Tim Hardwick
OpenAI has expanded the capabilities of its ChatGPT app for macOS, adding support for Apple Notes and a number of popular third-party apps. The update builds on last month’s release, which introduced the ability to read screen contents from within certain Mac apps.
This extension should expand the usefulness of ChatGPT for both regular users and developers using macOS, as the AI-powered assistant can now interact with content in Apple Notes, Notion, and Quip, as well as numerous IDEs, including BBEdit, Android Studio, and various JetBrains IDEs.
For developers, the update also adds support for additional IDEs, including VSCode forks (VSCodium, Cursor, WindSurf) and terminal apps like Prompt and Warp. The AI can analyze code from multiple apps simultaneously, offering suggestions for improvement without manual copy and pasting.
OpenAI says users retain full control over which apps ChatGPT can access, and all data processing follows the same OpenAI privacy protocols as the app’s regular conversation history. The advanced app integration feature remains exclusive to paid subscribers, including ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise, and Edu users.
To make ChatGPT work with apps, enable the Work with apps option in ChatGPT ➝ Settings and allow the necessary permissions via Manage apps. You can then access ChatGPT in supported apps as follows:
- With ChatGPT open, open a supported app (such as Apple Notes).
- Press Option + Shift + 1 to bring up the ChatGPT pane.
- Type queries or use Enhanced Voice mode for hands-free interaction.
Enhanced Voice mode is particularly useful in this context, as it allows you to speak to ChatGPT hands-free and receive suggestions or changes to your on-screen content. OpenAI recently demonstrated this feature using a holiday party planning scenario, where ChatGPT provided song recommendations and party ideas using a voice avatar of Santa.
The ChatGPT app for macOS is available for download on the OpenAI website.
Tags: ChatGPT, OpenAI[ 92 comments ]
