For years, Raycast has been a secret weapon for Mac users. It’s the kind of app that sounds simple—a launcher, a Spotlight replacement—but ends up being a Swiss Army knife for navigating your computer. Need to open an app? Raycast. Want to toggle dark mode, resize a window, or run a complex script? Raycast. It’s fast, customizable, and has a cult following among power users who treat it like an extension of their brain. But for all its desktop dominance, Raycast has been conspicuously absent from phones. Fans have been begging for an iOS app, and the developers have been listening. The catch? Figuring out how to translate Raycast’s magic to a platform as locked-down as iOS was no small feat.

Today, Raycast is finally launching its iOS app for iPhone and iPad, and it’s a fascinating first step. It’s not the full Mac experience shrunk down to a touchscreen—Apple’s restrictions make that impossible—but it’s a thoughtful attempt to bring some of Raycast’s best features to your pocket. The app leans on two pillars: AI and note-taking, with a few extra tricks up its sleeve. It’s a modest start, but the team behind it has big ambitions, even as they navigate the tightrope of Apple’s ecosystem. So, what’s Raycast for iOS, and why should you care?

To understand the iOS app, you need to know what makes Raycast special on the Mac. At its core, Raycast is a launcher, summoned with a keyboard shortcut (usually Command + Space) to give you instant access to… well, almost anything. Apps, files, system settings, scripts—it’s all a few keystrokes away. But Raycast’s real power comes from its ecosystem of extensions. Developers and users have built thousands of plugins that let Raycast control third-party apps like Notion, Spotify, or Linear, pulling in data or triggering actions without ever leaving the launcher. It’s a productivity nerd’s dream, saving clicks and mental energy.

Raycast also has a knack for small, delightful features. Its Snippets tool lets you store and paste frequently used text, like email templates or code blocks. Quicklinks let you jump to specific URLs or deep-link into apps. There’s even a Focus mode to block distractions, and a window management system to snap apps into place. Oh, and it’s got a built-in AI chatbot, Raycast AI, which can answer questions, generate text, or help with tasks, powered by models like GPT-4. It’s no wonder users have been clamoring for a mobile version. But phones aren’t Macs, and iOS isn’t macOS.

Building an iOS app wasn’t just a technical problem—it was a philosophical one. “On a Mac, Raycast is about navigating your entire system,” says Petr Nikolaev, co-founder of Raycast. “But on iOS, so much of that doesn’t apply.” You can’t control system settings with the same freedom. You can’t run scripts that touch every corner of the OS. And Apple’s sandboxed environment means apps can’t talk to each other as easily. Even launching other apps is trickier, thanks to iOS’s siloed design. So, the Raycast team had to ask: what’s the point of Raycast on a phone?

It took time to crack that question. “We didn’t want to just port the Mac app and call it a day,” says Thomas Paul Mann, Raycast’s other co-founder. “We needed to figure out what users actually want on mobile.” After years of user requests and internal debates, they landed on a focused set of features for the first version, launched today. The iOS app isn’t trying to replace your iPhone’s home screen or Spotlight—it can’t, and Apple wouldn’t let it. Instead, it’s a companion to the desktop app, syncing some of Raycast’s best ideas across devices.

What’s in the iOS app?

The Raycast iOS app, available now for iPhone and iPad, centers on two main features: AI and Notes, with a few extras thrown in. Here’s the breakdown.

Raycast AI: your chatbot, everywhere

Raycast’s AI chatbot, which integrates multiple models like GPT-4 and Claude, is a big draw on the Mac. On iOS, it’s front and center. You can type questions, generate text, or analyze data, just like on desktop. But the mobile version adds some phone-friendly twists. You can snap a photo with your camera and attach it to the chat—say, to describe an object or analyze a screenshot. There’s also voice input, so you can talk to the bot hands-free.

Why bother, when apps like ChatGPT and Perplexity are already on iOS? Syncing. “Users told us they want their conversations to follow them,” Nikolaev says. If you start a chat on your Mac, you can pick it up on your iPhone, with all the context intact. The interface is also consistent across platforms, which matters for a tool as workflow-driven as Raycast. It’s not about replacing other AI apps—it’s about making Raycast’s AI feel like home, no matter what device you’re on.

Raycast Notes: simple, synced, mobile

The other big feature is Raycast Notes, a minimalist note-taking system. Notes got a major upgrade in the desktop app recently, letting users jot down ideas, lists, or drafts that sync across their Macs. “It’s the first thing people are creating and storing in Raycast,” Mann says. “And once we added it, the demand for mobile access shot up.” The iOS app lets you view, edit, and create notes on the go, with everything synced instantly. It’s not trying to compete with heavyweights like Notion or Obsidian—it’s a lightweight, no-frills tool for quick thoughts.

