This app makes switching between apps on my Mac ridiculously fast (amazing apps)

I switch between applications on my Mac dozens of times every hour. For years, Command-Tab seemed good enough, but then I started using rcmd, a fantastic alternative app switcher for the Mac.

This nifty piece of software has completely changed the way I navigate between applications on my Mac. This made the process faster, more accurate and far less disruptive to my workflow.

rcmd: A better app switcher for Mac

For years, I didn’t really think there was anything wrong with Command-Tab for switching apps on my Mac. I could see all the open apps and cycle through them by quickly pressing Tab. It worked – until it didn’t. The more apps I opened, the more I realized I wasn’t switching through them efficiently; I was basically going through the list.

That’s when I discovered rcmd, which forever changed the way I switch between applications on my Mac.

Command-Tab Limits

Command-Tab, the key macOS command for switching between applications, works well for light multitasking. As long as I only had four or five apps running, this always felt like the fastest and most predictable way to navigate through them.

I even installed the popular free Mac tool, AltTab, to enhance the experience. It brought a more Windows-like app switcher to macOS, allowing me to see separate windows of the same app instead of grouping them together. This made switching apps faster. (AltTab also made my list of 12 must-have free Mac apps that I always install first.)

However, even with AltTab installed, I was basically scrolling through open apps rather than jumping directly into one. I saw more open windows. But I still had to scan them and press Tab until I finally got to the app I wanted.

How rcmd transforms app switching

This is where rcmd comes in and changes the game. Instead of scrolling through apps, rcmd lets me jump right to the one I want. I hold down the right Command key and press the first letter of the application name. So if I’m working in Chrome and I get a Telegram notification, I can just press Command + T and open Telegram immediately. Likewise, I can go directly to Slack with Command + S or WhatsApp with Command + W.

This is much faster than hitting Command-Tab and cycling through a bunch of open apps until I get the one I want. I avoid unnecessary keystrokes. More importantly, I don’t have to search through a visual list to find what I’m looking for.

To cycle through apps with the same name, press the same key twice. So if I need to switch from Slack to ChatGPT with Chrome as the last active app, I have to press C twice.

By default, rcmd works by mapping the first letter of an application name to a shortcut. However, you can override this behavior and manually assign any letter to any application.

The Assign Letter function of rcmd allows me to create shortcuts on the fly. I can focus on any app, launch a hotkey assignment, press a letter, and instantly map that key to it. I don’t need to delve into the settings menu – I build the shortcut system as I work. By default, the Assign Letter shortcut is assigned to Command + Option.

Something that sets rcmd apart from other app switchers is that it doesn’t treat minimized apps differently. Even if Telegram is hidden or minimized, pressing Command + T will bring it to the foreground instantly.

Easy learning curve

Admittedly, there is a slight learning curve with rcmd. Not with the app itself, as it is seemingly simple to use. But I needed to unlearn years of muscle memory. Plus, remembering to press Command + S to switch to Slack, or Command + C for Chrome, took a while to get used to.

To help with this, rcmd can display a small list-style application switcher after a short delay. I set mine to appear immediately, giving me a quick visual reference to available shortcuts whenever I need it.

However, this improved app switcher for Mac didn’t take long to get used to. After a few weeks of using rcmd, there is no going back. I almost completely stopped using Command-Tab to switch between applications and instead relied on rcmd.

As the name suggests, rcmd is launched by default with the right Command key. This ensures that it does not conflict with other shortcuts. However, I switched it to use the left Command key instead. This does lead to conflicts with a few shortcuts, but it hasn’t made a difference in day-to-day use.

The rcmd application switcher appears discreetly in the lower right corner of my Mac screen. It stays out of the way and doesn’t interfere with other shortcuts. As my muscle memory kicks in, I’ve found myself relying on it less over time. Still, it’s always handy as a quick visual reference.

It is also possible to completely exclude certain applications from rcmd. After all, I don’t need a shortcut for every app running in the background on my Mac. rcmd allows me to hide them and make sure the app switcher doesn’t fill up.

rcmd is also an application launcher

rcmd isn’t just a better app switcher for Mac; it is also an improved app launcher. By default, if an app isn’t already open, pressing its assigned letter does nothing. So if I don’t have Chrome open, pressing Command + C does nothing. But I can assign it as a chrome hotkey in rcmd. And that will launch the app immediately.

I’ve set up shortcuts for Chrome, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, ChatGPT, and a few other apps that I use all the time. For example, the left key Command + C always takes me to Chrome – whether it’s open or needs to be launched. The same goes for Slack with an S or Telegram with a T.

I used to rely on Raycast to launch apps quickly, but this setup feels even faster because it removes the extra step of launching a search box and typing in the name of the app.

On a typical writing day, I’m constantly jumping between Chrome, Slack, Telegram, Finder, Notes, and ChatGPT. Previously, each switch required a quick mental check—Command-Tab, look at the icons, tap again, release.

With rcmd I no longer think about what is open. I mean in letters. With like Slack. C for Chrome. T for telegram. It feels closer to typing commands than navigating a UI.

One thing I didn’t expect to appreciate as much as I do is how invisible rcmd feels. Unlike Mission Control, Stage Manager, or even Command-Tab’s horizontal application bar, rcmd doesn’t rearrange the screen or trigger large animations. There is no zooming or sliding panels. The app I want just comes to the fore. And that’s what rcmd clicking does for me.

It’s not perfect

For all its advantages, rcmd is not magic. If you’re running dozens of apps that start with the same letter, you’ll either need to assign custom keys or rely on cycling. (I haven’t run into this problem yet, but it will depend on your workflow.) And for casual users who only switch between two or three apps, the benefit may not be dramatic.

The biggest hurdle with rcmd is the initial adjustment period. You have to give it a week or two to build up the new muscle memory. It may slow you down briefly at first, but over time it more than makes up for that lost time by speeding things up.

rcmd is the Mac application switcher you didn’t know you needed

After a few weeks with rcmd, going back to Command-Tab feels clunky. The app has fundamentally changed the way I switch apps on my Mac. I don’t need to mindlessly scroll through the list of open apps after a quick visual inspection. I just press the letter and move on.

Despite offering so many tools, rcmd is free to download and use. It used to be a paid app, but the developers made it available for free while they were working on rcmd v3, which is still months away from release.

Download: rcmd