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ganeshmshetty

ganeshmshetty/openclip

An open-source macOS popup that appears on selected text, offering transforms, shell and JavaScript scripts, shortcuts, math, and AI actions.

Open-source alternative to:PopClip

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Last commit
2 days ago

What is it?

OpenClip is a macOS menu bar app that shows a small action bar near any text you select in another app. The bar offers built-in actions such as case transforms, search, copy and cut, and math evaluation, along with any custom actions you add.

Actions can be extended with folders placed in ~/.openclip/extensions/. Each extension is defined by an openclip.json file and can be written in JavaScript, Shell, AppleScript, or as a URL template. A Preferences screen includes an extension store for installing community extensions. A search palette opened with a hotkey (Option+Command+C) fuzzy-searches the full action catalog.

AI actions are optional and can run text through local Ollama models, Apple Intelligence, or OpenAI and Anthropic API keys. The app is written in Swift 6, requires macOS 14 or later, and detects selected text through the Accessibility permission rather than clipboard polling.

Key features

  • 01Contextual action bar that appears near the current text selection.
  • 02Global hotkey search palette for the full action catalog.
  • 03Custom extensions written in JavaScript, Shell, AppleScript, or URL schemes.
  • 04Optional AI actions via local Ollama, Apple Intelligence, or OpenAI/Anthropic keys.
  • 05No telemetry or analytics; processing runs locally.

Use cases

  • Translating or rewriting a selected sentence with a local LLM without leaving the current app.
  • Sending selected text to a shell script or shortcut for formatting or lookup.
  • Searching a selected term on Wikipedia or another site with a URL extension.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install via Homebrew

    brew install --cask openclip
  2. 2

    Grant Accessibility permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility

Things to know

  • Requires macOS 14 or later.
  • Needs Accessibility permission to detect selected text.

Topics

#macos#text-selection#productivity#llm#ollama#swift#automation#applescript#app-kit#apple-intelligence

FAQ

What is openclip?
An open-source macOS popup that appears on selected text, offering transforms, shell and JavaScript scripts, shortcuts, math, and AI actions. OpenClip is a macOS menu bar app that shows a small action bar near any text you select in another app. The bar offers built-in actions such as case transforms, search, copy and cut, and math evaluation, along with any custom actions you add.
Is openclip free to use? What license does it have?
openclip is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is openclip still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to openclip was on Oct 19, 2026.
What can I use openclip for?
Translating or rewriting a selected sentence with a local LLM without leaving the current app. Sending selected text to a shell script or shortcut for formatting or lookup. Searching a selected term on Wikipedia or another site with a URL extension.
How do I install openclip?
Install via Homebrew: brew install --cask openclip Grant Accessibility permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
Where can I get openclip?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/ganeshmshetty/openclip

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