Support Center

Chrome Extension: Works with Articulate Rise, Figma, Canva, Adobe Express, Webflow, Framer, Miro, Notion, Google Slides, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Spline, and Penpot.

Mac App: Works in any application on your Mac - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Affinity, Sketch, Procreate, Microsoft Office, Keynote, and literally any other app.

The Chrome extension auto-positions for each supported site. The Mac app lives in your menu bar and works system-wide.

Chrome Extension:

1. Visit the Chrome Web Store
2. Click "Add to Chrome"
3. Open any supported site (Figma, Canva, Rise, etc.)
4. BuddyBar appears automatically

Mac App:

1. Download from our website
2. Move to your Applications folder
3. Open the app - it will appear in your menu bar
4. Grant Accessibility permission when prompted (for the keyboard shortcut)

Both versions sync automatically on the same computer!

Unlimited! Since version 2.0, you can add as many colors as you need to each template.

The first 6 colors are always visible. Click the expand button to see additional colors, or drag to reorder them however you like.

You can also create multiple templates to organize colors by brand, project, or client.

Right-click any color swatch to open the color editor. You can:

• Use the visual color picker
• Type a hex code directly (e.g., #FF5733)
• Click the preview square to open your system color picker

Changes save automatically and update across all your templates.

Right-click any color swatch and you'll see the color editor popup. There's a name field where you can give each color a custom name (like "Brand Blue" or "CTA Orange").

You can also rename templates using the pencil icon in the template dropdown.

To create a new template: Click the + button. This creates a blank template you can customize.

To switch templates: Use the dropdown menu to select any saved template.

To rename: Click the pencil icon and type a new name.

To delete: Click the × button (you must have at least one template).

Export/Import .buddybar files:

1. In the template dropdown, click the download icon next to any template
2. This saves a .buddybar file to your computer
3. Share the file with your team however you prefer
4. Team members can drag the file onto BuddyBar to import it

No account needed - just share the file!

Chrome Extension: Press ⌃⇧B (Control+Shift+B on Mac) or Ctrl+Alt+B (Windows). Works when you're on a supported site.

Mac App: Press ⌃⌥B (Control+Option+B). Works as a global shortcut system-wide in any application (requires Accessibility permission).

Note: Due to Chrome browser limitations, the shortcuts are slightly different between the Chrome extension and Mac app.

This is useful when you need more screen space or want to capture a clean screenshot.

Chrome Extension: Works with Articulate Rise, Figma, Canva, Adobe Express, Webflow, Framer, Miro, Notion, Google Slides, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Spline, and Penpot. Want support for a new browser-based tool? Let me know using the contact form!

Mac App: Works in any application on your Mac! Since it lives in the menu bar, you can access your colors in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Affinity, Sketch, Procreate, Microsoft Office, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, or anywhere else.

Chrome Extension: BuddyBar auto-positions itself optimally for each design tool. You can drag it anywhere, and your position is remembered per-site.

Mac App: The color bar floats on screen and you can drag it anywhere. Your position is saved automatically.

Yes! If you have both versions installed on the same computer, your colors sync automatically between Chrome and the Mac app.

Changes made in Chrome appear in the Mac app, and vice versa. No account or cloud sync required - it all happens locally.

Colors also sync across all browser tabs in real-time.

Note: Sync is local only - colors don't sync across different computers.

Yes! Your templates are shared across all supported Chrome sites and the Mac app.

Create a template in Figma, and it's instantly available in Canva, Rise, the Mac app, and everywhere else BuddyBar works.

Chrome Extension:

1. Make sure you're on a supported site (Figma, Canva, Rise, etc.)
2. Refresh the page (⌘R or Ctrl+R)
3. Try the keyboard shortcut: ⌃⇧B (Control+Shift+B on Mac) or Ctrl+Alt+B (Windows)
4. Check that the extension is enabled in Chrome's extension manager
5. Try disabling and re-enabling the extension

Mac App:

1. Check the menu bar - click the BuddyBar icon
2. Try the global keyboard shortcut: ⌃⌥B
3. If the shortcut doesn't work, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and ensure BuddyBar is enabled
4. Try quitting and reopening the app
5. If the menu bar icon is hidden (too many icons), you can also quit BuddyBar by clicking the ⓘ info button on the floating bar - there's a "Quit BuddyBar" option at the bottom

If it still doesn't work, please contact support!

The Chrome extension works with Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers (like Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera).

For Firefox or Safari users, the Mac app is the perfect solution - it works system-wide in any browser or application on your Mac.

Version 4.2 - December 2025:

• Mac Appearance setting - Choose System, Light, or Dark mode for the color bar
• Mac Improved visibility - Fully opaque background for better readability
• Mac Dark mode support - UI adapts to your system appearance preference
• Mac Native Mac app - Access your colors from any application via the menu bar
• Both Chrome ↔ Mac sync - Colors sync automatically between both versions
• Both Keyboard shortcuts - Chrome: ⌃⇧B (Mac) / Ctrl+Alt+B (Windows). Mac App: ⌃⌥B global shortcut.
• Mac Automatic updates - Built-in update system keeps your app current

See the full changelog for all updates.

The Accessibility permission allows BuddyBar to listen for the global keyboard shortcut (⌃⌥B) even when the app isn't focused.

Without this permission, you'd need to click on BuddyBar first before using the shortcut. The permission is only used for the keyboard shortcut - BuddyBar doesn't access any other data.

To enable: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility → Enable BuddyBar

Right-click the BuddyBar icon in your menu bar, then select Appearance. You have three options:

• System - Follows your Mac's appearance setting (default)
• Light - Always use light mode for the color bar
• Dark - Always use dark mode for the color bar

Your choice is saved automatically and persists across app restarts.

Right-click the BuddyBar icon in your menu bar, then check "Launch at Login".

BuddyBar will now start automatically whenever you log in to your Mac.

Look for the BuddyBar icon (three colored swatches) in your menu bar at the top of the screen, usually near the right side with other app icons.

If you have many menu bar apps, it might be hidden. Try using a tool like Bartender or holding ⌘ while dragging menu bar items to rearrange them.

BuddyBar requires macOS 14.6 (Sonoma) or later.

This is needed for the modern SwiftUI features and Launch at Login functionality.

Yes! BuddyBar is completely free to use. No hidden fees, no subscriptions, no account required.

I built it as a gift to the design and creative community to help make everyone's workflow a little easier.