This workflow is designed for writing, support replies, notes, documentation, and any place where the cost of switching apps interrupts the work.

How The Workflow Works​

1. Select text in your current Mac app.
2. Press your OnText hotkey, F2 by default.
3. Open Inline AI from the panel.
4. Type a prompt such as Make this clearer or Rewrite this in a concise support tone.
5. Use Command-R to replace the selected text, or Command-C to smart copy the AI response.

OnText automatically appends the selected text to the prompt. If you need precise placement, use the {text} placeholder in the prompt.

Useful Rewrite Prompts​

Try these as prompt presets:

Make this shorter while keeping the main point.

Rewrite this in a clear, professional tone.

Fix grammar and keep the original meaning.

Turn this into a concise bullet list.

Prompt presets are useful when you repeat the same rewrite task every day. See the Inline AI guide for provider setup and preset management.

Provider And Privacy Notes​

OnText supports Inline AI providers including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Ollama. Core local actions run on your Mac, but selected text is sent to the configured cloud AI provider when you choose a cloud AI action.

If you want local AI processing, use Ollama. That keeps the AI workflow on your machine, subject to the local model you configure.

When This Is Useful​

Use OnText Inline AI when you want to:

• Rewrite an email without leaving the mail app.
• Summarize selected research notes.
• Make a rough paragraph more polished.
• Convert selected prose into a checklist.
• Replace selected text with the AI result in place.

For non-AI workflows, OnText also supports URL actions, shell scripts, AppleScript, and macOS Shortcuts.

Next Steps​

• Read the Inline AI guide.
• Learn the basic selected-text flow in First Steps.
• Review placeholders for precise prompt control.
• Download OnText.

The goal is not to replace every app launcher or automation tool. The goal is to remove the repeated copy, switch app, paste, run command cycle for selected text.

The Basic Workflow​

1. Select text in any Mac app.
2. Press the OnText hotkey.
3. Run an action from the panel or use the action shortcut.

This works well for quick search, copy, translation, character count, Large Type, shell scripts, AppleScript, Shortcuts, URL actions, and Inline AI.

Example: Search Without Leaving the Keyboard​

Create a URL action with this template:

https://www.google.com/search?q={text}

Select a phrase, open OnText, and trigger the action. OnText inserts the selected text into the URL and opens the search without a manual copy and paste step.

Example: Turn Text Into an Automation Input​

For a keyboard-heavy workflow, custom actions are where OnText becomes useful. A selected paragraph can become:

• input for a shell script;
• input for a macOS Shortcut;
• a query in a documentation site;
• a prompt for Inline AI;
• a note capture action in another app.

Start with a small action you repeat daily. A good first automation is a URL action or Shortcut action because the setup is visible and easy to test.

When This Fits​

OnText fits best when you already work from the keyboard and repeatedly act on selected text:

• reading technical docs and searching unfamiliar terms;
• writing notes and sending snippets into another app;
• translating short passages;
• rewriting text without opening a separate AI chat;
• running scripts on selected identifiers, file paths, or commands.

If you rarely select text before acting, a general launcher may be a better first layer. If selected text is the starting point, OnText keeps the action closer to the work.

Next Step​

Set up OnText with First Steps, then build your first custom action with Custom Actions. For automation-heavy workflows, continue with Shortcuts Integration and Placeholders.

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.

This comparison is written by the creator of OnText. It focuses on the interaction and setup choices you can check for yourself. Updated October 24, 2026.

What Makes OnText Worth Trying?​

Small text tasks add up: copy a phrase, search for it, return to your document, select another passage, and repeat. OnText puts those actions in a compact panel beside your work. Open it with F2 by default, then click an action or press its assigned key.

The design goal is a quick, continuous rhythm from selection to action. You can start with Copy and Search, then add your own actions for the work you repeat. A URL, shell script, AppleScript, or macOS Shortcut can become a named action in the same panel.

