App launching made easy

Access reminders, manage files and more with LaunchBar 6

At MacFormat, we’ve long been fans of capable launchers, such as LaunchBar, that provide plenty of scope for controlling your Mac.

With OS X Yosemite, it was interesting to see Apple seemingly take notice of such software in Spotlight’s redesign: the interface moved to the centre of the screen, instead of being anchored to the menu bar; and rather than only searching local content, Spotlight

You can browse folders or files by kind; add calendar events and peruse reminders

can now find content online too. However, LaunchBar retains its lead over Spotlight in many ways: you can browse folders or files by kind; you can add calendar events and peruse reminders; and it’s far better for online search. We explore these things in the walkthrough, but there's more to discover in this feature-rich app.

Note that the first time it’s run, LaunchBar will ask for permission to access things like your calendar data, and ask you to define a shortcut. We recommend ≈ + [Space], so ç + [Space] can still be used for Spotlight. When you subsequently use the shortcut, LaunchBar will appear.

LaunchBar is free for 30 days; after that, it’s €24. Or, you can continue for free, but you’ll have to take a break! Craig Grannell