---
title: "Getting started"
description: "Open Scratch and calculate your first total."
canonical_url: https://scratch.itsryan.me/docs/getting-started
---

# Getting started

**Scratch is a floating spreadsheet for macOS. Its menu bar icon and global shortcut bring up the same workbook from any app.**

## Open Scratch

Scratch is in local preview. If you have a copy of the source, run `make run` from its folder. The build needs macOS 14 or later and Swift 6.

Click Scratch’s menu bar icon or press ⌥ Space. Press Escape on the grid to dismiss it. Open it again to resume at the same selection. The pin beside Notes keeps the grid visible when you switch apps.

On an empty sheet, look at the lower left for a first-run hint. Start typing to edit the selected cell. The hints for typing, opening the command palette and hiding Scratch each retire after you use the action.

<figure class="scratch-media">
<img class="scratch-light" src="/docs/empty-sheet-hint-light.webp" alt="A new sheet with A1 selected and a Type to start hint at the lower left." width="547" height="337" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
<img class="scratch-dark" src="/docs/empty-sheet-hint-dark.webp" alt="A new sheet with A1 selected and a Type to start hint at the lower left." width="547" height="337" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
</figure>

## Add five numbers

1. Type a number and press Return. Repeat for five consecutive rows in column A.
2. In A6, type `=su` and press Tab to complete `=SUM(`.
3. Press Shift+Up five times to select A1:A5. Press Return to show the total.
4. Change one of the inputs. The total updates automatically.

<figure class="scratch-media">
<video class="scratch-light" controls muted loop playsinline preload="none" aria-label="Select five values, enter SUM in A6 and extend the reference to A1:A5 with Shift and Up." poster="/docs/first-total-light.webp" width="1080" height="700">
<source src="/docs/first-total-demo-light.mp4" type="video/mp4">
</video>
<img class="scratch-light scratch-poster" src="/docs/first-total-light.webp" alt="Select five values, enter SUM in A6 and extend the reference to A1:A5 with Shift and Up." width="1080" height="700" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
<video class="scratch-dark" controls muted loop playsinline preload="none" aria-label="Select five values, enter SUM in A6 and extend the reference to A1:A5 with Shift and Up." poster="/docs/first-total-dark.webp" width="1080" height="700">
<source src="/docs/first-total-demo-dark.mp4" type="video/mp4">
</video>
<img class="scratch-dark scratch-poster" src="/docs/first-total-dark.webp" alt="Select five values, enter SUM in A6 and extend the reference to A1:A5 with Shift and Up." width="1080" height="700" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
</figure>

Use ⇧⌘N to create a sheet and ⌘K to [find a sheet by name](https://scratch.itsryan.me/docs/shortcuts.md#switch-sheets). Each sheet has its own grid, notes and column widths. Scratch autosaves the workbook locally. **Delete Current Sheet** removes a sheet from the workbook view. **Restore Deleted Sheet** recovers it, including its notes, after a restart.

## Change the shortcuts

Click **⋯ → Keyboard Shortcuts** to change the shortcuts for opening Scratch, capturing the clipboard, Notes or the command palette. **Capture Clipboard in New Sheet** is also available from the ⋯ menu and the command palette. [Keyboard Shortcuts](https://scratch.itsryan.me/docs/shortcuts.md).

## Choose the look and motion

Open **⋯** and choose **Animation Style**. **Natural** is the default. **Snappy** shortens transitions, and **Off** turns them off. The docked Notes pane reveals from its divider. Nearby cell jumps scroll into view, and distant ones land with a short fade. macOS Reduce Motion skips the movement. Scratch uses a solid window background when Reduce Transparency is on.

Turn on **Follow System Accent** in the same menu to use the accent from macOS. Scratch uses a coral accent by default. Formula references have their own colours so you can match the formula to the cells in the grid.