Create Custom Shortcuts Mac

Mac lets you create custom keyboard shortcuts for any menu item in any application — through built-in System Settings, with no third-party software required. You can also remap modifier keys, reassign function keys, and create app-specific shortcuts that only activate in one program.

Method 1 — System Settings App Shortcuts

This method creates a keyboard shortcut for any existing menu item in any Mac application.

  STEP-BY-STEP:
  1. Apple menu → System Settings (or System Preferences on older Mac)
  2. Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → App Shortcuts
  3. Click the "+" button
  4. Application dropdown → choose an app (or "All Applications")
  5. Menu Title → type the EXACT menu item text
     (must match letter-for-letter, including capitalization and "...")
  6. Keyboard Shortcut field → press your desired combination
  7. Add → Done

  EXAMPLE — Shortcut for "Save as PDF..." in any app:
  Application: All Applications
  Menu Title:  Save as PDF...   (must include the three dots "...")
  Shortcut:    Cmd + Shift + Option + P

  DIAGRAM — What this does:
  Press Cmd + Shift + Option + P
       │
       ▼
  Mac looks for "Save as PDF..." in the current app's menus
       │
       ▼
  Triggers that menu item as if you clicked it

Rules for Custom Mac Shortcuts

  ✔ Must use at least one modifier key (Cmd, Option, Ctrl, Shift)
  ✔ The Menu Title must EXACTLY match the text in the app's menu
    (including spaces, capitalization, and ellipsis characters "…")
  ✔ Avoid overriding system shortcuts (Cmd + C, Cmd + V, etc.)
  ✔ App-specific shortcuts override the same shortcut in other apps

  COMMON MISTAKE:
  Menu item says "Save as PDF…" (with Unicode ellipsis "…")
  You type "Save as PDF..." (with three periods)
  → Shortcut does NOT work (text does not match)

  FIX: Open the app menu → look carefully at the exact text
       → Copy-paste it into the Menu Title field if possible

Method 2 — Modifier Key Remapping

  System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Modifier Keys

  REMAP OPTIONS:
  Caps Lock Key → No Action / Escape / Ctrl / Option / Cmd
  Ctrl Key      → Any of the above
  Option Key    → Any of the above
  Cmd Key       → Any of the above

  POPULAR REMAPS:
  Caps Lock → Esc     (very popular with developers using Vim)
  Caps Lock → Ctrl    (handy for users switching from Windows)

  You can set different remappings per connected keyboard —
  useful if you use both a laptop keyboard and an external keyboard.

Method 3 — Function Key Behavior

  System Settings → Keyboard → "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard
  function keys"

  TOGGLE ON:
  F1–F12 behave as standard function keys (F1 = Help, F2 = rename, etc.)
  Use Fn + function key for brightness, volume, media controls

  TOGGLE OFF (default):
  F1–F12 control hardware (brightness, volume, media)
  Use Fn + key to access F1–F12 as standard function keys

Method 4 — Automator and Services

Mac's Automator app lets you create custom "Services" (mini-apps that appear in right-click menus or the Services menu) and assign keyboard shortcuts to them.

  EXAMPLE — Service to open Terminal at the current folder:
  Automator → New Document → Quick Action
  → Add "Run Shell Script" action
  → Assign shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → App Shortcuts
    (under "Finder" or "All Applications")

  Services you create appear in:
  App menu → Services
  Right-click menu → Services

Method 5 — Third-Party Shortcut Tools

  BETTERTOUCHTOOL (paid, widely used):
  ✔ Assign any shortcut to any action
  ✔ Trigger AppleScripts and shell commands
  ✔ Trackpad gesture shortcuts
  ✔ App-specific shortcuts

  KARABINER-ELEMENTS (free, open source):
  ✔ Advanced key remapping
  ✔ Complex modifications (e.g., Caps Lock = Ctrl when held, Esc when tapped)
  ✔ Device-specific settings

  ALFRED / RAYCAST (launcher + shortcut tools):
  ✔ Global hotkeys to trigger workflows
  ✔ Text expansion
  ✔ Custom app launchers

Quick Reference

  METHOD                        SETUP LOCATION
  ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  App menu item shortcut        System Settings → Keyboard → App Shortcuts
  Modifier key remap            System Settings → Keyboard → Modifier Keys
  Function key behavior         System Settings → Keyboard → toggle setting
  Service shortcuts             Automator → Quick Action + App Shortcuts
  Advanced remapping            Karabiner-Elements (free)
  Workflow shortcuts            BetterTouchTool / Alfred / Raycast

The System Settings App Shortcuts method is the place to start for most Mac users. It requires no additional software and works immediately. The key to success is matching the Menu Title exactly — if the shortcut does not fire, the menu text is likely the culprit. Open the app, read the exact menu item text carefully, and re-enter it character by character.