torchsnap.app
Settings
Open Settings by right-clicking the Torchsnap tray icon in the menu bar and choosing Settings…, or by searching for “Settings” in the launcher.
General
Section titled “General”
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Launch at login | Start Torchsnap automatically when you log in. |
| Global Shortcut | The system-wide shortcut that opens the launcher. Click Change to record a new one. It needs Ctrl, Alt or Cmd (Win or Super outside macOS), or a function key on its own. Default: Cmd+Shift+Space on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+Space on other platforms. On Linux under Wayland, global shortcuts may need to be registered through the desktop environment instead. See Keyboard Shortcuts for details. |
| Control API | Enable the JSON-RPC control socket so external programs can drive Torchsnap. Disabled by default. See Control API for details. |
| Check for updates automatically | Look for a new version once a day by downloading https://torchsnap.app/updates/latest.json. The request carries your IP address and nothing else about you. Off until you answer in the welcome window or turn it on here. See Updating. |
| Check for Updates | Look for a new version now, whether automatic checks are on or not. |
| Show Welcome | Open the welcome window again, to go through the shortcut, launch at login and automatic update checks. |
Appearance
Section titled “Appearance”
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Theme | Choose between System, Light, and Dark. |
Snappy the mascot
Section titled “Snappy the mascot”Snappy is the owl mascot that sits on top of the launcher. You can customize how Snappy appears, or hide it entirely.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Show Snappy mascot | Toggle Snappy on or off. |
| Snappy is only a Sidekick | In the default mode, Snappy is centered above the search bar at full size. Enabling sidekick mode shrinks Snappy to half size and moves it to the right edge, keeping the launcher more compact. |
| Let Snappy do Cosplay | Snappy picks a random costume from over 150 hand-drawn variants each time the launcher opens. Costumes range from sci-fi and fantasy to pop culture references and seasonal outfits. Disable this to always show the original Snappy. |
| Enable non family-friendly mascots | Some Snappy variants carry props like swords, daggers, or lightsabers. Disable this to filter those variants from the random rotation. Only available when cosplay mode is enabled. |
In sidekick mode, Snappy moves to the right edge of the search bar at half size, still present but out of the way:
Frecency
Section titled “Frecency”
Frecency combines frequency (how often you use something) and recency (how recently you used it) into a single score. The more you launch a particular result, the higher it ranks, but recent usage counts for more than old usage, so the ranking naturally adapts as your habits change.
This means Torchsnap learns your preferences over time without any manual configuration. The apps and commands you rely on daily float to the top, while things you stopped using gradually fade back down.
Frecency data is stored locally and records which result was launched and when. If you prefer not to have that usage history stored on disk, you can disable frecency tracking entirely or clear the history at any time.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable frecency tracking | Toggle frecency ranking on or off. |
| Statistics | Shows how many events have been recorded, broken down by gadget. |
| Clear history | Permanently delete all frecency data and start fresh. |
Gadgets
Section titled “Gadgets”
The Gadgets section lets you manage which gadgets are active. Each gadget shows its version after its name and a permission line below it. The line names what the gadget touches: programs, network, files, links, the clipboard or its own data. Click it to see every permission. Groups that reach beyond the gadget’s own data carry a Broad access label; hover it for an explanation. Built-in gadgets are native code and have no permission list.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable / disable | Toggle individual gadgets on or off using the switch next to each one. |
| Install | Drop a .torchsnap file onto the drop zone or click Choose a file…. Every install shows a review first. |
| Uninstall | Remove a gadget you installed. Built-in and bundled gadgets ship with the app and cannot be removed. |
| Undo | Take back an install, update or uninstall before the restart. |
| Retry | Start a gadget again that failed to start. |
Installs, updates and uninstalls take effect after a restart. Until then the gadget’s row says what will happen, and a bar above the list offers Restart now. Installing Gadgets covers the review, updates and uninstalling in detail.
When a gadget that is turned on fails to start, a red box below its row says so and shows the reason the gadget gave. The switch stays on, so Torchsnap tries the gadget again the next time it starts. Click Retry to start it right away: the box goes away once the gadget runs, and shows the new reason if it fails again. The gadget’s own page in the sidebar shows the same box under its switch. Turning the gadget off removes the box.
Individual gadgets may have their own settings. These appear in the sidebar under the gadget’s name when available.
Settings file
Section titled “Settings file”All settings are stored in a JSON file at the platform’s application data directory:
| Platform | Path |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/app.torchsnap/settings.json |
| Linux | ~/.local/share/app.torchsnap/settings.json |
| Windows | %APPDATA%\app.torchsnap\settings.json |
You generally don’t need to edit this file directly since the Settings UI covers everything. But it can be useful for backup, scripting, or troubleshooting.