diff --git a/axum-core/src/extract/from_ref.rs b/axum-core/src/extract/from_ref.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c0124140e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/axum-core/src/extract/from_ref.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/// Used to do reference-to-value conversions thus not consuming the input value.
+///
+/// This is mainly used with [`State`] to extract "substates" from a reference to main application
+/// state.
+///
+/// See [`State`] for more details on how library authors should use this trait.
+///
+/// [`State`]: https://docs.rs/axum/0.6/axum/extract/struct.State.html
+// NOTE: This trait is defined in axum-core, even though it is mainly used with `State` which is
+// defined in axum. That allows crate authors to use it when implementing extractors.
+pub trait FromRef<T> {
+    /// Converts to this type from a reference to the input type.
+    fn from_ref(input: &T) -> Self;
+}
+
+impl<T> FromRef<T> for T
+where
+    T: Clone,
+{
+    fn from_ref(input: &T) -> Self {
+        input.clone()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/axum-core/src/extract/mod.rs b/axum-core/src/extract/mod.rs
index f9de0f399d..ade7bf0345 100644
--- a/axum-core/src/extract/mod.rs
+++ b/axum-core/src/extract/mod.rs
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@ use std::convert::Infallible;
 
 pub mod rejection;
 
+mod from_ref;
 mod request_parts;
 mod tuple;
 
+pub use self::from_ref::FromRef;
+
 /// Types that can be created from requests.
 ///
 /// See [`axum::extract`] for more details.
diff --git a/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/mod.rs b/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/mod.rs
index 38ecbbe54b..44842d039c 100644
--- a/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/mod.rs
+++ b/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/mod.rs
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ fn set_cookies(jar: cookie::CookieJar, headers: &mut HeaderMap) {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
-    use axum::{body::Body, http::Request, routing::get, Router};
+    use axum::{body::Body, extract::FromRef, http::Request, routing::get, Router};
     use tower::ServiceExt;
 
     macro_rules! cookie_test {
@@ -308,15 +308,15 @@ mod tests {
         custom_key: CustomKey,
     }
 
-    impl From<AppState> for Key {
-        fn from(state: AppState) -> Key {
-            state.key
+    impl FromRef<AppState> for Key {
+        fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> Key {
+            state.key.clone()
         }
     }
 
-    impl From<AppState> for CustomKey {
-        fn from(state: AppState) -> CustomKey {
-            state.custom_key
+    impl FromRef<AppState> for CustomKey {
+        fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> CustomKey {
+            state.custom_key.clone()
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/private.rs b/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/private.rs
index 7540b1764f..d3705fb2be 100644
--- a/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/private.rs
+++ b/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/private.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use super::{cookies_from_request, set_cookies, Cookie, Key};
 use axum::{
     async_trait,
-    extract::{FromRequest, RequestParts},
+    extract::{FromRef, FromRequest, RequestParts},
     response::{IntoResponse, IntoResponseParts, Response, ResponseParts},
 };
 use cookie::PrivateJar;
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use std::{convert::Infallible, fmt, marker::PhantomData};
 /// use axum::{
 ///     Router,
 ///     routing::{post, get},
-///     extract::TypedHeader,
+///     extract::{TypedHeader, FromRef},
 ///     response::{IntoResponse, Redirect},
 ///     headers::authorization::{Authorization, Bearer},
 ///     http::StatusCode,
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ use std::{convert::Infallible, fmt, marker::PhantomData};
 /// }
 ///
 /// // this impl tells `SignedCookieJar` how to access the key from our state
-/// impl From<AppState> for Key {
-///     fn from(state: AppState) -> Self {
-///         state.key
+/// impl FromRef<AppState> for Key {
+///     fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> Self {
+///         state.key.clone()
 ///     }
 /// }
 ///
@@ -90,15 +90,14 @@ impl<K> fmt::Debug for PrivateCookieJar<K> {
 impl<S, B, K> FromRequest<S, B> for PrivateCookieJar<K>
 where
     B: Send,
-    S: Into<K> + Clone + Send,
-    K: Into<Key> + Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    S: Send,
+    K: FromRef<S> + Into<Key>,
 {
     type Rejection = Infallible;
 
