Raycast: The Ultimate Productivity Booster for macOS (With Pro Tips You Need!)

If you're a macOS user and not using Raycast, you're missing out on a massive productivity upgrade. Raycast is more than just an app launcher—it's a powerful toolkit that lets you control your Mac without touching the mouse.

I use it every single day for:
✔ Changing text case (snake_case, camelCase, Capitalized)
✔ Killing ports & processes instantly
✔ Built-in calculator & unit converter
✔ Snippets (boilerplate text, emails, code)
✔ Window management (resize, move, organize)
✔ Built-in terminal (run commands without leaving Raycast)
✔ Custom hotkeys for launching apps & workflows

Let’s break down how to supercharge your workflow with Raycast.

1. Replace Spotlight (Forever)

Raycast is Spotlight on steroids. The first thing you should do? Disable Spotlight and set ⌘ + Space to open Raycast instead.

Why?

• Faster search (fuzzy matching)

• No lag (Spotlight slows down with big files)

• Customizable (hotkeys, aliases, extensions)

How to switch:

1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts

2. Disable Spotlight’s ⌘ + Space shortcut

3. In Raycast Settings, set ⌘ + Space as the trigger

Now, everything you do starts with Raycast.

2. Must-Have Built-in Features

A. Text Case Converter

Need to change some_text to SomeText? Raycast does it instantly.

How to use:

1. Open Raycast (⌘ + Space)

2. Type case

3. Paste your text → Choose your case style

Supported formats:

• snake_case

• camelCase

• PascalCase

• kebab-case

• UPPER CASE

• Capitalized Words

No more manual reformatting—just instant conversion.

B. Kill Ports & Processes (No Terminal Needed)

Annoying port conflicts? A stuck app? Raycast kills them in seconds.

How to use:

1. Install the "Port Manager" & "Process Killer" extensions

2. Open Raycast → Type:

   • kill port 3000 (to free a port)

   • kill process Chrome (to force-quit an app)

No more lsof -i :3000 or Activity Monitor hunting.

C. Built-in Calculator (Faster Than Opening an App)

Need quick math? Just type in Raycast.

Example:

• 123 * 45 → Instantly shows result

• 10 USD to EUR → Live currency conversion

• 5ft in cm → Unit conversion

Bonus: It keeps a history of calculations.

D. Snippets (Stop Typing the Same Thing Over and Over)

Common uses:

• Email templates (;thanks → full polite email)

• Code boilerplate (;reactcomp → React component template)

• Addresses, phone numbers, API keys

How to set up:

1. Open Raycast Settings → Snippets

2. Add a trigger keyword (e.g., ;email)

3. Paste your text → Save

Now, just type ;email → Boom, auto-filled!

E. Window Management (Arrange Apps Like a Pro)

Tired of dragging windows? Raycast moves & resizes them with shortcuts.

Commands:

• window left → Snap to left half

• window full → Maximize

• window next → Move to next display

Pro Tip: Assign hotkeys (e.g., ⌃⌥← for left snap).

F. Built-in Terminal (Run Commands Without Leaving Raycast)

Need to git commit or npm start? No need to switch apps.

How to use:

1. Open Raycast → Type terminal

2. Run any command directly inside Raycast

Bonus: Supports multiple tabs (⌘ + T).

3. Pro Customizations (Next-Level Workflow)

A. Hyper Key for Ultimate Shortcuts

Assign one key (like Caps Lock) to trigger all modifier keys (⌃⌥⌘⇧).

Why?

• Avoids shortcut conflicts

• Lets you create dozens of new hotkeys

How to set up:

1. Install Karabiner-Elements

2. Remap Caps Lock to Hyper Key

3. In Raycast, assign shortcuts like:

   • Hyper + T → Open Terminal

   • Hyper + C → Open Calculator

Now, never touch the mouse for common tasks.

B. AI-Powered Features (Raycast Pro)

Raycast Pro ($8/month) adds AI superpowers:

• Fix grammar/spelling in any text

• Explain code instantly

• Generate commands (e.g., "How to kill a Docker container?")

Example:

1. Highlight text → ⌘ + Shift + A → "Make this professional"

2. AI rewrites it in seconds

4. Must-Install Extensions

1. Port Manager → Kill ports instantly

2. Process Killer → Force-quit apps

3. Case Converter → Switch text styles

4. Emoji Picker → Fast emoji insertion (⌘ + .)

5. Clipboard History → Never lose copied text

If you’re not using Raycast, you’re working harder, not smarter.

🚀 Download it now: raycast.com