The fastest way to create a shortcut on Mac

A shortcut on Mac is a quick way to run a series of actions — opening files, sending messages, running scripts, or controlling your Mac — with a single click or keyboard command. The easiest method is to use the Shortcuts app, which comes built into macOS Monterey and later. You open Shortcuts, click the plus button to create a new shortcut, drag actions into the editor, and save it with a name. Once saved, you can run it from the Shortcuts app, add it to your Dock, or trigger it with a keyboard combination you set yourself.

If you have an older Mac running macOS Big Sur or earlier, the Shortcuts app is not available, but you can still create shortcuts using Automator, which does much the same thing with a slightly different interface.

Key Takeaways

  • The Shortcuts app (macOS Monterey and later) is the main tool for creating shortcuts; you build them by dragging pre-made actions into a sequence.
  • You can trigger a shortcut by clicking it in the Shortcuts app, adding it to your Dock, or assigning it a keyboard combination in System Settings.
  • Automator is the alternative for older Macs and works similarly but with a different visual layout.
  • Common shortcuts include opening multiple apps at once, converting file formats, sending templated messages, or running shell scripts.

Creating a shortcut in the Shortcuts app

Open the Shortcuts app from Applications > Utilities or by searching for it in Spotlight. Click the plus button in the top-left corner to start a new shortcut. A blank editor window opens with a search box at the top. This search box lets you find actions — the individual steps your shortcut will perform.

Type what you want to do into the search box. For example, if you want a shortcut that opens Safari and Google Chrome at the same time, search for "open app". Drag the "Open App" action into the editor. A dropdown appears; click it and select Safari. Repeat the process, add another "Open App" action, and select Chrome. Now you have a two-step shortcut. Click the play button at the bottom right to test it. If it works, click File > Save, give it a name like "Open Browsers", and click Save again.

The Shortcuts app includes hundreds of pre-built actions. Some common ones are "Send Message", "Convert Image", "Get Contents of URL", "Ask for Number", and "Run Shell Script". You can chain these together in any order. If you want your shortcut to ask you a question before running, search for "Ask for" and choose the type of input you need — text, number, list, or file.

Running your shortcut from the Dock or with a keyboard command

Once you have saved a shortcut, the simplest way to run it is to open the Shortcuts app and click it. But you can make it faster. Right-click the shortcut in the Shortcuts app and select "Add to Dock". A tile for that shortcut now appears in your Dock, and one click runs it.

To assign a keyboard combination, open System Settings and go to General > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts. Click the plus button at the bottom left. In the dialog that appears, select "Shortcuts" from the left menu, then "Shortcuts" again from the right menu. Type the name of your shortcut exactly as it appears in the Shortcuts app, then click in the "Keyboard Shortcut" field and press the keys you want to use — for example, Control + Option + S. Click Add. Now pressing that combination runs your shortcut from anywhere on your Mac.

Using Automator for older Macs

If you have macOS Big Sur or earlier, open Automator from Applications > Utilities. Click File > New and choose "Quick Action" (or "Service" on very old versions). The left panel shows a library of actions. Search for what you want to do, drag actions into the right panel, and configure each one. For example, drag "Open Finder Items" into the editor, then click "Add" to choose which files or folders to open.

Save your Automator workflow with a clear name. It now appears in the Services menu when you right-click a file in Finder, or you can run it from Automator itself. Automator is less visual than Shortcuts but works the same way — you chain actions together to automate a task.

Common shortcuts people create

Many people create a shortcut that opens a set of work apps every morning — Mail, Calendar, Slack, and a project management tool all at once. Another popular one converts screenshots from PNG to JPG format automatically. You can build a shortcut that sends a templated email to a contact, one that downloads a file from a URL and saves it to a specific folder, or one that resizes all images in a folder at once.

More advanced users create shortcuts that run shell scripts — small programs that do things the graphical interface cannot. For example, you could write a script that backs up a folder to an external drive, or one that checks your internet speed and logs the result. To run a shell script inside a shortcut, search for "Run Shell Script" and paste your code into the action.

Troubleshooting shortcuts that do not work

If a shortcut does not run, the most common reason is that an action is looking for a file or app that does not exist on your Mac. Check that every app your shortcut tries to open is actually installed. If you built a shortcut on one Mac and moved it to another, paths to files may have changed — edit the shortcut and point it to the correct location.

If a shortcut runs but produces the wrong result, click the play button to run it in test mode, and watch the output of each action. The Shortcuts app shows you what data each step produces and passes to the next one. If one action is receiving the wrong input, you may need to add a "Filter" or "Transform" action between steps to change the data format. For very complex problems, check the Shortcuts user forum or Apple's support documentation for your macOS version.

Sharing shortcuts with other people

You can share a shortcut with another Mac user. Right-click the shortcut in the Shortcuts app and select "Share". Choose "Copy iCloud Link" to create a link, or "AirDrop" to send it directly to someone nearby. The person who receives it can click the link or accept the AirDrop, and the shortcut appears in their Shortcuts app ready to use.

You can also publish shortcuts to the Shortcuts Gallery, where other Mac users can find and download them. Right-click your shortcut, select "Share", and choose "Share on iCloud". Apple reviews it before it appears in the Gallery, which takes a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a shortcut that runs on a schedule?

Not directly in the Shortcuts app itself, but you can use the Automations tab inside Shortcuts to trigger a shortcut at a specific time each day, when you arrive at a location, or when you connect to a Wi-Fi network. Open Shortcuts, click the Automations tab, and click the plus button to set up a trigger.

What is the difference between a shortcut and an alias?

An alias is just a pointer to a file or folder — clicking it opens the original. A shortcut is a sequence of actions that can do almost anything: open multiple apps, convert files, send messages, or run code. Shortcuts are much more powerful but take longer to set up.

Can I edit a shortcut after I save it?

Yes. Open the Shortcuts app, find the shortcut, and click it. The editor opens and you can add, remove, or change actions. Click Save when you are done. Changes take effect immediately the next time you run it.

Do I need to know how to code to create a shortcut?

No. Most shortcuts use drag-and-drop actions that require no coding knowledge. If you want to run a shell script or JavaScript, you will need to know that language, but the Shortcuts app itself does not require programming.

Can I create a shortcut that works on both Mac and iPhone?

Yes. Shortcuts created in the Shortcuts app can run on both devices if you use actions that exist on both platforms. Some actions are Mac-only or iPhone-only, so check the action details. Shortcuts you create on one device sync to the other through iCloud.