How the Finder context menu extension works
PowerClick uses macOS's Finder Sync extension API — the same system Apple provides for cloud storage apps to show sync badges in Finder. PowerClick registers as a Finder extension, which allows it to add a submenu to Finder's right-click context menu. The extension runs in a sandboxed process separate from Finder itself.
Once you enable it in System Settings, right-clicking inside a Finder window or on the Desktop shows a PowerClick submenu. The available actions depend on what you clicked: right-clicking empty space shows New File options, right-clicking a file or folder shows Copy Path, Rename, and Move actions.
Context-aware actions
PowerClick keeps the right-click menu relevant by showing different actions based on context:
- Empty space in a folder — New File templates and New File from Clipboard
- Selected file — Copy Path, Open in Editor, Quick File Info, Copy To, Move To
- Multiple selected files — Batch Rename, Copy Path (all paths), Copy To, Move To
- Selected folder — Open in Editor, Copy Path, Copy To, Move To
Cloud folder support
PowerClick 2.0 removed the single-folder limitation. You can now grant access to multiple folders at once, including cloud sync folders. Once granted, all PowerClick context menu actions work seamlessly inside:
- iCloud Drive — including Documents and Desktop when iCloud sync is on
- Dropbox
- Google Drive (via the desktop client)
- OneDrive
Access is granted through macOS's standard open panel — the same mechanism any sandboxed app uses. PowerClick does not store credentials or send folder data anywhere.
Sandboxed and safe
PowerClick is a fully sandboxed macOS app distributed exclusively through the Mac App Store. It uses only Apple's official Finder Extension APIs and requires explicit user permission before reading or writing any folder. There is no background network activity and no telemetry. The extension process is killed by macOS when PowerClick is not running.
How to enable the extension
- Install PowerClick from the Mac App Store.
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Extensions → Finder Extensions.
- Enable the PowerClick checkbox.
- The PowerClick menubar icon turns green, confirming the extension is active.
If the context menu submenu does not appear, re-launching Finder (Activity Monitor → Finder → Relaunch) usually resolves it. Full troubleshooting is on the Support page.
Finder Sync extensions vs. Automator Quick Actions
macOS actually offers two different ways to extend Finder's right-click menu: Finder Sync extensions (what PowerClick uses) and Automator Quick Actions. Quick Actions are built into macOS and free, but each one only performs a single workflow you build yourself in Automator — there's no menu of options, no template picker, and no shared state between actions. A Finder Sync extension like PowerClick is a proper app: it can show a full submenu of related actions, remember settings between launches, and update its own menu items dynamically based on what's selected.
Multiple Finder extensions at once
macOS allows more than one Finder Sync extension to be enabled at the same time. If you already use a cloud storage app's Finder extension (Dropbox, Google Drive) or another Finder productivity tool, PowerClick's submenu appears alongside them without conflict — each extension manages its own entry in the right-click menu independently.