Alfred
Alfred is a macOS productivity launcher that helps you start apps, find files, run actions, and automate everyday tasks from the keyboard.
What is Alfred?
Alfred is a native macOS productivity app designed to help users work faster from the keyboard. It combines app launching, file and web search, quick actions, and workflow automation in a single launcher-style interface. Many people use it to open apps, search their Mac, perform calculations, manage snippets, and trigger custom shortcuts without navigating through multiple menus. Alfred also supports workflows that connect with apps, websites, and system tasks, making it useful for both everyday users and more advanced Mac setups. Certain features may request macOS permissions so Alfred can show contacts or bookmarks, simulate key combinations, and perform text expansion where needed. Alfred is published by Running with Crayons Ltd and is widely used as a Spotlight alternative for Mac-focused productivity workflows.
Key features
- Launch apps and open files from a keyboard shortcut
- Search your Mac and the web from one command interface
- Run calculations, conversions, and quick system actions
- Create text snippets and expand repeated phrases
- Build or install workflows to automate tasks and connect services
- Browse clipboard history and reuse recent copied items
- Control macOS features such as settings, focus, and device actions
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Inspect caches, support files, containers, and login items before cleaning.
Safety overview
Status: Safe
Alfred is legitimate productivity software for macOS. Permission prompts for accessibility, contacts, bookmarks, or text input can be consistent with features such as launcher actions, snippet expansion, and system control. Review each permission before granting it and enable only the access you plan to use.
Recommendation: Keep Alfred if you use it for launching apps, search, shortcuts, or automation on your Mac. If you no longer use it, you can remove the app and its support files, but doing so may delete workflows, preferences, snippets, and other Alfred customizations.
Common paths
/Applications/Alfred 5.app~/Applications/Alfred 5.app
Cache paths
~/Library/Caches/com.runningwithcrayons.Alfred
Support paths
~/Library/Application Support/Alfred
Preference paths
~/Library/Preferences/com.runningwithcrayons.Alfred-Preferences.plist
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