Historic! Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge to change your copy-paste method

Google Chrome is one of the most powerful web browsers available today, and Google’s Chromium team is always looking at adding new features to the popular browser. In fact, the Chromium browser engine not only powers Chrome, but also Microsoft Edge, Brave browser, Vivaldi, Opera, and more. Then there is Microsoft, freshly off announcing its Windows 11 OS. A new report suggests that Microsoft and Google are working on a new and updated feature that will drastically change the copy-paste functionality, which computer users have come to love so much that it has become almost like second nature to them. Ostensibly, they say they are set to improve the ability of Chrome and Edge users to copy and paste files between devices through the update.

According to a report by Windows Latest, Microsoft and Google are working on a new application programming interface (API) called the Pickle Clipboard API that will affect how the browser allows users to copy and paste content in the app. The new API should make it a lot easier for users to be able to copy different kinds of files from apps on the system, then paste them into the browser and vice versa, according to the report.

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How does the Pickle API improve copy and paste functionality?

Chrome and Edge are both able to copy and paste files, but you can only do so for text files, images like JPEG and PNG files and some web components like HTML files. However, users are constantly trying and using other file formats on a regular basis, whether they are document files, PSD files from Photoshop, or PS and TIFF files used for printing. According to the report, users will be able to take advantage of the Pickle API on Windows, macOS, Android and other platforms.

When will the Pickle API launch on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge?

At the moment, there is no official announcement about the arrival of the Pickle API for either Google Chrome or for Microsoft Edge. However, the feature is likely to arrive on both browser’s ‘Canary’ testing channels before they make their way to the Dev and Beta channels. Once the feature has been deemed to be stable, it could make its way to the stable version of the browser. This process could take weeks, or even months, depending on the time it takes to implement such an important feature.

What about other browsers based on the Chromium engine?

Most popular browsers (with the exception of Mozilla Firefox) now use Google’s Chromium browser engine, which means that once the feature has been implemented, it is likely to show up in other browsers, unless the browser developer chooses not to add in the feature. The report notes that the copying and pasting would take place on the operating system’s (like Windows) clipboard, instead of the browser, which is something that the developers will need to keep in mind.