Help
Everything you need to install, configure, and troubleshoot Prompt Enhancer.
App compatibility
AX = native Accessibility API (in-place replace). Clipboard = clipboard path (paste after enhancement). Both feel instant.
| App | Method | macOS | Windows | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (web) | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Claude.ai | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VS Code | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cursor | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Notion | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Obsidian | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terminal | clipboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 1Password | blocked | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Works in any app with a standard text field. The table above covers the most commonly asked apps.
Install
How do I install on macOS?
Download the .dmg, drag Prompt Enhancer.app to /Applications, open it. First launch will ask for Accessibility permission (required to read your selected text).
How do I install on Windows?
Download the .msi, run it (User Account Control may prompt). The app lives in the system tray near the clock. No admin rights required for per-user install.
How do I install on Linux?
AppImage: chmod +x then run. .deb: sudo dpkg -i PromptEnhancer-linux.deb on Ubuntu/Debian. App requires libwebkit2gtk-4.1, libsecret-1, libxdo3 — installed automatically with .deb, included in AppImage.
Why does it need Accessibility access?
To read selected text from other apps and synthesise paste. macOS uses Accessibility API, Windows uses UI Automation, Linux uses AT-SPI. We never read anything until you trigger the hotkey.
"App is damaged" on macOS — what?
Until our Apple Developer ID notarization is approved, you may need to right-click → Open the first time, or run xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Prompt\ Enhancer.app in Terminal.
SmartScreen warning on Windows?
Click "More info" → "Run anyway". Windows code-signing certificate coming with the v1.0 release.
Using it
How do I trigger an enhancement?
Select any text in any app, press ⌃⌥⌘P on macOS or Ctrl+Alt+P on Windows/Linux. The selection is replaced with the structured prompt.
Can I change the hotkey?
Yes — open Prompt Enhancer from the menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Win/Linux) → Preferences → Hotkey.
What if I want different output formats?
Switch presets from the tray menu: Default, Concise, Verbose, or Code. Lifetime Pro adds domain-specific presets.
Does it work offline?
No — enhancements need a call to Anthropic's Claude API. Bring your own key or use the managed plan.
API key (BYOK)
Where do I get an Anthropic API key?
console.anthropic.com → Settings → API Keys → Create Key. Free tier comes with $5 of credits.
Where is my key stored?
OS secure credential store — macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager, or libsecret/GNOME Keyring on Linux. Never sent to us. Used only when the app calls api.anthropic.com directly.
How much will I spend on API costs?
A typical enhancement is ~$0.0001 with Claude Haiku 4.5 or ~$0.003 with Sonnet 4.6. Heavy daily users (~100 enhancements) usually stay under $1/month with Haiku.
Lifetime Pro
What does Pro add?
Unlimited managed usage (we pay Anthropic, no key needed), premium domain-specific presets, full enhancement history, priority support.
Are licenses cross-platform?
No — each $19 key is bound to one OS family. Buy for the platform you actually use. Need all three? Email support@promptenhancer.online — multi-OS bundle is $29 and we issue PE-MAC, PE-WIN, and PE-LNX keys.
Is it really lifetime?
Yes. One $19–29 payment, all future updates on the bought platform included, no subscription.
How do I activate?
After purchase you get a license key (format PE-MAC-… / PE-WIN-… / PE-LNX-…) by email. Paste it into Preferences → License. Activates up to 3 devices on the matching OS.
Trouble
Hotkey doesn't fire on macOS
Check Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility — Prompt Enhancer must be checked. Restart the app.
Hotkey doesn't fire on Windows
Another app may have grabbed Ctrl+Alt+P. Open Preferences → Hotkey and rebind. Antivirus / Defender may also block synthetic keystrokes — whitelist Prompt Enhancer.exe.
Hotkey doesn't fire on Linux
Wayland sessions block global hotkeys for security. Use X11 session, or run under XWayland. GNOME Wayland support coming via portal API.
Enhancement is empty
API call failed. Check tray icon for error → click to see message. Usual culprits: no API key, key out of credits, network blocked, "platform_mismatch" (wrong-OS license key).
It replaced my selection with garbage
Press Cmd/Ctrl+Z immediately. Then email us the original text and the bad output — we use those to improve the prompt template.
Still stuck?
Email hello@promptenhancer.online — we read every message.