Do you take pleasure in streamlining your routine by automating the mundane yet frequently performed chores on your Mac? If that’s the case, you’ll find some good news here. One might call it a “utility tool.” The application, aptly named Keysmith, is a software that lets you make your own shortcuts for your Mac and the web. As a result, you may keep the momentum going by performing actions rapidly via the keyboard without stopping to pick up your hands.
Some ‘power’ users (those who frequently engage in editing, scripting, and coding) prefer to work exclusively with the keyboard, rather than switching their hands and fingers back and forth between the keyboard and the mouse or trackpad. Because it’s much easier to type in commands than it is to utilize a mouse to perform such commands. That’s why most programmers use a text-based command line rather than a graphical user interface, and why many video editors swear on macro keys.
In other words, what is Keysmith?
Keysmith is a third-party application for Macs that facilitates the development of custom keyboard shortcuts for use with both native and web-based software. On a Mac, you may create a shortcut to any of your frequently used system apps, third-party apps, or even famous online apps. The purpose of the tool is to provide quick access to applications and services that might not otherwise be available.
If you need an example, think about switching to private mode in Chrome. A fresh anonymous session can be started in the program by using the incognito mode shortcut. Or, if you’re proficient in scripting for macOS, you can make a shortcut that always launches the browser in private mode. With Keysmith, however, you can automate the entire process by making a shortcut to launch Chrome in incognito mode, which in turn activates the incognito script, and assigning it to a key binding.
Some may argue that a similar shortcut can be made by assigning the incognito script to a key in the Keyboard preferences, but this method has significant limitations in comparison to Keysmith’s shortcut-making capabilities for deeply integrated services and web apps.
Of course, this is just one of many ways in which Keysmith can be used to streamline processes. You may do simple things like launch programs, or you can go crazy with automation and set up hotkeys for things like image resizing, conversion, and other Apple scripts.
To what end does Keysmith serve?
Once you start recording using Keysmith, it will analyze your every move. It does this by keeping track of your actions, analyzing them, and transforming them into a format it can understand. You can alter these procedures as you see fit. Keysmith simplifies the process of creating shortcuts by eliminating the need to construct a sequence of actions, as is required by most other shortcut applications. Instead, you simply press the record button and begin executing the operation (for which you wish to have a shortcut) in the usual way.
As soon as you press the record button, the program begins saving all of your keystrokes and mouse movements. On Mac, it leverages the accessibility APIs to identify and store the actions associated with a clicked location. However, the tool is currently only available for use with Google Chrome via an extension to pinpoint the precise locations of buttons, windows, and more when recording shortcuts for web-based applications. The developers have hinted that they will soon add Safari and Firefox compatibility.
Keysmith: How to Make a Shortcut.
As was said before, using Keysmith entails documenting your workflow in order to capture a desired action. Follow these steps to make a shortcut after installing the Keysmith software and giving it Accessibility permissions.
First, launch Keysmith, then use the left pane’s New Shortcut button to create a new shortcut.
To begin recording, select the red record button in the right window.
The third step is to conduct the action you wish to create a shortcut for as you normally would once the program begins recording. When you’re ready to stop recording, select that option.
All the actions you just took will be reflected in the Keysmith app in the exact same order that you took them. You can make changes to these steps at any time, or you can press the Run button to see the shortcut in action.
Select Untitled to give your new shortcut a name. To assign a shortcut key, click the Set HotKey button that appears immediately to the right.
The shortcut’s hotkey can now be used from anywhere on the Mac to launch the program.
You’ll need the Keysmith Chrome extension installed now if you want to build a shortcut for a web app. The Keysmith software itself should prompt you to install the extension when you first launch it. If you somehow managed to miss it, the add-on is available for individual download from the Chrome Web Store. Once the web app has been added, a shortcut can be made using the instructions below.
Step 1: Launch Google Chrome and sign in to the online app you wish to create a shortcut for.
To begin recording, open the Keysmith app and then click the red record icon.
Follow the standard procedure for the function you wish to shortcut. If necessary, adjust the procedure accordingly.
Give the shortcut a name by tapping Untitled in the right box. Then, enter a keystroke (or a single key) and hit the Set HotKey button that appears below it.
Finally, select the online app you want the shortcut to launch in by tapping the button next to HotKey.
Create a shortcut for the action, and then whenever you want to use it, just press the shortcut’s key combination.
When would you use Keysmith?
Shortcuts can be created in Keysmith for a wide variety of system and third-party apps, system actions, and even certain online apps. To give you an idea of its power, you can set up shortcuts to do things like open specific programs, launch websites in private browsing mode, switch to dark mode, connect and disconnect headphones, and more.
You may create a new pull request (PR), combine PR requests, or commit the changes with a single click if you’re a developer who uses Git to manage projects. As was also noted at the outset, Automator and Apple Script allow you to set up keyboard shortcuts for executing your scripts.
Recently, Keysmith was highlighted on the product discovery and sharing website Product Hunt. To get your hands on a copy, simply visit Keysmith.app. There are both free and paid versions of the service. While all functions are available on the free plan, you are only allowed to make five shortcuts. On the subscription plan, which costs $29 per year, you can create as many shortcuts as you like. If you’re curious, though, there’s a fully functional free version you can test out first.
Keyboard Maestro is a well-liked third-party tool for Macs that allows you to automate nearly every facet of your computer. Keysmith is still in development, but if it doesn’t live up to your hopes, Keyboard Maestro is another option.
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