Quicklinks and Snippets: desktop favorites, mobile limits

The app also brings over Quicklinks and Snippets, two Raycast staples. Quicklinks let you store URLs or app deep-links for fast access, like jumping to a specific Slack channel or a favorite website. Snippets are for text you reuse often—think canned email responses or code snippets. On the Mac, these are power-user gold: Raycast’s text-expansion and URL schemes make them seamless. On iOS, they’re a bit clunkier, thanks to Apple’s restrictions. You can’t paste snippets system-wide with a shortcut, and deep-linking is less flexible. Still, they’re useful for quick access within the Raycast app.

The extras: action button, control center, and more

Raycast is also leaning into iOS-specific features. You can trigger the app from the Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro or newer, or add it to Control Center for quick access. There’s support for widgets and Live Activities, though the team is still experimenting with how to use them. These integrations show Raycast’s commitment to feeling native on iOS, even if it can’t match the Mac’s system-level control.

The Apple problem: how much can Raycast do?

The iOS app is a solid start, but it’s clearly constrained by Apple’s ecosystem. On a Mac, Raycast can replace Spotlight, control your system, and talk to other apps via extensions. On iOS, it’s more like a guest in Apple’s house. “There’s a lot we’d love to do, but it depends on what Apple allows,” Nikolaev admits. Take extensions, one of Raycast’s killer features. On the Mac, you can use extensions to pull tasks from Todoist, search Spotify, or update a Trello board, all from Raycast’s interface. On iOS, that kind of cross-app integration risks looking like an app store within an app—something Apple’s likely to reject.

Then there’s the launcher problem. Raycast can’t replace Spotlight or Siri on iOS, so its role as a system navigator is limited. You can’t even make Raycast AI as quick to access as Siri, since Apple reserves the best shortcuts for its own assistant. Features like Focus, which blocks apps and websites on the Mac, are also trickier to replicate on iOS without deep system access. “We’re supporting as many iOS surfaces as we can,” Mann says, pointing to Action Button and Control Center support. “But there’s only so much we can do.”

This tension shapes the app’s identity. Is Raycast for iOS a standalone tool, or just a sidekick to the Mac app? For now, the team is leaning toward the latter. “We see it as a companion,” Nikolaev says. “It’s about bringing your Raycast data—notes, snippets, AI chats—to your phone.” But you can hear the ambition in their voices. Raycast wants to be as transformative on mobile as it is on desktop. The question is whether Apple will let it.

The road ahead: keyboards, Android, and big ideas

Even as they launch version 1.0, the Raycast team is dreaming big. One idea they’re particularly excited about is a custom keyboard. Imagine bringing up a Raycast keyboard in any iOS app, typing a command, and instantly pasting a snippet or triggering a Quicklink. It’s a clever workaround for iOS’s limitations, and it could make Raycast feel more like its desktop self. They’re also exploring ways to expand Notes, add more AI features, and integrate with iOS’s Shortcuts app for automation.

Another big question is Android. Google’s platform is far more open than iOS, which could let Raycast build a true system launcher. “The idea of a full Android app is super appealing,” Nikolaev says. “We could do so much more.” But there’s a catch: Raycast’s team is steeped in Apple’s ecosystem, and most of their users are on Mac and iOS. An Android app would be a heavy lift. “We’re focused on iOS for now,” Nikolaev says. “If it takes off, we’ll seriously consider Android. So, you know, tell your friends to download it!”

For now, the goal is to learn from users. “This is just the beginning,” Mann says. “We want to see how people use the app and what they ask for next.” The team is already gathering feedback through their community, which has been instrumental in shaping Raycast’s desktop features. If the iOS app gains traction, expect it to evolve quickly.

Raycast’s iOS launch might seem like a niche story—another productivity app hitting the App Store. But it’s a case study in how developers navigate the mobile era. Phones are our most personal devices, but they’re also the most restricted. Apple’s tight control over iOS forces developers to get creative, and Raycast’s approach—starting small, syncing with desktop, and betting on user feedback—is a smart one. It’s also a reminder of how much potential there is for tools that unify our digital lives. Raycast’s dream is to make your phone feel as powerful and customizable as your Mac. Even if it’s not there yet, it’s a dream worth rooting for.

If you’re a Raycast user, the iOS app is a no-brainer. It’s free, it syncs with your Mac, and it brings your notes and AI chats to your phone. If you’re new to Raycast, it’s a tougher sell—without the desktop app, the iOS version feels like a teaser. But it’s a promising teaser, and Raycast has a track record of delivering. Download it, play around, and keep an eye on what comes next. This is one app that’s just getting started.