How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps
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. Press and hold . In order to set a keyboard shortcut to open an app, you'll....
Part 1 of 3:
Setting up an Automator Service
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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. -
Press Space once. Doing so will bring up Spotlight search. -
Type in "Automator." -
Press ↵ Enter. -
With the Automator app selected, click File. It's at the top left corner of the menu bar. -
Click New. -
Click the "Service" icon. It looks like a cog. -
Click Choose.
Part 2 of 3:
Adding the Launch Application Action to an App
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Navigate to the service input settings. They're the drop-down menus at the top of the window. -
Click the "Service receives selected" drop-down menu. -
Click no input. -
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. -
Use the scroll bar to find "Launch Application." - Click and drag "Launch Application" to the right side. A drop-down menu will appear under the newly added "Launch Application" action.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 14.jpg
- Click the drop-down menu.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 15.jpg
- Click on an app.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 16.jpg
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Click File. It's at the top left of the menu bar. - Click Save.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 18.jpg
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Type in a name for your service. This is what you'll use to assign the keyboard shortcut, so make it something memorable! -
Click Save.
Part 3 of 3:
Assigning the Keyboard Shortcut
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Click the Apple icon. It's at the top left corner of the menu bar. - Click System Preferences.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 22.jpg
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Click the "Keyboard" icon. -
Click Shortcuts. -
Click Services. It's on the menu on the left pane of the Shortcuts window. - Scroll to find your newly created service. The list of services is located on the right side of the window.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 26.jpg
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Click on your service to select it. -
Click Add Shortcut. -
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.
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Click the red "x" button. - Click on your desktop.
- Enter your new keyboard shortcut. Your newly assigned shortcut will open the app!
Isabella Humphrey