Getting started
From download to your first rewrite in under 5 minutes.
1. Install ReWryte
Download the latest installer for your platform from GitHub Releases. Run the installer and ReWryte will land in your menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows/Linux).
.dmg Open the DMG, drag ReWryte to Applications, then open from Applications or Launchpad.
.msi Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
.AppImage / .deb / .rpm Make the AppImage executable or install the package.
macOS installation note
ReWryte is not yet code-signed. macOS will block it on first open. Run this command once in Terminal to clear the quarantine flag:
- 1 Drag ReWryte.app from the DMG to your
/Applicationsfolder - 2 Open Terminal and run:
xattr -cr /Applications/ReWryte.app - 3 Open the app normally — it will launch without any warning
2. First launch
Open ReWryte from your Applications folder or Launchpad. Two things will happen immediately:
- No Dock icon appears. This is intentional. ReWryte is a menu-bar app — it runs as a background accessory so it does not clutter your Dock or appear in the App Switcher.
- A ReWryte icon appears in the macOS menu bar (top-right corner of your screen). Click it any time to open the main settings window.
An onboarding flow opens on first launch to walk you through the initial setup. After that, click the menu bar icon to access Main Window settings.
3. First-time setup checklist
Complete these four steps before your first rewrite:
Step 1 — Connect an AI provider
Open Main Window → Cloud AI and add at least one API key. Groq is recommended for first-time users: it is free, requires no credit card, and takes under two minutes to set up.
API key guide →Step 2 — Activate your AI
Open Main Window → Pick your AI and confirm the provider you just connected is set as active.
Step 3 — Set a default tone
Open Main Window → Tones, find the tone that matches your most common writing context, and click "Set default". This tone will be pre-selected every time the popup opens.
Tones guide →Step 4 — Test it
Open any app, select some text, press ⌘+⇧+R, and watch it rewrite.
4. Trigger the popup
Switch to any app — email, Slack, Notion, your IDE, anywhere. Select the text you want to rewrite, then press the global shortcut:
The ReWryte floating popup appears pre-loaded with your selected text. You can also type or paste text directly into the input area (up to 2,000 characters).
5. Pick a tone and generate
The tone selector in the popup defines the writing style the AI will use. Four built-in tones are available:
- Professional — formal, clear, workplace-appropriate
- Casual — friendly, conversational, relaxed
- Polite — courteous, considerate, softens blunt edges
- Assertive — direct, confident, action-oriented
- Custom tones — any tones you have created appear here too
Tap a tone chip to select it. Then click Rewrite or press Enter. The AI processes your text and streams the result in real time.
6. Use the result
When the rewrite finishes, click the result card to copy it to your clipboard. Then:
- Paste back into the app you came from — the ReWryte popup auto-hides after you copy.
- Press Esc at any time to dismiss the popup without copying anything.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
⌘⇧R / Ctrl+Shift+R | Open ReWryte popup (default — customizable) |
Enter | Save API key when key input field is focused |
Esc | Close the popup |