I Built a macOS App to Stop Links From Opening in the Wrong Chrome Profile
Source: Dev.to
Problem
I use multiple Chrome profiles. Every morning I open Slack, click a Notion link, and it opens in my personal profile. I have to copy the URL, switch to the work profile, paste, and hit Enter. The same thing happens with GitHub links from email, Atlassian links, Google Docs, etc. Doing this dozens of times a day adds friction and breaks focus.
Solution: LinkPrism
LinkPrism is a macOS menu‑bar app that sits between the OS and Chrome. You set it as your default browser, define routing rules, and it automatically opens links in the correct Chrome profile.
Example Rules
| Host pattern | Target profile |
|---|---|
notion.so | Work |
github.com | Personal |
*.atlassian.net | Work |
docs.google.com | Ask every time |
- Rules can be exact host matches, wildcards, or regular expressions.
- “Ask” mode shows a profile picker the first time a URL matches; you can check Don’t ask again for this URL to create a permanent rule.
Features
- One‑time rule setup – no profile picker on every click.
- Wildcard & regex support – flexible matching beyond exact domains.
- Context‑aware routing – works for links opened from Slack, email, Telegram, or any external app.
- Companion Chrome extension – handles links clicked inside Chrome (which bypasses the OS default‑browser handler).
Chrome Extension Companion
The extension (Manifest V3) closes the loop for in‑browser navigation:
- Syncs rules from the macOS app via a local HTTP server (
http://127.0.0.1:19384). - Detects the current Chrome profile using
chrome.identity. - Matches rules client‑side on every navigation.
- Reroutes only when needed, avoiding unnecessary redirects.
With both components active, external links go through LinkPrism, and internal Chrome links are processed by the extension—eliminating gaps.
Impact
After using LinkPrism, the extra clicks disappeared and the constant context switching stopped. The small friction was a hidden source of daily cognitive load; removing it freed up focus and mental energy.
Installation & Resources
- GitHub repository:
- Download (DMG): Latest release – [link to .dmg]
- Requirements: macOS 14+
Feedback, issues, and pull requests are welcome. If you have an alternative approach, feel free to share it in the comments.