Question about Cardinal, the search app

I've tried to get started with Cardinal several times. The initial process runs for 24 hours or more and finally just locks up with a white screen. There doesn't seem to be a way to exclude external and network drives. Evidently it's trying to add about 56 TB from my NAS and backups to its database. Does anyone have a solution? I'm looking for the holy grail - a Mac search app that is as fast as Everything by Void Tools is on the PC side.

https://redd.it/1pmq1gc
@macappsbackup

A Chrome update broke a CLI tool to noscript your browser extensions, so I found a workaround to bring it back

I've been working on extension, a command-line tool to make your browser extension setup as noscriptable as your dotfiles. It lets you install and configure extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Arc from the terminal.

A Chrome update broke it. The update killed the Chrome DevTools Protocol connection.

My first thought was to change the debugging port. I figured any port in a storm would do. But that did nothing.

The actual workaround was to wrap our original process by copying the user data directory to a temporary location, running the configuration on that copy, and then moving it back to replace the original.

This copy-and-replace method feels more complex and fragile than the original. But it gets the job done.

The tool is for macOS only. The source code is available on GitHub. If you've ever wanted to noscript your browser setup, I'd love for you to check it out.

Has anyone else here had a platform update break one of your favorite Mac apps?

https://redd.it/1pmugki
@macappsbackup

Zen PDF Version 2 with OCR, Search and Themes

https://redd.it/1pmylm7
@macappsbackup

TrashMe 3 updated with many new features and improvements

TrashMe 3 developer here. Today, I'm pleased to announce a new big update for TrashMe 3, our uninstaller and cleaner for macOS. It comes with a huge list of new features, improvements and bug fixes.

Your can download and try the app for free: https://www.jibapps.com/apps/trashme3/

New light sidebar on macOS 26 Tahoe

So, what's new?

A light sidebar can be set instead of a dark one (macOS 26 only)
New filtering options for uninstalling apps: Electron apps and Intel apps
Smart mode can display an alert when the network is down
Improved information about Apple Silicon Mac on the Dashboard
Improved algorithm to search for related files when uninstalling an app
Improved algorithm to detect updates for installed apps
Fixed partial results when selecting Macintosh HD as scanning destination
Fixed missing Safari extensions in the Extensions section
Fixed erroneous CPU temperature readings on some Apple Silicon Mac



Other small things and bug fixes:

Ask for confirmation before erasing the cleaning history
Improved Internet Access Policy messages
Action icons added in all menus (macOS 26 only)
Fixed an issue where apps could not be listed
Fixed erroneous CPU temperature readings on some Apple Silicon Mac
Fixed incorrect text margins in battery small widget
Fixed incorrect detection of network connection
Fixed incorrect dashboard layout when launching the app
Fixed several user interface issues


Feel free to give your feedback ;-)



https://redd.it/1pn3aw6
@macappsbackup

Launcher like FolderPeek or XMenu? But with shortcut, popup window and navigation by hovering?

Is there a launcher app like **FolderPeek** or **XMenu**, but with hotkey, popup window and hovering (no clicking)?

I've been using XMenu for ages. And beginning this year I stepped over to FolderPeek ( made by u/sindresorhus ) which I like even better.

But the things I miss with both apps is a shortcut that activates a popup window and yet allows hovering to the folder or file I'm looking for.
(if it's pinnable, that would be a bonus)

So, I want an app like FolderPeek or XMenu, but with hotkey, popup window and still allowing navigation by hovering. Does such an app exist?

Btw, I tried the brilliant app Start ( made by u/Azzrael777 ) which in a way comes close. But navigating is too rigid imo. And it only allows for categories and tags. Which forces you to tag things endlessly.

LeaderKey ( made by u/mikker ) also looks like a really great launcher, but also requires endless tagging (correct me if I'm wrong). But for some reason I cannot get it to work. Might be my external disk with files. Or using QSpace instead of the Finder.

I also know LaunchBar, UBar, QuickSilver, Alfred and Raycast. And the launcher section of the Mac App Comparison spreadsheet.

https://redd.it/1pn3yj4
@macappsbackup

Has anyone found a solid alternative to iFlicks on macOS?

