Remove and restore actions
Open an action's gear and choose Remove Action. Built-in, Marketplace, and custom actions use the same removal control. Word Count and Character Count also offer result choices.
Restore an included action from the Built-in tab of the in-app Marketplace. Installed items show Added even when their checkbox is off. Use the Marketplace and Community tabs for downloadable actions, or browse the website's Marketplace directory and Built-in Actions directory.
Order actions and groups in one list
The Widget Order list on the Actions page is the source of truth for the widget. Drag an action or group anywhere in the root list. A group can appear between individual actions instead of being forced to the end. The Widget Preview updates to show the same order.
Items that fit within Widget length appear in the main bar. Remaining actions and groups move into More in the same order. A group inside More opens its actions as a submenu.
Create and arrange groups
Choose Create group, give it a name and icon, and add one or more eligible actions. In ActionClip 2.3.2 or later, there is no limit on the number of groups or the number of actions in a group. Each action can belong to one group.
Expand a group in Widget Order to see its members. Drag members within the group, drag an ungrouped action onto the group, or use the row menu to move an action into or out of a group. To remove a group, open its settings and choose Delete Group at the bottom left, then confirm. Its actions remain available.
Assign shortcuts to actions
- Open ActionClip → Settings.
- Find Action Shortcuts and choose Configure shortcuts.
- Search for an enabled action and assign a two- or three-key shortcut.
Action shortcuts work globally and run the action on the current text selection. Disabled actions cannot run from a shortcut. ActionClip warns about shortcut conflicts before saving.
Edit names and icons
Built-in, Marketplace, and custom actions share the same name and icon editor. Groups use the same icon choices.
- Open the action or group's gear.
- Choose an SF Symbol, emoji, local image, or Iconify icon. For Iconify, search with ordinary words or enter an exact identifier such as
solar:airbuds-case-charge-broken. - Enable Online Actions when downloading an Iconify icon or HTTPS image.
Downloaded images are stored locally. Existing Fluent icons still render, but the Fluent picker is retired. Explicit icon choices survive relaunches and catalog refreshes.
Use icons in the main widget
Choose a display style for an individual action or group, or open Settings, find Widget, and enable Icon-only mode. Icon-only groups open a horizontal bar that scrolls when needed; other groups show action names. Hover over an icon-only chip to see its name. Turning Icon-only mode off restores each item's saved display style. Customize the widget.
Write longer custom AI prompts
AI prompts support up to 50,000 characters. An edit beyond the limit keeps the accepted text and shows an error. Use example applies a preset through the standard menu. Online provider use remains controlled by the action's source and Online Actions setting.
Change a URL action’s destination
In ActionClip 2.3.2 or later, open an installed URL action’s settings and edit its URL template. For example, change an Amazon search action’s regional domain while keeping its existing search path and selected-text placeholder. Save, then run it on a short selection to check the destination.
Keep the placeholder used by the original action so your selected text still reaches the search. Editing a URL template preserves the action’s identity and group placement.
Find action and group settings
Settings begin with Name, followed by Display where available, then the action-specific options or group actions.
Choose where new actions appear
After saving a new custom action, choose Top or Bottom for widget placement. Choose either option; you can change the position later on the Actions page.
For an AI Prompt action, both the creator/editor and its gear settings offer an AI provider and model from your connected providers. Settings defaults are inherited unless you choose action-specific values.
Ask for instructions each time
In Custom Actions → Create new, choose AI Prompt. Under Prompt mode, choose Ask each time. Add a Default instruction (optional) if you want a starting suggestion, then choose your provider and save.
Running the action opens the compact instruction input on the selected text. Review or change the instruction and send it. Choose Saved prompt instead when the same instruction should run immediately each time.
Create your own keyboard actions
Open Custom Actions → Create new, choose Press Shortcut as the type, and give it a name such as “Add link.” Record ⌘K under Keys to press and save.
Select text in an editor, then run your action. ActionClip sends the recorded keys to that source app. It does not insert a prompt, copy the selection or paste text. The shortcut’s effect depends on the app: ⌘K might open a link dialog in an editor or a command menu elsewhere.
Create several actions with different names and shortcuts. Each keeps its own recorded combination and can be grouped, duplicated or shared. A recorded shortcut needs a non-modifier key with Command, Control or Option. This is distinct from assigning a global shortcut to run an ActionClip action.
Keep script input separate from code
Command, AppleScript and JavaScript editors preserve straight quotes and double hyphens. A Command action receives the selected text on standard input; small selections are also available as ACTIONCLIP_SELECTED_TEXT. Treat that input as data rather than inserting it into executable code.
To run Python, create a Command action that launches an installed Python interpreter. Read the selection with sys.stdin.read(). Python is not a separate built-in action type, and ActionClip does not install Python for you.