Run a shortcut while working on your Mac
You can run a shortcut from another app to process content without leaving that app. You do this by making the shortcut accessible from the Quick Actions menu, the Services menu, the Touch bar, or a keyboard shortcut.
You can also run shortcuts from the Dock and menu bar, but content in your apps will not be used as input for the shortcut. For example, while working on your Mac, you could click a custom shortcut in the Dock to configure your workspace. Or while working in a text document, you could run a custom shortcut from the Services menu to sort the lines of text.
Enable a shortcut to run in other apps on Mac
To allow a shortcut to run from within other apps you need to set the shortcut as a quick action.
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, then click 
.Click Details, then select Use as Quick Action.
A new action appears at the beginning of your workflow defining what input the shortcut will accept. “Any” tells you that the shortcut will accept all types of content input when you run the shortcut in another app.
The shortcut will now be available in other apps. To limit which apps your shortcut appears in, see Limit the input for a shortcut when run from another app on Mac.
Run a shortcut from the Dock
Setup: In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, select a shortcut, then choose File > Add to Dock.The shortcut appears in the Dock.
Run the shortcut: Click the shortcut in the Dock.
Run a shortcut from the menu bar
Setup: In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then select Pin in Menu Bar.Run the shortcut: Click the Shortcuts menu
in the menu bar, then choose the shortcut.
Run a shortcut from a Finder window
Setup: In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then select Finder.Note: If you can’t select Finder, you may need to add Files or Folders to the allowed input of your shortcut. See Limit the input for a shortcut when run from another app on Mac.
Run the shortcut: In a Finder window, click the Action pop-up menu
, then choose the shortcut.
Run a shortcut from the Quick Actions menu
Setup: Do the following:
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then select Use as Quick Action.Choose Apple menu (
) > System Preferences, click Extensions, then select Finder (in the sidebar), and select the shortcut.
Run the shortcut: Control-click an item in the Finder, then choose Quick Actions > [your shortcut] from the menu.
The shortcut is also available in the Quick Actions menu in the Preview pane of a Finder window. See Use the Preview pane in the Finder on Mac in the macOS User Guide.
Run a shortcut from the Touch Bar
If your Mac has a Touch Bar, you can add the Quick actions button to the Control Strip to quickly run a shortcut.
Setup: Do the following:
In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then select Use as Quick Action.Add the Quick Action button to your Control Strip. See Customize the Touch Bar on Mac in the macOS User Guide.
Run the shortcut: In the Touch Bar, tap
, tap Quick Actions 
, then tap the shortcut.
Run a shortcut from the Services menu
Setup: In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then select Services Menu.Run the shortcut: In the macOS Finder, choose Finder > Services, then choose the shortcut from the submenu.
Note: If the shortcut is missing from the Services menu, the shortcut may be disabled. See Use services in apps on Mac in the macOS User Guide.
Run a shortcut from a keyboard shortcut
Setup: In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then click Add Keyboard Shortcut, then press a key combination.To remove the keyboard shortcut you added, click the “Run with” field, then press Delete.
Run the shortcut: In any app in macOS, press the key combination.
Note: Some keyboard shortcuts are reserved for system use and cannot be overridden.
Run a shortcut on other Apple devices
If you have iCloud Sync enabled, you can create shortcuts on your Mac and run them from your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
Setup: In the Shortcuts app
on your Mac, double-click a shortcut, click , then select either or both of the following:Show in Share Sheet: Adds the shortcut to the share sheet on your iPhone or iPad.
Show on Apple Watch: Adds the shortcut to the Shortcuts app or to a complication on your Apple Watch.
Run the shortcut: Do either of the following:
On iPhone or iPad: Tap the Share button
in an app, then tap the shortcut.On Apple Watch: See Run shortcuts from Apple Watch.