I recently cancelled my subnoscription only to find out that the application is completely unusable without an active yearly plan. I generally don't mind paying for software that makes my life easier—and iFlicks did a great job of that when it worked—but the current state of the app is pushing me away.

**My main issues are:**

1. **Zero Support:** The developer seems to have abandoned the support channels. The link to the support page is either broken or has been removed entirely.
2. **Bugs/Quirks:** There are lingering bugs and quirks that need addressing, but with the lack of support, it feels like the app is in "zombie mode"—just collecting subnoscriptions without active development or fixes.
3. **Subnoscription Lock-out:** I was hoping to fall back to a basic version or keep using the version I had, but it locks you out completely once the sub ends.

**What I need:** I’m looking for an app that can handle **video conversion/remuxing** and **metadata fetching** (cover art, denoscriptions, tags) seamlessly. Automation (watch folders) would be a huge plus and adding to macOS TV.

I’ve looked into a few options but haven't found "The One" yet:

* **Subler:** Great for metadata and remuxing, but doesn't seem to have the same "drop and forget" automation flow iFlicks had.
* **Handbrake:** Excellent for conversion, but doesn't handle the metadata/tagging side well.
* **MetaZ:** Good for tagging, but feels a bit dated and doesn't do the conversion part.

Does anyone know of a modern all-in-one alternative, or a workflow combination that replicates what iFlicks used to do?

Thanks in advance!

https://redd.it/1pn4zhg
@macappsbackup

Free Chance to Get Free Access to Awesome Copy

Awesome Copy just completed its 200 Pro Users so in its order of celebration, I got 10 code from dev.

In order to get this code, you have to give your honest opinion and review about your favourite clipboard

1. Why you shifted from native mac OS Clipboard?
2. How much a clipboard manager worth it for your use case?
3. What are 3 essential features that any clipboard manager should have?
4. What should be the position (top, bottom, left, right, floating) for your clipboard manager?
5. Do you like it or hate it cross platform access of your clipboard via iCloud?

Winner get access after 24 hr of this post 🥂

https://redd.it/1pn67lz
@macappsbackup

My first Mac app BuddyBar is now live!

https://reddit.com/link/1pn841m/video/idgcizvbid7g1/player

Hello fellow Mac app lovers!

BuddyBar started as a Chrome Extension in September. It keeps your brand colors floating on screen in Articulate Rise so you can copy hex codes for your courses. It's expanded a lot since then, encompassing many other design and productivity sites like Figma, Canva, etc. With the release of the Mac version of BuddyBar you can now use it on your whole computer! Applications like the Adobe suite, Affinity, Final Cut Pro, or MS Office apps, all work with BuddyBar!

The Chrome extension and Mac app sync locally automatically, so your palettes stay in sync across both. I vibe coded the app with the help of Claude in Visual Studio Code on my Mac. It's free to use and works with macOS 14.6+

Download it here: https://buddybar.io

Happy to answer questions or take feedback! I hope some people find it useful, It was made originally to fill a pain point for me.

https://redd.it/1pn841m
@macappsbackup

Affordable Alternatives to Hazel

Hazel

Hazel is an automation utility that uses user-defined rules to automatically perform file operations on folder contents. It uses a variety of metadata to move, copy, compress, decompress, open, delete, rename, and sort files and folders automatically.

# My Use Cases

Sorting my documents folder by file type
Renaming my photos by the date taken
Opening DMG files and moving the contents to my Applications folder
Decompressing ZIP and RAR files, and if they contain an app, moving it to the Applications folder
Converting text files to markdown and moving them to the correct folder in Obsidian
Converting downloaded HEIC images to JPG
Reading PDF invoices and filing them by vendor
Adding downloaded ebooks to Calibre
Adding downloaded audiobooks to Audio Bookshelf
Moving NZB and t*rrent files to the appropriate downloader

The primary drawback of using Hazel for some people is the price. A license is $42, and upgrades are typically about half of that. For what it does, I find that well worth it, but it's understandably steep for some folks.

