Convert your Mac Automator apps to Shortcuts

The Shortcuts app is a newer addition to macos than IOS and will probably phase out the Mac’s previous app for creating shortcuts, Automator. Thankfully, you can convert your old Automator shortcuts (apps) into the Shortcuts app, although they may need modifications to run efficiently. Here we’ll show you how to convert Automator apps and make the necessary modifications.

1 Import from Automator

Open your Mac Shortcuts app and then go to File>import. This loads apps created by Automator and converts them to the format used by Shortcuts.

2 Open Automator files

Navigate to where your Automator shortcuts reside on your Mac and try selecting them. It’s possible not all of them will open in Shortcuts, so try them out.

3 Running the apps

All being well, Shortcuts will open and convert the Automator app. Run it and see. In our experience, it rarely works first time and usually requires some changes.

4 Compare shortcuts

If a shortcut fails to run, open Automator alongside the Shortcuts conversion. Compare each function to see where the Shortcuts version is going wrong.

5 Add missing input

Automator says, ‘Application receives files and folders as input’. Find ‘Get Selected Files in Finder’ and add it to the shortcut. Drag it to the top of the actions list.

6 Add missing save

The Automator ‘New Folder’ action saves files to the new folder, so find ‘Save File’ in the Shortcuts app and drop it after ‘Created Folder’ to add the missing action.

7 Use magic variables

Ctrl+click the blue link after ‘Save File’ to show a menu and click ‘Select Magic Variable’. This is how information is passed from one step to another in Shortcuts.

8 Select magic variables

Magic Variables are the items between actions. ‘Get Selected Files in Finder’ produces the ‘File’ Magic Variable, which is what we want for the Save action. Click it.

9 Show More/less

Click ‘Show More’ on the Save action and clear ‘Ask Where To Save’. Ctrl+click the link after the ‘to’ and select the ‘Created Folder’ magic variable. Add ‘Save’ to the end.