Mouseless Messenger
Mouseless Messenger offers you rapid keyboard-driven access to send and read conversations in the macOS Messages app via Alfred — all without ever interacting with the Messages app.
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Installation
Before the workflow can be used, you'll need to provide Alfred with Full Disk Access privileges via System Preferences:
- Open System Preferences
- Choose Security and Privacy
- Choose Privacy
- Select Full Disk Access
- Unlock the 🔒 in the bottom left corner.
- Enable the checkbox for Alfred or use the ➕ button to add Alfred.
Privilege Escalation
Full Disk Access is used to provide Alfred with access to the Messages database. However, by providing Alfred with this access, you are providing ALL Alfred workflow with access — not just Mouseless Messenger.
Be sure you trust your installed workflows before allowing this.
Usage
The workflow is triggered by the keyword msg. On run, you'll be provided with your eight (8) most recent conversations in the Messages app.
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To preview a message thread, press the SHIFT key while a conversation is selected.
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To reply to a message thread, press the ENTER or RETURN key while a conversation is selected, then type your reply in the provided input space and press ENTER to send it.
- In order for the message to send, the Messages app must be running in the background. The window doesn't need to be in the foreground (or even visible), but the app itself must be running.
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To export the conversation preview as an HTML document, hold the OPTION key while pressing the ENTER or RETURN key. The conversation preview will be exported to your Downloads folder.
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To export the conversation preview as a PDF document, hold the COMMAND key while pressing the ENTER or RETURN key. The conversation preview will be exported to your Downloads folder.
- Google Chrome must be installed to use this feature.
Support the Workflow
I built Mouseless Messenger because I code all day and don't like to take my hands off the keyboard. If you find it useful, please consider buying me a coffee so that I can keep building cool things like this.
If you have a feature you'd like added, or an issue which needs attention, please open an issue here on GitHub.
License
MIT — Hell yeah, free software!