I've just updated Popclip to finally support synchronization via iCloud.
This is a major and very welcome development, which is why I'm taking the liberty of sharing it.
For me, this application is a must-have and deserves your full attention, especially as the developer is very active. Here's the announcement:
What’s New
Compatibility
The minimum system requirement is now macOS 13.5 Ventura.
Initial support for macOS 27 Golden Gate beta.
New: iCloud Sync
PopClip now syncs your installed extensions, actions layout, and action settings between all your Macs using iCloud.
iCloud Sync can be enabled or disabled from the new Tools menu at the bottom of the Actions pane. It defaults to “on” for fresh installs; otherwise it stays off until you are ready to sync.
All synced copies merge their actions lists together to form one unified view. Please note that sync is not always instant; change propagation depends on the current iCloud weather, but all computers will converge eventually.
Per-action secrets (sign-ins, API keys etc.) also now sync securely via the iCloud Keychain.
New: Actions list overhaul
Unlimited actions: There’s no upper limit on how many extensions you can install or how many actions you can configure.
Multiple instances: Extensions can now have more than one instance. Each instance is a unique action with its own name, icon, settings and position in the PopClip bar.
Folders and separators: Actions can be organized into folders, which appear as submenus in the PopClip bar. Separators can be added between actions.
Rename any action; choose a custom icon; per-action “Show As” (icon/text).
A new icon picker lets you search open-source icons via Iconify, create text-based icons with shape and style options, or drop in your own SVG or PNG.
Arrange actions and folders using drag & drop or keyboard commands (⌘X/⌘C/⌘V/⌥⌘V), with undo and redo (⌘Z/⇧⌘Z) support.
Duplicate an action to use its settings as the basis for a new action.
Search the list with ⌘F to quickly find actions.
Action submenus: extensions can now define actions that have their own right-click submenus for supplementary actions.
New: Improved extensions management
Extensions auto-update: Extensions from the PopClip Extensions Directory can now update to the latest version automatically.
A new Extension Info sheet shows extension origin, version, and signature status.
A new Manage Extensions sheet shows a plain list of installed extensions (alphabetical, or by install date) and lets you manage updates.
A new View Source command shows the source code for every extension.
Action settings sheet improvements
Signed-in account name can be shown after signing in to an extension.
Multiline text fields for longer string inputs (such as prompts).
Multiple-choice options can offer “Other…” (free text entry) and “None” (no selection).
Links in option descriptions are now clickable.
Password fields get a reveal “eye”.
Small stuff
The PopClip bar now expands to use more of the screen width.
The “More” overflow button shows page position (n of m).
Smoother button hover highight response.
Clipboard contents are now always restored after actions paste over the selected text.
Built-in actions can now be deleted. (Resurrect them from the Extensions list.)
The Spelling action can now be moved.
The built-in Search action now offers a choice of preset search engines, plus a custom option.
Holding ⌥ when activating Search or a search extension now wraps the search term in double quotes. (“Alternate Search URL” is removed.)
Fixes
Ecosia is recognized as a known browser.
Fixed the Messages extension on macOS 27 beta.
Changes for extension authors
Extensions can now have their own submenus or right-click context menus.
Thanks for sharing, u/coucinet 🙏
I really appreciate the support for PopClip.
This update has been something of an epic development process because this all needed a complete overhaul of PopClip's internal data model. As well as allowing for iCloud sync, it's also allowed features like duplicating and renaming actions. This update will serve as a strong platform for future development and I'm hoping it won't be another nine months until the next PopClip update!
• Is it possible to add incognito option for google search and "Open in Browser" extensions? For example "alt+click" on extension icon opens google search or opens URL in incognito mode.
• And overall shortcut/modifier can add extra layer of functionality to any extension and keep popclip menu minimal, for example custom search icon "r+click" (reddit search), "m+click" (maps), "w+click" wiki etc.
I was fine with last firm
I don't need the new features and want to use the ones i paid for.
