Your Mac Can Do More.
Alfred Can Make It Effortless.
Version 1.0, May 2025
The Alfred Field Guide is a video course that takes you from novice to blackbelt with Alfred, the Mac’s ultimate productivity launcher. Whether you’re brand new or a longtime dabbler, this guide will show you how to make Alfred work for you—speeding up your workflows and making your Mac feel like magic.
This course includes over 80 videos totaling more than four hours of content.
Alfred and Me Go Way Back
I’ve been using Alfred since the early days—before Workflows, before Clipboard History, before all the powerful features we now take for granted. It started as a simple app launcher, but it’s grown into one of the most indispensable tools on my Mac.
In this Field Guide, I’ll show you not only how Alfred works, but how to really use it to launch apps, run scripts, search files, manage the clipboard, control music, automate tasks, and so much more.
This course is packed with real-world workflows, pro tips, and custom setups I’ve built over the years. My goal is to give you everything you need to turn Alfred into your own personal productivity assistant.
The Alfred Field Guide
- 80 Videos
- Over Four Hours of Content
- Interviews with Alfred Power Users
- An Interview with Alfred's development team about their philosophy and approach to this killer utility.
- An in-depth guide into one of the most powerful apps on the Mac.
Alfred Field Guide • Sample Video
Want to check out 26 minutes of the course? Here you go.
Course Overview:
The Alfred Field Guide
Getting Started
If you’re new to Alfred or just want a rock-solid foundation, this section will get you up and running fast. You’ll learn how to install Alfred, understand the differences between the free and Powerpack versions, and set things up to suit your style. Whether you’re just exploring or diving in with the Powerpack, this segment ensures your first steps are confident and well-supported.
Core Features
Alfred is much more than a launcher — it’s a command center for your Mac. In this section, you’ll discover Alfred’s most powerful built-in tools. From quickly opening apps and files, to searching the web, managing your clipboard, expanding text snippets, running calculations, and controlling system settings, these features will help you work faster and smarter. This is where Alfred really starts to feel like magic — and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
Workflows
This is where things get fun. Workflows are the heart of what makes Alfred truly customizable — giving you the ability to automate actions and create mini apps tailored to your needs. In this section, we’ll walk through a curated collection of powerful workflows to help you reclaim your time and sanity. Whether it’s cleaning up links, controlling your music, speeding up daily tasks, or integrating with apps like OmniFocus, Notes, or Drafts, you’ll find workflows that can immediately improve your productivity. Even if you’ve never touched automation before, you’ll find these tools approachable and surprisingly delightful.
Building Your Own Workflows
Ready to go beyond pre-built workflows? This section teaches you how to create your own — no coding required. You’ll learn how to build practical workflows using Alfred’s visual interface, create custom folder searches, build context-aware pickers, and trigger reminders. This part of the course opens up an entirely new way of thinking about your Mac: not just as a tool, but as a customizable workspace that bends to your needs.
Automating with Alfred
Alfred doesn’t have to work alone. In this section, you’ll discover how Alfred plays nicely with other popular automation tools like Shortcuts, Keyboard Maestro, and AppleScript. You’ll see real-world examples of how to combine these tools to create seamless, elegant workflows that save you time every day. If you’re ready to go from productivity enthusiast to automation wizard, this is where the leap happens.
Advanced Features
Once you’ve got the basics down, Alfred still has more to offer. This section covers syncing your settings across Macs, using Alfred Remote, exploring advanced preferences, and making Alfred truly yours. It’s perfect for those who want to go deep and fine-tune every corner of the app to suit their workflow. Whether you’re managing multiple machines or just love dialing in the details, this section ensures nothing gets left on the table.
Alfred Power Users
In this segment, you’ll hear directly from seasoned Alfred users who rely on it every day. Learn their tips, workflows, and philosophies for working smarter with the Mac. These case studies offer real inspiration and show you just how far Alfred can go when you fully embrace its potential.
Wrap-Up and Bonus Resources
We’ll close things out with a curated collection of additional resources, workflows, and ideas for continuing your Alfred journey. Plus, you’ll find links to other MacSparky goodies that can support your broader productivity efforts. Whether you’re just starting or already are a power user, there’s always more to explore.
Praise for the Alfred Field Guide
The Alfred Field Guide has already made my Mac experience more efficient and enjoyable. I love being able to launch specific documents—even in apps I rarely use like Chrome Sheets—with just a few keystrokes.
– Garrell
You don’t know what you don't know. I have been using Alfred for over ten years and thought I had a good handle on what could be achieved. Oh I was wrong, I have learnt so much just going through the core features that it justified purchasing the course. David as always presents the information in such a relatable and usable fashion.
– Brendan
Ok. I jumped on the Alfred Field Guide because I wanted to learn more about creating workflows. I've been using Alfred for several years and it's my replacement for Spotlight, so I felt pretty confident that I knew Alfred's capabilities. Boy, was I wrong! Within about a minute of starting MacSparky's first video, I had my first headslap moment. Then another...and another with every video. By the time I finished the first five videos I think I racked up about 10 new or better ways to use the app. Duh! I'm really glad I purchased this - there are so many great suggestions for improving productivity with this app. I followed along with my own copy of Alfred, customizing settings to do things that I didn't realize Alfred could do. Another great Field Guide.
– Dr. Roy W.
