Quicksilver
An open-source macOS launcher that opens apps and files and acts on them from the keyboard.
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1 more ways to get Quicksilver
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install --cask quicksilver
About Quicksilver
Quicksilver is a long-running macOS productivity app for controlling the Mac from the keyboard. It launches applications, opens files and bookmarks, and acts on items: move, copy, email or compress files, send messages and more. It learns which results you pick and adjusts to your habits.
Hundreds of plugins connect it to other apps, such as Mail and a calculator. Triggers bind any action to a keyboard shortcut or mouse gesture, and you can choose from more than ten interfaces with color theming. It is free and maintained by a community, and it can be installed with Homebrew.
Strengths
- Acts on files and apps, not only launching them
- Hundreds of plugins
- Triggers for shortcuts and mouse gestures
- Several interfaces with color themes
Limitations
- macOS only
- The action-based workflow takes time to learn
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source, maintained by a community of developers.
- License
- Open source, license not stated
- Developer
- The Quicksilver contributors
- Platforms
- macOS
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Mac users who want to launch and act on things without the mouse
- Categories
- Automation, App launchers
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to Quicksilver
Compare allSoftware that can replace Quicksilver for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
Alfred
macOS productivity launcher with custom workflows, clipboard history, and snippets.
Alfred is closed source freemium, adding custom workflows, clipboard history and snippets, though workflows and clipboard history require the paid Powerpack.
Raycast
Fast macOS launcher replacing Spotlight with clipboard history and extensions.
Raycast is closed source freemium, with an extension ecosystem plus built-in clipboard history and window management, and some advanced features require a paid plan.
LaunchBar
A keyboard-driven macOS launcher for apps, documents, contacts, reminders, files and web searches.
LaunchBar is a paid, closed source macOS launcher that learns abbreviations, browses files, and indexes reminders, contacts and Safari data, with clipboard history built in.
Sol
An open-source launcher and command palette for macOS, similar in approach to Raycast.
Sol stays free and open source as a launcher and command palette in the Raycast style, with a smaller extension ecosystem than Quicksilver's plugin library.
Monarch
A keyboard-driven macOS launcher with a calculator, clipboard history, system controls and bookmarks.
Monarch is free but closed source and pre-1.0, adding a calculator, clipboard history and system controls, and does not support Intel Macs yet.
Albert
Extensible keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS inspired by Alfred.
Albert is free and open source, runs on macOS and Linux with a plugin architecture in C++/Qt, but needs manual plugin configuration.
Gauntlet
An open-source, Raycast-inspired cross-platform application launcher with plugins written in React.
Gauntlet is a free, open-source Raycast-inspired launcher for macOS and Linux with plugins written in React, and a smaller plugin ecosystem.
Wox
A fully native keyboard launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux, with GPU rendering and a plugin system, as an open Raycast alternative.
Wox is free and open source under GPL-3.0, runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux with plugins in Node.js or Python, though version 2 is young.
Quicksilver as an alternative
Listings that name Quicksilver as an alternative.
Keyboard Cowboy
Builds macOS keyboard shortcuts that launch apps, run scripts and react to app changes.
Quicksilver is an open-source macOS launcher that acts on apps and files from the keyboard, with triggers and hundreds of plugins.
Kupfer
A keyboard-driven, plugin-based launcher for Linux in the style of Quicksilver.
Quicksilver is the open-source macOS launcher whose object and action workflow Kupfer follows, so switching means moving to macOS.
Script Kit
A cross-platform desktop app for writing and launching JavaScript and TypeScript scripts from a prompt.
Quicksilver is an open-source macOS launcher that acts on files and apps through plugins, rather than running scripts you write in TypeScript.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
rcmd
A macOS app switcher that focuses or launches apps with the right Command key and a letter.
Manico
A macOS app for launching and switching applications with Option and number key shortcuts.
Contexts
A Mac window switcher with fuzzy search, a sidebar, gestures and a replacement Command-Tab.
Witch
A macOS switcher that moves between individual windows and tabs, not just applications.
