Tuna

Fuzzy Mode

Fuzzy Mode is the mode that looks most like the other launchers.

You activate Tuna, type saf, press Return and Safari.app opens.

Fuzzy Matching

Tuna does not require exact spelling.

Instead it looks ahead to see if the letters match anywhere in the string. Tuna will usually find the thing you meant. Typing sfi for example will match Safari.app or smit will match Transmit.app.

This is also where Tuna starts learning how you work. When you type sfi and pick Safari, Tuna will remember. So next time you type sfi, Safari will be the default.

You can also create explicit aliases for things you use often, and manage them later in Settings under Fuzzy Mode -> Learning.

See Search Scoring for the short version of how ranking works.

It Is Not Just For Launching

The default action for apps is Open.

But of course we can imagine more things to do with any item. Press tab to shift to the action pane.

For example:

  • reveal an app in Finder
  • copy a file
  • open a file with a specific app
  • move or rename a file
  • browse a catalog, like Notes, Reminders or your GitHub Pull Requests

See How Commands Work for more.

Tuna’s own controls are searchable too. Type commands such as Reload Tuna Settings from File, Restart Tuna, Quit Tuna, Show Onboarding, Send Feedback, or Open Documentation and run them like any other item. Quit Tuna asks for confirmation before closing the app; press Escape or choose Cancel to keep Tuna open.

Browsing

Folders can be browsed in place. So too can dynamic catalogs like Notes, Reminders and more. Try hitting → while a subject is staged to see if it can be navigated into.

Leaving a folder or list returns to the item you entered it from. Changing the sort order keeps the selected item selected, and filtering keeps your selection as long as that item still matches.

Fuzzy Mode Is Not Text Editing

Fuzzy Mode looks like an input field, but it is not a normal text editor. It is a command query for matching catalog items.

That means common text-editing shortcuts such as ⌘+A, ⌃+A, or ⌃+E do not select text or move a cursor in Fuzzy Mode. There is no text cursor or selection range to move around. Use Text Mode when you want normal text input behavior.

Input Monitoring

Double-press activation, the built-in Hyper key, and hold-to-execute need macOS Input Monitoring permission. Tuna asks for it when you configure one of these features and shows a warning beside the setting if macOS still blocks the input listener.

When To Use It

Use Fuzzy Mode when:

  • you want to launch something
  • you want to find a file or app first and decide what to do second
  • you do not already know the exact command

If file search is the main thing you want from Tuna, read Finding Files next.

If what you have is text, jump to Text Mode instead.