Tasto

A hands-on mini Finder. Tap a key — or click in and use your real keyboard. See what Tasto does. Nothing is actually deleted.

Renaming still works — just on the right key.

Tip: on Mac laptops F2 controls brightness — use the button above or press fn+F2.

Open, move to trash, rename — the keys the Finder is missing. Only active while the Finder is frontmost. Each mapping can be switched off individually, a pause toggle sits in the menu. Free, forever.

• 01 ⏎

  Opens the selection

  File, folder, app — whatever is highlighted opens. Return and Enter, like on every other system.

• 02 ⌫ or fn +⌫

  Moves to the trash

  One keystroke cleans up. Delete or fn+Delete (forward delete) — both land in the trash, not in the void.

• 03 F2 or ⌘ +⏎

  Renames

  F2 like on Windows — on Mac laptops fn+F2, since F2 is brightness there. ⌘Return works too and needs no fn.

Remapping Finder keys has always been possible — as a Karabiner rule, a script, a tinkering recipe. They all share the same problem: they fire even while you're typing a file name. Delete is supposed to remove a character there — not the file you're renaming.

So on every keystroke, Tasto checks what's happening in the Finder: Is a text field focused — renaming, search —, is a dialog open? Then the keys pass through unchanged. The check runs via macOS's accessibility interface, locally and in real time.

That's why renaming, searching and every dialog keep working exactly as before. And that's why Tasto is an app — not a recipe.

Cut a file with ⌘X and paste it elsewhere with ⌘V — moved. Just like on Windows. macOS makes it more awkward: first ⌘C, then ⌘⌥V. Nobody remembers that.

Tasto Pro brings ⌘X back to the Finder. Cut, paste, moved — no special grip, no mouse.

And it stays smart: while you're typing a file name or something into the search field, ⌘X cuts text there as usual — not the file. Tasto knows the difference on every keystroke. That's exactly what sets it apart from a plain key remap.

Two more grips that live in your fingers on Windows — and are missing on the Mac. ⌥Return opens the info for the selection (the “Properties” window, like Alt+Enter on Windows). ⌥↑ jumps one folder up instead of clicking through the path bar (Alt+Up arrow on Windows).

And it stays on the same principle: while you're typing a name or something into the search field, the keys pass through unchanged. Tasto knows the difference on every keystroke.

Beyond the Finder, too. The same mappings work in other file managers — Path Finder, ForkLift, Commander One. Use a different tool and you keep the same reflexes.

On Windows, the close button quits the program. On the Mac the app stays open in the background even when the last window is gone — empty, but still there.

Tasto Pro turns that around: close the last window of an app and the app quits. Like the close button on Windows.

It's off by default — you turn it on deliberately. System apps like the Finder are always protected. And for apps that should keep running — a music player, say — there's an exception list.

The Finder basics are free and stay that way — the complete PresButan replacement, no paywall. Nobody has to pay to use Tasto. Tasto Pro is for anyone who also wants their Windows habits back. €3.99 once, no subscription, no trial that runs out.

• Free, forever €0
  • Return opens the selection
  • Delete and fn+Delete to the trash
  • F2 renames (fn+F2 on Mac laptops)
  • ⌘Return renames
  • Rename- and search-detection
  • Every mapping can be switched off
• Tasto Pro · one-time €3.99
  • Everything in Free, of course
  • Cut & Paste (⌘X / ⌘V)
  • ⌥Return shows the info
  • ⌥↑ jumps one folder up
  • Close quits the app
  • Also in Path Finder, ForkLift & co.
  Tasto Pro – €3.99 →

Tasto needs a single permission: Accessibility. It's required to swallow the original keystroke and send the matching Finder shortcut — and to detect when you're typing. The onboarding walks you through the setup.

Tasto deliberately isn't on the Mac App Store: the app sandbox forbids exactly the technique Tasto is made of. That's why the app ships as a direct download (.dmg).

What never happens:

• No tracking, no analytics, no ads.
• Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere.
• The only network request: once a day, Tasto fetches hyperzero.de/tasto/version.json for the update hint — no user data, can be turned off in the settings.

Someone solved this problem before: PresButan brought Return-to-open and Delete-to-trash to the Mac for many years. On current macOS versions, however, it no longer runs.

Tasto is an independent product, rebuilt for macOS 14 and newer — with the same two core mappings, plus rename detection and per-mapping toggles. The detailed comparison: PresButan alternative.

Why does Tasto need the Accessibility permission?

Without it, an app can neither intercept keystrokes nor send a Finder shortcut. Tasto uses the permission for exactly that — and to detect whether you're currently renaming or searching. Nothing is logged, stored or sent. The onboarding walks you through the setup.

What does Tasto cost?

The Finder basics — Return opens, Delete to the trash, F2 renames — are free, forever. That's the complete PresButan replacement; nobody has to pay for it. If you want the Windows extras (Cut & Paste with ⌘X, ⌥Return for info, ⌥↑ one folder up, close-to-quit and the same mappings in other file managers), Tasto Pro unlocks them: €3.99, one-time, no subscription. No ads, no upsell.

Why isn't it on the Mac App Store?

The App Store sandbox forbids actively intercepting keystrokes — exactly the technique Tasto is made of. Apps of this kind only exist as direct downloads (.dmg).

How do I get updates?

Once a day Tasto fetches a small version file from hyperzero.de and shows a hint when a new version is available. The request carries no user data and can be turned off in the settings.

Which Macs does Tasto run on?

macOS 14 or newer, verified up to macOS 27. Six languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese.