How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps

Download Article

Explore this Article

parts

1 Setting up an Automator Service

2 Adding the Launch Application Action to an App

3 Assigning the Keyboard Shortcut

Other Sections

Questions & Answers

Related Articles

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 27, 2021

Download Article

This wikiHow teaches you how to set a keyboard shortcut to open apps on your Mac. To do this, you'll need to use the Automator app, which is already on your Mac.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting up an Automator Service

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Press and hold ⌘ Command. In order to set a keyboard shortcut to open an app, you'll need to create a new Service in Automator.
2. 
   2
   Press Space once. Doing so will bring up Spotlight search.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Type in "Automator."
4. 
   4
   Press ↵ Enter.
5. 
   5
   With the Automator app selected, click File. It's at the top left corner of the menu bar.
6. 
   6
   Click New.
7. 
   7
   Click the "Quick Action" icon. It looks like a cog.
8. 
   8
   Click Choose.
Advertisement

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Adding the Launch Application Action to an App

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Navigate to the service input settings. They're the drop-down menus at the top of the window.
2. 
   2
   Click the "Service receives selected" drop-down menu.
3. 
   3
   Click no input.
4. 
   4
   Click Actions. It's at the top left of the Service window. The list of available actions should be displayed in a scroll bar underneath the search window.
5. 
   5
   Use the scroll bar to find "Launch Application."
6. 
   6
   Click and drag "Launch Application" to the right side. A drop-down menu will appear under the newly added "Launch Application" action.
7. 
   7
   Click the drop-down menu.
8. 
   8
   Click on an app.
9. 
   9
   Click File. It's at the top left of the menu bar.
10. 
    10
    Click Save.
11. 
    11
    Type in a name for your service. This is what you'll use to assign the keyboard shortcut, so make it something memorable!
12. 
    12
    Click Save.
Advertisement

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Assigning the Keyboard Shortcut

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Click the Apple icon. It's at the top left corner of the menu bar.
2. 
   2
   Click System Preferences.
3. 
   3
   Click the "Keyboard" icon.
4. 
   4
   Click Shortcuts.
5. 
   5
   Click Services. It's on the menu on the left pane of the Shortcuts window.
6. 
   6
   Scroll to find your newly created service. The list of services is located on the right side of the window.
7. 
   7
   Click on your service to select it.
8. 
   8
   Click Add Shortcut.
9. 
   9
   Type in your custom keyboard shortcut.

   • Make sure that you enter a unique shortcut, meaning that the keyboard combination is not already designated to perform another task.
10. 
    10
    Click the red "x" button.
11. 
    11
    Click on your desktop.
12. 
    12
    Enter your new keyboard shortcut. Your newly assigned shortcut will open the app!
Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

• Question

  How do I program the key to open in a specific part of an application? For example, I want to program a keyboard shortcut that opens image capture for a specific printer/scanner?

  

  Phantom Me

  Community Answer

  Just press and hold the Windows hardware button and then press Volume Down (on the left side of the device). This is analogous to pressing Win + PrtScr and will auto-save the screenshots in the Screenshots folder in the Pictures Library.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 3 Helpful 0

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!