Take Control of Automating Your Mac, 4th Edition

Work faster, increase your efficiency, and have more fun with automation!
Version 4.0.1, updated July 26, 2022

Looking for ways to work smarter and faster with your Mac? In this updated and expanded fourth edition of his popular guide to Mac automation, Joe Kissell shows how anyone, at any level of experience, can save time and effort, and avoid unnecessary errors, by using automation techniques that range from the simplest keyboard shortcut to the most complicated script.

Note: This edition of the book covers macOS from Catalina through Monterey.

In this book, Joe teaches you how to automate routine tasks in a wide variety of ways. You can begin by making the most of productivity features such as Siri, Spotlight (for launching apps), and text replacement—and then move on to the more sophisticated automation tools built into macOS, such as Shortcuts, Automator, AppleScript, services, and shell scripts.

In addition, Joe gives extensive information about third-party automation apps that can make a huge difference to your work efficiency, such as Keyboard Maestro, TextExpander, OmniGraffle, and many more. As an extra bonus, the book includes coupons for discounts on seven automation apps!

Whether you’re new to automation, you just need a refresher, or you’re experienced with automation but want to go deeper, this book can teach you the skills you need to automate with ease. Take back your time, work more efficiently, and have more fun with your Mac, with Take Control of Automating Your Mac, Fourth Edition!

With this book, you’ll learn how to:

Get started with the built-in macOS automation tools, including Shortcuts, Automator, AppleScript, and shell scripts
Take full advantage of input devices to save clicks and keystrokes
Customize toolbars and your Touch Bar to put hard-to-find controls at your fingertips
Use your voice to control your Mac with Siri and Voice Control/Dictation Commands
Automate text expansion for faster, more consistent typing
Control the Finder with a launcher and by organizing files with Hazel
Supercharge your clipboard to remember and reformat previous copies
Write macros in Microsoft Office and Nisus Writer Pro
Create rules to file email automatically in Apple Mail and Outlook
Log in to websites faster with a password manager
Automate cloud services with IFTTT and Zapier
Set up automatic backup and syncing
Use Omni Automation for JavaScript-based automation tasks
Control nearly anything on your Mac with Keyboard Maestro