Raycast
Raycast opens apps, finds files and runs commands from a keyboard search box. It’s made by Raycast, based in the United Kingdom.
Criminals have used its name in fake downloads or scams, so get it only from raycast.com.
What it is
People use Raycast to open apps, find files, arrange windows and reuse things they have copied. It also offers notes, dictation, AI tools and extensions that connect to other services.
Clipboard History records copied items when enabled. Other features can read files, calendars, contacts or content in another app, depending on the permissions you grant. Raycast's AI services send your input to AI providers; Cloud Sync uploads supported content when enabled.
Raycast distributes a signed Mac app that Apple has notarised. Extensions receive code review before publication, but they are not separately restricted from accessing files or the internet. Their access also depends on the permissions granted to Raycast.
Who makes it
Raycast is a UK software company that publicly launched its app in 2020. Its legal name is Raycast Technologies Ltd.. Its website is raycast.com.
Is it the real one?
Every Mac app carries a signature from the developer who made it. Apple checks who the developer is before handing out the certificate, and macOS refuses to open an app whose signature has been tampered with.
The real Raycast is signed by Raycast Technologies Inc, Apple team ID SY64MV22J9. A copy signed by anyone else isn’t from Raycast. HARD’s Mac app checks this for you; to check by hand, open Terminal and run codesign -dv "/Applications/Raycast.app", and look for that TeamIdentifier.
Its bundle ID, the name macOS knows it by, is com.raycast.macos or com.raycast-x.macos. Download it only from raycast.com, not from an ad or a link someone sends you.
Fakes. In September 2025, Malwarebytes reported fake GitHub pages impersonating Raycast and other Mac apps to distribute Atomic Stealer. The campaign used search results and sometimes sponsored Google ads to lead people to malicious installation instructions.
What it connects to
In normal use, Raycast talks to these places on the internet. A firewall that asks before apps connect, like the one in HARD’s Mac app, will show them.
| Address | Why |
|---|---|
x.raycast-releases.com | Current Mac release checks and downloads. |
releases.raycast.com | Older Mac release checks and downloads. |
api.ray.so | Fetches website icons. |
favicon.ray.so | Serves cached website icons. |
What it can see
macOS asks you before an app can use these. You can change them any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
| Permission | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | Moves and resizes windows, reads selected text and inserts text into other apps. |
| Screen Recording | Captures screenshots for AI Screen Awareness and optional dictation context. |
| Microphone | Records your voice for dictation. |
| Calendars | Shows upcoming events and supports calendar commands. |
| Contacts | Finds contacts from the search box. |
| Automation | Reads the active browser tab for Quicklinks; scripts may also control other apps. |
| Full Disk Access | Can be used to read screenshot folders; individual folder access is an alternative. Some scripts may also require it. |
| Files and Folders | Reads screenshots in protected folders such as Desktop, Documents and Downloads. |
References
- Raycast official website raycast.com
- Raycast API: System Utilities — bundle identifier developers.raycast.com
- Raycast Beta binary inspection — alternate bundle identifier github.com
- Raycast Terms of Service raycast.com
- Raycast company timeline raycast.com
- Raycast API: Security developers.raycast.com
- Raycast Clipboard History manual.raycast.com
- Raycast AI Privacy & Security manual.raycast.com
- Raycast macOS Changelog raycast.com
- Homebrew Raycast download and update configuration github.com
- Raycast Favicons Service github.com
- Raycast Window Management manual.raycast.com
- Raycast AI Commands manual.raycast.com
- Raycast Screen Awareness manual.raycast.com
- Raycast Dictation manual.raycast.com
- Raycast Search Bar: calendar and contacts permissions manual.raycast.com
- Raycast Quicklinks manual.raycast.com
- Raycast Script Commands manual.raycast.com
- Raycast Screenshots manual.raycast.com
- Malwarebytes: Fake Malwarebytes, LastPass, and others on GitHub serve malware malwarebytes.com
- The signature on a real installed copy, read by HARD with
codesign.