Polishr

Polishr is a macOS desktop app that improves your writing in any application. Select text, press a hotkey, and Polishr sends it to an LLM for improvement, then replaces the original with the polished version. Every improvement includes educational notes explaining what changed and why, helping you learn grammar, vocabulary, style, and clarity over time.

Features

• Global hotkey - Improve selected text in any app without switching windows
• Custom commands - Use built-in commands like /formal, /concise, /expand or create your own
• Educational notes - Learn from each improvement with categorized grammar, vocabulary, style, and clarity notes
• Improvement history - Search, filter, and review all past improvements with full-text search
• Multiple LLM providers - Works with OpenAI and Anthropic (Claude)
• Custom system prompt - Customize the instructions sent to the LLM
• Language support - Works with any language, not limited to English
• Light and dark themes - Matches your macOS appearance preference
• System tray - Quick access to recent improvements and app controls
• Auto-updates - Automatically checks for and installs new versions
• Privacy-focused - All data stored locally on your machine

Installation

1. Download the latest .dmg from Releases
2. Open the DMG and drag Polishr to your Applications folder
3. Launch Polishr from Applications
4. Grant Accessibility permissions when prompted (required for text capture)
5. Add your LLM API key in Settings

For detailed setup instructions, see the Installation Guide.

Requirements

• macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later
• An API key from OpenAI or Anthropic

Quick Start

1. Set up an API key - Open Settings and add your OpenAI or Anthropic API key
2. Configure the hotkey - Go to Settings > Hotkey and set your preferred shortcut (default: Cmd+Shift+I)
3. Select text in any app, press your hotkey, and watch Polishr improve it
4. Review improvements in the History tab with educational notes

Built-in Commands

Prefix your selected text with a command to change the improvement style:

Command	Description
/improve	Fix grammar, spelling, and punctuation (default)
/formal	Rewrite in professional, business tone
/casual	Rewrite in conversational, friendly tone
/concise	Shorten and remove unnecessary words
/expand	Add detail, context, and elaboration

You can also create your own custom commands in the Commands tab.

Documentation

• Installation Guide - Download, install, and set up Polishr
• Accessibility Permissions - Grant the permissions Polishr needs
• Feature Walkthrough - Tour of all features and how to use them
• Custom Commands - Create and manage your own commands
• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Development

npm install
npm run dev

Scripts

Command	Description
npm run dev	Start dev server with hot reload
npm run build	Typecheck + production build
npm run typecheck	TypeScript check only
npm run lint	ESLint check
npm run lint:fix	ESLint with auto-fix
npm run format	Prettier format
npm run format:check	Prettier check
npm run test	Run unit tests
npm run test:watch	Unit tests in watch mode
npm run test:coverage	Unit tests with coverage
npm run test:e2e	Playwright E2E tests
npm run package	Build + package macOS app

Tech Stack

• Electron + TypeScript
• React
• SQLite (better-sqlite3)
• Tailwind CSS
• Vite

License

MIT