PasteWand Docs

Installation

PasteWand runs on macOS 13 or later on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

• Download the signed app from the download page.
• Open the app once; it lives in the menu bar and asks for accessibility access to read your current selection when you capture it.
• The first launch shows a short security notice. PasteWand works on a temporary copy and shows you every change before anything is applied.

PasteWand is open to everyone. If you do not have a download link yet, create an account from the download page.

Configure an AI provider

Open Settings from the menu bar icon (PasteWand → Settings). The app works without an account: connect a model directly, or use PasteWand Cloud when you want everything configured for you.

Bring your own model

Pick a provider preset or enter a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint. The request goes straight from your Mac to that provider, and PasteWand's SaaS never sees it.

For any OpenAI-compatible gateway, choose Custom OpenAI-compatible and fill in the endpoint:

Provider:   Custom OpenAI-compatible
Base URL:   https://your-gateway.example.com/v1
Model:      your-model-name
API key:    your-key

• API keys are stored only in the macOS Keychain (or Windows Credential Manager) and are bound to their endpoint.
• The model must support tool calling; PasteWand relies on it to read files and run commands inside the sandbox.

PasteWand Cloud

PasteWand Cloud is an optional managed provider with account-based credits. The desktop client still runs everything locally; only the model requests go through PasteWand's gateway.

Capture anything

Press the global shortcut (default ⌘ ⇧ Space) and PasteWand reads the current selection.

• Plain text from any app, up to 128 KiB.
• Files or folders from Finder: up to 100 selected roots, 20,000 regular files, or 1 GiB of input.
• Symbolic links and special files are rejected.

Copying alone never starts a request. PasteWand reads the clipboard only when you open the command window.

Ask, review, apply

1. Ask - type an instruction or use a preset (improve the writing, make it clearer, make it shorter, translate).
2. Review - inspect every changed file with local line and word diffs. Follow-up instructions continue in the same workspace.
3. Apply - PasteWand verifies every source hash before writing. One conflict stops the entire batch, and a successful Apply is recorded as one encrypted group you can undo.

Originals stay untouched until you choose Apply, and the result stays on your clipboard as a fallback if write-back is not possible.

Safety model

• The AI runs inside a disposable VM with a private copy of your scope. It has root, shell, network, and package-install access inside that VM only.
• Host originals, credential stores, and every path outside the private captured copy are not mounted.
• The VM, staging files, and task directory are destroyed when the task ends.

Keyboard shortcuts

You can change the global shortcut in Settings.

Troubleshooting

• Authentication errors (401) - check that the API key and Base URL match the provider, and that the key is entered for the same endpoint you use.
• "Model is not available" - the model must support tool calling. For custom endpoints, use the exact model ID your gateway exposes.
• Apply stops with a conflict - an original file changed after capture, so the hash check refused the batch. Re-capture and try again.
• Rich text formatting is lost - the first release writes back plain text, so bold, links, and other formatting may not survive.
• Windows support - Windows 10 and 11 come after the macOS beta.

Feedback

Invited testers can send product and safety feedback to support@pastewand.com.