What Quick Actions do

Finder Quick Actions run common tasks on selected files without first opening a separate app. You can rotate a photo, mark up a supported image or document, or create a PDF from several selected files. The menu depends on the selected file type and enabled Finder extensions.

Rotate one photo and check it

Select a photo in Finder, Control-click it, and choose Quick Actions > Rotate Left. To rotate right, hold Option while opening the menu and choose Rotate Right. Rotation may change the selected image itself, so make a copy first if the original must remain untouched. When the action finishes, press Space to preview the photo and check its orientation; you can also inspect its modified date in Finder.

Mark up a file or create a PDF

For a supported image or document, choose Quick Actions > Markup. Quick Look opens with markup tools. After adding notes, check whether the file was saved and whether the original changed. To combine several images or documents, select them together and choose Quick Actions > More > Create PDF. Open the resulting PDF and check its page count and order, including the first and last pages. Confirm the selection count and sorting order before running the action.

Tell the result from the original

Some actions modify a file; others create a new output. Before starting, note the original filename and modified date. Afterwards, look for a new file and compare the original preview. Use a copy or a separate output folder when preserving the source matters. Quick Actions do not replace the detailed controls of a dedicated editor.

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