Works in every app
Triple-fallback text detection via macOS Accessibility APIs. Native apps, browsers, Electron — if you can select text, Contexter can act on it.
Native macOS · Free · Bring your own key
Founding install · stay free for life
AI text actions,
everywhere on your Mac.
Select text in any app. A floating popup appears with AI-powered actions — fix grammar, translate, summarize, adjust tone. One click, done.
macOS 15.6 or later · Apple Silicon & Intel · ~12 MB
contexter — demo
Setup
From download to first action in ~2 minutes.
A short wizard on first launch. Every step optional. This is the whole thing.
- Step 1
Opens on first launch
A short wizard walks you through setup. Every step is optional — skip any, come back later from the menu bar.
- Step 2
Pick one keystroke
Press the combination you want to use to open Contexter from any app. Conflict-checked against per-command hotkeys.
- Step 3
Choose your commands
36 built-in commands across 6 categories. Pre-select the ones you'll use most — they appear first in the popup. Change anytime.
- Step 4
Connect an AI provider
Paste your API key from any of six providers. Keys are stored locally on your Mac and go directly to the provider — nothing touches our servers.
Don't have a key yet? Grab one in 60 seconds:
Gemini, Groq, and Mistral all offer free tiers that don't require a credit card — enough to try Contexter end-to-end.
- Step 5
Grant Accessibility
macOS requires this permission so Contexter can read the text you select. One click opens System Settings to the right page.
- Step 6
You're ready
About two minutes from download to first AI action. Select text in any app, hit your shortcut, pick a command.
Features
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
Six providers, your choice
Bring your own keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek, Groq, or Mistral. Pick a different model per command. No markup, no lock-in.
Unlimited custom commands
11 built-in actions, plus your own prompts, icons, shortcuts, and app-scoping rules. Translation only in Mail. Code review only in Xcode.
Privacy by default
Direct API calls from your Mac to your provider. No intermediary server, no user tracking, no cookies. Only anonymous, aggregate install and first-use counts via self-hosted Plausible — toggleable in the app.
Native & lightweight
Pure Swift and SwiftUI. Zero external dependencies. No Electron. Respects system appearance, responds instantly, sips resources.
Fits how you work
Trigger from a floating popup on selection, or from the native macOS Services menu — right-click any text field. Keyboard shortcuts optional on top.
Keyboard-first
Every command, a keystroke away.
One global shortcut opens the popup for whatever you've selected. Or give any command its own system-wide hotkey and fire it from any app — no popup, no menu.
Open the popup anywhere
⌘ + ⇧ + Space
One optional shortcut opens AI actions for your current selection — works even when the auto-popup on selection is off.
One hotkey per command
⌘ +⌥ +G Fix Grammar
⌘ +⌥ +T Translate
⌘ +⌥ +S Summarize
Assign any command — built-in or custom — its own shortcut in Settings. Fire it from any app with one keystroke.
Both optional. Both rebindable. Both work even when the popup is off.
App-aware
Right command, right app.
Scope any command to specific apps — or ban it from them. Contexter checks the frontmost app before showing a command, so your menu only surfaces what belongs where. Chat apps and browser extensions can't do this.
✦ Review Code only in
Xcode VS Code
Code actions never clutter your inbox or notes.
✦ Translate only in
Mail Slack
Language help right where you write messages.
✦ Empathetic Rewrite everywhere except
Xcode VS Code Terminal
Keep human-tone commands out of your codebase.
Three modes per command: all apps, only selected apps, or everywhere except selected apps.
BYOK
Your keys. Your choice. Zero lock-in.
Connect any combination of six providers. Assign a different one per command. Pay the provider directly at their rates.
OpenAI
GPT-4o, reasoning
Anthropic
Claude, long context
Gemini
Google, multimodal
DeepSeek
Cost-effective
Groq
Ultra-fast
Mistral
EU hosting
Ready out of the box
36 built-in commands across 6 categories.
Curated for the work you already do — then build your own with prompts, icons, shortcuts, and per-app scoping.
