With LookUp 7.5, LookUp for macOS is getting some major updates. It’s essentially getting everything that the iOS version does while maintaining it’s true Mac app appearance.

Feature parity with iOS and iPadOS:

One of the things I did when rewriting LookUp for iOS, was to rewrite it in a way that I could easily reuse the components for the macOS app, while maintaining the unique appearance and conventions on the two platforms. And I’m glad to share that all the new refinements coming to LookUp for iPadOS are going to come over to the macOS app.

Drag And Drop Support:

Users have been requesting for it and it’s finally ready. LookUp now has extensive intra-app drag and drop support. People can drop multiple words into different collections or drag items to rearrange a list.

Sorting options:

The app also supports sorting options that allow users to arrange the list the way they like.

Export to PDF:

This is something that’s been adapted from the iOS version, where users will be able to share PDFs of the collections they’ve made from inside the app. In LookUp for macOS, the feature has been redone to support proper file export.

Quizzes

For Quizzes on macOS, users will now be able to see their past performance and trophies.

More Widgets

Thanks to our rewrite efforts, LookUp for macOS is going to get a lot more than just a Word of the Day widget.

Apart from the new enhancements to the app, LookUp on macOS is getting one more major update: It’s switching to a universal purchase. Starting LookUp 7.5 users will be able to pay once, and download LookUp anywhere. On macOS, iPadOS, iOS and watchOS.

Why is LookUp switching to a universal app?

When we first released LookUp on macOS as a Catalyst app in October 2019, universal apps weren’t possible then (Universal apps for macOS were introduced in March 2020), and we sold it as a separate app. However, if the last few months of feedback have been any indication, people really want to, and expect to buy the app once, and use it everywhere.

Universal app’s are also clearly the future. As highlighted in a previous blog post, Apple platform apps are much more than just single app units, they involve multiple extensions on both platforms and users expect those extensions to work consistently across all platforms. Two separate apps barely enable that.

In fact, with the upcoming Shortcuts update, being able to reuse your iOS shortcuts on macOS is going to be a major feature. Something that universal apps can effortlessly take advantage off.

What happens to the existing LookUp for macOS app?

The existing LookUp for macOS app which is available as a separate purchase right now, is eventually going to be sunset in favour of the new universal app.

Once LookUp 7.5 releases on all platforms in mid-July, the existing LookUp app will be renamed to LookUp: 2019 Edition and will go through an icon change to indicate that the same.


The existing app (LookUp: 2019 Edition) will get some of the features of LookUp 7.5 as one final major update to the app, following which the app will only receive necessary bug fixes and minor improvements. Subsequent major updates like the LookUp 8 (launching with macOS Monterey) would only be available on the new app.

LookUp: 2019 Edition will stay on the Mac App Store until at least the end of 2021 and will then be removed from the App Store.

What about the users of the existing macOS?

If you’re an existing LookUp for macOS user and have bought the iOS app in the past, you don’t need to do anything except downloading the new app from the Mac App Store.

If you use the macOS app but don’t have the iOS app, you will be able to request a free upgrade to the new macOS from LookUp: 2019 Edition when the update is available.