{
  "@context": [
    "https://schema.org",
    {
      "nuanyue": "https://www.nuanyue.com/ns#"
    }
  ],
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "@id": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/contexts/#software",
  "name": "Contexts",
  "description": "Paid macOS window switcher with keyboard search, a window-based Command-Tab, an auto-hiding sidebar and a trackpad gesture.",
  "url": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/contexts/",
  "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/contexts/",
  "operatingSystem": "macOS",
  "applicationCategory": "UtilitiesApplication",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://contexts.co/",
    "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/context/id6447232658?uo=4"
  ],
  "softwareVersion": "3.9.0",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "9.99",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  },
  "nuanyue:record": {
    "schemaVersion": 1,
    "id": "software:contexts",
    "slug": "contexts",
    "name": "Contexts",
    "type": "SoftwareApplication",
    "entityType": "window switcher",
    "description": "Paid macOS window switcher with keyboard search, a window-based Command-Tab, an auto-hiding sidebar and a trackpad gesture.",
    "shortDescription": "Window switcher with search, a better Command-Tab, a sidebar and gestures.",
    "answer": "Contexts replaces macOS's Command-Tab with a window-based switcher. Press Control-Space and a search field appears: typing a few characters from an app name or window title filters the list, acronym matches sort first, and once you have picked a window for a query that query always selects it. It also provides its own Command-Tab and Command-Backquote switchers that list windows separately, an auto-hiding sidebar grouped by Space, and a two-finger scroll gesture that steps through windows from the edge of the trackpad. A licence costs $9.99 and a free trial is available. The app is commercial and closed source, and its most recent release is 3.9.0.",
    "page": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/contexts/",
    "dataUrl": "https://www.nuanyue.com/data/software/contexts.json",
    "categories": [
      "system-tools"
    ],
    "tags": [],
    "platform": [
      "macOS"
    ],
    "architecture": [],
    "featured": false,
    "pricing": "one-time",
    "pricingDescription": "US$9.99 for a licence, purchased through the developer's FastSpring store. A free trial download is offered before buying.",
    "price": {
      "amount": 9.99,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    "currentVersion": "3.9.0",
    "releaseDate": "2022-08-27",
    "openSource": false,
    "website": "https://contexts.co/",
    "documentation": "https://contexts.co/whats-new/",
    "appStore": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/context/id6447232658?uo=4",
    "download": "https://contexts.co/releases/Contexts-3.9.0.dmg",
    "icon": "/apps/contexts.png",
    "features": [
      "Switch between application windows effortlessly — with Fast Search, a better Command-Tab, a Sidebar or even a quick gesture. Free trial available."
    ],
    "useCases": [
      "Switching directly to one of many open windows of the same app",
      "Finding a window by typing two or three characters rather than cycling through a list",
      "Moving between windows spread across several Spaces or more than one display",
      "Replacing Command-Tab with a switcher that lists windows rather than applications"
    ],
    "formats": [],
    "integrations": [],
    "pros": [
      {
        "text": "Search-based switching reaches a window in two or three keystrokes rather than cycling through a list.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Search shortcuts make a query deterministic: once you pick a window for a query, that window is always the first result for it.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Handles multiple Spaces and multiple displays, including a sidebar per display and filtering that excludes off-screen windows.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Native Apple Silicon support, added in version 3.9.0.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "A free trial is offered, so the switcher can be tried against your own window habits before paying.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "cons": [
      {
        "text": "A licence costs $9.99, where several window switchers are free and open source.",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "The most recent release is 3.9.0 from August 2022, so the app is not under active release cadence.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "The site states which macOS versions it works on but does not publish a single minimum version.",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "It is closed source, so the switcher cannot be inspected or built independently.",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "whoIsItFor": [
      "Mac users who keep many windows of the same app open",
      "People who work across several Spaces or several displays"
    ],
    "notFor": [
      "Anyone who needs free software — Contexts is paid and closed source",
      "Users who want the Dock or the menu bar replaced — Contexts only changes how windows are selected"
    ],
    "limitations": [
      "The most recent release is 3.9.0, published on 27 August 2022",
      "The site states the app works on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia but publishes no single minimum version; the changelog's last explicit statement was Catalina and Big Sur",
      "It is closed source and no licence text beyond the end-user agreement is published",
      "A licence costs $9.99; there is no free tier, only a trial"
    ],
    "firstUse": {
      "installation": {
        "value": "Download the disk image from contexts.co and drag the app into Applications; the same download is the free trial.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "firstLaunch": {
        "value": "The app runs as a free trial until a licence is bought from the developer's store.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "systemIntegration": {
        "value": "Can take over Command-Tab and Command-Backquote with window-based switchers, and can be given its own keyboard shortcuts; modifier keys are recognised separately on the left and right, so Fast Search can be bound to one side only.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "appleSilicon": {
        "value": true,
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    },
    "updates": [
      {
        "version": "3.9.0",
        "date": "2022-08-27",
        "summary": "Adds native Apple Silicon support; the release note is otherwise a single line.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "documentation"
      },
      {
        "version": "3.8",
        "date": "2021-03-04",
        "summary": "Themes updated for macOS Big Sur; the release note states the supported macOS versions are now Catalina and Big Sur.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "documentation"
      }
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "question": "How much does Contexts cost?",
        "answer": "US$9.99 for a licence, bought through the developer's store. A free trial download is offered first.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Which macOS versions does Contexts work on?",
        "answer": "The site states Contexts 3.9 works on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia. It does not publish a single minimum version, and the changelog's last explicit statement was Catalina and Big Sur.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Does Contexts support Apple Silicon?",
        "answer": "Yes. The version 3.9.0 release note is 'Adds native Apple Silicon support.'",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Can Contexts replace Command-Tab?",
        "answer": "Yes. It provides its own Command-Tab and Command-Backquote switchers that list windows separately rather than apps, and additional switchers can be assigned to other keyboard shortcuts.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "How does the search decide what to show first?",
