Workflow Automation with Shortcuts and Automator on macOS Tahoe
While the Terminal offers powerful scripting capabilities (see Scripting with Zsh on macOS Tahoe), macOS Tahoe also provides user-friendly, visual tools for automation: Shortcuts and Automator.
Shortcuts
Shortcuts is the modern automation app for macOS, shared with iOS and iPadOS. It allows you to drag and drop actions to create powerful workflows.
Creating a Basic Shortcut
- Open the Shortcuts app.
- Click the + button in the toolbar to create a new shortcut.
- Search for Actions: In the right sidebar, search for actions like "Resize Image" or "Send Message".
- Drag and Drop: Drag actions into the main editor area.
- Configure: Connect them logically. For example:
- Select Photos
- Resize Image to 640px wide
- Save File to Downloads
- Click the Play button to test it.
Running Shortcuts
You can run shortcuts from:
- The Shortcuts app.
- The Menu Bar (if pinned).
- Spotlight Search.
- Siri ("Hey Siri, run Resize Image").
- The Services menu (Right-click on a file > Quick Actions).
Automator
Automator is the legacy automation tool. While Shortcuts is replacing it for most tasks, Automator remains superior for specific system-level triggers, such as Folder Actions.
Creating a Folder Action
A Folder Action runs a script automatically whenever a file is added to a specific folder.
- Open Automator.
- Choose Folder Action as the document type.
- At the top, select the folder you want to watch (e.g., "Downloads").
- Add Actions: Drag actions from the library.
- Example: "Import Files into Photos" or "Rename Finder Items".
- Save: Save the workflow. It is now active immediately.
Application Workflows
You can also create standalone "Applications" (droplets).
- Choose Application in Automator.
- Add actions (e.g., "Create PDF").
- Save it to your Desktop.
- Drag any file onto this new app icon to process it immediately.
For text-based automation, refer to Automating Tasks with Cron on macOS Tahoe.