What is Hyoi?

Hyoi is a lightweight macOS utility that introduces a floating drag-and-drop shelf to your workflow. Inspired by a Japanese word meaning "to lift something up effortlessly," the app provides a temporary holding space for files, images, and text. When you start dragging an item, Hyoi quietly appears at the edge of your screen, ready to accept the drop. Once placed on the shelf, you can release your mouse or trackpad and retrieve the item later — no more holding a drag across multiple windows or cluttering your desktop with temporary folders.

Who it's for

• Power users who frequently move files between folders, apps, or browser tabs and want to reduce repetitive window switching.
• Designers and content creators who need to temporarily hold images, screenshots, or text snippets while assembling projects.
• Anyone tired of juggling windows who prefers a minimal, invisible helper that only shows up when a drag begins.

Key features

Temporary shelf for drag & drop

Hyoi acts as a temporary staging area. Drag any file, image, or block of text from any app, drop it onto the floating shelf, and let go. The item stays there until you're ready to drag it to its final destination — no need to keep your mouse button pressed.

Works with files, images, and text

The shelf accepts a wide range of content types. Whether you're moving a PDF between Finder windows, copying an image from a browser, or holding a snippet of text from a note, Hyoi handles it all without extra steps or format restrictions.

Lightweight, distraction-free interface

At just 274.9 KB, Hyoi is extremely small and runs quietly in the background. The interface is intentionally minimal — a floating shelf that stays out of your way until you need it. There are no menus, settings panels, or visual clutter to manage.

Floating design that stays out of your way

Hyoi remains hidden until you begin a drag operation, then appears at the edge of your screen. It's designed to feel invisible yet always within reach, so you can focus on your work without interruption.

What stands out

Hyoi doesn't try to manage your files — it simply holds them for a moment, then lets you move on.

This philosophy sets Hyoi apart from file managers or clipboard utilities. It doesn't organize, rename, or catalog your content. Instead, it solves one specific problem: the awkward moment when you're dragging something and need to free up your hand. By providing a temporary shelf that appears exactly when needed, Hyoi turns a friction point into a seamless, almost invisible action.

Worth checking out if…

You work on macOS 13.5 or later and regularly perform multi-step file operations — moving items between folders, dragging content between apps, or collecting several pieces of media before dropping them into a final location. If you've ever wished you could "put down" a file mid-drag and pick it up again later, Hyoi offers a clean, lightweight solution.