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:
Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts
Disable Spotlight’s
⌘ + Space
shortcutIn 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:
Open Raycast (
⌘ + Space
)Type
case
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:
Install the "Port Manager" & "Process Killer" extensions
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 result10 USD to EUR
→ Live currency conversion5ft 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:
Open Raycast Settings → Snippets
Add a trigger keyword (e.g.,
;email
)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 halfwindow full
→ Maximizewindow 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:
Open Raycast → Type
terminal
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:
Install Karabiner-Elements
Remap
Caps Lock
to Hyper KeyIn Raycast, assign shortcuts like:
Hyper + T
→ Open TerminalHyper + 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:
Highlight text →
⌘ + Shift + A
→ "Make this professional"AI rewrites it in seconds
4. Must-Install Extensions
Port Manager → Kill ports instantly
Process Killer → Force-quit apps
Case Converter → Switch text styles
Emoji Picker → Fast emoji insertion (
⌘ + .
)Clipboard History → Never lose copied text
If you’re not using Raycast, you’re working harder, not smarter.
🚀 Download it now: raycast.com
Subscribe to my newsletter
Read articles from Emil Rustamzade directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.
Written by
