← brianvaughn.design

Fontshift · for Mac

Type in cursive, Fraktur, and other Unicode styles with a Mac menu bar app.

Download for Mac ↓v1.1.8 · Apple silicon · macOS 11 or later

Click, or use ⌥/Alt + arrows to cycle styles

The feature that didn’t ship, so I made it myself

Our software contractors said my feature request was impossible. So I made my first vibe-coded project: I used GPT-4 to build Mac and PC applets that intercept your typing and swap in matching Unicode characters, giving the effect of a different “font” in any text box.

The Lab App Unicode Fonts panel for the Daybreak keyboard, listing Fraktur, Double-Struck, Script and other styles
My design for the keyboard’s ‘Unicode Fonts’ tab
Chat demonstration: regular typing, then cursive with Command–Right Arrow, and a reply in Fraktur

Add some spice to your usual typing

  1. Move to Applications

    Unzip the download, move Fontshift (Unicode KB) into Applications, and open it.

  2. Allow Accessibility

    Enable Fontshift in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility, then reopen it.

  3. Press ⌘→, then type away

    Choose your styles from the menu bar.

Download for Mac ↓v1.1.8 · Apple silicon · macOS 11 or later

How it works

  1. A local keyboard event arrives.
  2. The active style maps the key to Unicode.
  3. A tagged synthetic event inserts the character into the destination app.

The native app uses a macOS event tap and Accessibility permission; secure fields and some apps can block synthetic typing.

Compatibility & privacy

Accessibility access lets the app read and transform your typing. Your keystrokes stay on your Mac and aren’t stored.

Made for Apple silicon Macs with a US keyboard layout. Styled characters can look or behave differently across apps.

While running, ⌘→ changes styles instead of moving the cursor. You can choose another shortcut in settings.