Tutorials

SocialWatch is a macOS application that lets you browse multiple social networks side by side in one window. This tutorial will help you get started with all the key features.

 

Getting Started

 

When you first open SocialWatch, you will see an empty window with a message asking you to add your favorite social networks. The toolbar at the top contains several buttons that you will use to navigate the app.

 

Adding Social Networks

 

To add a social network:

 

1. Click the plus button in the toolbar (the first button on the left)

2. A window will open showing a grid of available social networks

3. You can search for a specific network using the search bar at the top

4. Click on any network card to add it to your view

5. Click Done when you are finished

 

The app supports many popular social networks including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, and many more. You can add multiple networks and they will appear side by side in panels.

 

Adding Custom Networks

 

If you want to add a website that is not in the list:

 

1. Click the plus button in the toolbar

2. Scroll down to the bottom of the networks list

3. Click the Add Custom Network button

4. Enter a name for your network

5. Enter the full web address (URL), starting with https://

6. Click Add Network

 

Your custom network will appear in the main view alongside your other networks.

 

Browsing Your Networks

 

Once you have added networks, each one appears in its own panel. You can:

 

- Scroll within each panel to browse the website

- Click links and interact with the websites normally

- Resize panels by dragging the edges between them

- Each panel works independently, so you can browse different pages on different networks at the same time

 

Refreshing Networks

 

To refresh all your networks at once:

 

- Click the refresh button in the toolbar (the circular arrow icon)

- This will reload all open network panels

 

Text Snippets

 

Text Snippets let you save and quickly copy frequently used text. This is useful for social media posts, email signatures, or any text you use often.

 

To use Text Snippets:

 

1. Click the text quote icon in the toolbar

2. Click Add Snippet

3. Enter a title for your snippet

4. Enter the text content

5. Click Add

 

To copy a snippet:

 

1. Open the Text Snippets window

2. Click the Copy button next to any snippet

3. The text is now in your clipboard and ready to paste

 

You can delete snippets by clicking the trash icon next to them, or by selecting them and pressing the Delete key.

 

Image Assets

 

Image Assets let you store and organize images for quick access when posting on social media.

 

To add images:

 

1. Click the photo icon in the toolbar

2. Click Add Image

3. Select one or more image files from your computer

4. The images will be imported into your library

 

Features:

 

- Search for images by name using the search bar

- Filter images by tags using the tag menu

- Select an image to see details and options

- Click Copy to Clipboard to copy an image for pasting

- Delete images you no longer need

 

Notifications

 

SocialWatch can show notifications about activity on your social networks.

 

To manage notifications:

 

1. Click the bell icon in the toolbar

2. Toggle Enable Notifications on or off

3. Click Done when finished

 

The bell icon will show a number badge if you have unread notifications.

 

Settings

 

To customize SocialWatch:

 

1. Click the gear icon in the toolbar

2. Adjust the following options:

 

Window Settings:

- Panel Spacing: Change the space between network panels

- Min Panel Width: Set the minimum width for each panel

 

Web Settings:

- Enable JavaScript: Turn JavaScript on or off for websites

- Enable Cookies: Allow or block cookies

- Clear Data on Exit: Automatically clear website data when you quit the app

 

3. Click Save to apply your changes

 

Window Management

 

SocialWatch remembers your window position and size. When you close and reopen the app, it will restore your window to the same location.

 

You can resize the window by dragging the edges or corners. Each network panel will automatically adjust to fit the available space.

 

Tips for Best Results

 

- Start with 2-3 networks to get used to the interface

- Use Text Snippets for messages you post frequently

- Keep your Image Assets organized for quick access

- Adjust panel spacing in Settings if panels feel too crowded or too spread out

- Refresh networks if a page seems stuck or not loading properly