Spotlight remembers what you copied. Refetch keeps what you choose.

The short answer

Spotlight Clipboard History is built into macOS 26.4. It automatically keeps recent copies so you can search for one and copy it again. It is the right default when the question is, what did I copy?

Refetch never watches the clipboard. You choose the prompt, command, code block, link, image, PDF, video or file worth keeping. Refetch stores it locally as a durable, recognizable resource for the next task, next week or next project.

Use Spotlight if

• You need to recover something you copied recently.
• You want automatic history with no additional app or purchase.
• You are comfortable letting macOS keep the clipboard items you create.

Use Refetch if

• You want to keep selected working context, not every copy.
• You recognize a link by its image, code by its language, and a file by its thumbnail.
• You want search, custom order, optional Groups and bulk actions for a durable library.
• You want local storage with no account, sync, telemetry or passive clipboard history.

Different jobs, useful together

Spotlight is recovery for recent clipboard activity. Refetch is deliberate memory for reusable developer context. You do not need to replace one with the other.

Apple documents Spotlight's history and its privacy controls in the macOS User Guide. Refetch documents every network exception on its own privacy and security page.

For selected-text capture and AI-work alternatives, compare deliberate AI-work scratchpads.

Try the deliberate path

Refetch is free for 14 days, then $19 once for up to 3 Macs. When the trial ends, your saved captures remain searchable, copyable and exportable.