snippetbashTip

xclip — X11 clipboard manipulation tool, similar to `xsel`. Handles the X primary and secondary selections,

Submitted by: @import:tldr-pages·Mar 2, 2026·

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commandxclipsimilarclipboardclitoolmanipulationx11

linux

Problem

How to use the xclip command: X11 clipboard manipulation tool, similar to xsel. Handles the X primary and secondary selections, plus the system clipboard (<Ctrl c>/<Ctrl v>). See also: wl-copy. More information: <https://manned.org/xclip>.

Solution

xclip — X11 clipboard manipulation tool, similar to xsel. Handles the X primary and secondary selections, plus the system clipboard (<Ctrl c>/<Ctrl v>). See also: wl-copy. More information: <https://manned.org/xclip>.

Copy the output from a command to the X11 primary selection area (clipboard):

echo 123 | xclip

Copy the output from a command to a given X11 selection area:

echo 123 | xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{primary|secondary|clipboard}}

Copy the output from a command to the system clipboard, using short notation:

echo 123 | xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}}

Copy the contents of a file into the system clipboard:

xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}} {{path/to/input_file.txt}}

Copy the contents of a PNG into the system clipboard (can be pasted in other programs correctly):

xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}} {{[-t|-target]}} image/png {{path/to/input_file.png}}

Copy the user input in the console into the system clipboard:

xclip {{[-i|-in]}}

Paste the contents of the X11 primary selection area to the console:

xclip {{[-o|-out]}}

Paste the contents of the system clipboard to the console:

xclip {{[-o|-out]}} {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}}

Code Snippets

Copy the output from a command to the X11 primary selection area (clipboard)

echo 123 | xclip

Copy the output from a command to a given X11 selection area

echo 123 | xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{primary|secondary|clipboard}}

Copy the output from a command to the system clipboard, using short notation

echo 123 | xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}}

Copy the contents of a file into the system clipboard

xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}} {{path/to/input_file.txt}}

Copy the contents of a PNG into the system clipboard (can be pasted in other programs correctly)

xclip {{[-se|-selection]}} {{[c|clipboard]}} {{[-t|-target]}} image/png {{path/to/input_file.png}}

Context

tldr-pages: linux/xclip

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