Use the Shortcuts app
The iOS Shortcuts app comes to Mac in macOS Monterey…
Create new 31 shortcuts
In Shortcuts, go to File > New Shortcut (or press Cmd+N) to access the creation window. Name your shortcut at the top, then use the Categories and Apps tabs to access the actions. Then drag the components into the main window to piece together your new shortcut.
Add to Quick 32 Actions
Drag shortcuts from your All Shortcuts section to “Quick Actions” in the sidebar. That shortcut will then be added to your Mac’s Quick Actions menu, when you Ctrl+click on something, so there is no need to launch the Shortcuts app and then access the shortcut.
Menu bar 33 shortcuts
If you drag shortcuts into the “Menu Bar” section in the sidebar, then a new Shortcuts menu bar item will be created and added to the right of your Mac’s menu bar. Click on this menu bar item to reveal a list of stored shortcuts that you can activate quickly and easily.
Shop for 34 shortcuts
Click on “Gallery” in the Shortcuts sidebar to go to the main shop window, where you can browse shortcuts and add them to your own app. Just click on the shortcut and then click “Add Shortcut”. Double– click on a shortcut there to see the components and edit if required.
35 Find app options
If you’re wondering how to perform a certain task within an app, save time on Googling it by clicking on the “Help” menu and then start typing keywords into the Search field. Anything related to the app in question will then start to populate the menu as you type. When you see a match, click on it.
36 Universal C&P
As long as your Mac and iOS devices are signed into the same iCloud account, if you copy something on your iPhone, such as text from Safari, you can then paste it on your Mac. Simply select the text you want on your iPhone, tap “Copy”, then press Cmd+V in a writing app on your Mac to copy it across.
37 Drag and drop text
If you want to do away with copy and paste, then you can simply drag chunks of text from one app to another. The technique can be a little tricky to get right, but if you highlight a passage of text, in Safari for example, then click and hold on that text, you should then be able to drag it and drop it in Notes.
38 USE FOLDER ACTIONS
You can also perform Quick Actions from the toolbar at the top of your open Finder windows. Ctrl+click on the toolbar and choose “Customize Toolbar”, drag the “Action” icon down to your toolbar, and then you can highlight items and click on this icon to access your actions.
39 CREATE QUICK ACTIONS
If you Ctrl+click on something and then choose the “Quick Actions” option, you’ll be able to access time–saving features from a sub–menu. You can create your own Quick Actions by first launching Automator, clicking “New Document” and then choosing “Quick Action”. You can then drag in items to build it.
40 EDIT IN QUICK VIEW
Now that the Markup tools have been added to Quick View, you can press spacebar to open an image in Quick View and click on the pen icon to make quick edits, such as rotating the image, adding annotations, and more. Though limited, these tools could definitely prove useful.
41 IMPORT FROM iPHONE
You can use your iPhone to instantly take and add images to documents and scan documents. As long as both devices are connected to the same iCloud account, just Ctrl+click on your desktop or in a document and choose “Import/Insert from iPhone” followed by the required action.
42 USE HANDOFF
If you’re using Apple apps then you’ll be able to pick up on your Mac where you left off on iPhone using Handoff. Make sure this option is enabled in System Preferences/Settings > General and then you’ll see the app you are using in your Mac Dock with an iPhone icon on it — click to use.
43 SIGN WITH iPHONE
You can use your iPhone to apply signatures in PDFs and other documents on your Mac. Simply open the file in Preview, click on the Markup icon, click on the signature menu, and then choose “Create Signature” and select the “iPhone” tab. You can now sign using your iPhone screen.
44 CREATE MAIL SIGNATURES
If you find yourself ending emails with the same old sendoff, such as “Best wishes” or suchlike, then why not put all those details into an email signature that is auto–applied to all of your outgoing mail? Go to Mail > Preferences > Signatures to create and apply them to your account(s).
45 Create Mail rules
Save time by not having to wade through nonsense emails. Go to Mail > Preferences > Rules and then you will be able to apply various criteria to your incoming emails, auto–moving them to different folders, for example, if certain conditions are met. Rules are handy for streamlining your inbox.
46 Create a Smart Mailbox
Mail’s search facility can be tediously slow at times, so if you need to find the same sort of thing frequently then you should consider setting up a Smart Mailbox. Go to Mailbox > New Smart Mailbox and then you’ll be able to set the search criteria. Your new Smart Mailbox will reside in the Mail sidebar.
47 Faster navigation
In iOS 14 or later, you can use a long–press to jump back multiple pages while browsing system apps such as Settings. When you start delving deep into the settings and want to go back a few screens, press and hold in the top– left corner and select the desired page from the menu.
48 Faster camera access
Rather than switch modes within the iOS Camera app, you can simply call up the Control Center, press and hold on the Camera icon, and then choose the mode you wish to shoot in from the menu that appears. The Camera app will then automatically launch within that mode.
49 Use Back Tap
If you have a more recent iPhone then there is a really useful feature within iOS called Back Tap that lets you perform certain functions by tapping the back of your device. Select Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and you’ll be able to assign functions by double or triple–tapping the back of your iPhone.