> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.realmacsoftware.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.realmacsoftware.com/squash/quick-guide/shortcuts.md). # Shortcuts Automate Squash with the Shortcuts app Squash adds actions to Apple's **Shortcuts** app, so you can resize, crop, adjust and compress images without opening Squash. Use them to build your own image workflows, run them from the Finder, the menu bar or Spotlight, or ask Siri. ![A shortcut in the Shortcuts app that squashes images as JPEG, adjusts them and crops them to 1:1, with Squash's actions listed on the right](https://1309898043-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9hJwt9oZ5CYj9I9YIUa9%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6303e44e0df85bd9e1119fc9c447344e042dbff8%2Fsquash-4-shortcuts.png?alt=media) ### Finding the actions 1. Open the **Shortcuts** app and create a new shortcut. 2. Type **Squash** in the search field of the actions library. 3. Drag an action into your shortcut, or double-click it. Every action accepts several images at once, so one shortcut can process a whole folder or Finder selection. ### Available actions | Action | What it does | | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Squash Images** | Compresses images and converts them to the format you choose, then returns the finished files. | | **Squash Images with Preset** | Exports images with the settings saved in one of your Squash [presets](/squash/quick-guide/presets.md). | | **Resize Images** | Changes the size of images. | | **Rotate Images** | Turns images upright automatically, or a quarter turn at a time. | | **Crop Images** | Crops images to an aspect ratio. | | **Adjust Images** | Changes brightness, contrast, vibrance, sharpening, sepia and monochrome. | | **Choose Metadata** | Chooses which metadata to keep in the exported images. | | **Edit Metadata** | Changes the capture date and location of images, and removes their keywords. | | **Open in Squash** | Adds images to Squash's window, as if you had dropped them on it. | ### Building a shortcut Resize, Rotate, Crop, Adjust, Choose Metadata and Edit Metadata prepare the edits. They don't write finished images on their own, so end the chain with **Squash Images** or **Squash Images with Preset**, which applies every edit and returns the compressed files. Then add an action such as **Save File** to put them where you want. For example, to make web-ready copies of the images selected in the Finder: 1. **Get Selected Files in Finder** 2. **Resize Images** by Longest Side, 1600 pixels 3. **Rotate Images** Automatically 4. **Squash Images** as WebP 5. **Save File** Add the shortcut to the Finder's **Quick Actions** in its details to run it from the Finder's right-click menu. ### Action options #### Squash Images * **Format:** Same as Original, JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, HEIC, JPEG XL or TIFF. Same as Original keeps each image's own format. * **Quality:** Low, Medium, High or Best, or **Custom** to enter a percentage, where 0% is the smallest file and 100% the best quality. These match the quality labels on the [Format](/squash/quick-guide/nodes/format.md) section's slider. * **Progressive JPEG** for JPEG, **WebP Lossless** for WebP, and **PNG Optimization** for PNG (Oxipng, PNGQuant, Zopfli, Crush or None). #### Squash Images with Preset Choose one of your saved presets. The preset's settings are applied on top of edits from earlier Squash actions in the shortcut, so where both set the same thing, such as the size, the preset wins. #### Resize Images | Mode | Options | | ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Width | A width in pixels; the height follows. | | Height | A height in pixels; the width follows. | | Longest Side | A maximum length for the longest side. Smaller images aren't enlarged. | | Fit Within | A maximum width and height. Smaller images aren't enlarged. | | Percent | A percentage of the original size. | | Exact Size | An exact width and height. The image is stretched to fit. | #### Rotate Images **Automatically** turns images upright using the faces, people and text Squash finds, as in the [Rotate](/squash/quick-guide/nodes/rotate.md) section. You can also choose **Left 90°**, **Right 90°** or **180°**. #### Crop Images Choose a **Ratio**, such as 1:1, 4:5, 3:2, 16:9 or 21:9, or **Custom** with your own width and height. Ratios follow each image's orientation, so 16:9 crops a portrait photo to 9:16. **Position** chooses which part of the image to keep: **Smart** keeps the most important part of each image, or choose Center, Top, Bottom, Left or Right. See [Crop](/squash/quick-guide/nodes/crop.md). #### Adjust Images Sliders for **Brightness**, **Contrast**, **Vibrance**, **Sharpen**, **Sepia** and **Monochrome**, as in the [Adjustments](/squash/quick-guide/nodes/adjustments.md) section. Contrast at 100% leaves it unchanged. #### Choose Metadata Turn on the metadata to keep: **GPS Location**, **Camera**, **Date & Time**, **Author** and **Other**. With everything off, all metadata is removed; with everything on, all of it is kept. Any other choice works like the **Custom** mode in the [Metadata](/squash/quick-guide/nodes/metadata.md) section. #### Edit Metadata Corrects the metadata of the exported images, with the same options as the [Metadata](/squash/quick-guide/nodes/metadata.md) section: * **Capture Date:** **Keep**, **Shift** by **Days**, **Hours** and **Minutes**, **Set** to a **Date**, or **From File Date**, with **File Date** and **Use** choosing which date and when. **Time Zone** takes an offset such as `+01:00`. * **Location:** **Keep**, **Set** to the **Coordinates** or map link you give, or **Approximate**. **Also fill in place names** works with Set. * **Remove all keywords.** **Set** gives every image the same date. **Add 1 second per image** is only in the Squash window, because a shortcut handles each file on its own. On its own, this action removes all other metadata, like **Replace Metadata**. Add **Choose Metadata** to the shortcut, before or after it, to keep some. #### Open in Squash Opens Squash and adds the original images to its list. Edits from earlier Squash actions in the shortcut aren't carried over; use the sidebar to set them up instead. ### Siri and Spotlight **Squash Images** and **Squash Images with Preset** are also available as ready-made shortcuts. Ask Siri to "Squash images with Squash", or search for them in Spotlight. ### Free version In the Free version, each image a shortcut exports counts towards [today's free allowance](/squash/licensing-faq.md#is-squash-free). If a shortcut asks for more images than are left, it stops with a message saying how many the allowance covers. Unlock Squash for unlimited images. {% hint style="info" %} These actions replace the Shortcuts actions from earlier versions of Squash. Shortcuts that used the old actions need to be rebuilt with the new ones. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.realmacsoftware.com/squash/quick-guide/shortcuts.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. 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