Raycast for iOS

Since launching in 2020, Raycast has transformed productivity for hundreds of thousands of professionals on macOS. But life is complicated and doesn't happen only on your desk. Today we’re taking the first step beyond the desktop: You can now take Raycast with you - productivity on the go.

Why iOS?

Raycast evolved from a launcher to a productivity suite. By now, it houses a variety of features that help you get things done.

After we launched Raycast Pro, we started getting requests to bring Raycast to iOS. Those voices got louder when we launched a revamped Notes experience. It was clear that people wanted to take their AI Chats, Notes and other content with them wherever they go. But it wasn't a straight forward task...

Is it a Spotlight replacement?

Let’s get this straight early on – it’s not a Spotlight replacement. iOS doesn't let third-party apps replace Spotlight. So unlike on Mac where Raycast can be your primary launcher, the iOS version works alongside iOS's built-in tools. This meant, we had to get creative.

So what is it then?

Over the past couple of months, we rebuilt the app three times and explored countless of ideas. Initially it started as a simple AI Chat, then we explored a voice first experience, before finally settling on a bundle of our productivity tools while maintaining the speed Raycast is known for.

Raycast for iOS brings the essentials from your Mac straight to your phone:

• AI Chat with dozens of models for spot-on answers to any task
• Notes to capture ideas the moment they strike
• Quicklinks for one-tap access to your key resources
• Snippets and templates to keep shipping wherever you are
• Cloud Sync for seamless hand-off across all your Apple devices

Home & Search

Raycast bundles a lot of functionality. To make it easy to access all this functionality, the app starts in a Home screen.

The Home screen is designed for speed and allows you to quickly access your most used features:

• AI: Ask a question by typing or holding the voice button
• Favorites: Pin your most-used Quicklinks, Snippets, AI Chat Presets, and more
• Search: Pull down to search the entire app
• Core Features: Jump straight into AI, Notes, Quicklinks, or Snippets

AI

A big part of Raycast for iOS is the AI experience. It's easily accessible from the Home screen and can be mapped to your Action button.

We took all your favorite models, presets, chat settings, and AI commands and wrapped them in a beautiful mobile-first UI. Some of the team's highlights:

• Hold or tap the voice button for quick questions
• Switch between presets and models
• Attach photos from your Camera or Library
• Pick up any desktop chat with a seamless Cloud Sync
• Use AI Commands from the share sheet or inside the app

Notes

Raycast Notes became indispensable for many of our users. Some were holding out due to the lack of a mobile app, which is fair. Now, this is no longer a problem!

Now you can capture your thoughts on the go with the same powerful formatting and organization you rely on at your desktop. Later, when you're back at your Mac, that note is already synced and ready for you to develop further. Watch out for some voice features in future releases 😉

Quicklinks & Snippets

Two more core features that are at the core of the workflows of many Raycast users - easily accessible right from your Home. You can create, edit and use Quicklinks and Snippets when you’re away from your computer.

In future releases, we want to make it even more accessible with a custom keyboard that you can use in other apps.

Shortcuts and Widgets

While we can't replace Spotlight, we can integrate with Siri Shortcuts and Widgets. So the app comes with a few that you can use to quickly access your favorite features:

• Create advanced workflows in Shortcuts by using actions like Ask AI, AI Command, New Note, Open Camera, etc.
• Assign Ask AI or Voice to the action button
• Use one of our widgets for quick access to AI or your favorites

Cloud Sync

Everything is tied together with Cloud Sync. Make sure you have it enabled in the macOS app (Settings → Cloud Sync) to have your content seamlessly synchronized across all your Apple devices.

Note: Cloud Sync requires an active Pro Plan subscription. You can still use the iOS app without it, but some features will be limited.

What’s Next?

This is just the beginning of our mobile journey. As we continue to bring more Mac features to iOS and develop new capabilities specifically designed for mobile contexts, we'll be guided by the same principles that made Raycast for Mac successful: speed, power, and elegance.

Here are some of the features we plan to add in future releases:

• Add a custom keyboard to access AI Commands and Snippets wherever you type
• Catch up with AI features from the Mac such as Reasoning, LaTex, AI Extensions, etc.
• Combine voice input and AI support with Notes to capture ideas the moment they strike
• And more features such as Focus, Clipboard History sync, etc.

Let us know what you think!

Get Raycast for iOS

Ready to take Raycast with you? Download it now from the App Store and experience productivity without boundaries. Want to try out Raycast Pro? Get 30% off until May 7th.