Your phone has suggested the next word for years. On a Mac, writing still mostly means typing every letter, in every app, one at a time. System-wide AI autocomplete changes that: a short grey suggestion appears right after your cursor, in whatever app you are using, and a single key accepts it.
This guide explains how that works on macOS, where it helps, what your Mac needs, and how to set it up with TypeBlink.
What “system-wide” means
Most writing tools live inside one app: an email client's smart compose, a document editor's assistant, a browser extension. System-wide autocomplete works in all of them at once. You do not copy text into a chat window or install a plugin per app; the suggestion simply appears where you are typing.
That matters because most of what people write is short and scattered: a reply in Mail, a message in Slack or Teams, a note, a comment in a web app. A tool that only works in one of those places rarely becomes a habit.
How it works on a Mac
macOS has an Accessibility interface that lets approved apps read the text field you are typing in. TypeBlink uses it to read the words just before your cursor when you pause. It sends them to a language model running on your Mac, which writes a likely continuation. TypeBlink then draws that continuation in grey, in the app's own font and colour, so it looks like part of the text box.
- Tab takes the next word, and holding it keeps taking words.
- ` (the key above Tab) takes the whole suggestion.
- Esc dismisses it; any other key just keeps typing.
Because macOS only gives this access to apps you approve, the first launch asks you to switch TypeBlink on in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. That is the only permission it needs.
Where it works
Any app with a standard text field: Mail, Notes, Messages, TextEdit, and text boxes in Safari, Chrome and Edge. It also works in Electron apps such as Slack, Microsoft Teams and Claude, which build their windows from web technology; TypeBlink switches on their accessibility support when you bring them to the front, so suggestions are ready by the first key you type.
It deliberately stays out of some places. Password fields are never read. Terminals and code editors start switched off, since code has its own completion tools; press ⌃ ` to ask for a suggestion there anyway. Small fields such as a name or a subject line stay quiet until you have written a sentence.
Typos, too
Autocomplete is about the next words, but most writing friction is also about the last ones. TypeBlink checks the word you just typed; when it is misspelled, a small bubble offers the fix and Tab replaces it. If you spot a mistake later, click or arrow back onto the word and the fix comes back.
What your Mac needs
- macOS 14 Sonoma or newer.
- Apple silicon (M1 or later): the model runs on the Mac's own chip.
- 8 GB of memory; 16 GB gives more headroom for larger models.
- About 3 GB of free disk space for the standard model, Gemma 4 E2B.
The setup assistant recommends a model for your Mac's memory. Larger models write a little better; smaller ones answer faster. You can switch any time.
Setting it up
- Download TypeBlink and drag it into Applications.
- Open it. The first time, macOS says it cannot verify the app because it is not notarised yet: on macOS 15 or newer open System Settings › Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway; on macOS 14 Control-click the app and choose Open.
- Follow the setup assistant: allow Accessibility, download the recommended model, and write a sentence about how you write.
- Start typing in any app. TypeBlink lives in the menu bar; its Try It page is a safe place to practise.
Tips for better suggestions
- Describe your style. A sentence like “I write short, friendly emails in British English” shapes every suggestion.
- Give apps their own instructions. Formal for your email client, casual for chat.
- Let it learn, if you like. With learning on, TypeBlink keeps examples of your writing, encrypted on your Mac, and suggestions start to sound like you.
- Tune the timing. If suggestions feel too eager or too slow, change the delay and length in Settings.
Is it private?
Yes. The model runs on your Mac, so the text near your cursor never leaves it. TypeBlink only goes online to download a model and to check for updates. Read more in private, offline AI autocomplete and our privacy page.