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Send Selected Text to macOS Shortcuts with OnText

· 3 min read
gityeop
gityeop
Creator of OnText

OnText passes selected text to a macOS Shortcut as Shortcut Input. Connect a Shortcut once, then select a passage, open OnText, and run the action. Your existing automation gets the text without a separate copy-and-paste step.

This walkthrough builds a Create Note Shortcut and connects it to OnText. Shortcut actions require OnText Pro. Updated October 24, 2026.

Build a Create Note Shortcut​

  1. Open Apple's Shortcuts app and create a new Shortcut.
  2. Name it Create Note.
  3. Add the Create Note action from Notes.
  4. Set the note body to the Shortcut Input variable.
  5. Choose the destination folder you want to use in Notes.

The important connection is the note body: it must use Shortcut Input so the text supplied by OnText becomes the note content.

Connect the Shortcut to OnText​

  1. Open OnText Preferences → Actions and click +.
  2. Set the action title to Create Note.
  3. Choose Shortcut as the action type.
  4. Enter Create Note as the Shortcut name, matching the name in the Shortcuts app.
  5. Assign an available action key if you want to trigger it from the keyboard.

OnText runs the named Shortcut and supplies the selection as text input. You keep editing the automation in Shortcuts; the OnText action is its entry point from selected text.

Try the Complete Workflow​

Select this text in a supported Mac app:

Release checklist: review the copy, check the download, and test the update.

Press F2 or your configured OnText shortcut, then run Create Note by clicking the action or pressing its assigned key. Open Notes and check that the new note contains the selected text.

The next time you want to capture a quote or a meeting takeaway, use the same action. The seamless part is the handoff: select → trigger → run, with no manual transfer into Shortcuts.

Extend the Workflow You Already Use​

You can connect other text-based Shortcuts in the same way:

  • Create a reminder whose title comes from Shortcut Input.
  • Add a selected quote to a note-taking workflow.
  • Translate text and show or copy the result.

Configure what happens to the input inside the Shortcut. OnText supplies the selection; the Shortcut determines the destination and any further steps. A Shortcut that asks questions or opens another app will still do so when launched from OnText.

What to Know Before Using It Daily​

The Shortcut must exist on your Mac, and its name in OnText must match. macOS may ask for permission when the Shortcut accesses Notes or another app. Try the complete workflow once before making it part of your routine.

Execution time depends on the actions inside the Shortcut and any services they contact. Keeping the handoff short does not make a remote service or a long automation finish instantly.

OnText needs Accessibility permission to capture selected text. If your Shortcut sends text to an online service, that service receives the input as part of the workflow.

Keep Your Next Action Close​

See Shortcuts Integration for the reference, or Custom Actions to set up action keys and regex context rules. If your automation is a command-line transformation, try the selected-text shell script walkthrough.