Review: Witch 3.5.8

Product: Witch
Manufacturer: Many Tricks
Website: http://www.manytricks.com/witch
Date Reviewed: 2/6/2011
Retail Price: $14.00

The Problem

One of the biggest problems inherent to Mac OSX has been window management. If you have multiple apps and windows open across multiple Spaces, finding the right window can be just as infuriating as trying to find a needle in a haystack.

I’m a power user – it’s not unusual for me to have several applications and windows open at once. Normally managing open windows on a single screen isn’t too much of a problem for me. But when you add multiple desktops (Spaces) into the mix, finding the specific window I want to work with can be a huge pain in the rump.

Sure, Apple has a few built-in tools that you can use, like Command-Tab (to cycle between applications) and Expose (to see an overview of all open windows in a graphical format) but neither tool, in my opinion, does a particularly effective job of solving the problem many users face. In a nutshell, Mac OS X lacks a built-in window manager that lets you directly access and cycle between all open and minimized windows on your system with a simple keystroke.

Enter the application Witch ($14), by Many Tricks, which attempts to simplify window switching in Mac OS X. Is it easy to use? Does it make managing windows more efficient? Let’s find out.

Taking a Tour

Witch is available as a System Preference (from the Many Tricks website) or as a stand-alone application from the Mac App Store. My evaluation is based on the Mac App Store version (which I scored for the sale price of $9.99).

Installation was a total breeze (after all, this is the Mac App Store version), so my focus for this review will be on using the application instead. (Quick note: even though Witch is an app, you can keep it running and not have it displayed on your Dock, if you prefer.) When you launch Witch, you’ll see a Settings window with three tabs. The first tab (shown below) lets you customize a keyboard shortcut trigger.

I’ve set Option-Right Arrow for my trigger. When I press that keystroke, Witch presents me with a HUD display that lets me choose from all the available applications and windows I have open on my computer. With Option-Right arrow pressed, I can use the arrow key to cycle between all available windows. I can also use the mouse to select a specific window.

The second Witch tab (shown below) lets the user customize the application’s behavior. You can customize the delay in showing the HUD display, list windows from all Spaces, show a preview of the window as you cycle to it (shown below), and much, much more.

You can also optionally use a numerical ‘hotkey’ to immediately select one of the first 10 windows within the list. I was very impressed with the level of customizability Witch offers.

The third tab, “Appearance”, controls the look-and-feel of the app. You can choose between one of several presets, which control the color of the text and background of Witch’s HUD display. You can create your own setup, of course, and save it for later use.

Conclusion

Witch feels cohesive and very much a part of the OS. After using Witch for only a few hours, I immediately installed the application on my other Macs. Having used it for the better part of the week now, I find that I can’t live without it. Witch is priced at $14 via the developer’s website, and I believe the app is fairly priced for everything it delivers.

I have absolutely no reservations whatsoever in recommending this app for Macintosh users. Witch brings proper window management to Mac OS X, and does it in an elegant, straight-forward manner. It’s a very powerful and customizable tool, and in my usage, Witch has really improved my productivity manyfold – I’m no longer wasting valuable time ping-ponging between virtual desktops to locate the proper window. It’s a must-have app for Mac owners who want to get the most out of their machines.

Witch gets a coveted 5 out of 5 Bob Weiners.

Krishna February 6, 2011 Macintosh software review, Many Tricks Software