yKey For Mac

Automating tasks on macOS has been possible for a long time, first via Automator, and now with Shortcuts. However, while Automator is quite versatile, there are still a lot of things it doesn't let you do, which makes it unsuitable for many use cases.

yKey is a far more complex alternative that allows you to create shortcuts and automate just about anything. It has a steep learning curve, but also extensive documentation to help you along.

You'll find the program in the menu bar, where you can access the editor. Creating your first shortcut might be a bit confusing, so it would be a good idea to have a look at the documentation first. Each shortcut consists of a command (the thing you need it to do), a context (where it should do it), and one or more launchers, which activate the shortcut.

The list of supported commands is extensive, to say the least. You can launch and manage applications, select menu items, open URLs, trigger mouse and keyboard events, create documents, work with the clipboard, access system functions, and much more.

Mac users who want to automate some basic workflows are already catered to by Shortcuts, but yKey is just more capable. Aside from including more commands, it also allows you to launch them without any user input based on a number of other events.

Conversely, yKey is more difficult to get the hang of. For anything other than a basic hotkey, you'll likely need to check the documentation to make sure you're doing everything right. Thankfully, the user manual is highly detailed.

A tool like yKey can be useful even if you haven't considered it yet. If you have repetitive tasks in your workflow, automating them can save time and even help avoid or manage stress injuries. It can take some time to learn, but it's worth the trouble.