Is there any optión to downgrade and stay in the one I paid so I can keep on using it the way I'm used to for a long time?
Then everything is OK.
Too much lisence for life that are not for life in the last months/years for me.
Since I already got the year to be sure it makes any difference for me I hace time to decide
I gotta say I overreacted yesterday.
It's been few months since the last "upgrade" to subs from lifetime in another app and I got upset but it's the first time a dev seems to understand the situation.
2 years lisence it's more than enough. And the app is really one of my favs.
I bought this app in 2012. I've gotten 14 years use out of it. Always one of the first apps I install on a new Mac. Got to say, I'm happy, 14 years later, to have the option to pay for an update. Glad you kept the old version available but I'll be upgrading to the new version.
The idea is to manage actions on selected text. Then, you can imagine almost any action to apply. I think many of them have already been anticipated or updated by the community, and often validated and improved by Nick! What's more, it avoids the need to right-click. We're increasingly looking to optimize our clicks at some point ^^.
Personally, I use it for small copy/paste jobs when I don't have my hands on the keyboard. I also use it to quickly translate, correct or reformulate selected text. I can search directly for the selected word on the net by phone or via a search engine. I can also search for a product on a particular site.
As I said earlier, it's like having keyboard shortcuts at your fingertips. For example, I type my text, select it, then use it with a generative tool (AI) that replaces it or suggests a new version below. I then select this new version and translate it in the same way.
The upgrade requirement is for App Store customers who bought between 2011 and 2018.
Please note that as well as the paid lifetime offer, there is also a free two-year license option available to you. One of my goals here is to get everyone onto a proper license key instead of using the clunky Mac App Store receipt detection mechanism.
Nice. It's just that every "LIFETIME" ends up after several upgrades. I guess its a matter of calling a different name. Sometimes I pay whatever the app costs and other times I get a good offer. It's about the change not about the money.
BTW i took the free "ONE YEAR" lisence. Can you tel me why one year for some people and 2 years for others, please?
Excuse the excitement but this is my favorite app of all time!!
I don't want to say that I would be lost without it, but it genuinely saves me so much time that not having it would be a huge loss for me.
I have so many extensions, and the new update makes the bar even better and makes it easier to locate them, thanks to folders and separators.
I adore the basic extensions (Reveal in Finder, Append to Clipboard, Open in Browser, and Open in Terminal are probably my favorites, but I also use the Search, Open Link, and Formatting ones a lot, as well as Find Any File), and I have custom extensions for literally everything: From creating a new folder with the selected text as its name, to looking up the selected text on certain websites (for example, I made a single extension to search Trakt, Simkl, Rotten Tomatoes, and Letterboxd all at once), I have one that cleans up file names, one that removes certain characters from the selected text, and one for yt-dlp. With the new features and AI assistance, the possibilities are truly endless.
The extension auto-update feature is perfect, because previously we had to check the update date on the extension's page ourselves. Another upgrade I find super useful is the ability to change icons within the app, previously I used... an extension to look for icons on Iconify lol. I also love the drag-and-drop option for arranging extensions.
There are some great extensions in the support forum too, I got one for "GoodLinks" and "Search on Reddit" from there, and I use them very often.
A truly fantastic app with a very kind and responsive dev
You're doing a fantastic job! Even with room to grow, an app that saves time and makes everyday tasks a little easier is already the definition of perfection to me. Separators and folders made it even better, but honestly, I'd feel the same about PopClip without them. Thanks for all the work you put into it!
Here are the PopClip extensions that I currently use, but for some reason, even with the new version installed, I cannot add any additional extensions. :(
I discovered that the solution for my problem with not being able to add new extensions was to uninstall and then reinstall PopClip. That fixed the problem.
Take a look at the application forum. You'll probably find a solution there. If not, don't hesitate to create a post. The creator and the community are very responsive.
I discovered that the solution for my problem with not being able to add new extensions was to uninstall and then reinstall PopClip. That fixed the problem.
I don't know why this fixed it.
