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Beam - Efficient ChatGPT UI for macOS Product Information

BEAM: ChatGPT App for macOS

BEAM is a native macOS ChatGPT application that provides a seamless, low-latency experience, keeping you in your workflow without juggling windows or losing context. It offers floating ChatGPT panels, powerful hotkeys, screen-level interactions, and privacy-focused local data handling.


Key Highlights

  • Native macOS app (not Electron) with a snappy, macOS-like UI
  • Floating chat panel (Ctrl + Space) to chat without leaving your current app
  • Select text, chat about it, and insert the response back with a single keystroke
  • Screen-aware chat: summarize websites, translate texts, explain concepts directly from your screen
  • Templates to save prompts as AI Profiles for quick reuse
  • Floating ChatGPT+ window for quick access over other apps
  • Chat with PDFs to summarize, answer questions, and bring documents to life
  • Create AI Profiles to tailor GPT behavior to your needs
  • Minimal, distraction-free UI with a strong focus on privacy
  • Regular updates and active user feedback integration

How to Use BEAM

  1. Launch BEAM. Open the native macOS app and sign in if required.
  2. Open a floating chat. Use the hotkey (Ctrl + Space) to bring up the chat panel over your current app.
  3. Chat about selected content. Highlight text or area on your screen, chat about it, and insert the response back with a single action.
  4. Use templates. Save common prompts as AI Profiles or templates for faster future use.
  5. Chat with PDFs. Drag and drop a PDF to begin summarization, querying, or extracting insights.

Features and Capabilities

  • Native macOS experience with optimized memory usage and performance
  • Floating chat panel accessible via a single hotkey
  • Screen-aware chat: select content, ask questions, translate, summarize, or explain concepts
  • AI Templates and AI Profiles for customizable, repeatable prompts
  • Floating ChatGPT+ window for quick access across apps
  • PDF integration: summarize, question-answering, and document exploration
  • Local data handling: data is saved locally on your machine; no unnecessary data leakage
  • Privacy-focused: no broad data harvesting; conversations are kept private on-device
  • Regular updates with user-driven improvements

How It Works

  • BEAM communicates with OpenAI servers to process prompts and responses. It uses native macOS features to provide a lightweight, responsive experience without bundling a heavy Electron runtime.
  • You can save and reuse prompts via AI Profiles and templates to maintain context and improve productivity across tasks.

Safety and Privacy

  • Local data storage on your device; the app minimizes data exposure and avoids unnecessary data synchronization.
  • Standard OpenAI usage policies apply to prompts and responses processed by the service.

Core Features

  • Native macOS app (not Electron) for optimal performance
  • Floating chat panel accessible via Ctrl + Space
  • Screen-aware interactions: summarize, translate, explain, and discuss selected content
  • AI Templates and AI Profiles for quick, repeatable prompts
  • Floating ChatGPT+ window for cross-app accessibility
  • PDF support for summaries and Q&A
  • Local data storage with privacy-focused design
  • Regular updates and active user feedback integration
  • Distraction-free, minimal UI designed for productivity