expected to be completed by fall 2027 and released publicly sometime thereafter — likely as part of iOS 28.

How the Request Unfolded

MacRumors first spotted the request on Apple's EU Interoperability Requests portal, with 9to5Mac providing additional details. Microsoft submitted the request on March 25, 2026, arguing that "cross-device copy and paste is a foundational productivity interaction that users expect to 'just work' across their primary devices".windowscentral+2

Apple acknowledged the request on March 31 and moved it to an advanced evaluation phase on April 27. On June 26, Apple confirmed it would proceed with development, outlining a technical approach modeled on the Accessory Notifications and Accessory Live Activities frameworks introduced in iOS 26.5.9to5mac+1

What the Feature Will Look Like

Under the current plan, Microsoft will use Apple's AccessorySetupKit framework to pair a Windows PC with an iPhone through a one-time consent prompt. Once paired, clipboard content copied on either device would sync automatically in the background — eliminating the current requirement that a third-party app be running in the foreground and that users grant permission for each individual transfer.pcworld+3

Microsoft outlined three core use cases: copying content on an iPhone and pasting directly on a Windows PC (and vice versa), performing productivity workflows without foregrounding an app, and experiencing clipboard sync as a "lightweight, continuous capability".windowscentral+1

EU-Only Limitation and Timeline

Because the feature stems from a DMA interoperability request, Apple is under no obligation to offer it outside the EU. However, as AppleInsider noted, Apple has in some cases extended DMA-driven features globally — such as emulation capabilities that were later released worldwide.techspot+2

Apple estimates development will be complete by fall 2027, followed by a developer beta period before a public release, making a general availability date before 2028 unlikely.windowscentral+2