# Alternatives

[FolderTidy](https://appaddict.app/post/folder-tidy-on-demand-fast-power) \- Currently on sale for $5, FolderTidy is a tool anyone can use to perform quick sorts on any giant directories of files that seem overwhelming to tackle manually. It has built-in sorting rules for 19 different types of files, including folders. These rules can be toggled on or off, but you cannot edit them. In addition, you can make your own very granular rules. The example they give is representative of the power of the app: "Move all files with the extension 'DOCX' that contain the word 'invoice' and were last modified in the past year to a folder labeled 'Invoices.'"
**Spotless** \- Currently on sale at BundleHunt for $2.99, Spotless is pretty powerful in its own right. It features automated smart folders, scheduled tasks, drag-and-drop (on-demand) operations, unlimited tasks, a rules wizard for help in creating new tasks, a backup feature, conflict management, a detailed history, and a choice between silent and confirmed operations.
[Sortio](https://www.getsortio.com/) \- Currently on sale for $12.99 at the dev's website and the [Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sortio/id6737292062?mt=12), Sortio uses AI to let you describe the task you want to accomplish, whereupon it creates the rules itself. There is a slight learning curve. For example, when sorting a folder, I said I wanted them organized by file type, and it grouped all the images together. What I actually wanted was the files organized by extension, so I had to rephrase the request. Thankfully, Sortio gives you a preview of every action, so you always have a safety net.
**Folder Actions** \- Folder Actions is a built-in macOS feature that allows you to attach noscripts to a folder, triggering actions automatically when the folder's contents change. When files are added, removed, or modified, macOS runs an assigned AppleScript or Automator action without any clicks. It's effective for tasks like renaming files, sorting downloads, or initiating workflows, but it only supports AppleScript/Automator and hasn't changed much over the years.

https://redd.it/1pn8teg
@macappsbackup

Switching from Windows to macOS as a power user – I ended up building a small tool

A few months ago I switched from Windows to macOS.

To be honest, I always had a pretty negative opinion about Macs — until my daughter, who is a composer, was basically forced to use one for her work because she only uses Logic Pro.
Then Windows 11 hardware requirements delivered the final push, so I bought a used MacBook and made the switch.

The transition was rough. Some things were actually pleasant surprises (for example, Midnight Commander working perfectly felt strangely comforting 😄), but there are still things I struggle to get used to.

The biggest issue for me was window management.

I usually have around 20 windows open at the same time:
multiple SSH sessions to servers, 5–6 VS Code projects, terminals, spreadsheets, browsers, and documents.
Alt+Tab helped to some extent, but I really missed having all my windows expanded and visible at the bottom of the screen, Windows-style.

At the same time, I actually like the Dock.

Since I’m a developer, I ended up building a small utility for myself that brings back classic Windows-style taskbar behavior on macOS, while keeping the Dock.

It’s completely free — this isn’t my main profile — I built it mainly to solve my own workflow pain, but I figured others might find it useful as well.

I also have plenty of ideas for future improvements, but for now I was mostly curious whether others struggled with the same thing after switching.

https://redd.it/1pnbero
@macappsbackup

macOS app that gives a temporary public HTTPS URL and captures incoming requests

I’m trying to find a macOS app that can act as a temporary public web endpoint, similar to a hosted static site + request logger combined.

What I’m looking for conceptually:

The app provides a public HTTPS URL (not localhost)

A browser can load that URL like a normal website

JavaScript served from that URL runs under a real web origin

The same app can capture/log incoming HTTP (or DNS) requests sent to that URL

No need to buy a domain or deploy anything manually

Basically something that replaces:

a simple static hosting service and a webhook / request bin

…but packaged as a desktop macOS app.

I know tools like ngrok, Burp, Charles, etc. handle parts of this, but I’m curious if there’s an app that fully owns the public origin itself (not just tunneling localhost) and gives you a clean UI for request visibility.

Does anything like this exist on macOS?

Or is this fundamentally something that’s only practical as a web service rather than a desktop app?

Not looking for automation or API testing tools — this needs to work with actual browser behavior and origin rules.

Appreciate any pointers or “this doesn’t exist and here’s why” explanations.

https://redd.it/1pn8zi9
@macappsbackup

What app is this (trackpad scale)
https://redd.it/1pncrsu
@macappsbackup

Looking for feedback on a small macOS tool I built to mock APIs locally

Heyo,

while I working on different macOS and iOS projects across multiple teams, I kept running into the same issue: the backend wasnt ready yet, but I still needed API responses to finish UI work and test flows.