        "answer": "Matches may be non-consecutive characters anywhere in the app name or window title, and matches at the start of the app name or of a word in the title score higher, so an acronym is usually enough. A query you have used before is remembered and promotes the window you chose.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "relationships": [
      {
        "target": "alttab",
        "type": "alternative",
        "reason": "Both replace the macOS window switcher with a preview-based one; Contexts is a paid closed-source app, while AltTab is free and open source with an optional paid tier.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "target": "dockdoor",
        "type": "competitor",
        "reason": "Both surface individual windows rather than apps — DockDoor does it by hovering a Dock icon and with a Windows-style Alt-Tab, Contexts by search, a sidebar and a gesture.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "target": "assignee",
        "type": "similar",
        "reason": "Both are switchers that aim to cut the time spent finding the right window; Assignee does it by binding custom shortcuts to frequently used apps, Contexts by searching titles and apps.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "id": "contexts:app-store",
        "type": "app_store",
        "url": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/context/id6447232658?uo=4",
        "title": "Contexts on the Mac App Store",
        "trustLevel": "A",
        "accessedAt": null
      },
      {
        "id": "contexts:official",
        "type": "official_website",
        "url": "https://contexts.co/",
        "title": "Contexts — official website",
        "trustLevel": "B",
        "accessedAt": null
      },
      {
        "id": "contexts:documentation",
        "type": "documentation",
        "url": "https://contexts.co/whats-new/",
        "title": "Contexts — documentation",
        "trustLevel": "C",
        "accessedAt": null
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.isA",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "isA",
        "value": "window switcher",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [
          "contexts:official"
        ],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.supportsPlatform",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "supportsPlatform",
        "value": [
          "macOS"
        ],
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.officialWebsite",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "officialWebsite",
        "value": "https://contexts.co/",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.listedInCategory",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "listedInCategory",
        "value": [
          "system-tools"
        ],
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [
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        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.pricingModel",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "pricingModel",
        "value": "One-time purchase",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.price",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "price",
        "value": "USD 9.99",
        "status": "developer-stated",
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        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.ownership",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "ownership",
        "value": "Third-party product — not published by Nuanyue",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.currentVersion",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
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        "value": "3.9.0",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.hasFeature",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "hasFeature",
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          "Switch between application windows effortlessly — with Fast Search, a better Command-Tab, a Sidebar or even a quick gesture. Free trial available."
        ],
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": null
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.usedFor",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
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        "value": [
          "Switching directly to one of many open windows of the same app",
          "Finding a window by typing two or three characters rather than cycling through a list",
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        ],
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        "id": "software:contexts.audienceFor",
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        "id": "software:contexts.audienceNotFor",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
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        "value": [
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      },
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        "id": "software:contexts.limitation",
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        "predicate": "limitation",
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        ],
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      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.advantage.0",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "Search-based switching reaches a window in two or three keystrokes rather than cycling through a list.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.advantage.1",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "Search shortcuts make a query deterministic: once you pick a window for a query, that window is always the first result for it.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
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        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.advantage.2",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "Handles multiple Spaces and multiple displays, including a sidebar per display and filtering that excludes off-screen windows.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.advantage.3",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "Native Apple Silicon support, added in version 3.9.0.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
          "contexts:documentation"
        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.advantage.4",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "A free trial is offered, so the switcher can be tried against your own window habits before paying.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
          "contexts:official"
        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.drawback.0",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "A licence costs $9.99, where several window switchers are free and open source.",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.drawback.1",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "The most recent release is 3.9.0 from August 2022, so the app is not under active release cadence.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
          "contexts:documentation"
        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.drawback.2",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "The site states which macOS versions it works on but does not publish a single minimum version.",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.drawback.3",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "It is closed source, so the switcher cannot be inspected or built independently.",
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
        "sourceIds": [],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:contexts.supportsAppleSilicon",
        "subject": "software:contexts",
        "predicate": "supportsAppleSilicon",
        "value": true,
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      }
    ],
    "lastUpdated": "2026-10-07T00:00:00.000Z",
    "lastReviewedAt": null
  }
}