Common questions
Compare in Bifocal is missing from the Finder's menu.
Turn the services on in System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts › Services. They appear in the app's menu under Services and in the Finder's right-click menu.
Bifocal is missing from the Share menu on the Mac.
It starts turned off. Turn it on in System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions › Sharing.
How do I use Bifocal with git difftool and git mergetool?
Install the bifocal command-line tool, then run the Git lines in Settings › Integration once. The guide has them too. git difftool opens each changed file in a Bifocal window and moves on when you close it; git mergetool opens each conflict in the merge window and finishes when you save.
I bought Bifocal Pro on another device.
Choose Restore Purchases in Settings › Bifocal Pro, signed in with the same Apple Account. One purchase unlocks the Mac, iPad and iPhone.
What happens when the trial ends?
Comparing text and files stays free. The Pro windows show what they offer and how to unlock them; nothing you saved is lost, and nothing renews or charges you.
A file opens as bytes instead of text.
Bifocal shows a file as text when it can read its encoding. A file it cannot read as text, or one larger than the text window's limit, opens in the hex view, which compares bytes.
Can I compare files on my iPhone from the Files app?
Yes. Open Files… in Bifocal, or share two files to Bifocal from the Files app. A saved session (.bifocal) carries a comparison between your devices.
Does Bifocal upload my files?
No. Everything happens on your device. See the privacy policy.
Which systems does Bifocal need?
macOS 26 or later on the Mac, and iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 on iPhone and iPad.