AI Assistant#

On macOS 13 or later, ExtraBar can connect to a supported AI assistant and let it inspect or configure your presets, items, widgets, menus, actions, icons, and ordering. The connection uses the helper bundled inside ExtraBar and a protected local Unix socket; ExtraBar does not open a network port for assistants.

Connect an assistant#

1. Open ExtraBar → Settings (⚙) → AI Assistant
2. Enable Allow AI assistants to configure ExtraBar
3. Choose your AI client and follow the setup shown in ExtraBar
4. Use Check Connection to verify the local helper can reach the running app

ExtraBar provides guided setup for:

• Claude Desktop
• Claude Code
• Codex & ChatGPT (Codex CLI, the Codex IDE extension, and ChatGPT desktop)
• Cursor
• VS Code
• Raycast

The setup commands and links use the helper inside the currently running ExtraBar application, so nonstandard installation locations are supported.

Start with Suggestions#

The ExtraBar Suggestions workflow reviews the apps and ExtraBar configuration already on your Mac, then proposes an action-first setup. Codex users can install it with Install for Codex in the AI Assistant settings; Install Skills on the Codex & ChatGPT card installs all of the bundled workflows at once. Other connected assistants can use the bundled suggestions MCP prompt.

ExtraBar bundles six guided workflows:

• Quick Start
• Set Up Projects Bar
• Add Script Tool
• Figma Projects
• Organize Bar
• ExtraBar Suggestions

What assistants can do#

The bundled MCP server exposes 39 tools. They cover reading configuration, creating and switching presets, adding or reordering items, building folder and action widgets, authoring nested menus, setting icons, exporting or importing preset packages, and running existing configured actions.

Assistants should inspect ExtraBar's advertised action types and built-in menu presets instead of guessing parameter names or deep-link formats.

Approvals and confirmations#

AI-created Run Script, API Call, and Keyboard Shortcut actions require native approval before they can run. The first time you run one, ExtraBar shows the full script, URL, or shortcut and asks you to Approve, Reject and Remove, or Decide Later. Approval is tied to the action and its executable content:

• Renaming the action or changing its icon keeps approval.
• Changing executable content requires approval again.
• Approving from the first click continues that same click and runs the action.
• Rejecting removes the action; deciding later keeps it pending.

Destructive operations such as deleting a preset or removing a bar item ask for a separate confirmation with Allow or Don't Allow. Each confirmation covers only that one operation, unless you tick Always allow deletions this session, which skips the prompt until ExtraBar is relaunched.

Audit and undo#

Recent AI Changes records mutation and execution activity without storing raw tool arguments. Before configuration changes, ExtraBar keeps a short history of preset snapshots (the most recent 20). Use Revert Last AI Change in AI Assistant settings to restore the affected preset to its previous state.

The settings page also lists Pending Approvals so you can Review, Approve, or Reject AI-created actions directly.

Troubleshoot the connection#

Use Check Connection in ExtraBar first. For a command-line health check, run:

"/Applications/ExtraBar.app/Contents/Helpers/extrabar-mcp" --doctor

A healthy check exits successfully after an authenticated local handshake. A failure reports the path and failed operation with a recovery hint, without printing connection tokens or tool arguments.