Raycast, which is free for particular person customers, is my favourite Highlight substitute. That is an utility you’ll be able to launch with a easy keyboard shortcut to see a easy textual content field. Kind a number of characters to do absolutely anything. There’s loads of performance inbuilt—you’ll be able to launch any utility simply by starting to kind its title and hitting “Enter,” for instance, or you’ll be able to kind a URL and hit “Enter” to open it in your default browser. You too can seek for recordsdata or toggle numerous system settings.
That performance alone would make Raycast price putting in. The actually wonderful thing about Raycast, nonetheless, is the plugins. Now, Raycast is way from the primary launcher app to supply plugins, however the utility is exclusive for providing a built-in retailer that lets you add these plugins in just some keystrokes. Simply kind “Retailer,” hit “Enter,” and you’ll browse the gathering. Failing that, you’ll be able to browse the Raycast retailer on-line.
There are a number of actually helpful instruments right here, and which of them are greatest goes to fluctuate relying in your workflow. Listed here are probably the most helpful kinds of plugins I’ve discovered.
Search your notes
Credit score: Justin Pot
I brew beer and largely retailer my recipes in OneNote. I am additionally a giant Obsidian person—my private journal and work life each stay there. Raycast makes it straightforward to look these and different note-taking functions. There are extensions for Apple Notes, OneNote, Obsidian, and even Bear. All of those will let you search your notes proper in Raycast and preview them proper there. If you wish to open the observe, no drawback: Simply hit enter. It’s so nice with the ability to shortly discover and pull up such info.
Shortly seize passwords
Credit score: Justin Pot
Fashionable password managers combine properly within the browser however it may be annoying to drag up passwords if you’re not looking. The Raycast extensions for Bitwarden, 1Password, Dashlane, and KeePassXC all make it straightforward to repeat any password in a few keystrokes. Simply open the plugin, kind the password you are on the lookout for, and hit enter.
You possibly can take this even additional and shortly seize two-factor authentication codes. There’s an extension for Authy, which notably nonetheless works regardless that that utility not presents a desktop app. There’s additionally an extension that may seize 2FA codes from iMessage, that means you will not need to open up your messages simply to repeat and paste a code. Each work rather well.
Management music
Credit score: Justin Pot
I often know which album I wish to take heed to subsequent. The Raycast extension for Spotify permits me to shortly kind the title of an album and play it. It additionally works for playlists, artists, and songs. I really like with the ability to shortly begin any music with out having to fuss round within the Spotify person interface. There is a related extension for Apple Music, if that is your go-to participant.
Learn Wikipedia
Credit score: Justin Pot
Wikipedia is a wonderful place to begin for researching mainly something. The Wikipedia extension for Raycast lets you seek for a web page and even learn it, all with out transferring your palms from the keyboard. You too can open the article in your default browser by hitting enter.
Eject drives
Credit score: Justin Pot
Ejecting a drive on the Mac means opening the Finder and clicking the eject button within the left-hand sidebar. It is annoyingly gradual. The extension Single Disk Eject reveals you all at the moment related exterior drives and lets you disconnect by hitting Enter. It is nice.
Preserve your Mac awake
Credit score: Justin Pot
There aren’t any finish to the variety of Mac functions that do nothing however hold your Mac awake. The extension Espresso presents this with out the necessity to set up an utility. You possibly can set off it from Raycast or you’ll be able to allow a menu bar icon for those who want.
A lot extra
I may go on for a very long time. Here is a number of extra fast highlights:
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System monitor enables you to shortly look over CPU, reminiscence, and disk use.
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MyIP reveals you your present IP tackle.
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Speedtest enables you to shortly check your web connection pace.
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Shell lets you run any Terminal command with out truly opening the Terminal.
That is only a begin: There are such a lot of extra instruments. I like to recommend testing the shop to get a greater thought of what you are able to do.
