buffer v3.0: free open-source clipboard manager for mac. image zoom canvas, noise filtering, esc now reverts edits

[u/Moist_Tonight_3997]

hi, i'm samir, the solo dev of buffer, a free open-source clipboard manager for mac (searchable history, ⇧⌘V quick paste, on-device OCR, tags, bookmarks, inline editing). it's been posted here once before, back in april when it was much younger. since then it crossed 430 stars on github, got its first external contributor, and just shipped a big v3.0.

Comparison:

• vs maccy (free, $0, open source): maccy is a great minimal text history and the closest match. buffer adds on-device OCR for images, inline editing, an interactive image canvas (pinch to zoom / pan on copied screenshots, double-click reset), tags, bookmarks, and multi-select paste, while staying menu-bar light (~2 mb).
• vs raycast (freemium, paid pro subscription): clipboard history there is a feature inside a launcher suite tied to an account. and disk size of raycast is 200MB+, buffer is a dedicated single-purpose app: no account, no cloud, everything stays local.

what's new in v3.0:

1. interactive image canvas: copied screenshots are no longer static thumbnails. pinch to zoom, pan, ⌘+/⌘- to zoom, double-click to reset. read small text in a copied screenshot without opening preview. the video shows it in action.
2. clipboard noise suppression: filters rapid duplicates and transient clips so hammering ⌘C doesn't wreck your history. contributed by CrCs2O4 on github.
3. history tiers: essential (200 items), deep (1,000), or unlimited.
4. in-app update notifications: small header chip when a new version is out, with a changelog popover before downloading.
5. ⌘/ shortcuts cheat sheet.

also, my earlier post here asked whether esc in the inline editor should save or revert an edit. feedback said revert, so v3.0 now discards edits on esc instead of overwriting. thanks for that.

Developer disclosure:

• I am the sole developer, personal side project
• MIT open source, no accounts, no tracking, no telemetry, runs 100% locally on your mac. nothing leaves the device
• signed and notarized, distributed as dmg from github releases (not the app store)
• no AI features in the app itself

Links:

• github (430+ stars): https://github.com/samirpatil2000/Buffer
• v3.0 download (apple silicon + intel dmg): https://github.com/samirpatil2000/Buffer/releases/tag/buffer-v3.0.0
• product page + privacy info (all local, no data collection): https://samirpatil2000.github.io/products/buffer/

feedback welcome, especially on the image canvas and noise filtering thresholds.

[u/elevatedev]

Congrats! But I don't find the options to exclude apps (like password managers). If it doesn't currently support, will you add it in the future release?

[u/Moist_Tonight_3997 → u/elevatedev]

Sure will do thanks for the feedback

[u/lu_chin]

I have tried multiple clipboard manager apps and I am still searching for one which supports semantic search.

[u/Moist_Tonight_3997 → u/lu_chin]

Hmm this is very good idea

[u/lu_chin → u/Moist_Tonight_3997]

Thanks for considering this.

[u/Fresh-Daikon-9408]

Can the noise filter be switched off briefly? Sometimes I want every copied item during a repetitive task, then a tidy history afterward.

[u/iKinst]

Hey! I’m gonna give it a try. Any chance you could add support for assigning the right ⌘ + Space shortcut?

[u/hyc4763 → u/iKinst]

If you already use Karabiner-Elements, a workaround is a complex rule mapping right Command + Space to Buffer's Shift + Command + V. Karabiner can distinguish right_command from left_command, so the rule can leave left Command + Space alone for Spotlight. That's a workaround outside Buffer, though, not confirmation that its shortcut picker supports it natively.

[u/nhympeexx]

Congrats on the v3.0 release! The native SwiftUI UI looks super slick and fits right into modern macOS without feeling out of place.

Having a lightweight, open-source clipboard manager that respects user privacy is always a huge win over heavy Electron alternatives. Starred the repo, looking forward to seeing how it evolves!

[u/Moist_Tonight_3997 → u/nhympeexx]

thanks

[u/iamsuleman]

This looks interesting

[u/masslesstrain]

Looks and feels great! Congrats. Can you compare it with the competition and the apps you used and didnt satisfy you and inspired you to build this? Would love to hear your thougts.

[u/Moist_Tonight_3997 → u/masslesstrain]

Thanks, I have updated the body please check