Are you tired of the constant copy and paste in Windows 7? If you need to use the same data twice in a row, you’re fine. If you need to copy and paste different items and only repeat now and again, you have to go through the steps for each paste you do. What if there was a better way to manage the clipboard in Windows 7? While many extensions exist for this very purpose, one of the easiest to use is Ditto. The free open source extension will make life easier for those who religiously use the Windows clipboard.
Where To Start
The easiest way to get started with Ditto is to download the right version for your system. Versions are available for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. It’s nice to finally see developers remembering that some of us do have 64-bit systems and need software too. The download links are on the right side of the screen. The 3.2 MB file should only take a few minutes to download on slower connections.
Install Ditto. Follow the prompts, most of which you can leave at the defaults, such as language and installation folder. If you’re like me, you hate programs that start as Windows boots since this causes a lag in boot time. If you don’t mind Ditto starting with Windows, leave the box checked during installation. If you’d rather start it manually when you need it, uncheck the Windows startup box before completing the installation.
When the installation ends, go ahead and let the installer launch Ditto for you. Also let the help file load. While I’ll cover some of the basics, having the help file on hand will answer some questions I may not answer here. Please note that the Windows Firewall may want to block Ditto from starting. Press Allow Access to add Ditto to the allow list.
Where’s Ditto
Ditto isn’t exactly an application so much as it’s an extension. At the moment, all you’ll see is the help file in your browser window. So where is Ditto you may ask. Be patient, we’ll get to that in a moment. Take a moment to copy a few different types of things, such as text, folders, files, etc. Ensure you copy at least three things so you can play around with Ditto a little. Copy items quickly by pressing Ctrl + C.
Now, you’re ready to open Ditto. Press Ctrl + ` to open the program. If you’re looking around frantically for the back apostrophe, don’t feel bad. I did the same thing. The second key is actually the tilde or ~ key, usually found below the Esc key. You can also open Ditto at any time by clicking the small blue icon in the notification tray.
You’ll see a list of everything you’ve copied in the small window that appears. This is perfect for copying text or files for use later. Once they are in Ditto, you no longer need the original source window open.
Pasting From Ditto
When you’re ready to paste an item, open the window or program you want to paste the item to. For instance, if I wanted to copy this article into a new document, I’d first copy all the text. Next, I’d open a new document window. Finally, I’d open Ditto.
Select your copied text or time from the list and either double-click it or press Enter to paste it into the window you opened directly before Ditto.
Keyboard Shortcuts
For help using Ditto, keep this list of keyboard shortcuts handy. These are all directly from the Ditto help file.
Ctrl + ` – Open Ditto.
Esc – Close Ditto.
Ctrl + Space – Always show Ditto on top of other screens.
Alt + Enter – See properties of copied item.
Shift + Enter – Paste text without formatting.
Ctrl + A – Select all copied clips.
Ctrl + F7 – Create a new clip group (groups are listed below the main Ditto window for organizing copied clips).
Alt + End – List of all groups.
Ctrl + X, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V – When used within Ditto, you can cut, copy and paste clips to groups.
End Ditto
Right click the Ditto icon in the notification tray to disconnect the extension from the Windows clipboard if you no longer want to collect clips. You can also access advanced configuration options through the Options menu.