diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 3d55638811511..9204a4c9e2ae7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ version = "1.2.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "cf1de2fe8c75bc145a2f577add951f8134889b4795d47466a54a5c846d691693"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "block"
+version = "0.1.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0d8c1fef690941d3e7788d328517591fecc684c084084702d6ff1641e993699a"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "bstr"
 version = "0.2.16"
@@ -59,6 +65,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "jobserver",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "cfg-if"
+version = "0.1.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4785bdd1c96b2a846b2bd7cc02e86b6b3dbf14e7e53446c4f54c92a361040822"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cfg-if"
 version = "1.0.0"
@@ -77,6 +89,30 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "clipboard-win"
+version = "3.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9fdf5e01086b6be750428ba4a40619f847eb2e95756eee84b18e06e5f0b50342"
+dependencies = [
+ "lazy-bytes-cast",
+ "winapi",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "copypasta"
+version = "0.7.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4423d79fed83ebd9ab81ec21fa97144300a961782158287dc9bf7eddac37ff0b"
+dependencies = [
+ "clipboard-win",
+ "objc",
+ "objc-foundation",
+ "objc_id",
+ "smithay-clipboard",
+ "x11-clipboard",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "crossbeam-utils"
 version = "0.8.4"
@@ -84,7 +120,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4feb231f0d4d6af81aed15928e58ecf5816aa62a2393e2c82f46973e92a9a278"
 dependencies = [
  "autocfg",
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "lazy_static",
 ]
 
@@ -120,7 +156,7 @@ version = "2.0.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b98cf8ebf19c3d1b223e151f99a4f9f0690dca41414773390fc824184ac833e1"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "dirs-sys-next",
 ]
 
