Paste a path. Press `↩`

Cmd-R brings the Windows Run box to your Mac. Press ⌘R anywhere, then type or paste a folder, a file name, a website or a command, and it opens. If you just copied a path, it's already filled in.

Fuzzy search: invc finds Invoice.pdf. Other things to type are below.

What you can type

One box for everything you'd open. Type ? in Cmd-R for this guide, and press ↩ on a line to try it.

~/Downloads/ · /etc/hosts · "/path with spaces"
Opens the folder, or the file in its usual app. ⇥ completes like a shell, fuzzily: ~/dwnl becomes Downloads.
invc · redeem code · actmon
Finds files and apps by name, even with letters missing. Things you open often rise to the top.
in:desktop avatar · pdf: week:
Search inside one folder, or by kind and date: images, PDFs, folders, apps, code, today, this week.
google:mac shortcuts · yt: · gh: · wiki:
Searches the web in your browser. Plain text also offers a Google search as the last result.
github.com/apple · https://…
Opens the website in your default browser, or in another one you pick.
> git status
Runs the command in a new Terminal window, starting in your home folder.
\\server\share · smb://nas/media
Connects to the server and opens it in Finder.
lock · sleep · restart · emptytrash · ip
System actions. Empty Trash asks for a second ↩, and ip copies your IP address.

Feels like Windows

The words your fingers already know open the matching Mac app or setting. Windows paths work too: %USERPROFILE%\Desktop opens your Desktop. Type ?? in Cmd-R for the full list, and add your own words in Settings.

control
settings
cmd
notepad
calc
taskmgr
excel
winword
explorer
ncpa.cpl
downloads
trash
%TEMP%

Keys

Everything works from the keyboard. ⌘K shows what you can do with the selected result: copy the file, its path or a Markdown link, rename, duplicate, zip, move, Get Info or trash it.

↩: Open
⌘↩: Show in Finder
⌘K: Actions
⌘Y: Quick Look preview
⌘1–9: Open with another app
⌥↩: Open the folder in Terminal
⌥⌘↩: Paste the path into the app you were using
⌘D: Add to favorites
⌘⇧C: Copy the path
esc: Clear, then close

With an empty box you see your favorites, then paths you copied recently, then the places you open most. Prefer another shortcut than ⌘R? Change it in Settings. While Cmd-R runs, ⌘R no longer reloads pages in your browser.

Everything stays on your Mac

Cmd-R never connects to the internet. Searches run through Spotlight, on your Mac.

Your history, favorites and recently copied paths are kept in Cmd-R's settings on this Mac, and you can clear them in Settings. It only remembers copied paths and links, and skips anything a password manager copies. There's no account and no tracking. Read the privacy policy.

What it asks for

Files and folders

macOS hides search results from your Desktop, Documents and Downloads until you allow it. Cmd-R asks once, and shows a reminder if access is off.

Accessibility, if you want it

Only for ⌥⌘↩, which pastes a path into the app you were using. Everything else works without it.

Automation, when needed

macOS asks the first time you use Get Info, Empty Trash, Restart, Shut Down or Log Out, since Cmd-R asks Finder or the system to do those.