Changelog

Track every update, feature, and improvement to BuddyBar across Chrome, Mac, and Windows

Latest Release
Version 5.0 - Image Extraction, Accessibility & Windows
February 2026
  • All Image color extraction - Drag and drop any image onto the bar to extract its dominant colors. Save them as a new template instantly.
  • All Color scheme generator - Generate warm, cool, or neutral 6-color schemes from any starting color. Auto-fixes contrast for readability so every combination works.
  • All Readability checker - Visual matrix showing WCAG contrast for all your text and background color pairs. One-click "Make Readable" fix for colors that don't pass.
  • All Redesigned settings - Cleaner layout with categorized help sections and a "What's New" overview for quick feature discovery.
  • Mac Rebuilt from the ground up - The Mac app has been significantly rewritten with a modular architecture, optimized native messaging, and a dedicated helper process for faster Chrome sync.
  • Windows New Windows desktop app - BuddyBar is now available on Windows with system tray integration, native messaging sync with Chrome, and cloud folder sync with Mac.
  • All Under-the-hood improvements - Performance and efficiency optimizations across all platforms for a smoother experience.
Version 4.3.1 - Bug Fix
January 2026
  • Chrome Fixed settings menu dark mode - Settings menu now displays correctly when using dark mode.
Version 4.3 - Text Preview & Cloud Sync
January 2026
  • Both Text preview with contrast checking - See how your color looks as text on different backgrounds. Shows whether the contrast is readable, low, or poor so you know if text will be easy to read.
  • Both Smarter color names - Colors now display intelligent, human-readable names instead of just hex codes. Makes it easier to identify and communicate colors.
  • Mac Cloud sync for multiple Macs - Keep your palettes in sync across multiple Macs using iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or any folder you choose.
  • Both Improved cross-device sync - Enhanced sync reliability between Chrome extension and Mac app.
  • Both RGB & HSL paste support - Paste colors in rgb(), rgba(), hsl(), or hsla() format and they'll automatically convert to hex.
  • Both Include # when copying setting - Choose whether to include the hash symbol when copying hex codes. Some tools prefer colors without the #.
  • Both Expand text preview by default - Option to automatically show the text preview section when editing colors.
Version 4.2 - Appearance Settings & Improved Visibility
December 2025
  • Chrome Dark mode support - Dark mode now available in Chrome extension, matching the Mac app. UI adapts to your chosen appearance setting.
  • Both Appearance setting - Choose between System, Light, or Dark mode. Find it in the menu bar dropdown on Mac or the settings menu on Chrome.
  • Mac Fully opaque background - Improved visibility with solid background colors for better readability against any desktop.
  • Both Bug fixes and improvements - Various stability and performance improvements.
Version 4.1 - Dark Mode Support
December 2025
  • Mac Dark mode support - UI automatically adapts to system appearance settings.
  • Mac Code cleanup and improvements - Internal code improvements for better maintainability.
Version 4.0 - Native Mac App & Cross-Platform Sync
December 2025
  • Mac Native macOS app - A dedicated Mac app that lives in your menu bar. Access your color palette from any application, not just the browser.
  • Mac Works in any app - Unlike the Chrome extension, the Mac app works system-wide in Sketch, Affinity, Photoshop, Illustrator, and anywhere you need colors.
  • Both Automatic local sync - Colors sync automatically between Chrome and the Mac app on your computer via native messaging. No cloud account needed.
  • Mac Menu bar integration - Custom menu bar icon with quick access to templates, show/hide toggle, and launch at login option.
  • Both Keyboard shortcuts - Chrome: ⌃⇧B (Mac) / Ctrl+Alt+B (Windows). Mac App: ⌃⌥B global shortcut system-wide. Due to Chrome limitations, the shortcuts are similar but not identical.
  • Both Drag-and-drop reordering - Swatches swap positions smoothly with visual feedback. No more manual repositioning.
  • Both Hover effects - Subtle visual feedback when mousing over swatches with scale and border animations.
  • Mac Accessibility permission onboarding - Friendly setup flow to enable the global keyboard shortcut on first launch with clear explanations.
  • Mac Launch at login - Option to start BuddyBar automatically when you log in to your Mac using SMAppService.
  • Mac Automatic updates - Built-in update system keeps your app current with new features and improvements automatically.
  • Chrome Native color picker - Click the preview swatch in the Edit Color popup to open your system's color picker with real-time updates.
  • Chrome Template search - Quickly find templates by name with the new search field in the template dropdown.
  • Mac Improved color picker - Uses native macOS NSColorPanel with reliable real-time color updates and all system color pickers.
  • Both Template file import/export - Share .buddybar template files with your team. Drag and drop to import on both platforms.
Version 3.0 - Universal Design Tool Support
November 2025
  • Chrome Multi-platform support - Now works in Figma, Canva, Adobe Express, Spline, Framer, Webflow, Penpot, Miro, Notion, Google Slides, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Articulate Rise.
  • Chrome Universal adapter system - Automatically detects which design tool you're using and positions the bar optimally for that platform.
  • Chrome Real-time sync across tabs - Changes you make in one browser tab instantly appear in all other tabs on the same device. Perfect for multi-window workflows.
Version 2.0 - Unlimited Swatch Support
October 2025
  • Chrome Unlimited colors per template - No longer limited to 3 colors. Add as many as you need for complex brand guidelines.
  • Chrome Drag-and-drop reordering - Rearrange your colors by dragging them. A ghost preview shows exactly where they'll land.
  • Chrome Overflow panel - Clean interface that shows your first 6 colors, with a button to expand and see the rest.
  • Chrome Individual color naming - Give each color a custom name instead of generic labels like "Primary" or "Secondary".
  • Chrome Import/export templates - Download templates as .buddybar files to share with your team. Import by dragging files onto the bar.
  • Chrome Enhanced color editor - Click color names to rename them inline. Delete button for removing unwanted colors.
  • Chrome Mini color previews in dropdown - See the first 3 colors of each template at a glance when switching.
  • Chrome Confirmation dialogs - Prompts before deleting colors or templates to prevent accidental data loss.
  • Chrome Better state management - Faster loading and more reliable syncing across browser sessions.
Version 1.5 - Initial Release
September 2025
  • Chrome 3 color swatches - Primary, Secondary, and Accent colors for instant hex code copying in Articulate Rise.
  • Chrome Template management - Create and switch between multiple color schemes for different projects.
  • Chrome Drag-and-drop positioning - Position the color bar anywhere on screen that works for your workflow.
  • Chrome Keyboard shortcut - Toggle visibility with a quick keyboard shortcut to keep your workspace clean.
  • Chrome Color editor - Right-click any swatch to edit with live preview of changes.
  • Chrome Rise integration - Seamless integration with Articulate Rise authoring environment.