How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps

Part 1 of 3:

Setting up an Automator Service

  1. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 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. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 2
    Press Space once. Doing so will bring up Spotlight search.
  3. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 3
    Type in "Automator."
  4. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 4
    Press Enter.
  5. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 5
    With the Automator app selected, click File. It's at the top left corner of the menu bar.
  6. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 6
    Click New.
  7. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 7
    Click the "Service" icon. It looks like a cog.
  8. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 8
    Click Choose.
Part 2 of 3:

Adding the Launch Application Action to an App

  1. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 9
    Navigate to the service input settings. They're the drop-down menus at the top of the window.
  2. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 10
    Click the "Service receives selected" drop-down menu.
  3. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 11
    Click no input.
  4. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 12
    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. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 13
    Use the scroll bar to find "Launch Application."
  6. 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
  7. Click the drop-down menu.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 15.jpg
  8. Click on an app.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 16.jpg
  9. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 14
    Click File. It's at the top left of the menu bar.
  10. Click Save.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 18.jpg
  11. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 15
    Type in a name for your service. This is what you'll use to assign the keyboard shortcut, so make it something memorable!
  12. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 16
    Click Save.
Part 3 of 3:

Assigning the Keyboard Shortcut

  1. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 17
    Click the Apple icon. It's at the top left corner of the menu bar.
  2. Click System Preferences.Image:Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Step 22.jpg
  3. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 18
    Click the "Keyboard" icon.
  4. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 19
    Click Shortcuts.
  5. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 20
    Click Services. It's on the menu on the left pane of the Shortcuts window.
  6. 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
  7. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 21
    Click on your service to select it.
  8. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 22
    Click Add Shortcut.
  9. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 23
    Type in your custom keyboard shortcut.
    1. Make sure that you enter a unique shortcut, meaning that the keyboard combination is not already designated to perform another task.
  10. How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Mac Apps Picture 24
    Click the red "x" button.
  11. Click on your desktop.
  12. Enter your new keyboard shortcut. Your newly assigned shortcut will open the app!
5 ★ | 2 Vote

May be interested

  • Rename keyboard shortcut (rename) in WindowsRename keyboard shortcut (rename) in Windows
    rename keyboard shortcut (rename) in windows. each operating system has its own shortcut keys so that users can quickly operate on their computer. one of the shortcuts we often use on windows is the rename shortcut.
  • Summary of several ways to open virtual keyboard on Windows XP / 7/8 / 8.1 / 10Summary of several ways to open virtual keyboard on Windows XP / 7/8 / 8.1 / 10
    virtual keyboard is a necessary and useful feature when a broken keyboard or computer is infected with viruses and keyloggers. here's how to open the virtual keyboard on windows quickly and simply for you when needed.
  • Useful keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word (Part 3)Useful keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word (Part 3)
    to continue the previous post, tips make would like to summarize for you how to use the shortcut keys with the f key from f7, f8, ..., f12 with detailed explanation, easy-to-understand illustrations.
  • 12 best keyboard apps for iPhone / iPad you should not miss12 best keyboard apps for iPhone / iPad you should not miss
    in the article below we would like to share with you the list of 12 best keyboard apps for iphone and ipad with many positive feedback from users.
  • How to create custom shortcut keys for Raspberry PiHow to create custom shortcut keys for Raspberry Pi
    in windows, it's easy to use custom keystrokes to open your favorite apps, but in raspbian, the official operating system of the raspberry pi, the process is a bit more complicated.
  • Insert line shortcut in Excel - Shortcut insert ExcelInsert line shortcut in Excel - Shortcut insert Excel
    insert line shortcut in excel - shortcut insert excel. inserting lines into a table in excel is an extremely basic operation, but many users don't know the keyboard shortcuts to do this faster than just using the keyboard. the following dexterity software will introduce readers a number of ways to add lines quickly.
  • How to Quickly Show the Desktop on a MacHow to Quickly Show the Desktop on a Mac
    you can quickly navigate to the desktop on your mac by pressing a keyboard shortcut, by swiping the trackpad using a specific gesture, or by creating your own customized shortcut. press + . doing so will reveal your desktop.
  • Shortcuts maximize, minimize the open window in WindowsShortcuts maximize, minimize the open window in Windows
    in the list of important and useful keyboard shortcuts on windows, the zoom in and out shortcut is a useful shortcut that we should remember. in the following article, tipsmake.com share with readers about the shortcut of small, small windows of windows. please follow along.
  • 6 ways to open virtual keyboard on Windows 106 ways to open virtual keyboard on Windows 10
    virtual keyboard is a useful and necessary feature in some cases with windows users, such as certain keystroke, computer virus infection or keylogger ...
  • How to open the virtual keyboard on Windows 10How to open the virtual keyboard on Windows 10
    how to open the virtual keyboard on windows 10. virtual keyboard is a pretty useful feature, it is our 'life buoy' in case the keyboard is paralyzed, or a machine with sticky viruts, keyloger, ... or you have for something that is highly secure, the virtual keyboard will support