explaingit

metin-aksu/metools

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

24SwiftAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

A macOS menu bar app that adds Windows style cut and paste, new text file creation, and familiar keyboard shortcuts to the Finder file browser.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((meTools))
    What it does
      Cut and paste in Finder
      New text file shortcut
      Windows style keyboard shortcuts
    Tech stack
      Swift
      Finder Sync extension
      macOS menu bar app
    Use cases
      Move files via right click
      Rename files with F2
      Undo file operations
    Audience
      Mac users
      Windows switchers

Code map

Detail Auto

An interactive map of this repo's files and how they connect — its source is parsed live in your browser. Click Visualize to build it.

filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Cut and paste files between Finder folders using a right click menu instead of drag and drop.

USE CASE 2

Create a new empty text file directly from a folder's right click menu.

USE CASE 3

Use familiar Windows keyboard shortcuts like F2 to rename and Control+C/V to copy and paste in Finder.

USE CASE 4

Undo an accidental file move or rename with Control+Z.

What is it built with?

SwiftmacOSXcodeGen

How does it compare?

metin-aksu/metoolsashutosh160798/context-scopejcarterjohnson/constellate
Stars242424
LanguageSwiftSwiftSwift
Setup difficultyeasyhardmoderate
Complexity2/53/53/5
Audiencegeneraldevelopervibe coder

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Requires macOS 13 or later, and manually enabling the Finder extension and Accessibility permission after install.

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

In plain English

meTools is a small Mac app that adds a set of quality of life shortcuts to the Finder, the file browser built into macOS. It combines three separate older utilities into one menu bar app, and every feature can be turned on or off individually with a checkbox, so you only enable the parts you want. The main additions are right click menu items and keyboard shortcuts. From the right click menu you can mark a file or folder to be cut, then right click an empty area of another folder, or even right click directly on a folder without opening it, to paste and move the items there. There is also a right click option to instantly create a new empty text file in the current folder. On the keyboard side, the app remaps several keys to behave the way they do on Windows: pressing Return opens the selected file or folder instead of renaming it, F2 renames a file, and Control plus C, X, V, and Z handle copy, cut, paste, and undo for file operations, with Backspace moving items to the Trash. Other touches include automatic naming when a copied file already exists, so you get files like file 2.txt and file 3.txt instead of an error, protection against moving a folder into itself, icons that adjust for light and dark mode, and an optional launch at login setting. The app is localized into 33 languages and follows your system's language automatically. Installation is available through Homebrew or as a manual download from the project's releases page. Because the app is not notarized by Apple, macOS may show a security warning on first launch, which the README explains how to clear. The right click features require enabling a Finder extension in System Settings, and the keyboard features require granting Accessibility permission. One noted limitation is that the right click menu items do not work inside iCloud synced Desktop and Documents folders, since Apple does not allow Finder extensions to run there. The project requires macOS 13 or later and is released under the MIT license.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Help me install meTools using Homebrew and enable the Finder extension in System Settings.
Prompt 2
Explain why meTools shows a cannot verify the developer warning and how to clear it.
Prompt 3
Walk me through building meTools from source using XcodeGen and Xcode.
Prompt 4
Explain why the right click paste feature does not work in my iCloud Desktop folder.

Frequently asked questions

What is metools?

A macOS menu bar app that adds Windows style cut and paste, new text file creation, and familiar keyboard shortcuts to the Finder file browser.

What language is metools written in?

Mainly Swift. The stack also includes Swift, macOS, XcodeGen.

What license does metools use?

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

How hard is metools to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is metools for?

Mainly general.

Open on GitHub → Explain another repo

This repo across BitVibe Labs

Verify against the repo before relying on details.