Raycast: My favorite hidden gem ๐
A free launcher that saves time on dozens of daily computer tasks

Raycast is one of my favorite free apps. Itโs a hidden gem that helps you do almost anything on your computerโadd to your calendar, list tasks, search files, do math, or control appsโwithout touching your mouse. Itโs free for Mac and coming soon to iOS and Windows.
I use Raycast dozens of times daily for tasks that might take seconds individually, but cumulatively interrupt my flow. It saves me half an hour a week I can reallocate to deep work or family time.
Read on for seven of my favorite ways to use Raycast and some limitations and alternatives.
1. Do quick math and conversions ๐งฉ
Convert temperatures, currencies, time zones, or measurements
Calculate dates, like "100 days from now" or "days until Nov 7, 2028"
Perform any math equation

2. Find anything youโve copiedโeven days ago ๐
Easily summon your full clipboard history to paste anything youโve copied
Retrieve text, links, and even images easily
Save frequently used text as favorites
3. Save time with text shortcuts ๐ฌ
Create shortcodes that expand into text you frequently type:
Set up snippets for your address, signatures, or common responses
Type custom text like \addr to instantly paste your mailing address or set @@ to automatically paste your email address
Create snippets for links, instructions, or anything you repeatedly type
4. Add tasks, events, and notes without switching apps ๐ซ
Interact with your favorite apps with keyboard shortcuts.
Add tasks to Apple Reminders, Todoist or other apps
Create Google Calendar events using natural language
Control Spotify playback without switching windows
Send quick messages in Slack
Add notes to your favorite note-taking app, or use Raycast Notes for easy access to a digital notepad
For example, by typing โฅ+Space (or your custom shortcut) followed by "remind" and your task text, you can add something to your to-do list without ever leaving your current application.
Try these app integrations ๐ฏ
Notion Add to any existing page or search for something. It also works with Capacities, Craft, Obsidian or most other note-taking tools.
Chrome/Arc โ Search your browser history or quickly find a tab
CleanShot X โ Take a quick screenshot or screen recording
Zoom โ Start, schedule and join Zoom meetings. Also works with Google Meet, Teams and other meeting platforms.
5. Control your computer settings ๐ป
Using Raycast lets you avoid navigating through system menus.
Raycast Focus: Set timers and block distracting apps to get work done
Adjust screen brightness
Split your screen between two or more windows
Lock your computer when stepping away
Toggle system settings like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth

6. Find files, tabs, and web results instantly ๐
Find exactly what you need in seconds, without having to dig through folders.
Locate files anywhere on your computer
Search the web directly with Google or Perplexity
Look up word definitions
Find specific emails
Search within applications
7. Get AI help right from your keyboard (Pro) ๐ฆพ
You can add AI capabilities for $8/month
Get AI input anywhere on your computer
Use natural language to control your system or to find GDocs, for example.
Generate images through AI extensions
How to get started
Download and install: Visit Raycast.com and download the free application (Mac only for now. iOS and Windows coming soon.)
Choose your launch key: This is the magic key combination that will quickly open Raycastโs pop-up window so you can use it for all of the efficiencies detailed in this post. By default, Raycast uses [Option] and [Space], but you can customize it. I use [Control] and [Space].
Add extensions: Browse the extension store and add integrations for apps you frequently use (Google Calendar, Apple Reminders, Spotify, Notion, etc.)
Set up the clipboard manager: Try copying a few different items and access them with โ+Shift+V or whatever key combination you choose
Create your first snippet: Add a snippet for your email signature or address with a simple shortcode like \sig
Configure quick keys: Set up custom keyboard shortcuts for your most-used actions
Bonus resources
Watch to learn more: 101 things you can do with Raycast ๐บ
Get free Raycast extensions for your favorite apps: raycast.com/store
Sample Quicklinks you can add to Raycast: ray.so/quicklinks
Simple snippets you can add to Raycast: ray.so/snippets
Coming next
iOS app launch (April-May 2024): Raycastโs first iPhone version will launch soon for fast access to notes, AI chat, links, and snippets. Android will follow later.
Windows version: Hundreds of people are doing alpha testing to strengthen this before launch. Snippets & AI features will arrive in the next few months.
Cross-device synchronization: Your Raycast settings and data will flow between platforms when new versions launch.
Alternatives
Alfred: Offers shortcuts like Raycast, but requires more manual customization for advanced workflows. I still sometimes use this for its clipboard manager.
TextBlaze: Has advanced features I like for text expansion
Mac Spotlight: Built into macOS but with fewer features and integrations
Windows options include Keypirinha & Flowlauncher, or join the Raycast Windows waitlist
Bottom line: These alternatives offer overlapping functionality, but Raycast combines their best features in one free package with a more intuitive interface.
Caveats
Platform limitations: Currently Mac-only, though Windows and mobile versions are in development
Learning curve: Takes time to build the habit of using keyboard shortcuts instead of opening applications
Complex advanced features. Some of the 1,000+ integrations with other apps require API keys. These special codes are like digital permission slips from applications like YouTube or ChatGPT. They require multiple steps to set up.
AI features require payment: While most features are free, AI capabilities require a $8/monthly subscription or $12/month per person for teams.
Extensions vary in quality: Some third-party extensions work better than others, so you canโt always be sure how well lesser-used extensions will work.
Raycastโs founder on avoiding context switching
Co-founder and CEO Thomas Paul Mann told me recently that Raycast grew out of the founders' experience as software engineers at Facebook.
โIf you think about how our workspace has changed in the last 10 years, the number of tools exploded,โ Mann said over Zoom.
He and his co-founder witnessed firsthand the inefficiency of constantly switching contexts: โWe felt like when we were going out of the terminal, you had to navigate around, oftentimes in the browser, opening a tab, getting there, clicking here, then there.โ
Their solution, Raycast, makes digital toolsโ essential functions more accessible. โThe core promise was that you've got to work with all those different toolsโthat's non-negotiable. But you often only need 80% of the functionality. Can we make that 80% super quickly accessible?โ
Now hundreds of thousands of people use Raycast. Thomas and his team have raised more than $45 million to date to expand its impact and reach new platforms.
Fortune 500 employees observed in a 2022 study in Harvard Business Review switched between apps on average 1,200 times a day. That โtoggle taxโ reduces efficiency and diminishes focus. If Raycast saves you three seconds 1,200 times a day? The Raycast calculator tells me thatโs an extra hour for you to enjoy.
I used Alfred for a long, long time but had grown frustrated with the slow update cycle and limited and complex automation options. Raycast stole my heart instantly. I use it dozens of times a day and Iโm constantly finding new uses and extensions. I actually didnโt know you could search your clipboard history with it. Thanks, great piece.
Wow! Iโm a happy longtime Alfred user, but Iโm going to have to check this out. I always intend to trick out Alfred more than I currently do, but never get around to it. ๐๐ผ