Profiles Switcher How to Run Shortcuts Automatically on Mac
By the Profiles Switcher team. Published .
To run a shortcut automatically on a Mac, give it a trigger. On macOS 26 Tahoe you can create a personal automation in the Shortcuts app for events such as joining a Wi-Fi network. With Profiles Switcher, any of 19 context triggers can run any shortcut, on macOS 13 or later, and a profile can wait until several conditions are true.
Set this up with Profiles Switcher on the Mac App Store, or start from a ready-made recipe.
What are the ways to run a shortcut automatically on a Mac?
There are three, and they combine well:
| Method | What starts the shortcut | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Shortcuts automations (macOS 26) | One event: time, alarm, email, message, file or folder change, drive, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, display, app, battery, charger, Focus | A single task on a single event |
| A trigger app such as Profiles Switcher | Context: place, network, devices, power, time, appearance, time zone, alone or combined | Shortcuts that belong to a situation, often with other settings |
| Keyboard shortcuts and the menu bar | You | Running a shortcut by hand, quickly |
The rest of this guide covers the first two.
How do Shortcuts automations work on macOS 26?
Open the Shortcuts app, choose Automation in the sidebar and create a new automation. You pick one trigger, choose whether it runs immediately or asks first, and pick or build the shortcut. MacMost’s introduction walks through every trigger type, and MacStories’ Tahoe review covers what changed for Mac automators.
How do you run shortcuts from context triggers?
In Profiles Switcher, a profile describes a situation: a place, a device, a time. Add Run a Shortcut to a profile and the shortcut runs every time that situation begins:
- Build the shortcut and give it a clear name.
- Create a profile and add the rules that describe the situation.
- Add Run a Shortcut and type the shortcut’s exact name. Capital letters count.
- Add built-in actions too if you like; they run together with the shortcut.
Any of the 19 triggers can start a shortcut: Wi-Fi, a location, an IP range, a network service, Ethernet, a time zone, an external display, a Bluetooth or USB device, a mounted volume, the audio output, the headphone jack, the lid, the charger, the battery level, Low Power Mode, the time of day, the day of the week, and Dark or Light appearance. It works on every Mac with macOS 13 or later.
How do you run a shortcut only when several conditions are true?
Move the conditions out of the shortcut and into the trigger. A profile set to All are true switches on only when every rule matches, so the shortcut in it only runs then:
- The office Wi-Fi and a weekday: set a Work Focus.
- Headphones and the evening: start a playlist and warm up the lights.
- The charger and an external display: start a long export.
This keeps shortcuts short. Instead of nested If blocks that check the network, the day and the time, the shortcut simply does its job, and the profile decides when.
How do you write a shortcut that runs unattended?
- Avoid prompts. Ask for Input, Choose from Menu and confirmation dialogs stop the shortcut until you answer.
- Keep the name stable. Both Shortcuts automations and Profiles Switcher find a shortcut by name.
- Test it by hand first. Run it from the Shortcuts app to catch permission requests before it runs on its own.
- Pair start and stop. If a shortcut turns something on, like a Focus mode, give the next situation a shortcut that turns it off.
For ready-made examples, see Run your Shortcuts automatically and the recipes below.
Frequently asked questions
Can Shortcuts run automatically on a Mac?
Yes. macOS 26 Tahoe added personal automations to the Shortcuts app, which run a shortcut when an event happens, such as a time of day, a Wi-Fi network, a Bluetooth device, a display or the charger. Apps such as Profiles Switcher can also run shortcuts from their own triggers.
How do I make a shortcut run only when two things are true?
Put the conditions in the trigger instead of the shortcut. In Profiles Switcher, set a profile to All are true, add both rules, such as the office Wi-Fi and a weekday, and add Run a Shortcut. The shortcut runs only when both match.
Why does my automatic shortcut stop and wait?
Actions that ask a question, show a menu or need confirmation pause the shortcut until you respond. Shortcuts meant to run unattended should avoid them.
Ready-made automations for this
- Run a shortcut automatically when your Mac gets home
- Get a proper low battery warning on your MacBook
- Open your work apps when you arrive at the office
Let your Mac switch its own setup
Profiles Switcher is a menu bar app for Mac (macOS 13 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel) that switches your Mac's setup automatically. You build profiles from 19 triggers, such as the Wi-Fi network you join, a place, headphones or a display, and 18 actions, including running any of your Shortcuts. Everything runs on your Mac; it is available on the Mac App Store.
Download on the Mac App Store