Create, edit, and apply a preset

Start with a new preset

A preset saves tagging settings, not a list of files. You choose the files each time you use it.

For your first preset, use a small set of disposable files and an add-tag action. Wait for any running operation to finish before changing the setup.

1. Choose View > Standard to show the sidebar and inspector.
2. If a countdown is active, choose Manually in the execution timing menu beside Apply before continuing.
3. Click New Preset at the bottom of the sidebar.
4. Find the selected New Preset under Categories > Uncategorized. Expand those sections if necessary.
5. Double-click the preset name, type a descriptive name, and press Return.
6. Choose Manually in the execution timing menu while this new preset is selected.

The window title now includes the preset name. New Preset creates a fresh setup; it does not copy the settings you were using before.

Choose the tags and action

1. Choose View > Inspector > Tags.
2. Under Selected Tags, click Enter or search tags... and type a tag name.
3. Click an existing match. To create a new name with no matching suggestion, press Return.
4. Check the names shown under Selected Tags and remove unwanted names using their × buttons.
5. Under Controls, choose how the preset changes file tags.

Add, remove-selected, and replace actions need at least one selected tag. Remove All Tags does not.

For examples and the detailed effects of each operation, see Add, remove, and replace tags.

Add conditions when needed

Choose View > Inspector > Filters. Set only the conditions this preset needs.

For example, set File Filter to is > PDF when the preset should affect only PDFs. The detailed controls are covered in Find and filter files.

The filename search above the workspace is separate from the preset's File Name Filter. It also narrows the current target files, but it is not saved as that preset's filename condition.

Apply the preset

1. Click the preset in the sidebar and wait for the workspace to finish updating.
2. Choose Manually in its execution timing menu. This choice is saved with the preset.
3. Add the files you want to work with, or review the files already in the workspace.
4. Check the active search and filters. In List View, select the files to change. Hold Command (⌘) while clicking to select several.
5. Check the selected preset, prepared tags, action, and highlighted files.
6. Click Apply, the play-triangle button in the toolbar.
7. Wait for completion and inspect the tags shown with the files.

A preset with automatic timing may run when you add files or invoke its favorite command. For those triggers, see Choose when presets and workflows run.

Edit a saved preset

Select the preset in the sidebar before changing its tags, action, or filters. Those edits save as you make them; there is no separate Save Preset step. Its execution timing and List/Grid view choice are also saved.

To rename it, double-click its sidebar name, enter the new name, and press Return. To change its icon, click the icon beside its name and choose another symbol.

Apply runs the current setup on files. It is not the button that saves the preset.

Make a one-off change without editing the preset

1. Choose Actions > Clear Selected Preset. Despite its name, this command also clears a selected workflow.
2. Check that the window title no longer includes a preset or workflow name.
3. Choose Manually, then enter the tags, action, and filters for this one-off task.
4. Review the current files and apply the change.

Clearing the selection does not delete the saved item. It resets the prepared preset settings rather than making a temporary copy, so enter the settings you need again. Also check the workspace filename search, which is separate.

When the preset does not work as expected