Overview
Every repetitive task you do on your Mac is time you could spend on meaningful work. Keyboard Maestro is the most powerful automation tool for macOS—capable of everything from simple text expansion to complex, multi-step workflows that span multiple applications. This course teaches you to build automations that eliminate busywork and streamline your daily routines.
You’ll learn to create macros triggered by hotkeys, time, application events, or custom conditions. You’ll work with variables, conditionals, and loops to build sophisticated workflows. And you’ll leave with a library of practical automations you can use immediately—plus the skills to create new ones whenever you spot an opportunity.
Format: 1 Day | VILT or On-Site
Who Should Attend
- Creative professionals looking to automate repetitive production tasks
- Knowledge workers managing email, files, and data entry
- Power users who want more control over their Mac workflows
- Anyone tired of doing the same manual tasks over and over
What You’ll Learn
- Build macros triggered by hotkeys, typed strings, or application events
- Automate text expansion, clipboard management, and data entry
- Control applications, windows, and system settings programmatically
- Use variables, conditionals, and loops for dynamic workflows
- Create practical automations for file management, communication, and creative work
- Integrate Keyboard Maestro with other tools like Hazel, AppleScript, and shell scripts
Course Outline
Module 1: Keyboard Maestro Fundamentals
- Understanding macros, macro groups, and the Keyboard Maestro architecture
- The macro editor: actions, triggers, and execution flow
- Creating your first macros: hotkeys, typed string triggers, and application launchers
- Organizing macros with groups and enabling/disabling based on context
Module 2: Triggers and Conditions
- Trigger types: hotkey, typed string, time-based, application, and system events
- Conditional triggers: running macros only when specific conditions are met
- Conflict resolution: managing overlapping triggers and priorities
- Palettes and status menus for on-demand macro access
Module 3: Working with Text and Clipboard
- Text expansion: snippets, templates, and fill-in forms
- Clipboard history and named clipboards for multi-item workflows
- Search and replace, text transformation, and formatting automation
- Building templates with placeholders, dates, and calculated values
Module 4: Variables, Conditionals, and Loops
- Variables: storing, manipulating, and reusing data within macros
- Conditionals: if/then logic for dynamic macro behavior
- Loops: repeating actions, processing lists, and batch operations
- User input: prompts, dialogs, and interactive macro flows
Module 5: Application and System Control
- Controlling windows: resizing, positioning, and managing multiple displays
- Application scripting: clicking buttons, selecting menus, and navigating interfaces
- File and folder actions: creating, moving, renaming, and organizing
- System control: volume, display settings, network, and power management
Module 6: Integration and Advanced Techniques
- Running shell scripts and command-line tools from Keyboard Maestro
- AppleScript integration for application-specific automation
- Working with Hazel for automated file organization
- Web automation: opening URLs, filling forms, and scraping data
Prerequisites & Technical Requirements
- Comfortable working with macOS (file management, system preferences, basic navigation)
- Keyboard Maestro installed (latest version; free trial available)
Customization Options
This course can be tailored to your profession or workflow—creative production, administrative tasks, development workflows, or research and data management. We’ll identify your most time-consuming repetitive tasks and build automations that address your specific pain points during class.