OrbitRing for Mac: Circular App Launcher Groups Apps by Category

OrbitRing is a new macOS app launcher that displays your apps in a circular menu around the cursor for faster switching and launching. It lets you group apps by category (e.g., work, creative, communication) and flip between those rings using trackpad gestures or the scroll wheel. The goal: keep your most-used tools within a quick, muscle-memory reach without cluttering the Dock.

The launcher is lightweight and designed to feel native on macOS. From early listings, it supports launching not only apps but also files, folders, and URLs, and offers customization for which items appear and in what order. The developer notes macOS 14.0 or later is required and indicates no user data is collected.

• Key features: Circular app layout centered on the cursor; groups by category; switch groups via trackpad/scroll wheel.
• Use cases: Rapid context switching (e.g., design vs. comms), a cleaner Dock, and keyboard/gesture-driven workflows.
• Customization: Choose which apps, files, folders, or web shortcuts to include; reorder and tailor categories.
• Platform: macOS 14 or later; multiple language support per App Store listing.
• Privacy: App Store listing indicates no data collection by the developer.
• Pricing: Free download with an optional in-app purchase to unlock features (price varies by region).

Learn more: Visit the official OrbitRing site or get it from the Mac App Store.

Apps with similar ideas include pie-menu style launchers and radial tool pickers; OrbitRing focuses specifically on app grouping and gesture-driven switching for speed. If you’re juggling multiple workflows daily, a ring-based launcher can reduce the time spent hunting through the Dock or Mission Control.

Discussion: Would a circular launcher like OrbitRing speed up your daily app switching, or do you prefer Spotlight and the Dock?