Perform quick actions in the Finder on Mac
Quick actions help you perform certain tasks directly from the Finder or your desktop, without opening an app. For example, you can create a PDF or rotate an image.
The types of tasks available in the Quick Actions menu and at the bottom of the Preview pane depend on the file type and any enabled Finder (Quick Actions and Preview Pane) extensions.
On your Mac, click
in the Dock to open a Finder window.Select the file.
Alternatively, you can select a file on your desktop.
Control-click the file, then choose Quick Actions. Depending on the file type (options vary), you can do the following:
Rotate an image or movie: Choose Rotate Left or press and hold the Option key, then choose Rotate Right. Repeat to continue rotating the item.
Mark up a document or image: Choose Markup. The file opens in a Quick Look window, where you can use the markup tools to add notes, edit text and more. See Mark up files.
Trim a movie or audio file: Choose Trim, then drag the yellow handles in the trimming bar. To test your changes, click Play. You can start again by clicking Revert. When you’re ready to save your changes, click Done, then choose to replace the original file or create a new one.
Create a PDF: Choose Create PDF, then enter the name. To combine multiple files into a PDF, see Combine files into a PDF.
Convert an image to another format or a smaller size: Choose Convert Image, then choose a format and a size. For example, you can convert an .heic photo from your iPhone to a .jpeg image.
Customise and add more options: Choose Customise. Extensions settings opens, where you can add extra Finder extensions, such as Remove Background. See Change Login Items & Extensions settings.
You can use the Automator app to create workflows for Quick Actions that you can enable as extensions and access in the Finder, the Touch Bar or the Services menu. You can download your favourite quick actions from third-party developers in the Mac App Store. You can also use the Shortcuts app to add your favourite shortcuts to the Quick Actions menu.
Tip: You can use the Quick Actions buttons in the Preview pane in a Finder window. If you don’t see the Preview pane on the right, choose View > Show Preview.