Most things are faster to do with the keyboard than with the mouse, but not every app is built with the keyboard in mind. That's where where Shortcat comes in. This free Mac application allows you to quickly search for and click things like buttons, links, and fields in applications, all in a few keystrokes. There's a bit of a learning curve, granted, but once you get past that it can speed up almost anything you do on your computer.
Shortcat is triggered with a keyboard shortcut—by default, CMD-Shift-Space. Trigger this shortcut and you'll see a search bar and yellow boxes with two-letter codes for everything in the menu bar and every clickable item in the current window.
Search for the thing on the screen—either by typing the two-letter code or by just typing for the thing you're looking for. When you see the thing that you want to "click," simply hit enter—the result will be just as though you'd moved the mouse and clicked that item. You're not limited to clicking: you can double-click by hitting enter twice quickly or right-click by holding Control when you press enter.
This works with native Mac applications, which is to be expected, but I was delighted to learn that it also works in web browsers. You can, for example, search for a link you want to open and then hit enter to open it.
This works not only in the browser but in Electron apps. It's okay if you don't know what that means—this is relatively obscure stuff—but to oversimplify, Electron apps are basically just websites running in a dedicated browser. Slack works this way, as do a lot of applications at this point.
This is, admittedly, a niche application, but for me it scratches an itch. Keeping your hand on the keyboard is generally better ergonomically, and typically a lot faster, than reaching for the mouse. With Shortcat running I reach for the mouse a lot less, which I really enjoy.
New features are the best part of any software update, but surprise new features are even better. Google just announced a new feature drop today, comp
Ultrawide monitors can help you save space and (sometimes) money compared to having two separate monitors. The 29-inch LG UltraWide monitor can do bot
Whenever I accidentally hit my MacBook's Play/Pause key (F8), the device launches the Music app and automatically starts playing a song. This has been
Every now and then, we learn about malicious Android apps sneaking their way onto the Play Store. The most recent discovery, however, concerns two Pla
Apple's platforms are the land of thoughtfully designed apps and utilities, and it's not limited to official apps. An indie app like GoodLinks helps y
AI is changing our lives. Are you ready? Microsoft's AI chatbot, Copilot, has been steadily growing and adding new features since its introduction las
We are a dynamic information platform dedicated to delivering timely, relevant, and reliable content across a broad spectrum of topics. From the latest in technology and business to lifestyle, health, and global affairs, we aim to keep our readers informed and inspired.
Our editorial team is committed to maintaining high standards of accuracy and clarity, ensuring that every article provides value and context in an ever-changing world. We believe in the importance of accessible knowledge and strive to make complex topics understandable for everyone.
Whether you're here to stay updated on current events, explore thought-provoking features, or simply learn something new, our goal is to offer a trustworthy source of information that meets the needs of a diverse and curious audience.