OnText vs. PopClip at a Glance​

PopClip supports manual keyboard activation too. Choosing OnText is about whether its panel, action keys, and setup feel right in your daily work. PopClip's basics, settings, and extensions guides document these interaction and customization options. See the PopClip website for trial and purchase information.

A Fast Rhythm for Repeated Actions​

With OnText Pro, you can assign an available key such as S to Search. Select a phrase, press F2, then S. Once that sequence is familiar, you can trigger Search directly by its assigned key each time you open the panel.

That repeatable rhythm is central to OnText: a quick path from the text you have selected to the action you want. Try it in the Mac apps you use every day and pay attention to the whole interaction, from opening the panel to continuing your work. Search, AI, and script completion times also depend on the tools and services you use.

Try a Repeatable Search Workflow​

1. Select a phrase in a supported Mac app.
2. Press F2, or your configured OnText trigger.
3. Run Search from the panel.
4. Return to your document and repeat with another phrase.

Then try an action you use every day, such as copying a quote or formatting selected text. With OnText Pro, assign a key to that action and compare how the full interaction feels.

Build a Text Workflow You Can Reuse​

OnText's custom actions keep different tools behind the same interaction. For example, you can configure:

• A URL action that searches the selected phrase on a reference site.
• A shell action that formats text and copies or pastes the result.
• A macOS Shortcut that creates a note from the selection.
• An Inline AI prompt that rewrites a paragraph, then lets you replace it in an editable field.

Start with the shell script walkthrough or the selected-text Shortcuts guide. For AI, see rewriting selected text on Mac.

Which Should You Choose?​

Try OnText if you want a responsive text action panel, a repeatable shortcut-and-action-key workflow, and custom actions configured inside the app. Try PopClip if its automatic selection menu and extension workflow match the way you work. Both are worth evaluating with your own text tasks.

OnText requires macOS 13.0 or later and Accessibility permission. The free tier includes Copy, Search, and up to three custom actions. Pro includes action keyboard shortcuts, script and Shortcuts actions, regex rules, and Inline AI. Cloud AI and online actions may send text to the service you choose, and provider charges may apply.

Download OnText, follow First Steps, and try it with the text tasks you repeat most.

This walkthrough creates an uppercase action with a visible result, then shows how to paste that result back. Shell Script actions require OnText Pro. Updated October 24, 2026.

Create Your First Selected-Text Shell Action​

1. Open OnText Preferences → Actions and click +.
2. Set the title to Uppercase and choose Shell Script as the type.
3. Paste the command below into the command field.
4. Assign an available action key if you want to run it from the keyboard.

printf '%s' "$ONTEXT_TEXT" | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' | pbcopy

OnText runs shell commands with /bin/zsh. The selected text arrives in the ONTEXT_TEXT environment variable. This example uses the Mac's built-in tr and pbcopy commands to uppercase English ASCII letters and copy the result.

Try It With a Concrete Input​

Type this in an editable document, then select it:

ship the next update

Press F2 or your configured trigger shortcut, then run Uppercase. Paste into the document to check the clipboard result:

SHIP THE NEXT UPDATE

The original selection stays unchanged until you paste. Once the action is configured, you can repeat the same selection → trigger → action rhythm with another phrase.

Paste the Result Back Into the Selection​

To replace the manual paste step, use this command instead:

printf '%s' "$ONTEXT_TEXT" | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' | pbcopy && {paste}

OnText's {paste} placeholder pastes the clipboard result back into the active app. Try it in an editable text field: select ship the next update, run the action, and the selected text becomes SHIP THE NEXT UPDATE. A read-only page can be a source for text capture, but you need an editable destination to replace text.

This is the kind of small automation OnText is built for: configure a useful command once, then keep using it close to your text. The command's own processing time still depends on what it does.

Keep Selected Text Separate From the Command​

Use "$ONTEXT_TEXT" with double quotes. That passes spaces, quotation marks, and other characters as text rather than inserting them into shell source. Use printf '%s' to preserve the input value.

Do not insert {text}, {clipboard}, or prompt input directly into shell command source. See the placeholders reference for prompt declarations and the other supported inputs.

