ActionClip supports a complete keyboard workflow. You can decide whether keyboard selection opens the widget automatically, enter navigation with a double-modifier shortcut, or bypass the widget with a shortcut assigned to one action.

Choose when the widget opens

  1. Open ActionClip → Settings.
  2. Find Widget Opening.
  3. Set Mouse selection and Keyboard selection independently to Auto, Shortcut only, or Disable.

Keyboard selection includes Shift-arrow selection and Select All. Auto opens the widget after that selection. Shortcut only waits until you use the Keyboard navigation shortcut.

Start keyboard navigation

In Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts, configure Show widget shortcut with double/triple modifier presses or a two-/three-key combination. Use it while text is selected to enter keyboard navigation. Reopen last result has a separate shortcut. Conflicting shortcuts are rejected.

  • Left/Right: move across the main widget and wrap at the ends.
  • Down: enter the highlighted group or More menu.
  • Up: move to the previous menu row; from the first row, return to the parent chip.
  • Return: run the highlighted action.
  • Escape: close the current keyboard surface.

Highlighting a group opens its menu immediately. While you are inside a group, Left or Right leaves the group and moves to the neighboring main-widget action. Moving away closes the previous group.

Highlighting More opens it and focuses the search field. Start typing to filter all enabled actions, including actions already visible in the main widget and actions inside groups. Use Up and Down to choose a result and Return to run it. Left or Right leaves More and returns to the neighboring main-widget chip.

Run an action directly

  1. Open Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts.
  2. Enable Individual action shortcuts and choose Configure….
  3. Search for an enabled action and record a shortcut with one to four modifiers and a non-modifier key.

These shortcuts work globally on the current text selection. They are useful for actions you run frequently without opening the widget.

Troubleshooting

  • The widget opens but nothing is highlighted: double-press the configured Keyboard navigation modifier.
  • A shortcut does not run: confirm the action is enabled and resolve any conflict shown beside it.
  • Typing closes the widget: enter More first; its search field accepts normal typing. Other typing is forwarded to the source app.
  • The wrong modifier is used: return to Widget Opening and choose a different modifier for Keyboard navigation.

Search without opening the full widget

In ActionClip 2.3.1, select text and press Control–Option–K (⌃⌥K). Type immediately, use arrow keys to choose a result, and Return to run it. Configure Search actions shortcut under Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts. Action search guide.

Use Hyperkey combinations

Shortcuts can include one to four modifiers and a non-modifier key. A Hyperkey remapper can map a key such as Caps Lock to Control–Option–Shift–Command. ActionClip does not perform that remapping itself.

  1. Configure the four-modifier mapping in your remapper.
  2. Open Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts, then record the remapped key together with a letter, for example Hyper+A.
  3. For a direct action, enable Individual action shortcuts and choose Configure…. Avoid duplicate combinations.

In More, type normally to search, use arrows to choose a result and Return to run it. Search retains the full query as you type.

Copy or replace a popup result with the keyboard

Open Settings → Result Popup and enable Copy and Replace shortcuts. Use ⇧⌘C to copy the result and ⇧⌘Return to replace the original selection. The buttons display the shortcuts when enabled.

These commands act on the visible popup; you do not need to select its answer text. Replace is available only when the original selection can be edited. In Translate & Reply, Copy transfers the translated reply. These shortcuts are separate from ⌘C for copying selected text and from shortcuts that run actions.

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.

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