Raycast Pro 2.5.1 (macOS)

Raycast is an extensible launcher and command palette for macOS. It replaces the Spotlight search with something faster and more flexible, especially if you work with files, apps and scripts all day.

Opening apps and searching local files with Option+Space

• Opening apps and searching local files with Option+Space
• Running custom commands for Google Drive, Google Docs or Zoom
• Creating quick links that open a chosen web page in one keystroke
• Using community-created scripts for repetitive tasks
• Floating notes you can jot down without opening another app

Requires macOS 12 or later and an English interface

• Requires macOS 12 or later (Intel and Apple Silicon both supported)
• English interface only
• Online functions (like extensions that call web APIs) do not work without an active connection
• Activation is not required — the app runs as-is

Map the Option+Space shortcut to muscle memory

Once you have Raycast running, give it a day or two to settle into your workflow. A few things are worth doing early on.

• Map the Option+Space shortcut to muscle memory. That keystroke is the quickest way back into the launcher, and after a few hours it stops feeling like a deliberate action.
• Try the built-in calculator and unit converter before reaching for a dedicated app. Raycast handles most day-to-day conversions without needing an extension.
• Search local files to see how the results compare with Spotlight. The file index is built on first launch, so give it a few minutes before judging speed.
• Add one or two quick links for sites you visit every hour. A single keystroke to open a browser to a specific page beats bookmark menus.
• Scribble a floating note during the first afternoon. You can copy it out later, share it via iMessage, or push it into Apple Notes — no extra app required.

Do not install every community script at once. Pick one or two that match a genuine annoyance, then add more as you get comfortable. Overloading the launcher with scripts you never use just adds visual noise.

Sits alongside macOS launchers with a different approach

Raycast fits alongside a few other launchers for macOS, though each takes a different approach. Here is how it stands next to three alternatives.

Alfred

Alfred has been the Spotlight replacement of choice for years. It offers workflows, snippets and a paid Powerpack with extensions. Raycast is closer to the free Alfred but with a wider built-in set of commands — calendar, notes, file search — without needing to buy add-ons. Alfred leans on a plugin ecosystem that can feel aged; Raycast’s extension store is newer and more uniform in quality. Both run on Intel and Apple Silicon.

LaunchBar

LaunchBar is the old guard, first appearing in the early 2000s. It still receives updates and supports macOS 12 and later. Its custom scripting is powerful but the learning curve is steeper than Raycast’s, and the default command set is thinner. Where Raycast gives you floating notes and Zoom scheduling out of the box, LaunchBar expects you to build those workflows yourself.

Ulauncher

Ulauncher is cross-platform and built on a plugin model. It works on macOS but feels like a guest — the keyboard shortcut integration can be inconsistent, and its file search indexing is less polished than Raycast’s. For someone who works mostly on macOS, Raycast feels native in a way that Ulauncher does not. Ulauncher’s advantage is portability if you also use Linux.

Runs on Intel and Apple Silicon, English only

Raycast 2.4.1.0 requires macOS 12 or newer and runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon machines. The English interface is the only language option, so anyone expecting localised menus will be disappointed. Online functions — extensions that call web APIs — do not work without an active internet connection, though local search, notes and launcher commands all work offline.

Version 2.6, released later, brought memory and performance improvements. The host process uses about 50% less memory, each extension process uses about 30% less at startup, and a memory leak that grew the longer Raycast stayed open has been fixed. That means the app should sit in the background without gradually eating into available RAM, which matters if you keep it running for days at a time.

Beyond the requirements sheet: expect the launcher to index your files on first run, which can take a minute or two depending on drive size. After that, the index stays updated in the background. Community scripts and third-party connections add as much or as little overhead as you choose — Raycast does not load every extension at startup, so you control the footprint. Raycast pro cracked copies behave identically to the standard build for local functions; the only missing piece is the live online services.

• macOS 12 or later
• Intel or Apple Silicon processor
• English interface