Support

How can we help?

Most problems are a permission or a clashing shortcut. Try the fixes below, and if you’re still stuck, email us. A person reads every message.

Common fixes

The shortcut does nothing
  • Another app may already use it. The menu bar menu shows “(unavailable)” next to the shortcut when macOS refused it; pick another in Settings → General.
  • To use ⌘Space, first turn off Spotlight’s shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Spotlight.
  • Check Wisp is running: look for its icon in the menu bar.
Snippets don’t expand
  • Settings → General → Permissions should say Granted for Accessibility. If not, click Grant… and switch Wisp on in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
  • In Settings → Snippets, check that “Expand snippets as I type” is on and the collection and snippet are enabled.
  • Make sure the app isn’t excluded and you’re not in a password field.
  • Type the keyword in one go. Clicking, arrow keys or switching apps part-way resets it.
An app is missing from results
  • Check it’s in one of the application folders in Settings → Search. Apps one sub-folder down are found; deeper ones aren’t.
  • Choose Rebuild App Index from the menu bar menu.
Files are missing from results
  • File results come from Spotlight. If Finder’s search can’t find the file either, Spotlight hasn’t indexed it (see System Settings → Spotlight).
  • In Settings → Search, check the file’s folder and kind are included.
  • Normal searches show only a few files. Start with a space or ' to search files only.
A workflow does nothing
  • Check it’s enabled and not waiting for review.
  • Select its input node and use Test in the inspector to see each step, script errors and exit codes.
  • Scripts start with a minimal environment, so use full paths for tools outside /opt/homebrew/bin, /usr/local/bin, /usr/bin and /bin.
System commands don’t work
  • Empty Trash, Log Out, Restart, Shut Down, Eject and Dark Mode control Finder or System Events. If you clicked Don’t Allow, allow Wisp in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation.
  • Lock Screen needs Accessibility.

Questions

Is Wisp Launcher free?

Yes, while it’s in beta. Pricing will be announced on this site before the beta ends, and beta users will hear about it first.

Does Wisp send any of my data anywhere?

No. There’s no account, no analytics and no tracking. Settings, snippets, workflows and learned rankings stay in your Library folder. Apart from a daily check for updates, which you can turn off, anything leaving your Mac is something you asked for, such as a web search or a workflow script you wrote. See the privacy policy for details.

Why does it need Accessibility access?

To expand snippets, Wisp has to notice the keyword as you type and type the expansion back, and macOS only allows that with Accessibility access. Search, folder browsing and workflows work without it.

Why isn’t it on the Mac App Store?

Expanding snippets across every app needs a keyboard event tap, which the App Store sandbox doesn’t allow. Wisp is signed with a Developer ID and notarised by Apple instead.

Will my Alfred workflows and snippets work?

Many will. Script filters use Alfred’s JSON format, so they often work unchanged, and .alfredsnippets files import directly in Settings → Snippets. Other Alfred workflow features need rebuilding with Wisp’s nodes.

Can I use ⌘Space instead of ⌥Space?

Yes. Turn off Spotlight’s shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Spotlight, then set ⌘Space in Wisp’s Settings → General.

How do I update Wisp?

Wisp checks once a day and shows Update Available in the menu bar menu when a new version is ready. Choose Check for Updates… in the menu bar menu to look now, or turn on automatic installs in Settings → General → Updates.

How do I move my setup to another Mac?

Copy ~/Library/Application Support/Wisp Launcher/ to the same place on the other Mac while Wisp is quit.

How do I uninstall it?

Quit Wisp from the menu bar, move it from Applications to the Bin, and delete ~/Library/Application Support/Wisp Launcher/ if you don’t want to keep your settings. Remove it from the Accessibility list in System Settings too.