Alfred Field Guide Contents
- 2.1 Core Feature Overview (0:23)
- 2.2 Launching Apps, Files, and Folders (6:46)
- 2.3 Setting Default Results (6:45)
- 2.4 File Search Settings (6:34)
- 2.5 Universal Actions (7:00)
- 2.6 Web Search (7:25)
- 2.7 Web Bookmarks (1:00)
- 2.8 Clipboard History (7:52)
- 2.9 Snippets (4:54)
- 2.10 Calculator (1:44)
- 2.11 Dictionary (2:04)
- 2.12 Contacts (5:20)
- 2.13 Music (3:41)
- 2.14 System Commands (1:48)
- 2.15 Terminal (1:02)
- 2.16 Large Type (1:40)
- 2.17 Previews (1:50)
- 2.18 Alfred Appearance (5:23)
- 3.1 Workflows Overview (0:27)
- 3.2 Installing Workflows - System Settings (3:23)
- 3.3 About This Mac (1:06)
- 3.4 Switch Appearance (0:44)
- 3.5 Music Volume (1:19)
- 3.6 Menu Bar Search (1:04)
- 3.7 View Folder Contents (1:36)
- 3.8 Coffee Coffee (0:53)
- 3.9 Timer (1:33)
- 3.10 Link Clean (1:39)
- 3.11 Speedtest (0:34)
- 3.12 Mail Link (1:10)
- 3.13 Get Safari Tabs (1:19)
- 3.14 HEIC to JPEG (1:07)
- 3.15 Color Picker (1:06)
- 3.16 Microphone Control (0:55)
- 3.17 Blueman (0:42)
- 3.18 Bluetooth Device Battery (0:42)
- 3.19 Recent Files (2:45)
- 3.20 Toggle Desktop Icons (0:33)
- 3.21 Unit Converter (1:28)
- 3.22 Date Arithmetic (1:15)
- 3.23 Currency Converter (1:04)
- 3.24 Power Thesaurus (1:11)
- 3.25 Emoji Mate (1:00)
- 3.26 Apple Notes Search (3:36)
- 3.27 Deep Contacts Search (0:39)
- 3.28 One Thing (0:41)
- 3.29 Moom-ing (2:33)
- 3.30 Tot (1:54)
- 3.31 Doctor Drafts (2:38)
- 3.32 1Password (3:08)
- 3.33 CleanShot X (0:45)
- 3.34 OmniFocus Collection (1:20)
- 3.35 Things (1:03)
- 3.36 Shimmering Obsidian (2:51)
- 3.37 Movie and TV Show Search (1:06)
- 3.38 Die Roller (1:06)
- 3.39 Workflow Categories (2:42)
Your Productivity Guide
I’ve been excited about technology since I first got my hands on a computer back in 1980. Since then, I’ve written and published numerous books and video courses from The MacSparky Blog and The MacSparky Labs. I also host several popular technology podcasts, including The Mac Power Users, The Automators, and Focused.
I Have a Mission…
In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive (not less!) with technology.
Finding a method for being more productive about the things most important to me has been a 40 year journey. I'm so excited to share this course with the world.
Other MacSparky Field Guides
More Praise for the Alfred Field Guide
Finally Leveraging Alfred’s Power
I have been a long-term Alfred with the Power Pack option user, but, embarrassingly, I used it only for launching apps, calculations, and system commands like quitall, forcequit, and restart…. I knew it could do a lot more, but I never focused and learned how to leverage it. My takeaway from the Alfred Field Guide is that I can get a lot of this done right from “CMD Space” from Alfred.
– Mark B.
Rediscovering Alfred’s Full Potential
Alfred does something that is the first step in all of my workflows; it keeps my fingers on the keyboard. It is not just a launcher, it is a silent assistant. The biggest time saver is its design in that it understands what I am looking for even when I only have a vague notion of what it is. I know it’s this type of file, I know it has “this” word in it. Hours have been saved, sanity has been ’slightly’ reserved for another day. Prior to the guide I loved Alfred, now I understand the underutilized powerhouse that it is and that I have at my fingertips.
– GO
I Thought I Knew Alfred. Then I Watched This
I was really on the fence about buying this Field Guide. I would have said I was an “Alfred Power User.” I’ve been using Alfred for over 10 years, back to version 1.3.2. I don’t have a huge number of workflows, but they are all self-written to accomplish something I needed or wanted. Still, I was intrigued by the interviews with other Alfred users and the Alfred development team, and so I made an impulse buy. Because I bought in early, not everything is yet available. However, the Section 2, which covers all of the Alfred settings and options, was ready and I figured I would watch one or two of the videos before bed. One video in, I was thinking “How did I not know that?” Three videos, and I had the Alfred settings open so that I could make changes as I watched. Five videos, and it was clear that this Field Guide should be watched by everyone using Alfred. David has found every little trick, tip, and feature in Alfred, and presents all of them with his trademark clarity and style, making it easy to learn and adopt teach feature and figure out if/how it would work for you. If you are an Alfred user (or want to buy), you absolutely should buy this Field Guide!
– Neal L.
Worth It in the First 15 Minutes
I’ve been using Alfred for many years and bought this Field Guide thinking I might pick up a trick or two deep in there someplace. Not so. In the first 15 minutes I learned so much that it was worth the price of admission.
– Jody S.
Alfred’s Been There All Along–Now I Finally Get It
Who knew? certainly not me. but certainly MacSparky knew. I installed Alfred within days of shifting from a PC to a Mac so it’s been with me all my Mac life but I’ve never realised how powerful it really is and how much you can do with it. I’ve learned previously about shortcuts and keyboard maestro from David. And it feels like this completes the circle.
– Chris N.