> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://compresto.app/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Clipboard compression

> Automatically compress files and images as soon as you copy them

## Overview

When clipboard compression is on, Compresto watches your clipboard. Copy a file in Finder or take a screenshot to the clipboard, and Compresto compresses it in the background and puts the compressed file back on the clipboard, ready to paste.

## How to enable

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Open **Settings** > **Folder Monitoring**
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Turn on **Auto-compress clipboard contents**
  </Step>
</Steps>

The setting is off by default. Once enabled, it stays on across app launches.

## What gets compressed

| You copy | What Compresto does |
| - | - |
| **Files in Finder** | Compresses supported files from their original location |
| **Image data** (e.g. a screenshot copied to the clipboard) | Saves it as PNG, then compresses it |
| **PDF, GIF, or video data** | Saves it to a temporary file, then compresses it |

Supported file types: video, image, GIF, PDF, and EPUB.

<Note>
  PDFs are skipped if [Ghostscript](/docs/guides/getting-started/install-ghostscript) isn't set up.
</Note>

## Settings used

Clipboard compression uses your [Drop Zone](/docs/customization/drop-zone) settings, including its **Compression settings** mode and output folder. If Drop Zone is set to a [preset](/docs/customization/presets), clipboard compression uses that preset too.

Clipboard compression never removes the original file, and it doesn't use target file size.

## After compression

* The compressed files are copied back to the clipboard, so you can paste them right away
* A notification tells you where the files were saved
* If [AI renaming](/docs/customization/ai-renaming) renames the output, the clipboard is updated with the new file

<Tip>
  Copy several files quickly and Compresto groups them into one batch. Files copied while a job is running are queued.
</Tip>


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