QuickMenu

QuickMenu is a single-run macOS application that captures menu items from the frontmost application and opens an instant search dialog so you can run commands quickly without going to the macOS menu bar.

It leverages macOS's Accessibility API to query and recreate menu structures, making it ideal for users who want seamless menu interactions. QuickMenu launches, captures the menu, lets you search and act, then quits — leaving no persistent background presence.

Demo

If the video doesn't render in your viewer, open it directly: quickmenu-intro.mp4

Features

• Single-Run: Launches, captures the menu, and quits automatically after you act or dismiss the dialog
• Menu Capture: Automatically collects menu items from the active application
• Instant Search Dialog: Opens directly on launch — no intermediate popup menu
• Menu + Submenu Search: Searches across nested menu items and executes matches quickly
• Top-Level Defaults: Shows top-level menu items before you type anything
• Toggle with Hotkey: While in session, press Command + Shift + M to dismiss or reopen the search dialog
• Active-Screen Centering: Opens the search dialog centered on the currently active screen
• Keyboard Navigation: Supports Tab/Shift+Tab, arrow keys, Enter, and Esc in search
• Actionable Items: Menu selections trigger the original actions in the source app
• Self-Exclusion: Never indexes its own menu — always targets another application
• Onboarding Journey: Guided setup with permission assistance on first launch
• Accessibility Integration: Automatically checks and guides you through enabling permissions
• Rolling File Logs: Writes logs to ~/Library/Logs/QuickMenu/ with automatic log rotation
• Lightweight: No persistent status-bar or background presence when idle
• Apple Menu Skipped by Default: Excludes the Apple menu from indexed results by default

Requirements

• macOS Ventura (13.0) or later
• Xcode 14+ for building (Swift 5.7+)
• Accessibility permissions enabled for the app

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

git clone https://github.com/namuan/quick-menu.git
cd quick-menu
./install.command

The install script will:

1. Build the application using Swift Package Manager
2. Create the app bundle
3. Sign it with ad-hoc signing
4. Install it to ~/Applications/QuickMenu.app

Note: each install run resets existing Accessibility approval for com.namuan.quickmenu so macOS can prompt again.

First Launch Setup

1. Open QuickMenu: Double-click ~/Applications/QuickMenu.app or run:

   open ~/Applications/QuickMenu.app

2. Grant Accessibility Permissions:

   • The onboarding window will guide you through this
   • Or manually go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
   • Enable QuickMenu in the list

3. Start Using: Press Command + Shift + M to open instant menu search

Usage

Launch

• Launch QuickMenu from Finder, Dock, Spotlight, or any launcher
• The app immediately identifies the frontmost application, captures its menu, and opens the search dialog
• QuickMenu quits automatically when you select an action, dismiss the dialog, or press Escape

In-Session Hotkey

• Command + Shift + M: Dismiss or reopen the search dialog while the session is active

Search Menus

• The dialog opens centered on the active screen
• By default, it shows top-level menu items for the frontmost app
• Type to filter across top-level and nested submenu items
• Use keyboard shortcuts in search:
  • Tab / Shift+Tab: cycle results
  • ↑ / ↓: move selection
  • Enter: execute selected item
  • Esc: close search (also quits the app)

Logs

• Logs are written to ~/Library/Logs/QuickMenu/
• Active log file uses app name (quickmenu.log) and rotates automatically (quickmenu.1.log ... quickmenu.5.log)

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Built with macOS Accessibility APIs
• Thanks to the Swift community for resources on AXUIElement
• Inspired by the need for quicker menu access in macOS

Support

For issues or suggestions, open an issue.