How to Fix Clipboard does not work in Hyper-V

Discover effective solutions to resolve clipboard issues in Hyper-V and enhance your virtualization experience.

Hyper-V is a virtualization technology that is widely used by IT professionals to create and manage virtual machines on Windows. Hyper-V provides a way to create multiple virtual machines on a single physical machine and is essential for businesses that want to consolidate their server infrastructure. One of the common issues that users face while using Hyper-V is the clipboard not working properly. In this article, we will look at the steps you can take to fix the clipboard not working in Hyper-V.

Section 1: Check Integration Services

Integration services are a set of drivers and services that are installed on the guest operating system to improve the performance and functionality of virtual machines. One of the services provided by integration services is the ability to share the clipboard between the guest and host operating systems. If integration services are not installed or enabled, the clipboard may not work properly.

To check if integration services are enabled on both the host and guest operating systems, follow these steps:

1. Open the Hyper-V Manager on the host machine.

2. Select the virtual machine you want to check, and click on the "Settings" option.

3. In the Settings window, click on the "Integration Services" option.

4. Ensure that the "Clipboard" option is selected.

5. Click on "OK" to save the changes.

Repeat these steps for each virtual machine to ensure that integration services are enabled on all of them.

Section 2: Ensure Similar Hyper-V Versions on Guests and Hosts

To ensure that the clipboard works properly, it is essential to have the same version of Hyper-V installed on both the guest and host operating systems. If the versions are not the same, clipboard redirection may not work.

To check the version of Hyper-V installed, follow these steps:

1. Open the Hyper-V Manager on the host machine.

2. Select the virtual machine you want to check, and click on the "Settings" option.

3. In the Settings window, click on the "General" option.

4. Check the "Version" field to see the version of Hyper-V installed on the virtual machine.

Make sure that the version of Hyper-V installed on the guest operating system is the same as the version installed on the host operating system.

Section 3: Review Group Policy Settings

Group policy settings can affect clipboard functionality in Hyper-V. Group policy settings are used to control the behavior of the operating system and can be configured to allow or prohibit clipboard redirection.

To review group policy settings related to clipboard redirection, follow these steps:

1. Open the Group Policy Editor on the host machine.

2. Navigate to "Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Remote Desktop Services/Remote Desktop Session Host/Device and Resource Redirection".

3. Ensure that the "Do not allow clipboard redirection" option is disabled.

If this option is enabled, clipboard redirection will be prohibited, and the clipboard will not work properly in Hyper-V.

Section 4: Resolve Clipboard Issues in Hyper-V

If the clipboard still does not work properly after checking the integration services, ensuring similar Hyper-V versions, and reviewing group policy settings, you can troubleshoot clipboard issues in Hyper-V by following these steps:

1. Reset the RDP session: The first step is to reset the RDP session. This can be done by logging out of the virtual machine and logging back in.

2. Restart the Remote Desktop Services: If resetting the RDP session does not work, try restarting the Remote Desktop Services. This can be done by following these steps:

- Open the Services console on the host machine.

- Locate the "Remote Desktop Services" service and right-click on it.

- Select "Restart" from the context menu.

3. Update the RemoteFX driver: If restarting the Remote Desktop Services does not work, try updating the RemoteFX driver. To do this, follow these steps:

- Open the Device Manager on the virtual machine.

- Locate the "Microsoft RemoteFX Graphics Device - WDDM" device and right-click on it.

- Select "Update Driver Software" from the context menu.

- Follow the instructions in the Update Driver Software wizard to update the driver.

Clipboard issues can be frustrating when using Hyper-V, but there are several steps you can take to fix them. By checking integration services, ensuring similar Hyper-V versions, reviewing group policy settings, and troubleshooting issues, you can ensure that the clipboard works properly in Hyper-V. If you have any additional tips or questions, please leave a comment below.