To make an Automator Quick Action available from Finder, create a Quick Action workflow that receives files, save it, then check Finder’s enabled Quick Actions if it remains hidden. You can run it from a selected file’s Quick Actions menu or, for workflows that accept Finder’s current selection, from the Services menu. The key setting is the workflow’s input type: Automator Quick Actions that do not receive files won’t appear in Finder. Apple’s Automator guide

Create a Quick Action that accepts Finder files

  1. Open Automator and choose File > New.
  2. Select Quick Action, then choose Choose.
  3. At the top of the workflow, set Workflow receives current to files or folders (the exact wording can vary by macOS version). Set the receiving application to Finder if you want the action tied to Finder; choose any application if you also intend to use it elsewhere and the option is available.
  4. Add the Automator actions that should process the selected files or folders.
  5. Choose File > Save and give the action a clear name.

Automator describes the “Workflow receives current” control as the input type. Its guide specifically says Finder windows only show Quick Actions that receive files as input; choosing Automatic lets Automator infer an input type, so selecting files or folders explicitly is a useful way to avoid an incompatible setup. A Quick Action is one of Automator’s workflow types, unlike a standard Workflow that runs inside Automator or an Application workflow that runs when opened or given dropped files. Create a workflow in Automator on Mac

Find the saved action in Finder

Select a file in Finder and Control-click it, then open Quick Actions. Depending on your macOS version and Finder view, you may also see Quick Action controls in the Finder window’s action menu or Preview pane. Apple notes that the available actions depend on file type and enabled Finder extensions, so test with a file type your workflow is configured to receive. Perform quick actions in the Finder on Mac

To use the Services route, select a compatible file or folder, then open the app menu Finder > Services and look for the action. A workflow receiving text, a URL, or another kind of input may appear in a context where that input is available, but it will not be listed in Finder windows unless its input includes files. This explains why an action can seem to exist in Automator yet be missing from Finder.

If the Quick Action is still missing

First revisit the workflow header in Automator. Confirm that it is a Quick Action, that Workflow receives current includes files or folders, and that the selected application scope matches where you are trying to use it. Save any changes, then check Finder again with an appropriate selected item.

Next inspect Finder’s extension controls. On macOS versions whose settings use the current layout, open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Extensions > Finder. Turn on the Quick Action you want in Finder and close the settings pane. Apple says all Quick Action workflows appear by default, but also documents this screen for choosing which ones appear in Finder. Labels and available controls can vary across macOS releases; use the Finder section under Extensions rather than assuming a separate Services reset command exists. Use Quick Action workflows on Mac

If it does not appear in a file’s Quick Actions submenu, check the Finder Extensions setting and test a file type the workflow accepts. If it is absent specifically from Services, confirm that Finder has a selected item that matches its input and that the workflow is scoped to Finder or an appropriate application. If the workflow’s input is text, URLs, or another non-file type, that is an input mismatch for Finder’s file Quick Actions—not proof the saved workflow was deleted.

Run the action and check its scope

After it appears, select a matching file or folder and invoke the action from Quick Actions or Finder > Services. If the workflow uses an application-specific setting, Apple notes that each selected application must be open for the workflow to be available. Keep the test small if the workflow modifies files: the workflow’s actions determine whether it changes selected items or produces separate output, so inspect those actions before running it on a large selection. Use Quick Action workflows on Mac

The practical check is simple: a saved Automator Quick Action, a file-compatible input, and Finder’s enabled extension entry should line up. If those conditions are met but the action remains absent, Apple’s documented controls do not provide a universal “rebuild Services” command; verify the workflow’s input and target context before trying unsupported Terminal fixes.

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