For Clipy users
Migrate from Clipy — a free alternative for macOS
Tameo keeps the feel of the classic Clipy and adds full-text history search, OCR search inside images, and encrypted history — a fully local, free, open-source (MIT) clipboard manager with no third-party SDKs like Firebase. It takes Clipy’s behavior as reference but reuses none of its code, rebuilt from scratch and Apple-Silicon-native. Your Clipy snippets import directly.
Note: Clipy itself was revived in 1.3.0 (2026-06-20) with native Apple Silicon support and a rebuilt database. Both are good tools — this isn’t a “you must switch,” but an option for people who specifically want search, OCR, and a no-SDK local app.
Why switch from Clipy
Searchable history (and image OCR)
Type to full-text search your history — Japanese IME and full/half-width and kana variants all match. On-device OCR even finds and pastes the text inside copied images and screenshots. The history database is always encrypted at rest with AES-GCM. Clipy 1.3.0 has none of these yet.
Fully local, no Firebase
No servers, accounts, or analytics — and no third-party SDKs like Firebase. Your history stays on your Mac. Being open source (MIT), anyone can verify in code that nothing is sent (Clipy 1.3.0 bundles Firebase).
Clean-room implementation
Built from scratch (SwiftUI + SwiftData), taking only Clipy’s behavior as reference and reusing none of its code. Apple-Silicon-native, signed and notarized, and auto-updating via Sparkle — made for modern macOS.
Strong Japanese input / JIS support
Paste works correctly on JIS layouts and kana input, and search folds kana/width variants — without the key-layout mismatches common to non-Japanese tools (a strength inherited from Clipy). The app’s UI itself is in English.
Migrating from Clipy to Tameo
- 1
Install Tameo
Open the downloaded DMG and drag Tameo into Applications. It’s signed and notarized, so it launches without Gatekeeper warnings. Or install it with Homebrew:
brew install --cask supergodak/tap/tameo - 2
Grant Accessibility
On first launch, enable Tameo under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility. This permission lets it paste the item you pick straight into the frontmost app — the same mechanism Clipy uses.
- 3
Bring your Clipy snippets across
In Clipy, export your snippets to XML, then import that file in Tameo under Settings > Snippets. Your folder structure comes across intact.
- 4
It works much like Clipy
Press ⌘⇧V for the history palette and 1–0 to paste. Just keep copying as usual and your history fills up. If you were comfortable in Clipy, you’ll need no manual.
About your history’s privacy
Clipboard history can hold things you’d rather not expose — email, addresses, work data. Tameo stores history only on your device and never sends it anywhere. Items password managers mark as concealed are never recorded. In the background it only checks what kind of data is present; it reads the content only when you pick an item.
Frequently asked questions
- How is this different from Clipy 1.3.0?
- Clipy was revived in 1.3.0 (2026-06-20) with native Apple Silicon support and a rebuilt database. What Tameo has that Clipy 1.3.0 does not: full-text history search, OCR search inside images, and an AES-GCM encrypted history database. Tameo also bundles no third-party SDKs such as Firebase.
- Can I migrate from Clipy, and do my snippets carry over?
- Yes. Export your snippets to XML in Clipy, then import that file under Settings ▸ Snippets in Tameo — your folder structure comes across intact. History itself is not migrated, but the workflow is nearly identical to Clipy (⌘⇧V for the palette, 1–0 to paste), so you can start without reading a manual.
- Can I install it with Homebrew?
- Yes — brew install --cask supergodak/tap/tameo. You can also download the signed and notarized DMG directly from the site; either way, automatic updates via Sparkle are enabled.
- Is it free to use as a Clipy replacement?
- It is free. Open source under the MIT license, with no paid tier, no subscription, and no account to create.
- Is my history ever sent anywhere?
- No. Clipboard history is stored only on your Mac, and the database is always encrypted at rest with AES-GCM. There are no servers, accounts, analytics, or telemetry, and no third-party SDKs such as Firebase. The source is public, so anyone can verify in code that nothing leaves the device.