---
url: /protocol-launcher/apps/bettertouchtool.md
---

# BetterTouchTool

[BetterTouchTool](https://folivora.ai/) is a macOS automation app for customizing gestures, shortcuts, Touch Bar controls, Stream Deck buttons, menu bar items, and other system-level workflows.

## Usage

There are two ways to use this library:

* On-Demand import from subpaths enables tree-shaking and keeps bundles small.
* Full Import from the root package is convenient but includes all app modules.

Pick On-Demand for production builds; Full Import is fine for quick scripts or demos.

### Trigger Named

Run a named trigger, pass values to it as BetterTouchTool variables, or cancel its delayed execution.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'triggerNamed' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const reviewUrl = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}triggerNamed({
  triggerName: 'Daily Review',
})

const projectUrl = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}triggerNamed({
  triggerName: 'Open Project',
  variables: {
    projectName: 'Protocol Launcher',
  },
})

const cancelUrl = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}triggerNamed({
  triggerName: 'Daily Review',
  cancelDelayed: 1,
})
```

### Trigger Named Async Without Response

Run a named trigger asynchronously without waiting for a response.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'triggerNamedAsyncWithoutResponse' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}triggerNamedAsyncWithoutResponse({
  triggerName: 'Refresh Dashboard',
})
```

### Cancel Delayed Named Trigger Execution

Cancel a pending delayed execution of a named trigger.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'cancelDelayedNamedTriggerExecution' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}cancelDelayedNamedTriggerExecution({
  triggerName: 'Daily Review',
})
```

### Execute Assigned Actions For Trigger

Execute all assigned actions for an existing trigger identified by UUID.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'executeAssignedActionsForTrigger' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}executeAssignedActionsForTrigger({
  uuid: '0E2F7963-E64C-403A-8591-C3725D4D9ADC',
})
```

### Trigger Action

Run a BetterTouchTool predefined action from an action JSON object.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'triggerAction' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}triggerAction({
  json: {
    BTTPredefinedActionType: 153,
    BTTPredefinedActionName: 'Move Mouse To Position',
    BTTMoveMouseToPosition: '{100, 10}',
    BTTMoveMouseRelative: '6',
  },
})
```

### Refresh Widget

Run all scripts assigned to a script widget and update its contents.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'refreshWidget' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}refreshWidget({
  uuid: 'CC46E199-B07D-4BF7-AC36-48AAE558540B',
})
```

### Update Touch Bar Widget

Update the contents of a Touch Bar Script Widget.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'updateTouchBarWidget' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}updateTouchBarWidget({
  uuid: 'CC46E199-B07D-4BF7-AC36-48AAE558540B',
  text: 'Build passed',
  iconPath: '/Users/andi/Desktop/status.png',
  backgroundColor: '200,200,100,255',
})
```

### Update Stream Deck Widget

Update the contents of a Stream Deck widget.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'updateStreamDeckWidget' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}updateStreamDeckWidget({
  uuid: 'CC46E199-B07D-4BF7-AC36-48AAE558540B',
  text: 'Deploy',
})
```

### Update Menubar Item

Update the contents of a menu bar item.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'updateMenubarItem' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}updateMenubarItem({
  uuid: 'CC46E199-B07D-4BF7-AC36-48AAE558540B',
  text: 'Ready',
})
```

### Update Trigger

Update the configuration of an existing trigger.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'updateTrigger' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}updateTrigger({
  uuid: '0E2F7963-E64C-403A-8591-C3725D4D9ADC',
  json: {
    BTTTouchBarButtonName: 'New Name2',
    BTTTriggerConfig: {
      BTTTouchBarItemIconHeight: 30,
    },
  },
})
```

