Raycast 2.0 leaves beta with a new design
Raycast 2.0 is now the main version on Mac, with a rebuilt interface, faster search, system-wide dictation and a cross-platform architecture.
Written by Mac App Index Editorial
Raycast 2.0 has left beta and replaced version 1 as the main release of the launcher. AlternativeTo and MacGeneration reported the release on August 20. The public beta had started in May.
What is new
The interface was redesigned to match macOS Tahoe, with a compact mode for quicker scanning. Under the surface, the bigger change is a new cross-platform architecture shared by the Mac and Windows apps.
Other changes reported with the release:
- Root Search shows files, folders, contacts, commands and apps directly.
- File Search uses Raycast's own indexer instead of relying on Spotlight metadata.
- A system-wide Dictation feature, with settings for vocabulary, writing style and per-app instructions.
- A redesigned Quick AI and expanded AI Chat, including a Screen Awareness option that lets the AI look at the app in front.
- Hotkeys and aliases can be set directly from Root Search, and settings were reorganised.
Upgrading from version 1
Existing beta data carries over. Version 1 users are prompted to import their data and may need to grant some macOS permissions again.
Pricing
The launcher remains free. Dictation and AI Chat, which were free during the beta, are now part of Raycast Pro, with a seven-day trial after signing in.
The reaction
The rebuild uses web technology alongside native code to share work across platforms. MacGeneration noted that some long-time Mac users were unhappy about the move away from a fully native app, worried about smoothness and memory use. Raycast's later releases have focused on performance, including version 2.8 in October, which made File Search up to six times faster.
Should you update?
Raycast prompts you to move to version 2. If you rely on specific extensions, check that they work after the update, and re-grant Accessibility permissions if window commands stop working.
Raycast also covers jobs that separate apps handle, such as clipboard history and window management. If you prefer dedicated tools, see Paste and Rectangle, or browse alternatives to Raycast.
Sources: AlternativeTo, MacGeneration, Raycast changelog.
