By Kavita Mistry 
By far, the most practical use of AI for a casual user is AI writing tools. AI is taking over the world right now, and everything is changing drastically. But if you ask a casual user how AI has affected their workflow, the most frequent answer you can get is an AI writing tool.
I have asked plenty of my friends, colleagues, and other non-tech people about the impact AI has had on them. The first answer I got was rewriting the text, fixing grammar, improving tone, and more.
This is true, especially since AI can help you write better, faster, and with less effort, and it can be easily integrated into your work without much of a hassle for non-technical users. Since most of the communication is still in the form of text, and not everyone is confident in their grammar and vocabulary, AI rewriting tools are a go-to option for many.
However, one of the biggest limitations of these tools is that you need to manually copy and paste the text in and out to rewrite in the existing apps. It not only breaks the workflow but also requires the user to put in extra effort.
This is where the Compose writing tool has solved the problem by making it accessible on any app with a single shortcut. You can instantly rewrite, translate, or improve your current text phase without leaving the app, and even without copy-pasting, you don’t need to copy and paste your text into another tool to get a rewrite.
Thankfully, with a simple shortcut, you can instantly rewrite the text on any app, and it is one of the biggest conveniences of the AI writing tools, making your workflow straightforward, and saving your time.
I have been using Compose for the past week. I rewrite my text on different apps and services, including primary messages on my Slack, and it is very helpful.
If you ask someone who uses a writing tool and gets frustrated by switching between apps to rewrite your text, the story might be a life changer for you. Let’s look at more about the role, and let’s learn how you can use it to rewrite your text instantly without needing to switch between apps and tools. As a note, this is not a sponsored post. All my opinions are based on my one week of use of the app and what I like and dislike about this app in my two weeks of use.
What is Compose?
Compose is an AI writing macOS app that lets you rewrite text, change tone, and improve the grammar of your text. However, unlike most of the other AI writing tools, Compose directly integrates with the app you are using, and you can instantly rewrite or improve the text using AI without switching to a different application or even copy-pasting between different tools.
With a simple shortcut, you can launch the tool, and Compose will rewrite the text where your current text is presented, this is the main USP of Compose. Currently, most of the AI writing tools have the app available only for macOS 14 Sonoma and are available for both Intel and Apple silicon.
It works across all the apps to help you rewrite text and improve your tone, and it requires accessibility settings. The free version lets you rewrite text a limited number of times; You can upgrade to the premium based on the monthly and yearly plans that give access to additional tools.
Three Reasons Why I Like Compose Over Other AI Writing Tools
Works in Any App on Mac
One of the biggest limitations of current-generation AI tools is that most of them only work inside their home app, which requires a user to copy the text from the working app and paste it into a separate editor, rewrite it, and then paste it again. This not only breaks your workflow, but also adds extra work and effort to rewrite the text, and this can especially get even more frustrating if you are someone who already has multiple windows open on your PC.
This is where Compose can help you solve the biggest problem. It works on any app without any limitations and allows you to rewrite text directly within any application, including Mail, Notes, Safari, Discord, Slack, or any other app that requires text input and rewriting. Thanks to the shortcuts. It even becomes simple to access the tool with a simple shortcut assigned for different functions.
Set Customised Shortcuts
Accessing Compose on any app is not only useful but also saves time without requiring you to copy and paste. To make this process even easier and frictionless, there is a dedicated shortcuts feature that allows you to set customized shortcuts for specific writing functions.
For instance, you can instantly apply the change to your text. You can set a separate shortcut for text rewrite and a separate shortcut to create and expand the current text, or even translate the text using a specific shortcut. All of these combined features and easy-to-access methods make it one of the best and easiest-to-use tools without much effort.
Free to Use for Most Rewrites
The free version of the app allows you to access and rewrite text on any app without needing to pay first. The app is directly available on the Mac Store, available for free, and you don’t even need to sign up or create an account to use the app. You simply install the app, set the customized shortcuts, and start using the app instantly. The free version is enough for most of the casual users looking to rewrite text several times in a day, and in my daily use, I haven’t noticed any hard cap limits of these apps.
Limitations of the Compose App
Despite these unique advantages, Compose also comes with some limitations that might be a deal breaker for some users. The biggest limitation is that the app is only currently available on macOS and runs only on macOS 14 or later devices. While the app is great for basic use, it is not suited for advanced and customization options.
Apart from these limitations, Compose is still a very good app for all your AI writing tools on your macOS. Its primary goal is to help users polish short content, and it does the job very well by eliminating the biggest pain point current AI writing tools have. The app is available on macOS, you can install it, and here is the guide on how to get started.
- First, you need to install the app. It is available directly on the App Store. You can use this link or visit the App Store search for the Compose app and download it on your device.
- Next, open the Compose app and go through the initial steps. If you are confused about the accessibility apps, click on the plus icon, go to the application tab, select Compose, add, and give permissions and accessibility permissions to this app.
- Next, based on the shortcuts you have chosen while you are onboarding, you can quickly launch the app too. You can also customize the shortcuts by clicking on the Compose icon in the top menu bar and clicking on the settings.
- From here, the default is the shortcut app. Here you can access existing, start, delete them, or add a new shortcut based on your own. There is also a general setting. Let’s enable different settings such as showing the app in your dock, showing in the Menubar, access granted, and launching the app at login.
- Next, if you want to personalize your rewriting, you can customize it using the memory feature. Here you can describe the tone and the way you want to rewrite. If you want to upgrade to the premium, you can try it out. Click on the premium tab and upgrade to the premium.
This is how you can use Compose AI on your macOS. Honestly, it is one of the best, made my AI writing easy. You can also start using the app and let us know what your experience is. I hope you find this guide helpful.
Download Compose AI Writing Assistant
FAQs about the Compose AI Writing Tool
1. Can I use Compose offline without internet access?
No, Compose requires an internet connection to work since it uses cloud-based AI models, and according to the roadmap, in the future, they might launch a built-in local AI model that can run locally on your Mac.
2. Is Compose available for iPhone or iPad (iOS)?
No, Compose is not available for iPhone or iPad, and even for Windows. The app is currently only available for macOS 14 Sonoma and higher versions.
3. Can I use Compose in Google Docs or Chrome browser?
Yes, you can use Compose in Google Docs or Chrome browser. Simply select the text you want to rewrite or fix the grammar and enter the shortcut key. This will pop up and rewrite or fix grammar mistakes in your text.
4. How does Compose handle privacy? Is my text stored anywhere?
According to the developer, Compose does not store or log your writing. Since it uses GPT-4 architecture, all your conversations are being sent to the Openai server for generating responses.
5. Is there a way to track how many rewrites I’ve used in the free version?
No, currently, there is no way to track how many rewrites you have used in the free version. In my testing, it worked for more than 10 rewrites, which is enough for most people looking to integrate it into their daily workflow. It even works for long-form content, and the free version also allows you to shorten long text and even fix grammar.