     async fn from_request(req: &mut RequestParts<S, B>) -> Result<Self, Self::Rejection> {
-        let state = req.state().clone();
-        let key: K = state.into();
-        let key: Key = key.into();
+        let k = K::from_ref(req.state());
+        let key = k.into();
         let PrivateCookieJar {
             jar,
             key,
diff --git a/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/signed.rs b/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/signed.rs
index d56a8eb567..74da2a11ae 100644
--- a/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/signed.rs
+++ b/axum-extra/src/extract/cookie/signed.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use super::{cookies_from_request, set_cookies};
 use axum::{
     async_trait,
-    extract::{FromRequest, RequestParts},
+    extract::{FromRef, FromRequest, RequestParts},
     response::{IntoResponse, IntoResponseParts, Response, ResponseParts},
 };
 use cookie::SignedJar;
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use std::{convert::Infallible, fmt, marker::PhantomData};
 /// use axum::{
 ///     Router,
 ///     routing::{post, get},
-///     extract::TypedHeader,
+///     extract::{TypedHeader, FromRef},
 ///     response::{IntoResponse, Redirect},
 ///     headers::authorization::{Authorization, Bearer},
 ///     http::StatusCode,
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ use std::{convert::Infallible, fmt, marker::PhantomData};
 /// }
 ///
 /// // this impl tells `SignedCookieJar` how to access the key from our state
-/// impl From<AppState> for Key {
-///     fn from(state: AppState) -> Self {
-///         state.key
+/// impl FromRef<AppState> for Key {
+///     fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> Self {
+///         state.key.clone()
 ///     }
 /// }
 ///
@@ -108,15 +108,14 @@ impl<K> fmt::Debug for SignedCookieJar<K> {
 impl<S, B, K> FromRequest<S, B> for SignedCookieJar<K>
 where
     B: Send,
-    S: Into<K> + Clone + Send,
-    K: Into<Key> + Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    S: Send,
+    K: FromRef<S> + Into<Key>,
 {
     type Rejection = Infallible;
 
     async fn from_request(req: &mut RequestParts<S, B>) -> Result<Self, Self::Rejection> {
-        let state = req.state().clone();
-        let key: K = state.into();
-        let key: Key = key.into();
+        let k = K::from_ref(req.state());
+        let key = k.into();
         let SignedCookieJar {
             jar,
             key,
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/mod.rs b/axum/src/extract/mod.rs
index c4aeb3ad70..081793a83c 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/mod.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/mod.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ mod request_parts;
 mod state;
 
 #[doc(inline)]
-pub use axum_core::extract::{FromRequest, RequestParts};
+pub use axum_core::extract::{FromRef, FromRequest, RequestParts};
 
 #[doc(inline)]
 #[allow(deprecated)]
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/state.rs b/axum/src/extract/state.rs
index 9991ad45c2..94ccf5b1a6 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/state.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/state.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use async_trait::async_trait;
-use axum_core::extract::{FromRequest, RequestParts};
+use axum_core::extract::{FromRef, FromRequest, RequestParts};
 use std::{
     convert::Infallible,
     ops::{Deref, DerefMut},
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ use std::{
 /// [`State`] only allows a single state type but you can use [`From`] to extract "substates":
 ///
 /// ```
-/// use axum::{Router, routing::get, extract::State};
+/// use axum::{Router, routing::get, extract::{State, FromRef}};
 ///
 /// // the application state
 /// #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -105,9 +105,9 @@ use std::{
 /// struct ApiState {}
 ///
 /// // support converting an `AppState` in an `ApiState`
-/// impl From<AppState> for ApiState {
-///     fn from(app_state: AppState) -> ApiState {
-///         app_state.api_state
+/// impl FromRef<AppState> for ApiState {
+///     fn from_ref(app_state: &AppState) -> ApiState {
+///         app_state.api_state.clone()
 ///     }
 /// }
 ///
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ use std::{
 /// to do it:
 ///
 /// ```rust
-/// use axum_core::extract::{FromRequest, RequestParts};
+/// use axum_core::extract::{FromRequest, RequestParts, FromRef};
 /// use async_trait::async_trait;
 /// use std::convert::Infallible;
 ///
@@ -151,14 +151,15 @@ use std::{
 /// where
 ///     B: Send,
 ///     // keep `S` generic but require that it can produce a `MyLibraryState`
-///     // this means users will have to implement `From<UserState> for MyLibraryState`
-///     S: Into<MyLibraryState> + Clone + Send,
+///     // this means users will have to implement `FromRef<UserState> for MyLibraryState`
+///     MyLibraryState: FromRef<S>,
+///     S: Send,
 /// {
 ///     type Rejection = Infallible;
 ///
 ///     async fn from_request(req: &mut RequestParts<S, B>) -> Result<Self, Self::Rejection> {
-///         // get a `MyLibraryState` from the shared application state
-///         let state: MyLibraryState = req.state().clone().into();
+///         // get a `MyLibraryState` from a reference to the state
+///         let state = MyLibraryState::from_ref(req.state());
 ///
 ///         // ...
 ///         # todo!()
@@ -180,13 +181,13 @@ pub struct State<S>(pub S);
 impl<B, OuterState, InnerState> FromRequest<OuterState, B> for State<InnerState>
 where
     B: Send,
-    OuterState: Clone + Into<InnerState> + Send,
+    InnerState: FromRef<OuterState>,
+    OuterState: Send,
 {
     type Rejection = Infallible;
 
