Introduction
ParseFlow is a desktop application for macOS and Windows that transforms how you interact with text across your entire system.
ParseFlow sits quietly in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS), waiting for your command. When you press the trigger hotkey (default: Ctrl + Enter on Windows, Cmd + Enter on macOS), it captures the text in your currently focused field, sends it to an AI model for intelligent parsing, and replaces it with structured output — all in under a second.
Why ParseFlow?
Raw Thought → Structured Data
Stop formatting manually. Type your messy ideas, bugs, or tasks — get clean JSON or Markdown ready for your tools, APIs, or AI agents.
No Context Switch
Works in any app — Slack, VS Code, Notion, email, terminal. One keystroke, right where you're typing. No copy-paste to ChatGPT.
Built for Automation
Output structured JSON with intent, context, and constraints. Feed it directly to other LLMs, scripts, or your own agentic workflows.
Local-First, Private
Your API key, direct to your AI provider. No middleman servers, no data collection. Everything stays on your machine.
Installation
System Requirements
macOS
- macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
- Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) or Intel processor
Windows
- Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
Both Platforms
- API key for your AI provider (OpenAI supported, Ollama and others coming soon)
Download & Install
Download ParseFlow
Get the latest version from the official website or your beta portal if you're a beta tester. Choose the installer for your platform (.dmg for macOS, .msi or .exe for Windows).
Run the Installer
macOS: Double-click the .dmg and drag ParseFlow to Applications.
Windows: Run the installer and follow the prompts.
Launch ParseFlow
Open ParseFlow from your Applications (macOS) or Start Menu (Windows). You'll see the icon appear in your menu bar or system tray.
Accessibility Setup
ParseFlow requires system permissions to read and modify text in other applications.
macOS
Without Accessibility access, ParseFlow cannot capture or inject text. This is a macOS security requirement.
Open System Settings
Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
Enable ParseFlow
Find ParseFlow in the list and toggle it ON. You may need to click the lock icon and enter your password first.
Restart if needed
If ParseFlow was already running, you may need to quit and relaunch it for the permission to take effect.
Windows
On Windows, ParseFlow uses UI Automation APIs and works out of the box without additional permissions.
Quick Start
Get up and running with ParseFlow in just a few steps.
1. Add Your API Key
Click the ParseFlow icon in the menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows) and select Settings. Enter your API key in the designated field.
1. Go to platform.openai.com
2. Sign in or create an account
3. Navigate to API Keys
4. Create a new secret key
5. Copy and paste it into ParseFlowSupport for Ollama and other providers is coming soon.
2. Test It Out
Open any text field, type some unstructured text, and press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Cmd + Enter (macOS).
{
"intent": "Fix crash bug on submit button",
"summary": "Fix the window crash when user clicks submit without filling the form",
"category": "instruction",
"context": {
"domain": "programming",
"tone": "neutral"
},
"constraints": [
"Bug occurs when form is empty",
"Crash happens on submit button click"
],
"desired_outcome": "Window no longer crashes on empty form submission"
}You can choose between JSON or Markdown output format in Settings.
How It Works
1. Type
Write your raw text in any app
2. Trigger
Press Ctrl/Cmd+Enter
3. Process
AI parses and structures
4. Replace
Clean output appears
Under the Hood
- Text Capture — ParseFlow uses Accessibility APIs (macOS) or UI Automation (Windows) to read the text in your focused field
- Selection — The text is automatically selected to prepare for replacement
- AI Processing — Your text is sent to your configured AI provider for parsing
- Injection — The structured response replaces the original text via simulated keyboard input
Features
System Tray Integration
ParseFlow lives in your menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows), always ready but never in the way. Click the icon to access settings, view history, or check status.
Processing HUD
When ParseFlow is processing your text, a subtle HUD appears showing a spinner. This provides visual feedback without disrupting your workflow.
History
ParseFlow keeps a local history of your transformations. Access it from the tray menu to review, copy, or reuse previous outputs.
Excluded Apps
Disable ParseFlow in specific applications where you don't want it to trigger.
Use Cases
Smart-Devs
Feed structured JSON directly to your AI agents, automation scripts, or agentic workflows. Skip the prompt engineering — just type your intent.
Bug Reports & Tasks
Turn messy bug descriptions into structured tickets with intent, context, and constraints ready for your project management tools.
Code Documentation
Type rough descriptions, get well-structured documentation or comments formatted for your codebase.
API & Data Prep
Parse unstructured input into clean JSON payloads ready for APIs, databases, or downstream processing.
Founders & Power Users
Capture ideas, specs, and requirements on the fly. Get structured output you can share with your team or feed to other tools.
LLM Pipelines
Use ParseFlow as the first step in your AI pipeline — structure raw user input before passing it to specialized agents.
Configuration
Access settings by clicking the ParseFlow icon in the menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows) and selecting Settings.
AI Provider
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | AI provider to use (Ollama and others coming soon). Stub mode available for offline testing |
| API Key | — | Your API key for the selected provider |
| Model | gpt-5.2 | AI model to use for parsing |
Support for additional providers including Ollama is coming soon.
Output Format
Choose how ParseFlow formats the transformed text:
- JSON — Structured JSON output, ideal for developers and automation
- Markdown — Human-readable formatted text
Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Ctrl/Cmd + Enter | Parse and replace the current text |
| Toggle | Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P | Enable or disable ParseFlow agent |
Automation
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-start on login | Off | Launch ParseFlow automatically when you log in |
| Activate agent on startup | On | Automatically enable the parsing agent when ParseFlow starts |
Excluded Apps
Add applications where you want ParseFlow to be disabled. The trigger shortcut will not work in these apps.
FAQ
Is my data sent to ParseFlow servers?
No. ParseFlow communicates directly with your AI provider using your personal API key. We never see or store your text.
Does ParseFlow work offline?
Currently, ParseFlow requires an internet connection. Support for local models like Ollama is coming soon, which will enable fully offline use.
Can I use a different AI provider?
Currently OpenAI is supported. Ollama (for local/offline use) and other providers are coming soon.
Why does ParseFlow need Accessibility permissions on macOS?
macOS requires Accessibility permissions for any app that needs to read or modify content in other applications. This is how ParseFlow captures your text and injects the response. On Windows, ParseFlow uses UI Automation APIs which don't require additional permissions.
The hotkey doesn't work in some apps. Why?
Some apps (like Terminal or certain Electron apps) handle keyboard input differently. Check if the app is in your Excluded Apps list, or try a different hotkey in Settings.
Troubleshooting
"ParseFlow is not responding to the hotkey"
- macOS: Ensure Accessibility permissions are granted in System Settings
- Check that the app isn't in your Excluded Apps list
- Make sure the ParseFlow agent is activated (check the tray icon)
- Try restarting ParseFlow
"The text is captured but nothing happens"
- Check your internet connection
- Verify your API key is valid and has credits
- Look for error messages in the tray menu
"The output appears garbled or incomplete"
- Some apps process keyboard input differently
- Try adding the problematic app to your Excluded Apps and using copy/paste instead
- Report the specific app to our support team
Support
Need help? We're here for you.