FileDial vs Shortcuts and Finder Quick Actions
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
Finder Quick Actions are free in macOS: Control-click a file to rotate, mark up, trim, create a PDF, convert an image or remove a background, and Shortcuts or Automator let you build your own. FileDial is a $20 app with 525 ready-made tools in a dial at the pointer, covering PDFs, video, audio and more. Build your own if you enjoy it; FileDial saves the building.
At a glance
| FileDial | Shortcuts and Finder Quick Actions | |
|---|---|---|
| Where files are processed | On your Mac, files are never uploaded | On your Mac; custom actions may call web services |
| Price | $20 once, lifetime license for 2 Macs, 14-day refund | Free, built into macOS |
| Built-in actions | 525 ready-made tools | Rotate, Markup, Trim, Create PDF, Convert Image, Remove Background |
| Custom actions | Recipes chain tools; watched folders run a recipe on new files | Build any shortcut or Automator workflow |
| Setup effort | None, tools are ready | Build, test and enable each custom action |
| How you open it | Hold right Option for a dial, or right-click › Open in FileDial | Control-click › Quick Actions, or Preview pane |
| PDF jobs | 155 tools: compress, OCR, redact, split, Bates | Create PDF; more via custom shortcuts |
| Video and audio | 134 video and 84 audio tools | Trim; more via custom shortcuts |
| Undo and results | Result saved beside the original, with Undo | Depends on how each action is built |
Details about Shortcuts and Finder Quick Actions come from its own website and documentation, checked 2026-11-09. Prices and features change; check the source links below.
About Shortcuts and Finder Quick Actions
Built-in macOS features: Quick Actions in Finder for common file jobs, extendable with shortcuts from the Shortcuts app or Automator workflows.
Platforms: Mac (included with macOS). Price: Free with macOS. Where files are processed: On your Mac; individual shortcut actions can interact with internet services if you add them.
Choose Shortcuts and Finder Quick Actions if
- You need to rotate, trim or convert an image now and then.
- You enjoy building automations and want full control.
- You want to spend nothing.
- You need an action that talks to an app or service FileDial does not cover.
Choose FileDial if
- You want hundreds of finished tools instead of building them.
- You want PDF jobs like OCR, redaction and compress to a size target.
- You want every result beside the original, with Undo and a before and after size.
What macOS gives you for free
Apple's guide to Quick Actions in Finder lists Rotate, Markup, Trim for movies and audio, and under More, Create PDF, Convert Image to change format or size, and Remove Background. Control-click a file and choose Quick Actions, or use the Preview pane in a Finder window. It is fast and costs nothing.
You can add your own. In the Shortcuts app, open a shortcut's details and choose Use as Quick Action, then turn it on under System Settings › Privacy & Security › Extensions › Finder. Automator workflows and third-party Quick Actions from the Mac App Store also appear in the same menu.
Building versus ready-made
Shortcuts can do a lot, but each job needs building, testing and maintaining, and some actions interact with internet services. FileDial ships 525 tools that are ready on day one, such as Compress › Compress PDF (strong), OCR › Make searchable, Sign & Lock › Find and redact personal info…, Compress › Compress to 720p and Edit › Normalize loudness. All run on the Mac with Wi-Fi off.
FileDial also adds things a custom shortcut rarely has: a result card showing what changed and the size before and after, Undo on every result including renames, recipes that chain tools, and watched folders that run a recipe on new files. It is $20 once after a 1-day trial.
Questions
How do I add a shortcut to Finder Quick Actions?
Apple says to open the shortcut's details in the Shortcuts app and select Use as Quick Action, then enable it under System Settings › Privacy & Security › Extensions › Finder. It then appears when you Control-click a file.
Which Quick Actions come with macOS?
Apple's guide lists Rotate, Markup, Trim, Create PDF, Convert Image and Remove Background, depending on file type.
Can FileDial replace my shortcuts?
For common file jobs, often yes, since its 525 tools and recipes are ready-made. Keep shortcuts for jobs that involve other apps or services.