Navigate the action list in Shortcuts on Mac
Actions are the building blocks of a shortcut. As you add actions to your custom shortcut, you can view information about each action, sort the list of available actions by category or by search term, and create favourite actions for future use. Because many actions use other apps on your device, you can also view actions sorted according to the app they use.
As you build a shortcut, the Shortcuts app predicts what actions you may want to use next. For example, if the last action is a Contacts action, the app suggests actions such as Call or FaceTime. In a shortcut that ends with a Get Current Song action, the list suggests actions such as Add to Playlist or Get Details of Music.
Note: Actions that use another app on your device to accomplish a task may require you to grant permission by clicking Allow Access in the shortcut editor.
View all actions in a specific category
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut.In the shortcut editor, click
to display a list of action categories.Click a category name (Media or Web, for example).
All actions related to the category you chose appear in the list, organised by subcategory. (You may need to scroll down to see all available actions.)
View information about an action
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut.In the shortcut editor, click
to display a list of action categories.Click an action category in the list (Web, for example).
A list of all actions in that category appears. (You may need to scroll down to see all available actions.)
Move the pointer over an action, then click
.A brief description of the action appears, including the type of content that can be used as input (if any) and the resulting output. To learn more about inputs and outputs, see Intro to how shortcuts work on Mac.
Tip: Once an action is placed in a shortcut, you can Control-click the action’s icon, then click Show Info to display the action’s description.
Search the list of actions
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut.In the shortcut editor, click
to display a list of action categories.Enter a term in the search field.
The list is sorted to show actions containing that search term as well as the apps used by those actions. Try searching for get, find or add to explore a variety of actions across multiple categories. You can also search for specific topics like music or events, or for apps and services you use.
Tip: You can use your keyboard to quickly navigate the action list. Use the Tab key, arrow keys and the Return key to navigate the action list and select the desired actions to add to your shortcuts.
View all available actions for an app
As you build a custom shortcut or modify an existing one, you can easily sort the list of available actions by app name — for example, to see all the actions that use the Safari app.
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut.In the shortcut editor, click
to display a list of action categories.Click Apps.
Click an app name.
All actions related to the app you chose appear in the list.
Pin your favourite actions
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut.The shortcut editor opens.
In the shortcut editor, tap
to display a list of action categories.Move the pointer over an action in the list, then click
and choose Pin.
The action is pinned to the top of the actions list.