Skip to main content

Alfred 2.0 launches with new Workflows, better customization, and improved contact search support

Alfred 2.0 launches with new Workflows, better customization, and improved contact search support

Share this story

Alfred
Alfred

First previewed in December, version 2.0 of the popular Mac launcher app Alfred is now publicly available, offering a selection of new features and improvements over previous versions. The new update allows you to take advantage of the new Workflows feature, as well as theme customization and improved contact search support.

Workflows operates on a set of triggers, which can be manually dragged into place in a visual editor and connected to create mini programs which can automate different tasks. The Alfred team highlights that the app provides hotkey support to launch AppleScript actions, as well as the ability to launch files, create system commands, and control your iTunes library. One example Workflow involves creating a trigger for the keyword 'movie', which can be modified to launch a YouTube search and the dedicated IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes pages for the film when entered into the app.

Alfred-2-app

Alfred 2.0 also includes new customisation support, allowing you to tweak the look and feel of the app itself. New themes can be created with a different choice of fonts and colors, while the UI of the Alfred box can be modified to appear more rounded or compact. Themes can be shared using various cloud sharing services, as well as via a custom URL. Contact search support has also been improved, taking advantage of a dedicated API to deliver results from your Mac's address book.

It's worth noting that Workflows is a premium feature, so you'll need to purchase the Alfred 'Powerpack' for £15 (US$22.41) in order to get your custom triggers working. If you're new to Alfred, or are interested in seeing how you can extend features found in your Mac's built-in Spotlight search, take a look at our detailed guide right here.