Choose the Right Tool for the Next Action​

Use a shell action when a command-line tool already does the transformation you need. For example, you can trim text, format an identifier, or pass a selection to an existing local script.

Use a URL action for a search or app link, AppleScript for app scripting, and a Shortcut action for an automation you maintain visually in Apple's Shortcuts app. Regex context rules control when an action appears for matching text; they do not replace the script that transforms it.

Read Shell Scripts for more commands, or Custom Actions to configure action keys and context rules. New to OnText? Start with First Steps.

How to Run an Action on Selected Text​

1. Grant OnText Accessibility permission in macOS System Settings.
2. Select a word or passage and press F2 to open the floating panel.
3. Click an action in the panel or press its assigned key.

OnText opens the panel when you press its trigger shortcut. To change F2, open Preferences → General → Behavior and set a new Trigger Shortcut. See Keyboard Shortcuts.

What You Can Do With Selected Text​

OnText includes common actions out of the box:

• Search Google for the selected text in your default browser.
• Copy it to the clipboard.
• Open the selected text in Google Translate.
• Count characters.
• Show it in Large Type.

For custom workflows, you can create actions that open URLs, run shell scripts, run AppleScript, trigger macOS Shortcuts, or send the text to Inline AI.

To set up a custom action, open Preferences → Actions, add an action, and choose its type. You can assign it a keyboard shortcut and an icon. A regex rule can make the action appear only when the selection matches a pattern. See Custom Actions.

Example: Search With a URL Action​

Create a URL action with this template:

https://www.google.com/search?q={text}

When you trigger the action, OnText URL-encodes the selected text and opens the search in your default browser.

Example: Rewrite With Inline AI​

Select a paragraph, open OnText, then use Inline AI with a prompt such as:

Rewrite this in a concise professional tone.

Use Command-R to replace the original selection with the response, or Command-C to smart copy the result.

When This Workflow Fits​

Selected text actions work best when you repeat the same small operations many times a day:

• Searching terms while reading.
• Translating snippets while researching.
• Formatting text while writing.
• Sending text into scripts, Shortcuts, notes, or AI prompts.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Which versions of macOS does OnText support?​

OnText requires macOS 13.0 Ventura or later.

How can I check whether OnText works in a specific Mac app?​

Select a short line of text in that app and press your OnText shortcut. Try Copy in the panel to check whether OnText captured the selection. If the panel does not appear, check Accessibility permission and the Excluded Apps list. See Permissions.

Which OnText actions work offline?​

Copy, Character Count, and Large Type run on your Mac and work offline. The default Search and Translate actions send selected text to Google in your browser. Custom actions that use a website, cloud AI provider, or other remote service may also send text or other request data to that service. See the Privacy Policy.

If you are setting up OnText for the first time, follow First Steps.

Related Posts​

• Run Shell Script on Selected Text
• macOS Shortcuts with Selected Text
• AI Rewrite Selected Text on Mac
• Translate Selected Text on Mac

The default flow is: select text, press F2, then run the translate action.

Built-In Translation Flow​

OnText includes a default translate action so you can get started immediately. It opens translation for the selected text using the configured URL workflow.

This is useful for:

• Reading documentation in another language.
• Translating short research snippets.
• Checking phrases while writing.
• Moving quickly through multilingual web pages or notes.

Custom Translation URL​

You can also create your own URL action. A simple template looks like this:

https://translate.google.com/?text={text}

Use {text} where the selected text should be inserted. OnText handles URL encoding before opening the link.

When To Use Inline AI Instead​

Use translation actions when you want a quick translation page. Use Inline AI when you want a more controlled rewrite, tone change, summary, or in-place replacement.

For example:

Translate this to English and keep the tone natural.

Then use Command-R to replace the selected text, or Command-C to copy the response.

Next Steps​

• Learn the basics in First Steps.
• Review Default Actions.
• Create your own URL Actions.
• Browse more workflow guides.