Writing
For anyone who ships words. · 8 commands
- Fix Grammar
- Simplify
- Make Professional
- Plain Language
- Change Tone
- Make It Sound Confident
- Make It Shorter
- Remove Filler Words
Communication
For inbox and DMs. · 8 commands
- Draft Reply
- Empathetic Rewrite
- Shorten for Social
- Polite Decline
- Follow-Up Email
- Corpo BS Translator
- Cold Email Polish
- Is This Rude?
Productivity
For long docs and meetings. · 7 commands
- Summarize
- Extract Action Items
- Meeting Notes
- Pros and Cons
- Make Bullet Points
- TL;DR
- Performance Review Mode
Development
For code and PRs. · 5 commands
- Review Code
- Explain Code
- Add Comments
- Write Doc Comment
- Fix Code
Learning
For studying anything. · 4 commands
- Answer Quiz
- Explain Simply
- Define Words
- Create Flashcards
Language
For non-native speakers. · 4 commands
- Translate
- Translate To...
- Fix ESL Mistakes
- Rephrase
+ unlimited custom commands
Why not just use ChatGPT?
Chat apps are tabs. Contexter is a tool.
| Capability | Chat apps | Browser extensions | Contexter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works in every macOS app | — | — | ✓ |
| Inline text replacement | — | some | ✓ |
| Custom commands with prompts | — | limited | ✓ |
| Per-command provider choice | — | — | ✓ |
| App-scoped commands | — | — | ✓ |
| No intermediary server | — | — | ✓ |
| Native macOS performance | varies | — | ✓ |
Privacy
Your text never touches our servers.
Because there are none. Contexter makes direct API calls from your Mac to your chosen provider. No proxy. No user tracking. No cookies. Self-hosted aggregate analytics only — your text and keys never leave your Mac.
✓ BYOK ✓ Zero dependencies ✓ No account required ✓ Local-only keys
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Why does Contexter need Accessibility permission?
To read the text you select in other apps, macOS requires Accessibility access. Contexter only reads selected text when you trigger a command — it never logs, stores, or transmits anything you don't explicitly act on.
Is it really free?
Yes. Contexter is free to download and use. You only pay your AI provider directly for API usage at their published rates — no markup, no subscription, no account.
Why bring my own API key?
Three reasons: privacy (your text goes to your provider, not ours), cost control (you pay metered rates instead of a flat subscription), and flexibility (switch or mix providers anytime).
Which macOS versions are supported?
macOS 15.6 (Sequoia) or later. Works on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Does it work in Electron apps like Slack, VS Code, and Notion?
Yes. The triple-fallback detection (Accessibility API → mouse position → clipboard) handles native apps, browsers, and Electron without app-specific integrations.
Can I use my own prompts?
Absolutely. Create unlimited custom commands with your own prompts, SF Symbols icons, keyboard shortcuts, output modes, and per-app scoping rules.
How do updates work outside the App Store?
Contexter checks for new versions in the background (once a day) over HTTPS. When an update is available you get a prompt with release notes — accept and it downloads, installs in place, and relaunches itself. No re-download, no drag-to-Applications, no account. Critical fixes can be delivered as required updates.
Can I bind a keyboard shortcut to a specific command?
Yes. Every command can have its own system-wide hotkey — set it in Settings and fire Fix Grammar, Translate, or any custom command from any app, no popup or menu needed. There's also an optional global shortcut that opens the popup for whatever text you've selected. Both are rebindable and conflict-checked against each other.
Where are my API keys stored?
Locally on your Mac, in the app's user defaults. They never leave your machine and are never transmitted anywhere except directly to the provider when you run a command. Keychain storage is planned for a future release.
Stop copy-pasting.
Start shipping.
Contexter brings AI text processing to every app on your Mac. Select, click, done.
Download Contexter for macOS
Free · Bring your own key · Setup takes 2 minutes
macOS 15.6 or later. Requires an API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek, Groq, or Mistral.