Every app and window,
a few keystrokes away

Ciel is a small native launcher for macOS. Press ⌃⌥Space, type a few letters, and press Return. Nothing leaves your Mac.

Download for macOS

Free and MIT licensed · macOS 14 or later

A painted sky with one large ivory cloud, used as the desktop wallpaper

Slowest search p95 across 1,018 apps
5.56 ms
Window commands on one display
2 to 9 ms
Network requests while running
0
Resident processes, no idle timer
1

Ciel shows nothing until you type. Then it finds what you meant, even misspelled, and disappears on Return.

Small on screen, thorough underneath

Finds what you meant

Prefixes, abbreviations like vsc, typos like safrai, accents, and words in any order. Exact matches always win over history.

  • safraiSafari
  • vscVisual Studio Code
  • calclatorCalculator
  • set sysSystem Settings

Puts windows where you want them

Eighteen commands for halves, quarters, three fourths, center, almost maximize, restore, minimize, and moving between displays. Bind any of them to a global shortcut.

Keeps your Mac to itself

No account, server, analytics, or network requests. Preferences and launch history stay on your Mac.

Stays light

One resident process and no idle timer. The app list refreshes in the background only when apps change.

Remembers where you put it

Drag the launcher and it snaps to guides at each quarter of the screen. Every display keeps its own spot.

Three keys between you and any app

  1. Open Ciel from anywhere

    Control Option Space works over any app. Record a different shortcut in Settings.

  2. Type a few letters

    Results appear as you type. Tab switches between all results, apps, and window commands.

  3. Press Return

    Or hold Command and press 1 through 9 to run one of the first nine results.

Questions

Is Ciel free?

Yes. Ciel is free and open source under the MIT license. There is no account, trial, or paid tier.

Which Macs does it run on?

Ciel needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later. The download is a universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

Why does Ciel ask for Accessibility access?

Only window commands need it, because macOS requires that permission to move and resize other apps' windows. App search works without it. Choose Allow Access in Ciel Settings, then turn Ciel on in Privacy and Security.

Does Ciel collect any data?

No. Ciel makes no network requests while it runs and has no analytics. Preferences and launch history are stored in the app.mauriciopolvora.ciel defaults domain, and the app list is cached in your Library folder.

Can it replace Spotlight?

Ciel launches apps and runs window commands. It does not search files or the web. To put Ciel on Command Space, turn off the Spotlight shortcut in System Settings first, then record it in Ciel Settings. Ciel keeps your previous shortcut if the new one is taken.

How does it rank results?

Exact matches come first. After that, apps and commands you run often move up. That history never leaves your Mac.

Does it work with full screen apps and Spaces?

Window commands work on regular windows. Full screen windows and moving windows between Spaces are not supported. When an app enforces a minimum size or refuses a resize, Ciel tells you.

Can I hide the menu bar icon?

Yes. Turn off Show menu bar icon in Settings. To get back to Settings later, open the launcher and press Command Comma.

How do I uninstall it?

Quit Ciel from its menu bar icon and drag it from Applications to the Trash. To remove its saved settings too, run defaults delete app.mauriciopolvora.ciel in Terminal.

Can I build it myself?

Yes. Clone the repository and run bash scripts/build.sh with a Swift 6 toolchain. Apple's Command Line Tools are enough. The README covers installing and signing.

Ciel app icon, a painted ivory cloud on a blue sky

Try it on the next app you open

Download for macOS

Free, no account, and gone the moment you drag it to the Trash.