XcodeOpener

A macOS menu bar app to open Xcode projects with your preferred Xcode version.

Features

• Version Selection - Choose which Xcode opens .xcodeproj and .xcworkspace files
• Multiple Xcodes - Support for multiple Xcode versions installed side-by-side
• Auto-Detection - Automatically detects installed Xcode versions
• Rules Engine - Define rules for which Xcode handles which file types
• Menu Bar App - Runs quietly in the menu bar
• Launch at Login - Optional auto-start with macOS

How It Works

1. XcodeOpener registers itself as the default handler for Xcode project files
2. When you open a .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace, XcodeOpener intercepts it
3. Based on your rules, it opens the project with your preferred Xcode version

Installation

1. Download the latest release
2. Move XcodeOpener.app to /Applications
3. Launch the app
4. Configure your Xcode versions and rules

Usage

Adding Xcode Versions

1. Click the XcodeOpener menu bar icon
2. Select "Show Main Window"
3. Go to the "Xcodes" tab
4. Click "+" to add an Xcode installation
5. Give it an alias (e.g., "Xcode 15") and select the app path

Creating Rules

1. Go to the "Rules" tab
2. Click "+" to add a new rule
3. Select the file type (.xcodeproj or .xcworkspace)
4. Choose which Xcode should handle it

Reverting to Default

To restore macOS default behavior:

1. Click the menu bar icon
2. Select "Back to Xcode"

Technical Details

XcodeOpener uses macOS Launch Services APIs to:

• Register as the default handler for Xcode file types
• Intercept file open requests
• Launch the appropriate Xcode version

// Register as default handler
LSSetDefaultRoleHandlerForContentType(uti, .all, bundleId)

// Open file with specific app
NSWorkspace.shared.openFile(path, withApplication: xcodePath)

Requirements

• macOS 12.0+
• One or more Xcode installations

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Credits

Created by Chen He. Updated in 2026 with modern macOS API support.