QuickLook

QuickLook

QuickLook is a fast file previewer for macOS that allows users to quickly see the contents of a file without opening it. It supports previewing many file types including documents, images, videos, and more.
QuickLook image
preview quick-view file-viewer

QuickLook: Fast File Previewer for macOS

QuickLook is a fast file previewer for macOS that allows users to quickly see the contents of a file without opening it. It supports previewing many file types including documents, images, videos, and more.

What is QuickLook?

QuickLook is a built-in file previewer in macOS that allows users to quickly preview the contents of a file without actually opening the file in its default application. It was introduced in macOS Leopard in 2007.

Some key features of QuickLook include:

  • Very fast previews - content is displayed almost instantly
  • Supports many common file types - documents, spreadsheets, presentations, images, audio, video, PDFs, and more
  • Spacebar shortcut brings up a full-size preview window
  • No need to launch separate applications to see file contents
  • Preview works for files on your hard drive as well as external devices
  • Can preview files even if you don't have the parent application installed

QuickLook saves users time by allowing them to quickly check the contents of a file without waiting for a separate application to load. It's invaluable for identifying files and documents without the need to open lots of programs. The fast performance and ubiquity across the system make it one of the most useful macOS features for productivity.

QuickLook Features

Features

  1. Fast preview of files without opening the full application
  2. Supports many common file types like images, videos, documents, archives, audio
  3. Integrated into Finder for quick access
  4. Keyboard shortcuts available for fast previewing
  5. Can view file metadata like size, date created, etc
  6. Preview multiple files at once by selecting them
  7. Plugin architecture to support more file types

Pricing

  • Free
  • Bundled with macOS

Pros

Very fast way to quickly see file contents

No need to open full applications to preview files

Saves time compared to opening files in default apps

Easy access from Finder makes it convenient

Lightweight and fast even on large files

Cons

Limited editing capabilities compared to full applications

May not support preview of some uncommon file types

Basic metadata only, not full file details

Limited customization options


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