At first I handled this by spinning up a temp localhost server. I was using Swift and Vapor just to return some JSON. It worked, but it always felt like too much setup for such a simple need, especially when I only needed a few static responses.

Eventually I built a small native macOS app for myself that lets me create local endpoints and return JSON quickly, without setting up a full backend. I started using it across my own projects, and after a while decided to clean it up a bit and release it on the Mac App Store. I called it Mocksy.

Decided to share it, maybe someone will it it useful. Would really appreciate feedback from other Mac developers. Thanks!

Here’s the App Store link if you want to take a look:
https://apps.apple.com/app/id6755538837

https://redd.it/1pngy72
@macappsbackup

Trilla – Totally free AI meeting assistant that runs locally
https://redd.it/1pnkdtx
@macappsbackup

Outpost from Parachute

I can't seem to get the drag files to open parachute. It doesn't active when I do this. Maybe its only designed for a mouse? Has anyone got it work successfully?

https://redd.it/1pnoubv
@macappsbackup

ZeroHz – One-click lofi + ambient sounds from your Mac menu bar

Short demo showing how ZeroHz works from the macOS menu bar.

Hey everyone,

I built ZeroHz because I kept losing 20+ minutes every morning just trying to find the “right” focus music on Spotify or YouTube.


By the time I settled on something, my flow was already broken.
I wanted something that lets me start a focused work session instantly,
without opening tabs or making decisions.


ZeroHz lives in your Mac menu bar.

With one click, you get lofi music, ambient sounds, and a simple focus timer
all without leaving what you’re working on.


What it does:

• Menu bar access for instant start
• Lofi + ambient sound combinations (rain, waves, forest, etc.)
• Simple focus timer to stay in flow


I designed it specifically for macOS users who value minimal UI and staying in context.
The goal was to make something that feels native and stays out of the way.
I’m actively improving it based on feedback.


If you work remotely or study on a Mac and struggle with context switching, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

https://redd.it/1pnpohl
@macappsbackup

Anyone else daily driving Orion on macOS lately?

After the latest update (Version 1.0.0 (139) - macOS 26.2 (25C56)

I’ve been daily driving Orion Browser and honestly… it’s been amazing.

UI is gorgeous, speed is unreal, and RAM usage is way lower than Firefox/Zen and other browsers I’ve tried.

I’ve compiled a list of bugs (mostly small, nothing fatal) that I’m planning to submit, but overall this has been the best browsing experience I’ve had on macOS so far. Would love to see the community grow so updates and polish come faster.

If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot.

Curious what everyone’s current daily browser on Mac is! For me, vertical tabs and focus mode are non-negotiable.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Minor bugs I’ve noticed so far (nothing deal-breaking):

Vertical tabs edge detection: In vertical tab mode when not fullscreen, if the window is even slightly misaligned from the left edge of the screen, the tabs won’t appear. Your cursor has to be able to reach the absolute leftmost edge for them to show, so the window basically needs to be perfectly flush with the screen edge.

Fullscreen keyboard shortcuts: In fullscreen mode, some shortcuts (e.g. Ctrl + L for URL/search) occasionally stop working. Exiting fullscreen and re-entering fixes it.

https://redd.it/1pnpgn3
@macappsbackup

Found a clean little project planning app that works great across Apple devices

It’s called **Projectholic**, and what stood out to me is how differently it behaves across Mac / iPad / iPhone — in a good way.
The Mac and iPad version feels like a desktop planner, and the iPhone one works nicely for quick check-ins or adding tasks on the go.

*Processing img u65givatoi4g1...*

*Processing img 3y1t7o1voi4g1...*

Some things I liked so far:

* Simple project calendar that actually makes sense
* Multi-day tasks flow naturally
* Timeline view on Mac/iPad is surprisingly useful
* Doesn’t feel bloated like most “project management” apps
* Works well if you’re handling stuff solo or juggling side projects

Nothing groundbreaking, just a solid, well-designed tool that clicked for me.
Sharing in case someone else is looking for something lightweight across Apple devices.

Link if you want to check it out:
[https://apps.apple.com/app/id6745497754](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6745497754)

Also open to recommendations — always curious what others use to keep projects organized.

https://redd.it/1pnxpoj
@macappsbackup