01 / First launch
Askel requires macOS 13 or later and supports both Apple Silicon and Intel. Download the DMG from the product page, open it, and drag Askel.app onto the Applications folder beside it. Launch Askel from Applications, then eject the disk image. Askel lives in the menu bar and does not show a Dock icon.
- Click the Askel menu bar icon and open Preferences.
- Under Permissions, choose Open Settings next to Accessibility and grant access to the copy of Askel you are running.
- Enable Input Monitoring if needed, so modifier keys can be detected while another app is in front.
- Return to Askel, hold Control + Option, and press Left or Right to switch apps.
System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility / Input Monitoring. If permissions stop working after moving or rebuilding the app, remove the old entry, add the app again, and restart Askel.
02 / Default shortcuts
The default modifiers are Control + Option (⌃⌥). Each arrow has a specific role.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Show the minimap | Hold Control + Option |
| Hide the minimap | Release the modifier combination |
| Previous app | ⌃⌥ ← |
| Next app | ⌃⌥ → |
| Enter native full screen for the focused window | ⌃⌥ ↑ |
| Exit full screen for the focused window | ⌃⌥ ↓ |
| Move the selected app’s windows between displays | ⌃⌥ Hold ← / → for at least 0.6 seconds |
After changing the modifiers, all these actions use the new combination. The arrows stay fixed.
03 / Custom shortcuts
- Open Preferences → Hotkeys and click Record Shortcut.
- Press one or more of Control, Option, Command, and Shift together.
- Release all modifiers to confirm and apply the combination immediately.
Press Esc, click Cancel Recording, or move focus away to cancel. App switching, full-screen commands, and minimap responses pause during recording.
If the new combination cannot be registered, Askel shows an error and keeps the previous shortcuts. Restore Default immediately restores Control + Option.
04 / Minimap and app order
Hold your modifier combination to show the minimap on the display under your pointer. It stays on that display until you release the combination.
- Click an icon: switch to that app.
- Hover over an icon: see the app name in a bubble above it.
- Drag an icon: change the app order, which is saved automatically. The dragged icon wobbles gently.
- Use the paging arrows: browse more apps without switching to one. A horizontal mouse wheel is not required.
Quit apps disappear from the minimap but keep their saved positions for when you open them again.
05 / Multiple displays
Move your pointer to the destination display, hold your modifier combination, then hold Left or Right for at least 0.6 seconds. Askel switches to the neighboring app and brings all of its movable windows to the display where the minimap appeared.
This runs only when multiple displays are connected. Native full-screen windows, fixed windows, and windows that do not support movement stay in place.
06 / Full-screen control
Your modifiers + ↑ enters native macOS full screen. Your modifiers + ↓ exits full screen.
Only the focused window of the frontmost app is affected. Repeating Up while already full screen, or Down while already windowed, does not toggle the state. Unsupported windows stay unchanged.
07 / Appearance
In Preferences → Appearance → Theme, choose Follow System, Light, or Dark. Changes apply immediately and are kept for the next launch.
Light uses milk-white frost; Dark uses smoke-gray frost. macOS 26 and later use native glass, while earlier versions use native background blur.
Reduce Transparency switches to a solid background. Increase Contrast strengthens the tint. Reduce Motion disables drag wobble and reduces transition animations.
08 / Common questions
Where is the app window?
Askel is a menu bar app. Click its icon at the top of your screen to open Preferences, About, or Quit.
Why are shortcuts not responding?
Check that Askel is running and Accessibility access is granted. If the minimap does not appear while another app is in front, check Input Monitoring too. Recorded combinations apply immediately; try another combination if registration conflicts.
Why can I switch apps but not move windows or enter full screen?
Check Accessibility permission and the number of connected displays. Some apps and special windows do not support system window control.
Need help?
Email rd.zhaoxin@gmail.com with your macOS version, Askel version, and steps to reproduce the issue. Avoid including sensitive window contents. See the privacy policy for data handling details.