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# types

An array of the receiver’s supported data types.

```
var types: [NSPasteboard.PasteboardType]? { get }
```

## Discussion

The [`types`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboard/types) array is an array of <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Foundation/NSString> objects containing the union of the types of data declared for all the pasteboard items on the receiver. The returned types are listed in the order they were declared. It’s a good idea to check the value of [`types`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboard/types) (or call [`availableType(from:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboard/availableType(from:))) before reading any data from an `NSPasteboard` object. If you need to see if a type in the [`types`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboard/types) array matches a type string you have stored locally, use the <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Foundation/NSString/isEqual(to:)> method to perform the comparison.

## See Also

[`-  declareTypes:owner:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboard/declareTypes(_:owner:))

Prepares the receiver for a change in its contents by declaring the new types of data it will contain and a new owner.

[`-  dataForType:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboard/data(forType:))

Returns the data for the specified type from the first item in the receiver that contains the type.


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