@@ -135,13 +171,37 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dlib"
+version = "0.4.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b11f15d1e3268f140f68d390637d5e76d849782d971ae7063e0da69fe9709a76"
+dependencies = [
+ "libloading 0.6.7",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "dlib"
+version = "0.5.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ac1b7517328c04c2aa68422fc60a41b92208182142ed04a25879c26c8f878794"
+dependencies = [
+ "libloading 0.7.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "downcast-rs"
+version = "1.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9ea835d29036a4087793836fa931b08837ad5e957da9e23886b29586fb9b6650"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "etcetera"
 version = "0.3.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "016b04fd1e94fb833d432634245c9bb61cf1c7409668a0e7d4c3ab00c5172dec"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "dirs-next",
  "thiserror",
 ]
@@ -233,7 +293,7 @@ version = "0.2.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7fcd999463524c52659517fe2cea98493cfe485d10565e7b0fb07dbba7ad2753"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "libc",
  "wasi",
 ]
@@ -261,6 +321,7 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "helix-core"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "copypasta",
  "etcetera",
  "helix-syntax",
  "once_cell",
@@ -408,7 +469,7 @@ version = "0.1.9"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "61124eeebbd69b8190558df225adf7e4caafce0d743919e5d6b19652314ec5ec"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -438,6 +499,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "lazy-bytes-cast"
+version = "5.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "10257499f089cd156ad82d0a9cd57d9501fa2c989068992a97eb3c27836f206b"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lazy_static"
 version = "1.4.0"
@@ -450,6 +517,26 @@ version = "0.2.95"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "789da6d93f1b866ffe175afc5322a4d76c038605a1c3319bb57b06967ca98a36"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "libloading"
+version = "0.6.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "351a32417a12d5f7e82c368a66781e307834dae04c6ce0cd4456d52989229883"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
+ "winapi",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "libloading"
+version = "0.7.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6f84d96438c15fcd6c3f244c8fce01d1e2b9c6b5623e9c711dc9286d8fc92d6a"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
+ "winapi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lock_api"
 version = "0.4.4"
@@ -465,7 +552,7 @@ version = "0.4.14"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "51b9bbe6c47d51fc3e1a9b945965946b4c44142ab8792c50835a980d362c2710"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -487,6 +574,15 @@ version = "0.1.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c41e0c4fef86961ac6d6f8a82609f55f31b05e4fce149ac5710e439df7619ba4"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "malloc_buf"
+version = "0.0.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "62bb907fe88d54d8d9ce32a3cceab4218ed2f6b7d35617cafe9adf84e43919cb"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "matches"
 version = "0.1.8"
@@ -499,6 +595,15 @@ version = "2.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b16bd47d9e329435e309c58469fe0791c2d0d1ba96ec0954152a5ae2b04387dc"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "memmap2"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d9b70ca2a6103ac8b665dc150b142ef0e4e89df640c9e6cf295d189c3caebe5a"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "mio"
 version = "0.7.11"
@@ -527,6 +632,40 @@ version = "1.0.4"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "e4a24736216ec316047a1fc4252e27dabb04218aa4a3f37c6e7ddbf1f9782b54"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "nix"
+version = "0.18.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "83450fe6a6142ddd95fb064b746083fc4ef1705fe81f64a64e1d4b39f54a1055"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "cc",
+ "cfg-if 0.1.10",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "nix"
+version = "0.20.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "fa9b4819da1bc61c0ea48b63b7bc8604064dd43013e7cc325df098d49cd7c18a"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "cc",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "nom"
+version = "6.1.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e7413f999671bd4745a7b624bd370a569fb6bc574b23c83a3c5ed2e453f3d5e2"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+ "version_check",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ntapi"
 version = "0.3.6"
@@ -565,6 +704,35 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc"
+version = "0.2.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "915b1b472bc21c53464d6c8461c9d3af805ba1ef837e1cac254428f4a77177b1"
+dependencies = [
+ "malloc_buf",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "objc-foundation"
+version = "0.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1add1b659e36c9607c7aab864a76c7a4c2760cd0cd2e120f3fb8b952c7e22bf9"
+dependencies = [
+ "block",
+ "objc",
+ "objc_id",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "objc_id"
+version = "0.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c92d4ddb4bd7b50d730c215ff871754d0da6b2178849f8a2a2ab69712d0c073b"
+dependencies = [
+ "objc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "once_cell"
 version = "1.7.2"
@@ -588,7 +756,7 @@ version = "0.8.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "fa7a782938e745763fe6907fc6ba86946d72f49fe7e21de074e08128a99fb018"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
+ "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "instant",
  "libc",
  "redox_syscall",
@@ -620,6 +788,12 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8b870d8c151b6f2fb93e84a13146138f05d02ed11c7e7c54f8826aaaf7c9f184"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pkg-config"
+version = "0.3.19"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3831453b3449ceb48b6d9c7ad7c96d5ea673e9b470a1dc578c2ce6521230884c"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "proc-macro2"
 version = "1.0.27"
@@ -742,6 +916,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi-util",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "scoped-tls"
+version = "1.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ea6a9290e3c9cf0f18145ef7ffa62d68ee0bf5fcd651017e586dc7fd5da448c2"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "scopeguard"
 version = "1.1.0"
@@ -831,6 +1011,33 @@ version = "1.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "fe0f37c9e8f3c5a4a66ad655a93c74daac4ad00c441533bf5c6e7990bb42604e"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "smithay-client-toolkit"
+version = "0.12.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4750c76fd5d3ac95fa3ed80fe667d6a3d8590a960e5b575b98eea93339a80b80"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "dlib 0.4.2",
+ "lazy_static",
+ "log",
+ "memmap2",
+ "nix 0.18.0",
+ "wayland-client",
+ "wayland-cursor",
+ "wayland-protocols",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "smithay-clipboard"
+version = "0.6.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "06384dfaf645908220d976ae24ed39f6cf92efecb0225ea0a948e403014de527"
+dependencies = [
+ "smithay-client-toolkit",
+ "wayland-client",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "syn"
 version = "1.0.72"
@@ -1054,6 +1261,79 @@ version = "0.10.2+wasi-snapshot-preview1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "fd6fbd9a79829dd1ad0cc20627bf1ed606756a7f77edff7b66b7064f9cb327c6"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-client"
+version = "0.28.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "06ca44d86554b85cf449f1557edc6cc7da935cc748c8e4bf1c507cbd43bae02c"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "downcast-rs",
+ "libc",
+ "nix 0.20.0",
+ "scoped-tls",
+ "wayland-commons",
+ "wayland-scanner",
+ "wayland-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-commons"
+version = "0.28.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8bd75ae380325dbcff2707f0cd9869827ea1d2d6d534cff076858d3f0460fd5a"
+dependencies = [
+ "nix 0.20.0",
+ "once_cell",
+ "smallvec",
+ "wayland-sys",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-cursor"
+version = "0.28.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b37e5455ec72f5de555ec39b5c3704036ac07c2ecd50d0bffe02d5fe2d4e65ab"
+dependencies = [
+ "nix 0.20.0",
+ "wayland-client",
+ "xcursor",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-protocols"
+version = "0.28.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "95df3317872bcf9eec096c864b69aa4769a1d5d6291a5b513f8ba0af0efbd52c"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags",
+ "wayland-client",
+ "wayland-commons",
+ "wayland-scanner",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-scanner"
+version = "0.28.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "389d680d7bd67512dc9c37f39560224327038deb0f0e8d33f870900441b68720"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "xml-rs",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "wayland-sys"
+version = "0.28.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "2907bd297eef464a95ba9349ea771611771aa285b932526c633dc94d5400a8e2"
+dependencies = [
+ "dlib 0.5.0",
+ "lazy_static",
+ "pkg-config",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "winapi"
 version = "0.3.9"
@@ -1084,3 +1364,37 @@ name = "winapi-x86_64-pc-windows-gnu"
 version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "712e227841d057c1ee1cd2fb22fa7e5a5461ae8e48fa2ca79ec42cfc1931183f"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "x11-clipboard"
+version = "0.5.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b397ace6e980510de59a4fe3d4c758dffab231d6d747ce9fa1aba6b6035d5f32"
+dependencies = [
+ "xcb",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "xcb"
+version = "0.9.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "62056f63138b39116f82a540c983cc11f1c90cd70b3d492a70c25eaa50bd22a6"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "log",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "xcursor"
+version = "0.3.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3a9a231574ae78801646617cefd13bfe94be907c0e4fa979cfd8b770aa3c5d08"
+dependencies = [
+ "nom",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "xml-rs"
+version = "0.8.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b07db065a5cf61a7e4ba64f29e67db906fb1787316516c4e6e5ff0fea1efcd8a"
diff --git a/helix-core/Cargo.toml b/helix-core/Cargo.toml
index 6ae244f9b87de..b272467147e99 100644
--- a/helix-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/helix-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ unicode-width = "0.1"
 tree-sitter = "0.19"
 once_cell = "1.4"
 regex = "1"
+copypasta = "0.7"
 
