A native macOS Quick Look extension that provides instant previews of folder contents, including file counts, size statistics, and detailed folder analysis.
- Markdown preview support - View
.mdfiles directly in Quick Look - Faster performance - Improved folder preview speed
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PeekX enhances the macOS Quick Look feature by allowing you to preview the contents of any folder without opening it. Simply select a folder in Finder and press Space to see a comprehensive breakdown of its contents, including file types, sizes, and structure.
- Instant Folder Preview - View folder contents directly in Quick Look
- File Statistics - See total file count, folder size, and file type breakdown
- Modern Interface - Clean, native macOS design that matches system aesthetics
- Lightweight - Minimal resource usage with fast rendering
- Sandboxed - Fully sandboxed for security and privacy
- Universal Binary - Supports both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
- macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) or later
- Apple Silicon or Intel processor
- Download the latest
PeekX-X.X.dmgfrom the Releases page - Open the DMG file
- Drag PeekX to your Applications folder
- Launch PeekX once to register the Quick Look extension
- The app will automatically register and quit
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/altic-dev/PeekX.git
cd PeekX
# Open in Xcode and build
open PeekX.xcodeproj
# Build the PeekX scheme (Cmd+B)Once installed, using PeekX is straightforward:
- Open Finder
- Navigate to any folder
- Select the folder
- Press Space or click the Quick Look button
- View instant folder analysis and contents
The Quick Look preview will display:
- Total number of files and subfolders
- Total folder size
- Breakdown by file type
- Large file identification
- Folder structure visualization
To remove PeekX:
- Quit PeekX if running
- Delete
PeekX.appfrom your Applications folder - (Optional) Reset Quick Look cache:
qlmanage -r cache killall Finder
PeekX/
βββ PeekX/ # Main application
β βββ PeekXApp.swift # App entry point
β βββ Assets.xcassets/ # App icons and resources
βββ PeekXExt/ # Quick Look extension
β βββ PreviewViewController.swift # Main preview logic
β βββ Info.plist # Extension configuration
βββ Shared/ # Shared code between app and extension
βββ Constants.swift
βββ SharedSettings.swift
Open the project in Xcode and build the PeekX scheme. The extension will be automatically embedded in the main application bundle.
PeekX consists of two main components:
- Main Application (PeekX.app) - A lightweight background agent that registers the Quick Look extension on launch
- Quick Look Extension (PeekXExt.appex) - The extension that handles folder preview generation
The extension uses native macOS APIs to analyze folder contents and render previews using WebKit for a modern, responsive interface.
PeekX respects your privacy:
- Runs entirely on your Mac with no network access
- Does not collect or transmit any data
- Fully sandboxed with minimal system permissions
- Only accesses folders you explicitly view in Quick Look
If the Quick Look extension doesn't appear after installation:
- Ensure PeekX.app is in
/Applications - Launch PeekX once to register the extension
- Reset Quick Look cache:
qlmanage -r cache killall Finder
- Check extension status:
pluginkit -m -v -p com.apple.quicklook.preview | grep PeekX
If you see permission errors, verify that:
- PeekX has necessary permissions in System Settings
- The app is properly code-signed
- You're running macOS 14.0 or later
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and pull requests.
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/your-feature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -am 'Add new feature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/your-feature) - Create a Pull Request
Please ensure your code:
- Follows Swift style guidelines
- Includes appropriate comments
- Maintains compatibility with macOS 14.0+
- Does not introduce new dependencies without discussion
PeekX is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
Copyright (c) 2025 ALTIC
Built with:
- Swift and SwiftUI
- macOS Quick Look APIs
Found a bug? Please report it on GitHub Issues:
- Check existing issues first to avoid duplicates
- Include your macOS version and system information
- Provide steps to reproduce the issue
- Attach relevant logs or screenshots if possible
Have an idea for a new feature? We'd love to hear it!
- Open a feature request on GitHub Issues
- Describe the feature and why it would be useful
- Include any mockups or examples if applicable
- Label your issue with "enhancement"
All feature requests are reviewed and prioritized based on community interest and feasibility.