Introduction

Mac users are always looking for ways to make their lives easier and more productive. One of the best ways to do that is to use automation apps that can perform tasks for you, save you time, reduce errors, and free up your brain. In this blog post, we will introduce you to seven of the best automation apps for Mac that can help you automate everything from typing to file management to keyboard shortcuts and more.

Keyboard Maestro: Automate everything

Keyboard Maestro is the ultimate automation app for Mac. It lets you create macros that can do almost anything you can imagine on your computer. You can use Keyboard Maestro to:

• Manage your clipboard (and add new clipboards)
• Automate your typing
• Move your mouse for you
• Click buttons on your computer
• Run code
• Manage your files and folders
• Create time/date-based automations
• Manipulate keyboard shortcuts for specific apps or your entire Mac
• And a lot more!

Keyboard Maestro has a powerful and intuitive interface that lets you build macros using triggers, actions, and conditions. You can also use variables, calculations, text tokens, and AppleScript to make your macros more dynamic and flexible. Keyboard Maestro is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it gives you complete control over your computer and lets you customize it to your needs and preferences.

Keyboard Maestro is developed by Stairways Software and costs $36 for a single user license.

TextExpander: Spend less time writing

TextExpander is a handy app that lets you create snippets of text that can be expanded with a few keystrokes. You can use TextExpander to:

• Insert common phrases, greetings, signatures, and boilerplate text
• Fill out forms and templates with custom fields
• Correct spelling mistakes and typos
• Insert dates, times, emojis, symbols, and special characters
• Create keyboard shortcuts for launching apps, opening websites, and executing scripts
• And more!

TextExpander works with any app that accepts text input, so you can use it across your Mac. You can also sync your snippets across devices and share them with others using TextExpander’s cloud service. TextExpander is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it saves you time and effort when writing anything on your computer.

TextExpander is developed by Smile Software and costs $3.33 per month for an individual plan.

Hazel: Automatically organize your Mac folders

Hazel is a smart app that lets you create rules that automatically organize your files and folders on your Mac. You can use Hazel to:

• Move, rename, copy, delete, or archive files based on their name, date, type, size, content, or other attributes
• Apply color labels, tags, comments, or Spotlight keywords to files
• Sort files into subfolders based on criteria
• Empty the trash, clear caches, or delete old files periodically
• Run scripts or Automator workflows on files
• And more!

Hazel runs in the background and monitors the folders you specify. It applies the rules you create whenever a file is added or modified in those folders. Hazel is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it keeps your files and folders tidy and organized without you having to lift a finger.

Hazel is developed by Noodlesoft and costs $42 for a single user license.

Alfred: An automated upgrade for Spotlight

Alfred is a powerful app that enhances the functionality of Spotlight on your Mac. It lets you search for anything on your computer or online with a simple keyboard shortcut. You can use Alfred to:

• Launch apps, open files, or browse folders
• Search the web using various engines or custom queries
• Perform calculations, conversions, or dictionary lookups
• Control system settings like volume, brightness, or Wi-Fi
• Access clipboard history or snippets
• Create workflows that combine multiple actions into one command
• And more!

Alfred also integrates with other apps like 1Password, Evernote, Spotify, Dropbox, and more. You can customize Alfred’s appearance, behavior, hotkeys, and features to suit your style and needs. Alfred is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it makes searching and accessing anything on your computer or online faster and easier.

Alfred is developed by Running with Crayons Ltd and is free to download. You can unlock more features with the Powerpack license which costs £29 for a single user license.

BetterTouchTool: Take gestures to the next level with one of the best automation apps

BetterTouchTool is an amazing app that lets you customize the gestures and inputs of your trackpad, mouse, keyboard, Touch Bar, and remote control. You can use BetterTouchTool to:

• Assign actions to different gestures, such as tapping, swiping, pinching, rotating, clicking, and more
• Create custom keyboard shortcuts for any app or function
• Add widgets and buttons to your Touch Bar
• Control your Mac with your iPhone or Apple TV remote
• Trigger scripts or commands with a gesture or shortcut
• And more!

BetterTouchTool has a simple and user-friendly interface that lets you create and manage your gestures and shortcuts. You can also import and export presets from other users or share your own. BetterTouchTool is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it lets you interact with your Mac in new and creative ways.

BetterTouchTool is developed by Andreas Hegenberg and costs $8.50 for a standard license.

Automator: Create workflows without coding

Automator is a built-in app that lets you create workflows that automate tasks on your Mac. You can use Automator to:

• Combine multiple actions into one workflow
• Run workflows as apps, services, calendar alarms, or folder actions
• Choose from hundreds of actions for various apps and functions
• Drag and drop actions to create workflows
• Add variables, loops, conditions, and inputs to workflows
• And more!

Automator has a drag-and-drop interface that lets you build workflows without coding. You can also use AppleScript or shell script to add more functionality to your workflows. Automator is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it lets you create powerful workflows with minimal effort.

Automator is developed by Apple and comes pre-installed on every Mac.

Keysmith: An easier “automate everything” solution

Keysmith is a new app that lets you create keyboard shortcuts for anything on your screen. You can use Keysmith to:

• Record your clicks and keystrokes as a shortcut
• Edit your shortcut with delays, loops, conditions, and inputs
• Assign a hotkey or phrase to trigger your shortcut
• Run your shortcut in any app or website
• Share your shortcut with others or import shortcuts from others
• And more!

Keysmith has a simple and intuitive interface that lets you record and edit your shortcuts. You can also use natural language to create shortcuts without recording. Keysmith is one of the best automation apps for Mac because it lets you create shortcuts for anything on your screen with ease.

Keysmith is developed by Keysmith Inc. and costs $9 per month for a pro plan.

Conclusion

These are just three of the many automation apps available for Mac users. They can help you automate everything on your Mac and make your life easier and more productive. If you want to learn more about automation on Mac, check out these resources:

• How to Automate Your Mac with Keyboard Maestro [Mac]
• How to Use Automator on Your Mac: The Complete Guide
• How to Use Keysmith: The Easiest Way to Automate Anything on Your Screen

We hope you enjoyed this blog post and found it useful. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!

About the Author

This article was written by Zahid Ameen:

Zahid has a passion for helping people achieve their health and wellness goals through natural and holistic approaches. He has been writing about health topics for over 10 years and has contributed to various online publications.

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