     async fn from_request(req: &mut RequestParts<OuterState, B>) -> Result<Self, Self::Rejection> {
-        let outer_state = req.state().clone();
-        let inner_state = outer_state.into();
+        let inner_state = InnerState::from_ref(req.state());
         Ok(Self(inner_state))
     }
 }
diff --git a/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs b/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs
index a90ca2110c..fa46cdf86c 100644
--- a/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::{
     body::{Bytes, Empty},
     error_handling::HandleErrorLayer,
-    extract::{self, Path, State},
+    extract::{self, FromRef, Path, State},
     handler::{Handler, HandlerWithoutStateExt},
     response::IntoResponse,
     routing::{delete, get, get_service, on, on_service, patch, patch_service, post, MethodFilter},
@@ -654,9 +654,9 @@ async fn extracting_state() {
         value: i32,
     }
 
-    impl From<AppState> for InnerState {
-        fn from(state: AppState) -> Self {
-            state.inner
+    impl FromRef<AppState> for InnerState {
+        fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> Self {
+            state.inner.clone()
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/examples/oauth/src/main.rs b/examples/oauth/src/main.rs
index 303ca1647f..a61113b97d 100644
--- a/examples/oauth/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/oauth/src/main.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ use async_session::{MemoryStore, Session, SessionStore};
 use axum::{
     async_trait,
     extract::{
-        rejection::TypedHeaderRejectionReason, FromRequest, Query, RequestParts, State, TypedHeader,
+        rejection::TypedHeaderRejectionReason, FromRef, FromRequest, Query, RequestParts, State,
+        TypedHeader,
     },
     http::{header::SET_COOKIE, HeaderMap},
     response::{IntoResponse, Redirect, Response},
@@ -69,15 +70,15 @@ struct AppState {
     oauth_client: BasicClient,
 }
 
-impl From<AppState> for MemoryStore {
-    fn from(state: AppState) -> Self {
-        state.store
+impl FromRef<AppState> for MemoryStore {
+    fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> Self {
+        state.store.clone()
     }
 }
 
-impl From<AppState> for BasicClient {
-    fn from(state: AppState) -> Self {
-        state.oauth_client
+impl FromRef<AppState> for BasicClient {
+    fn from_ref(state: &AppState) -> Self {
+        state.oauth_client.clone()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/query-params-with-empty-strings/src/main.rs b/examples/query-params-with-empty-strings/src/main.rs
index 7e9a08894c..0af20111d7 100644
--- a/examples/query-params-with-empty-strings/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/query-params-with-empty-strings/src/main.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ async fn main() {
         .unwrap();
 }
 
-fn app() -> Router<()> {
+fn app() -> Router {
     Router::new().route("/", get(handler))
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/routes-and-handlers-close-together/src/main.rs b/examples/routes-and-handlers-close-together/src/main.rs
index 6fc75c9e41..41aaa49db5 100644
--- a/examples/routes-and-handlers-close-together/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/routes-and-handlers-close-together/src/main.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ async fn main() {
         .unwrap();
 }
 
-fn root() -> Router<()> {
+fn root() -> Router {
     async fn handler() -> &'static str {
         "Hello, World!"
     }
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ fn root() -> Router<()> {
     route("/", get(handler))
 }
 
-fn get_foo() -> Router<()> {
+fn get_foo() -> Router {
     async fn handler() -> &'static str {
         "Hi from `GET /foo`"
     }
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ fn get_foo() -> Router<()> {
     route("/foo", get(handler))
 }
 
-fn post_foo() -> Router<()> {
+fn post_foo() -> Router {
     async fn handler() -> &'static str {
         "Hi from `POST /foo`"
     }
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ fn post_foo() -> Router<()> {
     route("/foo", post(handler))
 }
 
-fn route(path: &str, method_router: MethodRouter<()>) -> Router<()> {
+fn route(path: &str, method_router: MethodRouter<()>) -> Router {
     Router::new().route(path, method_router)
 }
diff --git a/examples/testing/src/main.rs b/examples/testing/src/main.rs
index f31935188a..0bb9b352a0 100644
--- a/examples/testing/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/testing/src/main.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ async fn main() {
 /// Having a function that produces our app makes it easy to call it from tests
 /// without having to create an HTTP server.
 #[allow(dead_code)]
-fn app() -> Router<()> {
+fn app() -> Router {
     Router::new()
         .route("/", get(|| async { "Hello, World!" }))
         .route(