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AppShelf

MAC

Help manual.

A little help, whenever you need it.

AppShelf Help

AppShelf Help (in-app, bundled) · Last updated: 26 Apr 2026

1) Overview

AppShelf is a lightweight macOS app shelf for launching your selected apps from a single grid-based pad.

Open fast with a shortcut, launch in one click, and manage layout and boards from Settings.

Included

  • App management (add/remove/reorder)
  • Two boards (Main/Work) with renaming
  • Search inside the active board
  • Pad layout customization
  • Global shortcut toggling
  • Open-on-demand from menu bar or shortcut

Local data

  • Settings and app list are stored on your Mac.
  • Help content is part of the app bundle.
  • Licensing state uses your Apple ID entitlement flow.

2) AppShelf Pad

At a glance

• Searchable app grid with labels

• Board menu in header (switch active board)

• Global show/hide by shortcut

• Optional translucent background and rounded chrome

• Auto-hide timer after configured inactivity

• Settings access and license indicators

Use the pad

  • Open via menu bar icon or configured global shortcut.
  • Use the board menu in the header to switch between boards.
  • Click an app icon to launch it.
  • Move through your app list by adding, removing, and reordering entries.
  • Use auto-hide and opacity controls for desktop blending and attention style.
  • Use larger icons with fewer columns if text is hard to read.
  • Enable a moderate opacity for readability against bright wallpapers.
  • Set hide delay to match your workflow (0 for manual mode, higher for auto-hide).

3) Manage Apps

Go to Settings → Manage Apps.

Boards

  • Use the board selector to switch between available boards.
  • Use Rename board to rename the selected board.
  • Apps are added to the currently selected board.

Add apps

  1. Open Settings and go to Manage Apps.
  2. Choose Add App.
  3. Select an app and confirm.
  4. New item appears in the panel list and is available on next AppShelf pad render.

Reorder apps

  • Press-and-hold the app tile and drag it to a new position.
  • Drop to apply the new order.
  • If drag feels inconsistent, close and reopen Settings once.

Delete apps

  • Select the entries you want to remove.
  • Use delete action to remove from the list.
  • Deleted entries are removed from the pad immediately.

If an app was moved to a new folder/path, remove old entry and re-add with the current path.

4) Appearance and Layout

Appearance controls define the AppShelf pad density and feel.

  • Columns: number of columns in one row.
  • Icon Size: visual size of app icons in points.
  • Spacing: gap between icon tiles.
  • Pad Opacity: background transparency level.
  • Hide Delay: time before auto-hide.

Free vs Pro

In Free mode appearance and shortcut customization are locked and default values are enforced. Pro unlocks appearance controls and shortcut customization.

Free tier supports Manage Apps, boards, and board renaming, with up to 10 apps total.

5) Shortcuts and Global Access

Set a global keyboard shortcut to open/close AppShelf quickly.

  • Select modifier keys plus a base key in Settings.
  • Changes apply immediately.
  • Shortcut is treated as global while AppShelf is active under macOS permissions.
  • This setting is a Pro feature.

If another app uses your combo, choose a unique one to prevent conflicts.

6) Startup Behavior

Optionally start AppShelf at login.

  • Enable launch-at-login in Settings.
  • Complete any permission prompts for login item management.
  • Verify in macOS login startup entries if needed.

Tip: keep this enabled if you use AppShelf on every new desktop session.

7) Pro, Purchase, Restore

Pro is delivered as a lifetime entitlement via StoreKit for your Apple account.

  • Use Upgrade to Pro to unlock additional controls.
  • Use Restore Purchases after reinstall/device changes.
  • Restore requires Apple ID access and network.
  • Sandbox can behave differently from production App Store accounts.

Why Restore may fail

  • Wrong Apple ID
  • Offline / store unreachable
  • Entitlements still refreshing in the current session
  • App build/environment mismatch

8) Help, Data, and Privacy

  • Local first: all feature instructions are in this offline Help file.
  • Storage: app list and preferences are stored locally.
  • Network needed: only when StoreKit or remote documentation links are used.
  • Permissions: accessibility and startup permissions can affect behavior.

9) Troubleshooting (Expanded)

1. Pad not opening

  • Use the menu bar toggle first to rule out shortcut conflict.
  • Confirm the app is not hidden behind another window or full-screen transition.
  • Restart AppShelf and test again.

