cmdX

The missing Cmd + X for macOS Finder.

cmdX is a small, open-source macOS utility that brings Cmd + X / Cmd + V file cutting to Finder, just like on Windows or Linux. No account, no telemetry, no background bloat.

1. Overview

macOS Finder never got a real Cut shortcut. You can copy a file with ⌘C and paste it as a move with ⌘⌥V, but that two-step trick is easy to miss and doesn't match how every other operating system handles cut & paste. cmdX makes ⌘X and ⌘V work the same way in Finder as they do everywhere else.

cmdX lives in the menu bar, listens only for shortcuts while Finder is frontmost, and does nothing else. No data collection, no accounts.

2. Features

• Cmd + X / Cmd + V for files: cut in Finder, paste to move, exactly like you'd expect from any other app.
• Native integration: works directly inside Finder, no extra windows or extensions to manage.
• Lightweight: runs quietly in the menu bar without slowing down your Mac.
• Private by design: no tracking, no analytics, no data collection. Your files never leave your Mac.
• Universal binary: native performance on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

3. Installation

From GitHub Releases

Grab the latest build directly from the releases page:

https://github.com/YONN2222/cmdX/releases

Via Homebrew (official)

There is also a official Homebrew tap. It's kept in sync with GitHub Releases automatically, so brew upgrade always finds the latest version:

brew tap YONN2222/cmdx https://github.com/YONN2222/cmdX
brew install cmdx

Via Homebrew (community tap)

There's also a community-maintained tap by thedavidwenk - more info here. It may lag behind the latest release; use the official tap above for the newest version.

4. Usage

1. Open Finder
2. Select a file
3. Press Cmd + X to cut
4. Navigate to the destination folder
5. Press Cmd + V to paste (move)

5. Build It Yourself

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/YONN2222/cmdX.git
   cd cmdX

2. Open the project in Xcode

   open cmdX.xcodeproj

3. Build the app

   xcodebuild -scheme cmdX -configuration Release

6. Technical details

Tech Stack

Component	Stack
App	Swift + AppKit/SwiftUI, targeting macOS 14+
Shortcuts	CGEventTap on the Finder process, no global hooks elsewhere
Menu bar	SwiftUI MenuBarExtra, no Dock icon (LSUIElement)

Repository Structure

cmdX/
├── cmdX/
│   ├── cmdXApp.swift        # App entry point, menu bar scene
│   ├── ContentView.swift    # Settings popover UI
│   ├── KeyInterceptor.swift # Cmd+X / Cmd+V event tap for Finder
│   ├── UpdateChecker.swift  # GitHub Releases update check
│   └── WindowAccessor.swift
├── website/                 # cmdx website (static HTML/CSS/JS, no external requests)
└── assets/                  # Images used in this README

Note

You need to grant Accessibility permissions to cmdX under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

About

cmdX is written by YONN2222 as a free, open-source passion project.

---

_{Licensed under MIT.}