8 Mac Shortcuts Actions You’ll Actually Use

Apple added the Shortcuts app to macOS Monterey in 2021, making it straightforward to construct workflows utilizing visible coding blocks identical to you possibly can on iPhone and iPad. Whereas the function nonetheless lacks the facility of Automator or AppleScript, it’s nonetheless fairly helpful.

Listed here are some instance workflows to get you began, all of which you’ll be able to edit and duplicate to create your individual.

The way to Add and Set off Mac Shortcuts

The shortcuts under hyperlink on to workflows that launch within the macOS Shortcuts app. You possibly can then add them to your Mac with a single click on. Most of them had been created by customers from communities like r/Shortcuts on Reddit and RoutineHub, the place they’ve been shared in order that extra folks can get use out of them.

Many of those are triggered from the Shortcuts menu bar item, whereas others seem on the right-click Quick Actions menu. You too can set off them immediately from the Shortcuts app if you’d like, the place you possibly can edit present shortcuts, add extra from the Gallery, or delete workflows you now not want.

1. Quickly Access Keychain Passwords

In the event you use iCloud Keychain for storing your passwords, you should use this shortcut from u/Krokmou on r/Shortcuts to shortly entry your listing of saved passwords from each iOS and macOS.

You possibly can set off the shortcut out of your menu bar, or open it up in Shortcuts by double-clicking on it then click on on “Shortcut Particulars” within the right-hand pane and use the “Add Keyboard Shortcut” button to assign a keyboard shortcut for even faster entry.

2. Split Screen Between Two Apps

Apple gives many shortcuts like this one within the Gallery, however this one’s a bit extra open-ended. It means that you can shortly break up the display between two apps, ideally suited for triggering “work mode” if you’re feeling distracted. In its default state, the shortcut will ask you every time which apps you want to select.

You possibly can change this habits by double-clicking the shortcut within the Shortcuts app, clicking on “?App” and selecting an app of your alternative. You too can use the “Cut up Display screen Between” motion to construct your individual Shortcuts that do the identical factor (as per the screenshot above), simply keep in mind to pin it to the menu bar within the “Shortcut Particulars” panel on the right-hand aspect.

3. Empty Your Downloads Folder

Set off this shortcut out of your menu bar to shortly erase every part in your downloads folder. By default, the shortcut will ask you whether or not or not you’re comfortable for the objects to be deleted, and it’ll then transfer the contents to the Trash.

You possibly can tweak this habits by opening Shortcuts > Preferences > Superior and enabling “Permit Deleting With out Affirmation” for those who don’t need to affirm every time. You too can edit the shortcut and allow “Delete Instantly” below the “Delete [Contents of Folder]” motion to skip the Trash.

4. Low Power Mode On and Low Power Mode Off

Reddit person u/MrVegetableMan created shortcuts to toggle Low Energy Mode on and off that works utilizing a shell script. You’ll have to allow “Permit Operating Scripts” below Shortcuts > Preferences > Superior and grant root entry on the primary run for this one to work. When you’re carried out you’ll have the ability to set off these shortcuts from the menu bar.

You possibly can examine your present standing by clicking on the battery cost indicator, which can notify you if Low Energy Mode is enabled. You possibly can allow Low Energy Mode manually nevertheless it requires a good few extra clicks than utilizing a easy menu bar shortcut. Learn more about what Low Power Mode does and which fashions help it.

5. Simple Time Tracking

Curious how lengthy you’re spending on a mission? This straightforward shortcut means that you can document a number of actions to a textual content observe in Apple’s Notes app. For greatest outcomes, you’ll have to edit the workflow by first including it, then double-clicking on it to edit it.

Beneath “Listing” you’ll see objects like “One” and “Two” which you’ll be able to change to actions like “Analysis” or “Studying” to swimsuit no matter you’re monitoring (add as many as you want). The shortcut will create a observe referred to as “Time Logging Shortcut Information” however for those who’d quite save to a otherwise named observe, change this below the “Discover [All Notes] the place” and “Create Word With” actions to match your individual title scheme.

Lastly, you possibly can change the format of the logging information below “Textual content” on the backside of the workflow. You possibly can run the workflow out of your menu bar shortcut, and it’ll ask you every time you achieve this what time you began, how long you spent on the task, and if there are any notes you need to document. Every log can be added to the identical observe, so it’s all in the identical place.

RELATED: Forget Screen Time! Track Your App Usage in macOS Catalina with These Alternatives

6. Toggle Desktop Icons

It’s good to have a clear desktop with no icons seen in any respect, however that is additionally a bit impractical because the desktop is a handy place to dump information, entry mounted disk images, and retailer screenshots.

Now you possibly can shortly toggle desktop icons on and off with this shortcut by person @NCC-1701-A on RoutineHub. It’s simply accessible through the menubar, nevertheless it requires that you simply allow “Permit Operating Scripts” below Shortcuts > Preferences > Superior.

RELATED: How to Organize Your Mac’s Desktop Icons

7. Quit All Apps

In the event you’re meticulous about closing apps earlier than you restart or put your Mac to sleep, it may be a ache closing every one individually. Use this shortcut to nuke the lot, or take into account enhancing it so as to add an exception.

You may additionally change this to a “Give up All Besides Safari” shortcut (or an app of your alternative) if that’s one thing you end up doing typically.

8. Count Characters or Count Words

Highlighted by Alexander Kassner on Twitter, this easy shortcut will be triggered from the right-click “Providers” menu in nearly any app (together with Safari). Spotlight the textual content you need to rely then select the shortcut to see the outcome.

Whereas the unique shortcut was designed to count characters, we duplicated and tweaked it barely to create a shortcut that counts words as an alternative.

Extra Automation With Shortery

Free macOS software Shortery permits you to take macOS Shortcuts to a different stage. You should utilize this app to automate a lot of your workflows, including triggers for working shortcuts together with:

• Beginning or quitting apps
• Time of day
• Wake and sleep
• Login and logout
• International hotkeys
• Darkish and light-weight mode transitions
• Energy mode

Shortcuts Is on Your Apple Watch and iPhone Too

Shortcuts is turning into a common a part of the Apple ecosystem, with shortcuts available on your iPhone that you would be able to trigger using your Apple Watch.

You should utilize the identical app to create powerful automations that set off if you do issues like open apps, join Bluetooth units, or cost your iPhone.