To make a Mac shortcut handle each selected Finder file separately, set it up as a Quick Action that accepts files, then place the file-processing actions inside Repeat with Each. The loop supplies one selected file at a time as Repeat Item. This works for a batch of compatible files when the actions inside the loop use that current item as their input.

Set the shortcut to receive Finder files

Open Shortcuts on your Mac and create a shortcut. Give it a clear name, such as “Process Selected Files.” Open the shortcut’s Details, choose Use as Quick Action, and make sure Finder is selected as an allowed app if that option appears. Apple notes that if Finder cannot be selected, the shortcut may need Files or Folders enabled in its allowed input. The Quick Action setting makes the shortcut available from Finder; it does not itself make the actions repeat. Apple’s guide to running a shortcut while working on a Mac

If the shortcut’s input action offers content-type controls, allow file input and turn off types the workflow does not need. Apple explains that these controls determine which content types a shortcut accepts and where it appears. Exact labels and options can vary with macOS version and context, so use the input action shown in your shortcut rather than assuming a particular toggle layout. Apple’s guide to limiting shortcut input

Put the file actions inside Repeat with Each

Add a Repeat with Each action to the shortcut. Place every action that should run once per file between the Repeat with Each and End Repeat markers. The loop should receive the selected-file input list. In the first action inside the loop, choose Repeat Item as the file input, and use that same variable wherever a later action needs the current file. Apple documents that Repeat with Each processes every item in its input list, one by one, and that Repeat Item updates to the item for the current iteration. Apple’s guide to Repeat actions on Mac

The key structure is: selected files enter the shortcut; Repeat with Each iterates over those files; the actions inside the loop process Repeat Item; then the loop ends. For example, if a suitable action accepts a file and produces a renamed or converted result, put that action inside the loop and pass Repeat Item to its file input. The specific action and its options depend on the task and the file type—there is no universal “process file” action that performs an unspecified operation.

Do not put the processing action after End Repeat if it needs to run separately for each selected file. Outside the loop, the action receives the loop’s collected output as a whole, which may be a list. Apple describes the outputs from each iteration being gathered and passed onward after the loop. Apple’s guide to Repeat actions on Mac

Run the shortcut on a Finder selection

In Finder, select the files you want processed. Control-click the selection and choose Quick Actions, then choose the shortcut’s name. Apple’s documented Finder flow is to control-click an item and choose Quick Actions; the shortcut also appears in the Preview pane’s Quick Actions menu when available. If it is missing, confirm that the shortcut is enabled as a Quick Action and that Finder is enabled under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Extensions > Finder. The available menu depends on the file type and enabled extensions. Apple’s guide to running a shortcut while working on a Mac, Apple’s Finder Quick Actions guide

Check the input and results before a large batch

First try the shortcut with a small selection of representative files. Confirm that the action inside the loop is actually using Repeat Item, and inspect the results after the loop. Apple recommends adding Quick Look after End Repeat to preview the loop’s output while learning how Repeat actions behave. If the output is a collection of results, that preview helps you distinguish the per-file results from a single combined result. Apple’s guide to Repeat actions on Mac

If Finder does not offer the shortcut, check the Quick Action setting and allowed input types. If the shortcut runs but only the first file is acted on, inspect whether Repeat with Each receives the full selection and whether the file action inside the loop uses Repeat Item rather than the original input list. Also check that your selected files match the action’s supported input; Apple notes shortcuts can be hidden when an app cannot pass suitable content to them. Apple’s guide to running a shortcut while working on a Mac

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