2. Shortcut does not trigger

  • System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility: allow AppShelf.
  • Pick another combo if another utility owns the existing one.
  • After changing shortcut, reopen Settings once if needed.

3. App does not launch from pad

  • Check if the app path exists.
  • Re-add an app that was moved after upgrade.
  • For unsigned binaries or scripts, check execution permissions.
  • Restart the target app manually to clear stale process state.

4. Drag-and-drop reorder unstable

  • Drag with a steady pointer and pause briefly over the target.
  • Move one tile at a time; avoid rapid repeated drags.
  • Close and reopen Settings for a clean gesture state.

5. Pro features unlocked/locked unexpectedly

  • Tap Restore Purchases with active internet.
  • Reopen Settings and wait a moment for entitlement refresh.
  • Verify you are signed into the correct Apple ID.

6. AppShelf pad closes immediately after opening app

  • Verify idle hide delay is not set too low.
  • Check whether focus transitions are dismissing the pad.
  • Use manual mode if auto-hide is too aggressive.

7. Help window seems different from macOS standard

  • Help is shown in an in-app local HTML window by design.
  • The Help content is bundled with AppShelf and available offline.
  • Local copy remains offline and fast regardless of internet state.

8. I want better diagnostics

  • Capture the exact steps before the issue occurs.
  • Include shortcut used, OS version, and app version in your report.
  • Mention any permission toggles you changed recently.

If issue persists and repeats in a clean session, include Console logs for the AppShelf process with timestamp.

If a behavior appears only with one macOS version, include that version in support details.

Support: support email

Support page: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/support.html

Privacy policy: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/privacy.html

Source repository: https://github.com/ops-eng/AppShelf

App reference

AppShelf

A fast, elegant macOS launcher that opens your favorite apps from one clean, focused grid.

✨ Why AppShelf

AppShelf gives you instant access to your essential apps—without Dock clutter, without distractions, and without breaking your workflow.

  • Open your launcher with a global shortcut
  • Keep a clean, minimal grid of only the apps you choose
  • Customize the layout (Pro) to match your exact style
  • Enjoy a native, lightweight macOS experience

🧩 Features

  • ⚡ Quick launcher window for your selected apps
  • ⌨️ Global hotkey to show/hide the launcher
  • 🖱️ Drag & drop to rearrange apps
  • ➕ Add / remove apps from Settings
  • 🔄 Launch at Login option
  • ⏱️ Idle auto‑hide option
  • 🌍 Localized in 16 languages

💎 Free vs Pro

Free

  • Up to 8 apps
  • Fixed defaults:
    • Columns: 4
    • Icon size: 72
    • Icon spacing: 0
    • Idle hide delay: 0

Pro (Lifetime — one‑time purchase)

  • Unlimited apps
  • Appearance customization:
    • Columns
    • Icon size
    • Icon spacing
    • Idle hide delay
  • Shortcut customization:
    • Modifier keys
    • Activation key
  • Restore Purchases support

🌐 Localization

AppShelf is fully localized in:

  • English
  • Arabic
  • Arabic (UAE)
  • German
  • Greek
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Hindi
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Portuguese (Brazil)
  • Romanian
  • Turkish
  • Chinese (Simplified)
  • Chinese (Traditional)
  • 📘 README: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/README.md
  • ❓ Help: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/help.html
  • 🔒 Privacy: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/privacy.html
  • 🛠️ Support: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/support.html

👨‍💻 Developer

Built with care by Efthymios Tampouris.

Additional support reference

AppShelf Support

Need help with setup, purchases, or troubleshooting? Contact support below.

Quick Troubleshooting

  1. Open Settings and check apps in Manage Apps.
  2. If shortcut activation fails, verify Accessibility permission.
  3. If Pro appears locked after reinstall, use Restore Purchases.
  4. Restart AppShelf after major setting changes if behavior seems stale.

Contact Support

SUPPORT: Contact Support

Project page: https://ops-eng.github.io/AppShelf/

Include This in Your Message

  • macOS version
  • AppShelf version/build
  • steps to reproduce
  • screenshot or short recording (if possible)

Typical response time: within 3 business days.

Questions about AppShelf?

yetanotherswift.app@gmail.com ↗