Raycast for Designers: Your Command Center for Mac Workflows

Raycast is a productivity launcher for macOS that replaces Spotlight with a faster, more powerful command center. It’s built for keyboard-first workflows: press a hotkey, type what you want, and get instant results. For designers, Raycast shines in three ways: quick access to design files across tools, clipboard history for copying between apps, and extensions that connect Figma, Linear, Notion, and other daily tools. The interface is clean and feels native to macOS, which matters when you’re using it dozens of times per hour.

Key Specs

How Designers Use Raycast

Raycast adapts to different design workflows. Here’s how designers apply it to save time throughout the day.

Quick Access to Design Files

Search across Figma, Sketch, and local files without opening each app. Type “Figma” in Raycast to see recent files, or search by project name. The Recent Files extension shows files from Finder, so you can open that PSD from yesterday or jump back to a Keynote presentation. No more Cmd+Tab hunting or digging through folders.

Clipboard History for Design Work

Copy multiple elements from Figma, then paste them one by one into Slack, Notion, or Linear without switching back. Raycast remembers every copy operation: text, links, images, and code snippets. This is especially useful when documenting designs or pulling content from multiple sources into one place. The free version keeps 3 months of history, which is enough for most workflows.

Text Snippets for Repetitive Tasks

Create shortcuts for text you type repeatedly: email signatures, Figma component notes, standup updates, or design review templates. Type a short abbreviation like “//status” and Raycast expands it to a full update template. You can include dynamic placeholders like date or clipboard contents. This saves minutes every day on repetitive communication.

Window Management Without a Mouse

Position windows instantly with keyboard shortcuts: left half, right half, maximize, or quarters. Raycast’s window management is simpler than Rectangle or Magnet because it’s built-in and doesn’t require separate apps or remembering different shortcuts. Press your Raycast hotkey, type “window,” and choose a layout. Or set custom shortcuts for the layouts you use most.

Raycast vs. Alternatives

How does Raycast compare to other Mac productivity launchers?

Choose Raycast if: You want modern UI, built-in clipboard history and window management, and easy access to design tool extensions without configuration.

Choose Alfred if: You need custom workflows with scripting (Bash, Python, AppleScript) or prefer a mature tool with years of community workflows.

Choose Spotlight if: You only need basic app launching and file search, and don’t want to learn a new tool.

Choose LaunchBar if: You prefer action-based navigation over search and want a native Mac experience (though Raycast is also native now).

Getting Started with Raycast

A 10-minute setup to make Raycast part of your daily workflow:

Step 1: Install and set your hotkey

Download from raycast.com, open the app, and set your hotkey (Cmd+Space to replace Spotlight, or Option+Space to run alongside it). Press the hotkey anywhere to bring up Raycast’s search bar. Type an app name or file and press Enter to open it.

Step 2: Add extensions you use daily

Press your hotkey, type “Store,” and browse extensions. Install Figma (search files), Clipboard History (see past copies), and Window Management (arrange windows). Each extension adds commands you can search for: “Search Figma Files,” “Clipboard History,” “Left Half.” Try them out to see what fits your workflow.

Step 3: Create your first snippet

Press your hotkey, search for “Create Snippet,” and add a shortcut. For example, abbreviation: “//email”, expands to your email signature. Or “//figma” expands to your Figma file naming convention. Snippets work in any app, so you’ll save time on repetitive typing.

Raycast in Your Design Workflow

Raycast rarely works alone. Here’s how it connects to tools designers use before, during, and after design work.

• Before designing: Use Raycast to open Figma files, pull up Notion docs, or check Linear issues without leaving your keyboard
• During design: Copy design elements, switch between Figma and reference images, or look up color hex codes with the built-in color picker
• After designing: Paste copied frames into Slack, create Linear issues from Raycast, or use snippets to document design decisions in Notion

Common tool pairings:

• Raycast + Figma for instant access to recent files and opening specific projects by name
• Raycast + Linear for creating issues and checking your assigned tasks without opening the web app
• Raycast + Notion for searching across your workspace and opening specific pages
• Raycast + Clipboard History for copying multiple items from design tools and pasting them sequentially

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

These issues come up in design communities. Here’s how to solve them.

“Raycast hotkey conflicts with another app”

If Cmd+Space doesn’t trigger Raycast, another app is using that shortcut. Open Raycast preferences (Cmd+,), go to General, and change the hotkey. Try Option+Space or Ctrl+Space. Then disable Spotlight’s shortcut in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Spotlight to avoid conflicts.

“Clipboard history doesn’t show images I copied”

Raycast’s free version supports images in clipboard history, but some apps (like Figma) copy images in a format Raycast doesn’t preview. The item is still there—just no thumbnail. Click it to paste. For better image support, use the Clipboard Manager extension instead of the built-in history, or upgrade to Pro for more format support.

“Extensions don’t show my recent files”

Extensions like Figma require you to authenticate first. Open the extension, click “Login,” and authorize Raycast to access your account. For local file extensions, Raycast needs Full Disk Access in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access. Check the box next to Raycast.

“Window management shortcuts don’t work in some apps”

Some apps override keyboard shortcuts or run in full-screen mode, which prevents window management. Exit full-screen (green button or Ctrl+Cmd+F), then try again. For stubborn apps, use Raycast’s mouse-free mode: open Raycast, type “Window Management,” and choose the layout with arrow keys instead of shortcuts.

“I installed too many extensions and now Raycast is cluttered”

Open Raycast preferences, go to Extensions, and disable ones you don’t use daily. You can also organize commands into custom aliases. For example, alias “Figma Search” to just “fig” so you type less. Or pin your most-used commands to the top of search results by pressing Cmd+P on any command.