### Add New Trigger

Add a new trigger to BetterTouchTool from a trigger JSON object.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'addNewTrigger' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}addNewTrigger({
  json: {
    BTTTriggerClass: 'BTTTriggerTypeKeyboardShortcut',
    BTTPredefinedActionType: 5,
    BTTPredefinedActionName: 'Mission Control',
    BTTAdditionalConfiguration: '1179658',
    BTTTriggerOnDown: 1,
    BTTEnabled: 1,
    BTTShortcutKeyCode: 2,
    BTTShortcutModifierKeys: 1179648,
    BTTOrder: 3,
  },
})
```

### Delete Trigger

Delete a BetterTouchTool trigger by UUID.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'deleteTrigger' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}deleteTrigger({
  uuid: '0E2F7963-E64C-403A-8591-C3725D4D9ADC',
})
```

### Reveal Element In UI

Open the BetterTouchTool configuration UI and reveal an element by UUID.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'revealElementInUi' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}revealElementInUi({
  uuid: '0E2F7963-E64C-403A-8591-C3725D4D9ADC',
})
```

### Export Preset

Export a BetterTouchTool preset to a file.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'exportPreset' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}exportPreset({
  name: 'Focus Mode',
  outputPath: '/Users/andi/Desktop/FocusMode.bttpreset',
  compress: 1,
})
```

### Import Preset

Import a BetterTouchTool preset from a file path.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'importPreset' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}importPreset({
  path: '/Users/andi/Desktop/FocusMode.bttpreset',
})

const keepExistingUrl = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}importPreset({
  path: '/Users/andi/Desktop/FocusMode.bttpreset',
  replaceExisting: 0,
})
```

### Run Shortcut

Run an Apple Shortcuts shortcut by name and wait for its result.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'runShortcut' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}runShortcut({
  shortcutName: 'Start Focus',
  input: 'Protocol Launcher',
})
```

### Run Shortcut Async Without Response

Run an Apple Shortcuts shortcut asynchronously without waiting for a response.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'runShortcutAsyncWithoutResponse' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}runShortcutAsyncWithoutResponse({
  shortcutName: 'Log Break',
  input: '5 minutes',
})
```

### Set Persistent String Variable

Set a string variable that persists over BetterTouchTool relaunches.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'setPersistentStringVariable' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}setPersistentStringVariable({
  variableName: 'currentProject',
  to: 'Protocol Launcher',
})
```

### Set String Variable

Set a string variable for the runtime of BetterTouchTool.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'setStringVariable' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}setStringVariable({
  variableName: 'sessionState',
  to: 'reviewing',
})
```

### Set Persistent Number Variable

Set a number variable that persists over BetterTouchTool relaunches.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'setPersistentNumberVariable' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}setPersistentNumberVariable({
  variableName: 'focusGoalMinutes',
  to: 45,
})
```

### Set Number Variable

Set a number variable for the runtime of BetterTouchTool.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'setNumberVariable' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}setNumberVariable({
  variableName: 'currentPomodoro',
  to: 2,
})
```

### Import Via URL

Import a BetterTouchTool preset by providing a URL to download it from, optionally using the documented unzip path.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'importViaUrl' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}importViaUrl({
  url: 'https://example.com/btt-presets/focus-mode.bttpreset',
})

const unzipUrl = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}importViaUrl({
  url: 'https://example.com/btt-presets/focus-mode.zip',
  unzip: true,
})
```

### JSON Import

Import triggers directly via a base64-encoded JSON string in the URL.

```ts-vue [{{currentMethod}}]
import { {{ currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? 'jsonImport' : 'betterTouchTool' }} } from '{{ importPath }}'

const url = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}jsonImport({
  encodedJson: 'BASE64_ENCODED_TRIGGER_JSON',
})

const uncompressUrl = {{currentMethod === 'On-Demand' ? '' : 'betterTouchTool.'}}jsonImport({
  encodedJson: 'BASE64_ENCODED_COMPRESSED_TRIGGER_JSON',
  uncompress: true,
})
```

## Official Documentation

* [BetterTouchTool Custom URL Scheme](https://docs.folivora.ai/docs/scripting/url-scheme/)