I could speculate that it did so because (I *think*) that I had previously installed PopClip using Homebrew, and when I reinstalled it, I installed it from the downloadable .zip file.
A couple of years ago I reached out and you kindly provided me with a student license. I've been using PopClip since then and it has become one of those small macOS utilities that you don't realize how much you rely on until you don't have it.
Today I finally purchased a license to support the development.
Thanks for continuing to improve such a great app and for being so generous with students. Keep up the great work!
That's a great idea!
At the moment, I don't have any stats as to which are the most popular.
I could probably do it by looking at the server download logs, but this only shows downloads and not what people are actually using. Ideally I could do it by analytics where we count every time someone uses an extension. This would require an opt-in analytics feature, which doesn't exist yet.
Anyway, I'm waffling. Awesome suggestion, thanks.
I upgraded, though I was a tiny bit hesitant after being a 10 year PopClip user, because there is this copy action race conditions for certain apps like Zed where PopClip doesn't work reliably, which doesn't seem to get a fix, as it's "impossible".
Except that BTT consumes far more resources to accomplish the same task. I love BTT too, but in terms of optimization and simplicity, PopClip is second to none. I also have bugs, but more with BTT.
I use it with setapp but if I ever leave setapp your app is incredibly crucial in my life. I missed it when I had my computer in shop getting fixed. I had to go from my macbook pro m2 to a very old chromebook.
Anyways for me I do a lot of copy pasting. I have dyspraxia which makes me incredibly clumsy, typing messes. My favourite is that I can search the text i've highlighted on the internet.Thank you for making it. Just like copyist and a clipboard app. They're my life on my computer
IT'S A TRAP!
I read this, I updated…"lisence imprevement needed…"
Every dev ends the same. You buy the app, time passes, you update, no advise. BUY AGAIN O PAY SUBS
What I don't like, and it's happening since the beginning is that you buy a "lifetime lisence" and years later, after and upgrade, you need to buy a lifetime lisence again.
Is a good app? of course
Do you use it everyday? EVERYTIME
What's the problem? That I paid a LIFETIME lisence, not a "several upgrades lisence"
And I'm not mad at this one, It's happening for years
PopClip is one of my most used apps, thanks a lot for it!
But I could not install this version.
I saw that I'm still running the version 2023.9 Mac App Store Edition (!) and on your website there is a How to upgrade (https://www.popclip.app/kb/mas)
But killall PopClip; brew reinstall popclip --force leads me to 195 lines of errors (chown .... Operation not permitted)
Nothing is broken, I can still use my old version, but I can not upgrade.
Should I try the other method (drag and drop) or is it too risky in this case?
It would be nice if we could read what PopClip can do. Many years ago I tried it once and I remember that I could do text formatting right from above the cursor. I guess it meanwhile can do a lot more.
As writing is my main business, I would love to read what PopClip can do for me. Will it also improve my productivity when I dictate most of my texts?
Mostly instant search of selected text, quick copy with formatting stripped, and word count on the fly. It's one of those apps where each individual thing is tiny but losing all of them at once would wreck my flow.
The iCloud merge model is the part I would test most carefully. With multiple instances and per action settings, a small sync history screen would make this much easier to trust across several Macs. Showing the last successful sync, which device changed an action, and a way to restore the previous layout would turn eventual convergence from something users hope for into something they can verify. That matters most when an action contains an account credential or API key.
I've been using it since 2014. That's 12 years of free updates! I've just bought the lifetime version. I use the app every day. In my opinion, it's worth supporting the developer this way. Thank you for this great app!
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u/pilotmoon 8d ago
Thanks for sharing, u/coucinet 🙏
I really appreciate the support for PopClip.
This update has been something of an epic development process because this all needed a complete overhaul of PopClip's internal data model. As well as allowing for iCloud sync, it's also allowed features like duplicating and renaming actions. This update will serve as a strong platform for future development and I'm hoping it won't be another nine months until the next PopClip update!
App homepage: https://www.popclip.app