How to Use the macOS Shortcuts App to Automate Repetitive Tasks

The Monotony of the Morning Routine

Every morning when you sit down at your Mac, you likely perform the exact same sequence of actions. You open Slack, you open your email client, you launch Safari and navigate to three specific web tools, you turn off “Do Not Disturb,” and you start a specific Spotify playlist. This entire sequence takes two or three minutes of clicking around the screen.

For years, advanced Mac users automated these routines using an archaic, complex application called Automator. It was powerful, but writing the scripts felt like programming. Recently, Apple ported a wildly popular feature from the iPhone directly to the Mac to replace Automator entirely: the Shortcuts app.

Shortcuts is a visual automation tool. It allows you to drag and drop simple blocks of instructions (like Lego bricks) to build complex routines that execute with a single click or a keyboard shortcut. In this guide, we will build a single button that instantly launches your entire morning workflow.

Launching the Shortcuts App

The Shortcuts app is built directly into modern versions of macOS (Monterey and later).

1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight search.
2. Type Shortcuts and press Enter.
3. The Shortcuts gallery will open. Click the + button in the top right corner to create a new, blank shortcut.

A new window opens. The left side is your blank canvas. The right side is a searchable library of every single action your Mac can perform.

Building Your First Shortcut (The Lego Bricks)

Let’s build that “Start My Day” routine.

Step 1: Open the Applications

First, we need to tell the Mac which apps to launch.

1. In the search bar on the right side of the screen, type “Open App”.
2. Click and drag the action block called Open App over to the blank canvas on the left.
3. The block will say “Open [App]”. Click the blue word “App” and select Slack from the list.
4. Drag a second “Open App” block over, and select your email client (e.g., Mail or Outlook).

Step 2: Open Specific Websites

Next, we need Safari to open specific project dashboards.

1. In the right-hand search bar, type “Open URL”.
2. Drag the Open URLs block beneath your two App blocks on the canvas.
3. Click the URL field and paste the web address of your project tracker (e.g., https://trello.com/myboard).
4. You can drag another “Open URL” block if you need a second website to open simultaneously.

Step 3: Manage Focus Modes

Finally, we need to ensure you are ready to receive notifications.

1. Search for “Focus” on the right.
2. Drag the Set Focus block to the bottom of your canvas.
3. Change the settings so the block reads: “Turn Do Not Disturb to Off“.

Testing and Saving

You have just built a visual script containing five distinct steps. Let’s test it.

Click the Play button (the small triangle) at the very top of the window. Your screen will briefly flash as the Mac instantly launches Slack, Mail, opens two Safari tabs, and disables Do Not Disturb mode all at the exact same time.

To save the shortcut, look at the top left of the window and click the title (it probably says “New Shortcut”). Rename it to something memorable, like “Start My Day,” and choose a custom icon and color.

How to Trigger Your Shortcut

Opening the Shortcuts app every morning just to click the Play button defeats the purpose of automation. You need to put this button somewhere accessible.

Look at the very top right of the Shortcuts editor window. Click the icon that looks like a small slider switch (Shortcut Details).

Option A: The Menu Bar

Check the box that says Pin in Menu Bar. A small Shortcuts icon will permanently appear in the top-right corner of your Mac screen (next to the Wi-Fi icon). You can click it anytime to instantly run your “Start My Day” routine.

Option B: A Keyboard Shortcut

Click the Add Keyboard Shortcut button. Press a complex combination of keys (like Control + Option + Command + S). Now, whenever you sit down at your desk, you simply press those four keys, and your Mac will instantly configure your entire digital workspace.

Conclusion

The macOS Shortcuts app democratises automation. By dragging and dropping simple visual blocks, you can eliminate the tedious clicking of repetitive daily tasks. Whether you are opening a dozen spreadsheets, resizing images, or organizing windows, if you do it more than twice a day, you should build a Shortcut for it.