Reviewed against Apple documentation on October 5, 2026. Menu labels can differ on older macOS versions.
Shortcuts on Mac connects small actions into a repeatable workflow. You can start with an existing shortcut from the Gallery or build one yourself. For a first attempt, choose something you can check immediately, such as displaying a prepared piece of text.
Create a simple text shortcut
- Open Shortcuts from Spotlight or Applications.
- Create a new shortcut and give it a descriptive name, such as Project Checklist.
- Search the action library for Text and add that action.
- Enter a short checklist: confirm the brief, collect files, check the delivery format.
- Add Show Result after Text.
- Run the shortcut and check the result.
This example deliberately does not move files or send anything. It lets you understand the sequence: the first action provides content, and the next action uses it. When something fails, check the input to the action that failed.
Make the workflow useful for your work
Replace the sample checklist with a reusable delivery note, a list of questions for a client or instructions for a recurring task. Keep changing information outside the fixed template. For example, ask for a project name rather than hard-coding one that will be wrong next week.
Build one step at a time. A workflow with five actions is easier to debug when you already know that the first two work. Use copies of documents when experimenting with any action that changes files.
Run a shortcut without opening its editor
Apple documents several entry points, including the menu bar, keyboard shortcuts and Finder Quick Actions. In the shortcut’s details, enable the relevant option. For a Finder action, configure the expected input type and enable Finder, then try it on suitable selected files.
If a shortcut is absent from a menu, check both its settings and the type of item you selected. An image workflow may not accept a folder. Keyboard combinations already reserved by macOS cannot always be reassigned.
Mac and iPhone workflows are not interchangeable
iCloud can sync shortcuts, but that does not guarantee that every action works on every device. Installed apps, permissions and available actions matter. Do not assume that an iPhone automation trigger has a corresponding Mac trigger. Check the options shown in your installed version.
What about Apple Intelligence?
Keep basic automation separate from AI features. A text template, a file operation and an AI-generated answer have different requirements. If an AI action is available on your Mac, review the model and its permissions before sending private content to it. Generated text still needs checking.
For an older workflow based on Finder actions, see our Automator guide. For a one-off filename change, Finder’s batch rename tool may be simpler than building an automation.
Reference: Apple: create a custom shortcut.
Reference: Apple: run a shortcut while working.
