Features
TextActions is a fast, minimal, system-wide action layer for selected text on macOS.
Core experience
System-wide selection detection
Detects selected text across most apps (via macOS Accessibility APIs).
Instant popup after mouse release
iOS-style pill near your selection, optimized for fast appearance and no flicker.
Never steals focus
Designed to stay out of your way while still being one click away.
Default actions
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Copy | Copies selected text to the clipboard. |
| Search Google | Opens your browser to search for the selected text. |
| Chat with ChatGPT | Opens ChatGPT with the selected text as a query. |
| Look Up | Uses macOS “Look Up in Dictionary” for definitions and references. |
Configurable & extensible
Enable / disable actions
Toggle individual actions so the popup only shows what you use.
URL template actions
Open a URL using a template with {text} placeholder.
App actions
Open a specific app with selected text (via clipboard handoff).
Spellcheck
Optional spellcheck action for selected words (auto-detects language).
Privacy & security
Local by default
No selected text is stored by default.
Explicit external actions
Text is only sent to external services when you click an action that opens a URL/app.
Permission-aware
Requires Accessibility permission to detect selections system-wide.