01
⌘X to cut, ⌘V to move
Select files, ⌘X, open the destination, ⌘V. Nothing moves until you paste: cut and forget, and no file goes missing.
cutMatik
CutMatik brings Windows-style cut and paste to Finder. Select your files, press ⌘X, open the folder you want, press ⌘V: the files move.
- 1SelectPick the files in Finder.
- ⌘XCutThey turn faded. Nothing moves yet.
- →GoOpen the folder you want.
- ⌘VPasteThe files move there.
A tiny menu bar app for Mac
Move files the way you already know.
macOS has no Cut for files: to move you copy with ⌘C, then paste with ⌥⌘V. CutMatik makes it ⌘X and ⌘V. Nothing moves until you paste, so a forgotten cut never loses a file, and Finder does the moving itself, with its progress window, its conflict question and ⌘Z.
Download for Mac · Freev1.0.1 · 0.7 MB
Sign in with Google once to download.
FreemacOS 14 or laterApple Silicon and IntelVersion 1.0.1Signed and Apple-notarizedConnects only to check for updates
Two ways to move a file. One you already know.
Finder alone
⌘C→open the folder→⌥⌘V
Copy, then “move the item here”. Easy to forget.
With CutMatik
⌘X→open the folder→⌘V
Cut, paste. The same keys as everywhere else.
In the real Finder
Cut files fade. Nothing else moves.
Select files, press ⌘X, and they turn pale right where they are. They stay there until you paste. Press Esc or copy something else, and they look normal again. The same fade shows in list, icon, column and gallery views, and on the desktop.
Screenshots of the real app on macOS, in dark appearance. The faded ones are cut; the others are not. On the desktop, a cut file’s icon and name fade the same way.
What it does
Small, and thorough.
02
Cut files look faded
Just like on Windows, in list, icon, column and gallery views, and on the desktop. You always see what is waiting to move.
03
“Cut” in the right-click menu
Right-click a file and Cut is in the menu. It sits at the very bottom: Finder decides the order of that menu.
04
Paste Item works too
While a cut is waiting, choosing “Paste Item” from the menu moves the files as well.
05
Finder does the moving
Its progress window, its question when a name already exists, and ⌘Z to undo all work exactly as before.
06
Text fields stay normal
While you rename a file or type in a search box, ⌘X cuts text as always.
07
Change your mind with Esc
Press Esc, or copy something else: the cut is cancelled and the files look normal again.
Esc=never mind
08
Starts by itself
It starts when you log in and sits in the menu bar as a small pair of scissors. Its menu shows the status, has “Cancel Cut” while a cut is waiting, lets you switch the right-click Cut and starting at login on or off, checks for updates, and quits.
Install
Three steps, one permission.
- 1
Open the DMG
Drag CutMatik to Applications and run it. If you open it without dragging, CutMatik offers to move itself to Applications: one click. The first time, macOS asks whether to open an app downloaded from the internet. That is the standard question for every downloaded app: choose Open.
- 2
Allow it in System Settings
macOS asks for permission. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and switch CutMatik on. On macOS 27 the section is called Device Control and Data Access; on macOS 26 and earlier it is Accessibility.
- 3
That’s it
“Cut” in the right-click menu and starting at login are set up automatically. You can switch either off from the scissors menu in the menu bar.
Why the permission?
To catch ⌘X and ⌘V before they reach Finder. Without it these keys cannot be intercepted, and cut and paste cannot work.
Remove it
Click the scissors in the menu bar and choose Quit, then drag CutMatik from Applications to the Trash.
Private by design
- It connects to the internet only to check for updates: once a month it asks our server for the latest version number. Nothing about you or your Mac is sent.
- It does not record your keystrokes.
- It does not read what is on your clipboard.
It updates itself with one click: when a new version is out it asks once; choose Update and it downloads, installs and restarts.
FAQ
Questions.
Is CutMatik free?
Yes, it is free.
Which macOS does it need?
macOS 14 or later. The app is built for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Why does it ask for a permission?
To catch ⌘X and ⌘V before they reach Finder. Without it the shortcuts cannot be intercepted. CutMatik connects to the internet only to check for updates, does not record keystrokes and does not read what is on your clipboard.
Where does it work?
In Finder windows and on the desktop. It does not work in Open and Save dialogs.
How do I cancel a cut?
Press Esc or copy something else. Nothing has moved yet, so nothing is lost.
Does it update itself?
Yes, with one click. About once a month it asks our server for the latest version number; if a newer version exists it asks you once. Choose Update and it downloads, installs and restarts. Choose Later and it does not ask again for that version: the update waits in the scissors menu, which also has “Check for Updates…”. Version 1.0.0 had no updater, so if you have it, download the current version from this page once.
Is it Mac only?
Yes, CutMatik is for macOS only.
How can I check that my download is intact?
In Terminal, run
shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/CutMatik-1.0.1.dmg. For version 1.0.1 it should print 6f6dbbb83c3d06ae1873d12e57dd498093e41b813c37103eb7f28352b76fdd87.⌘X. ⌘V. Done.
CutMatik for Mac. Free. macOS 14 or later.
FreemacOS 14 or laterApple Silicon and IntelVersion 1.0.1Connects only to check for updates
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