Lib.rs

There is no zero-install way to register a true global hotkey on macOS without a resident process. Secret Stripper itself stays one-shot, so it delegates hotkey capture to one of two well-known helpers: skhd (lightweight, recommended) or Hammerspoon (heavier, scriptable). If neither is installed, init falls back to printing manual binding instructions.

1. Install skhd via Homebrew:

   brew install koekeishiya/formulae/skhd
   

2. Run secret-stripper init. It writes ~/.skhdrc, the launchd LaunchAgent for the daily update check, and the config file. Output includes a "DE binding" line: OK if skhd / Hammerspoon was detected, FAILED with install hints if not.

3. Grant skhd Accessibility permission. skhd needs this to intercept global hotkeys, otherwise it silently captures nothing. Open System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Accessibility, click +, add /usr/local/bin/skhd, and toggle it on. If skhd was already running, restart it so the new permission takes effect:

   skhd --restart-service
   

4. Test the chord:

   echo "[email protected]" | pbcopy
   # Press your chord (default: Cmd+Shift+C)
   pbpaste     # expect: [REDACTED]
   

Hammerspoon alternative: brew install --cask hammerspoon, open it once to grant Accessibility, then run secret-stripper init - it writes the binding into ~/.hammerspoon/init.lua instead of ~/.skhdrc.

Default chord: Cmd+Shift+C. macOS apps often claim Cmd-modifier chords, so if it conflicts with something you use (browser DevTools, Finder "Copy Path", etc.), rebind from secret-stripper menu -> Rebind Hotkey. Two safer options if you want to plan ahead: Cmd+Option+X or Cmd+Ctrl+X.

Windows has no zero-install way to register a true global hotkey. Same constraint as macOS - Secret Stripper delegates hotkey capture to AutoHotkey v2 (the Windows analogue of skhd). AutoHotkey uses the Win32 RegisterHotKey API under the hood and is the only mechanism that delivers the chord reliably across focused windows, full-screen apps, and elevated processes. AutoHotkey is required - init aborts with an install hint if it cannot find it.

1. Install AutoHotkey via winget:

   winget install AutoHotkey.AutoHotkey
   

   The package installs AutoHotkey v2 to C:\Program Files\AutoHotkey\v2\.

2. Run secret-stripper init. It writes %APPDATA%\secret-stripper\secret-stripper.ahk, drops a startup .lnk so AHK re-launches the script at every login, and starts the AHK process immediately so the chord is live without a logout.

3. Test the chord:

   Set-Clipboard "[email protected]"
   # Press your chord (default: Ctrl+Alt+C)
   Get-Clipboard    # expect: [REDACTED]
   

• The hotkey is limited to Ctrl+Alt+<key> (optionally with Shift); other chords are rejected.
• No PRIMARY selection: the flow is two steps (Ctrl+C, then your chord).
• The AHK script runs the redaction with a hidden console, so no window flashes on each trigger.
• The daily update check runs as a schtasks daily task at 11:00.
• Uninstall kills the AHK process bound to our script and removes the .ahk file and the startup .lnk. Other AHK scripts you have running are untouched.