ClipTyper is a native, lightweight Windows background application that monitors a global hotkey (Ctrl + Shift + T), reads text from the system clipboard, and simulates raw keyboard input (keystrokes) to "type" the text into any active window. Extremely helpful for pasting text into environments like remote desktops (RDP), virtual machine consoles, and other systems where pasting is blocked or unsupported.
README
ClipTyper
A lightweight, portable Windows tool that types clipboard text as simulated keyboard input — character by character.
Why? Some environments block Ctrl+V paste (Remote Desktops, KVM consoles, web-based terminals, restricted VMs). ClipTyper bypasses this by simulating real keystrokes via the Windows SendInput API.
⬇️ Download & Installation
Windows Package Manager (WinGet)
You can install the portable version of ClipTyper directly from your terminal:
winget install unpaved028.ClipTyper
Manual Download
Variant
Description
.NET Runtime Required?
Download
Portable
Single .exe self-contained with .NET Runtime – runs instantly anywhere
> 💡 Not sure which version to choose? Grab Portable — it works out of the box on any Windows 10/11 (x64) without requiring any pre-installed framework.
Features
🎯 Paste anywhere — works in RDP sessions, KVM consoles, web terminals, and password fields that block clipboard paste
📦 Fully portable — single .exe, no installation needed
🔒 No admin rights — runs entirely in user-space
⌨️ Hardware-level input — uses SendInput with Unicode characters, not SendKeys
🕐 Configurable timing — adjustable keystroke delay (5–100ms) ensures no characters are dropped
🖥️ Silent background app — runs as a system tray icon, no window
🖱️ Floating overlay button — optional on-screen button for fullscreen RDP sessions where hotkeys are forwarded to the remote machine
⚙️ Customizable hotkey — change the trigger hotkey to any combination you prefer
🔄 Update checker — check for new versions directly from the About dialog
Usage
Basic (Hotkey)
StartClipTyper.exe — it appears in the system tray (notification area)
Copy any text to your clipboard (Ctrl+C)
Click into the target window where you want to type
PressCtrl + Shift + T — ClipTyper types the clipboard content character by character
> Tip: For passwords, copy the password first, then click into the password field and press Ctrl+Shift+T.
Overlay Button (for RDP / Fullscreen Sessions)
When using fullscreen Remote Desktop, global hotkeys like Ctrl+Shift+T are forwarded to the remote session. The overlay button solves this:
Enable the overlay: Right-click tray icon → Settings → check "Show Overlay Button" → Save
A small, semi-transparent ClipTyper icon appears at the edge of your screen
Hover over it — it slides out from the edge
Left-click it — ClipTyper automatically restores focus to your previous window and types the clipboard content
Right-click it to hide or resize
The overlay can be dragged anywhere on screen. When near a screen edge, it "peeks" out with only a small portion visible, sliding in fully on hover.
Settings
Right-click the tray icon → Settings to configure:
Setting
Description
Default
Trigger Hotkey
The keyboard shortcut to trigger typing. Validates if the hotkey is in use.
Ctrl + Shift + T
Keystroke Delay
Delay between each simulated keystroke (5–100ms). Increase for slow/remote targets.
25ms
Show Overlay Button
Enable/disable the floating overlay button.
Disabled
Size
Small (32px), Medium (64px), or Large (128px).
Small
Reset Position
Reset the overlay to the default position (right edge, center).
—
Run at Startup
(WinGet version only) Run ClipTyper automatically on Windows boot.
Enabled
Settings Storage:
WinGet Version: Settings are saved to %AppData%\ClipTyper\settings.json.
Portable / Slim Versions: Settings are saved as settings.json in the same folder as the executable (enabled by the portable.marker file).
How It Works
Clipboard text → SendInput (Unicode keystrokes) → Target application
ClipTyper reads text from the Windows clipboard and uses the native SendInput API with KEYEVENTF_UNICODE to simulate individual key presses. Each character is sent as a separate KeyDown/KeyUp pair with a configurable delay between characters, ensuring reliable input even in slow or remote environments.
Before typing begins, all modifier keys (Ctrl, Shift, Alt) are programmatically released to prevent the hotkey combination from interfering with the typed text.
Overlay Focus Restoration
When triggered via the overlay button, ClipTyper:
Continuously tracks the last active window (that isn't ClipTyper)
Waits 500ms after the click
Restores focus to that window using SetForegroundWindow
Waits another 500ms for the target to process the focus change