macOS 26 Tahoe: the Shortcuts app improvements
Apple knows a success story when it sees one. Several apps in its ecosystem are rooted in third-party products or services that the company acquired and, after some polishing or an extensive overhaul, added to the pack of default programs. For example, Music stems from Beats Music, which the Cupertino giant bought in 2014, Weather largely relies on the backbone of Dark Sky, acquired in 2020, and even Siri is initially the brainchild of Siri, Inc., a startup Apple invited under its umbrella back in 2010.
The Shortcuts app also belongs to this cohort: it evolved from the Workflow automation service that Apple bought in 2017. The app debuted in iOS 12, and has been around since. As for macOS, the first version to get Shortcuts was Monterey (October 2021). Thus, the framework was complete: the routines could be synced between the devices, which brought the usefulness of the app to the next level, as most Mac users are also iPhone (and iPad) owners.
macOS 26 Tahoe introduced significant improvements and new features to the Shortcuts app. If you haven’t been using it, read on to learn what’s new, and maybe this program — part of the default pack, i.e., free — will join the line of software products you are using on a daily basis.
The Shortcuts app improvements and new features in macOS 26
Natural language inputs
Creating a shortcut is no longer a process that requires at least some basic understanding of how software works. The Shortcuts editor now has a prompt box that you can fill with what you need done in real-world words and phrases, like “Add emails from [this address] to this folder and forward them to [this group]” (this is a very simple example). The app will then draft the shortcut that you can modify as you see fit.
Apple Intelligence integration
The above-mentioned natural language inputs actually lean on the Apple Intelligence integration: the models enable processing and allow using a wide range of languages in the prompt box thanks to Live Translation. The AI, though, can do more: they enable automations that involve processing of texts and images in various ways, generation of all sorts of content, multi-step tasks with several outcomes, etc.
Triggers
macOS 26 brings fully automated shortcuts that trigger based on time, system events, or some specific user actions. On iOS, these have been introduced some time ago, but in the realm of Mac, trigger-dependent chains are a big new thing.
Ubiquity
While basic shortcut execution outside the Shortcuts app is a feature from the initial release, previously, it was limited to the menu bar, Finder Quick Actions, and the Dock. macOS 26 Tahoe introduced a more seamless routine: you can now run your shortcuts:
- contextually, within the currently used app;
- from Spotlight, with contextual awareness;
- using Quick Keys for instant shortcut execution.
Quick Keys
This feature allows you to assign keyboard shortcuts to run specific commands instantly. This means streamlining workflows that require your participation but can be improved with some automation. Seemingly, Quick Keys only eliminates the need to launch the Shortcuts app or invoke the sequence in some other way involving several clicks, but in reality, the possibility to achieve a similar result within an instant — that’s how long it takes to push the buttons — makes all the difference.
Not convinced? Check out the library of pre-built templates in the Shortcut app. You’ll probably be overwhelmed, but give the exploration five or so minutes, and chances are, you’ll find something that fits your needs to the letter.
