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Profiles let you maintain separate sets of pinned apps for different tasks. Instead of constantly pinning and unpinning apps throughout the day, create profiles and switch between them instantly.

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What are profiles?

Each profile is a named collection of pinned apps. You can create as many profiles as you need and switch between them using the menu bar, settings window, or a keyboard shortcut. The Profile model (Profile.swift:3-13) is simple: 
struct Profile: Codable, Identifiable, Equatable {
    let id: UUID
    var name: String
    var pinnedApps: [PinnedApp]

    init(id: UUID = UUID(), name: String, pinnedApps: [PinnedApp] = []) {
        self.id = id
        self.name = name
        self.pinnedApps = pinnedApps
    }
}

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Creating profiles

1

Open Settings

Click the HopTab menu bar icon and select Settings
2

Go to Profiles tab

Navigate to the Profiles section
3

Add a new profile

Click Add and give your profile a descriptive name (e.g., “Coding”, “Design”, “Writing”)
4

Pin apps to the profile

Switch to the new profile, then go to the Pinned Apps tab to select which apps belong to this workflow

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Switching profiles

You can switch profiles in three ways:

Menu bar

Click the HopTab icon and select a profile from the dropdown

Settings window

Select a profile from the list in Settings > Profiles

Keyboard shortcut

Use `Option + “ (default) to cycle through profiles

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Profile switcher shortcut

The profile switcher works just like the app switcher:
ActionShortcut
Show profiles & cycle forward`Option + “
Cycle backward`Shift + Option + “
Activate selected profileRelease Option
CancelEscape
If you set your app switcher to Option + \``, the profile switcher automatically falls back to Control + “ to avoid conflicts.
This automatic fallback is implemented in AppState.swift:142-152: 
if appShortcutSelection.modifierFlags == .maskAlternate &&
   appShortcutSelection.keyCode == Int64(kVK_ANSI_Grave) {
    // Conflict detected — use Control instead
    modFlag = .maskControl
    keyCode = Int64(kVK_ANSI_Grave)
    modName = "Control"
} else {
    // Default profile shortcut
    modFlag = .maskAlternate
    keyCode = Int64(kVK_ANSI_Grave)
    modName = "Option"
}

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Example workflows

Here are some common profile setups:
Pinned apps: Xcode, Simulator, TerminalWhen to use: Building and debugging iOS/macOS apps. Switch between your IDE, the running simulator, and terminal for logs.
Pinned apps: Figma, Safari, PreviewWhen to use: UI/UX work. Hop between your design tool, reference screenshots, and browser testing.
Pinned apps: Notion, Safari, ChatGPTWhen to use: Documentation and research. Quickly switch between your editor, research tabs, and AI assistant.
Pinned apps: Slack, Mail, CalendarWhen to use: Catching up on messages. Cycle through your communication tools without distraction.

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Profile storage

Profiles are stored in UserDefaults and persist across app restarts. The storage implementation (PinnedAppsStore.swift:140-150) uses JSON encoding: 
private func save() {
    if let data = try? JSONEncoder().encode(profiles) {
        UserDefaults.standard.set(data, forKey: Self.profilesKey)
    }
    if let id = activeProfileId {
        UserDefaults.standard.set(id.uuidString, forKey: Self.activeProfileKey)
    }
    // Also save space mapping for desktop assignment
    let stringMap = Dictionary(uniqueKeysWithValues: spaceMapping.map { ("\($0.key)", $0.value.uuidString) })
    UserDefaults.standard.set(stringMap, forKey: Self.spaceMappingKey)
}

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Legacy migration

If you upgrade from an older version of HopTab that didn’t have profiles, your pinned apps are automatically migrated to a “Default” profile (PinnedAppsStore.swift:178-186): 
if let data = UserDefaults.standard.data(forKey: Self.legacyKey),
   let apps = try? JSONDecoder().decode([PinnedApp].self, from: data) {
    let defaultProfile = Profile(name: "Default", pinnedApps: apps.sorted { $0.sortOrder < $1.sortOrder })
    profiles = [defaultProfile]
    activeProfileId = defaultProfile.id
    save()
    UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: Self.legacyKey)
    return
}

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Managing profiles

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Renaming profiles

func renameProfile(id: UUID, to name: String) {
    guard let idx = profiles.firstIndex(where: { $0.id == id }) else { return }
    profiles[idx].name = name
    save()
}

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Deleting profiles

When you delete a profile, any desktop assignments to that profile are also removed: 
func deleteProfile(id: UUID) {
    profiles.removeAll { $0.id == id }
    spaceMapping = spaceMapping.filter { $0.value != id }
    if activeProfileId == id {
        activeProfileId = profiles.first?.id
    }
    save()
}
Deleting a profile is permanent. Make sure you don’t need the pinned app configuration before removing it.

Desktop assignment

Auto-switch profiles when you change desktops

App switching

Learn how the app switcher works

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