One of the Best Productivity Apps for Mac Is Now Available on Windows.
Raycast is one of the best new features in Windows. It brings one of my favorite Mac apps to the Microsoft operating system. Frankly, I enjoyed using Raycast for Windows so much that I can’t imagine going back to life without it. The app is free to download and use, though there’s a paid subscription for those who want additional features.
What is Raycast?
Essentially, Raycast is an app for searching apps and files stored on your computer. It remains hidden until you press the keyboard shortcut ( Alt+Space in Windows). After that, Raycast appears on your desktop as a floating search bar. You can type anything you want into the search bar, and Raycast will automatically find it on your computer. I mainly use it for launching apps, as I have too many apps installed on my Mac (and PC). Raycast helps me quickly find the app I need and open it.
However, this is just the surface of Raycast. You can use Raycast to search files on your computer, retrieve items copied to the clipboard, send queries to ChatGPT (or other AI tools), convert currencies and units of measurement, and much more. All these features are available in one simple floating search bar.
Setting up keyboard shortcuts in Raycast
Raycast is designed for those who love keyboard shortcuts. You can use it without them, but you’ll enjoy setting up a few custom shortcuts. For example, if you open Raycast and press Tab , it switches to AI mode, allowing you to send your questions and requests to ChatGPT directly from Raycast.
When searching in Raycast, you’ll likely see a “Record Hotkey” button next to the results. This prompts you to set up a keyboard shortcut for this action, making it easier to access. You can also go to Raycast settings to find frequently used actions and record your preferred keyboard shortcuts for them.
Please note that the Raycast app is still in beta for Windows, and you can use these AI features for free during this trial period. However, expect this to change once the app leaves beta. If you want to continue using these features, the Pro plan costs $8 per month for most AI models, but some advanced AI models are only available with a $16 per month subscription.
Why I use Raycast in Windows
I use Raycast for more than just running Windows apps. Since I live outside the US, converting units and currencies takes up a significant portion of my workday. Raycast makes this task quite easy. You can simply enter “$499” or any other number after the dollar sign, and Raycast will automatically convert it to your local currency. You can also enter something like “EUR499 to USD,” and the program will convert euros to US dollars. I really like that you don’t even have to press Enter/Return to see the converted currency. The result is displayed immediately after you enter the currency, without any additional prompts.
You can also try converting other units of measurement with Raycast, such as: “100 kg to lbs”, “800 ml to fl oz”, “44 sq m to sq ft”, etc. This really helps me when I order items from international sites that don’t always list dimensions, weights, or prices in the units I’m used to.
I also like using Raycast to store and view my clipboard history. You can search “Clipboard” in Raycast to access copied items, and the app even categorizes them. You can search for just copied links, images, files, or email addresses, making it easy and quick to find the items you need in your clipboard history.
Raycast also supports a variety of other features, such as window management, emptying the Recycle Bin, rebooting and locking the computer, bookmarking links and opening them in specific browsers, and text snippets, which allow you to quickly create or copy fragments of text or code. Open Raycast and press Ctrl-, (comma) to open the settings and explore all its features.
Raycast limitations for Windows
Raycast has only recently arrived on Windows, meaning the macOS version is still missing some features. These include AI-powered chat (more advanced than the current AI-powered quick search), focus timers, a built-in note-taking feature, and support for more extensions . Many of these extensions were originally developed only for macOS, so it will take some time to bring them to Windows. My biggest miss is the ability to sync snippets, notes, chats, and other data across devices. This feature hasn’t yet appeared in the Windows app, and I hope the developers will fix it soon.