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Finder Quick Actions on Mac, explained
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
Quick Actions are shortcuts for common file tasks that appear when you Control-click a file in Finder, and as buttons at the bottom of the Preview pane. Built-in ones include Rotate, Markup, Trim, Create PDF and Convert Image. You can add your own from Shortcuts or Automator, and the list changes with the file type.
What Quick Actions are
A Quick Action performs a task on the selected file without opening an app. Apple's guide gives examples such as creating a PDF or rotating an image. They are designed for the small jobs you would otherwise open Preview or QuickTime for, and they work on one file or several selected files.
Where to find them
There are two places. The first is the context menu: select a file in Finder or on the desktop, Control-click it and choose Quick Actions. The options depend on the file type. The second is the Preview pane: Apple says Quick Actions buttons appear at the bottom of the pane in a Finder window. If the pane is not visible, choose View › Show Preview.
Which actions you see depends on the file type and on which Finder extensions are enabled. A PDF, an image and a movie each get a different set.
- Open a Finder window and select a file.
- Control-click the file and choose Quick Actions, or look at the buttons below the preview.
- Choose an action, such as Rotate Left, and follow any prompt.
- Check the result in Finder. Some actions replace the file and some make a copy, depending on the action.
What is built in
According to Apple, the built-in set includes Rotate (Rotate Left, with Option held for Rotate Right) for images and movies, Markup, which opens the file in a Quick Look window with markup tools, Trim for movies and audio, Create PDF under More, Convert Image under More, where you choose a format and size, and Remove Background under More.
Trim is worth a note: when you click Done in the trimming bar you can replace the original or create a new file. Think before you choose, because replacing overwrites the original.
Adding and managing more
Under More, choose Customize to open Extensions settings, where you can turn Finder extensions on or off. Apple lists three ways to add actions: add your favorite shortcuts from the Shortcuts app, download Quick Actions from third-party developers in the Mac App Store, or build your own workflows in Automator and enable them as extensions. Automator-made Quick Actions can also show up in the Services menu.
If you are deciding which to build with, see the comparison of Shortcuts and Automator for file tasks.
Where Quick Actions stop, and what FileDial adds
The built-in set covers rotate, markup, trim, PDF creation and image conversion. It does not cover compressing a PDF, removing location from a photo, redacting, or batch renaming. For those you need another tool. FileDial is one option: select a file in Finder, hold the right Option key and a dial opens at the pointer with categories on the inner ring and tools on the outer ring, and releasing on a tool runs it. Results are saved as a new file beside the original, and every result has Undo.
The overlap is useful. Use Quick Actions for fast built-in jobs such as Convert Image, and FileDial for the long tail, for example Privacy › Remove location or Sign & Lock › Remove metadata. FileDial also supports right-click › Open in FileDial if you prefer the menu.
Mistakes and limits to know about
The first thing people trip over is that Quick Actions can change the file you act on. Rotate and Trim work on the file itself, and Trim offers a choice between replacing the original and creating a new file when you click Done. If you click through without reading, you overwrite the original. Make a habit of duplicating with Command-D before any edit you cannot easily reverse, or choose the new-file option.
The second is expecting the same menu everywhere. The list of actions depends on the file type and on which Finder extensions are enabled, so a PDF, a photo and a movie each show different entries, and a file type Apple has no action for shows few. If an action you saw earlier has vanished, check More › Customize, which opens Extensions settings, and confirm the extension is on.
Third, Convert Image is convenient but coarse. You pick a format and a size, and that is about all. It does not let you remove location from the result, choose a target file size or keep a folder structure. For a handful of photos that is fine. For a client folder, the photos may still carry GPS details after conversion, so check with Preview's Inspector or run a dedicated clean-up.
Fourth, Quick Actions built in Automator or Shortcuts inherit whatever those workflows do, including mistakes. A workflow that renames files in place will rename them every time you click. Test new ones on copies.
Finally, remember Quick Actions suit the small, common jobs. When you notice you run the same chain every day, such as convert then strip location then resize, that is the moment to look at a recipe in a tool like FileDial or a longer Shortcut rather than clicking three actions in sequence.
Questions
Why do I not see Quick Actions on my file?
Quick Actions depend on the file type and on enabled extensions. Check View › Show Preview for the buttons beneath the pane, then open More › Customize to see whether the relevant extension is switched on. Some file types, such as plain archives or unusual formats, have few or no built-in actions at all.
Do Quick Actions work on several files at once?
Many do. Select several files, then Control-click one of them and open Quick Actions. The actions offered depend on the types you selected, and some, like Create PDF, are designed for a selection. Try it on copies first so you know whether each action makes a new file or edits the existing ones.
Can Quick Actions change my original file?
Some can. Trim lets you choose between replacing the original and creating a new file, and Rotate modifies the file you act on. When in doubt, duplicate the file first with Command-D in Finder, run the action on the duplicate, and compare results before deleting anything.
Are Quick Actions the same as Services?
They are related but not identical. Apple says Automator Quick Actions can be reached from the Finder, the Touch Bar or the Services menu, but the Services menu also holds older, app-provided services. Quick Actions are the Control-click and Preview pane route, while Services live under the app menu.