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
 toml = "0.5"
diff --git a/helix-core/src/register.rs b/helix-core/src/register.rs
index 0be0ce8971aa4..8c1ab310b6854 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/register.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/register.rs
@@ -6,16 +6,35 @@ use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::RwLock};
 static REGISTRY: Lazy<RwLock<HashMap<char, Vec<String>>>> =
     Lazy::new(|| RwLock::new(HashMap::new()));
 
+const SYSTEM_CLIPBOARD_REGISTER: char = '+';
+
+// TODO: we need a way to hook to system clipboard events to replace "+ register value
+// when appropriate
+pub fn system_clipboard_updated(content: String) {
+    REGISTRY.write().unwrap().insert(SYSTEM_CLIPBOARD_REGISTER, vec![content]);
+}
+
+/// Read register values.
 pub fn get(register: char) -> Option<Vec<String>> {
     let registry = REGISTRY.read().unwrap();
-
     // TODO: no cloning
     registry.get(&register).cloned()
 }
 
+/// Store values into the register.
+/// `+` is a special register interfaced with system clipboard.
 // restoring: bool
 pub fn set(register: char, values: Vec<String>) {
-    let mut registry = REGISTRY.write().unwrap();
+    if register == SYSTEM_CLIPBOARD_REGISTER {
+        let _ = set_clipboard_content(values.join("\n"));
+    }
 
+    let mut registry = REGISTRY.write().unwrap();
     registry.insert(register, values);
 }
+
+fn set_clipboard_content(value: String) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>> {
+    use copypasta::{ClipboardProvider, ClipboardContext};
+    ClipboardContext::new()?.set_contents(value)
+}
+