# What Is ~/Library/Services on Mac?

> ~/Library/Services stores Quick Actions and services, mostly Automator .workflow files, that appear in the Services and right-click menus.

- Updated: 2026-10-10
- URL: https://fresh.ist/library/services/

**TL;DR:** ~/Library/Services holds the services and Quick Actions you or your apps installed, usually Automator workflows ending in .workflow. They appear in an app's Services menu, Finder's Quick Actions and the Touch Bar. Removing one only takes it out of those menus; if you made it yourself in Automator, though, deleting the file deletes your work.

## Definition

- Full path: `~/Library/Services`
- Scope: user (inside your home folder)
- Freshist checks this folder when uninstalling an app. When you uninstall an app, Freshist looks here for items that belong to it. Matches on the app's bundle ID can be pre-selected; name-only guesses are labeled “not sure” and never pre-selected. Removed items go to the Trash, so you can undo.

## Services and Quick Actions

macOS **services** let one app offer a command to others: select some text and send it to a notes app, resize a batch of images from Finder, or open a folder in a terminal. They show up in the **Services** submenu of the app menu, in Finder's right-click **Quick Actions** menu and the Preview pane, and on the Touch Bar of Macs that have one.

Most services in `~/Library/Services` are **Automator workflows** saved as the Quick Action type (called Service in older versions of Automator). Each one is a `.workflow` bundle. Some apps also install their own `.service` bundles or workflows here so their commands appear system-wide. Apps that provide services from inside their own bundle don't need this folder at all.

## Why the folder matters

| Item | Where it came from | What deleting it loses |
|---|---|---|
| `.workflow` you built in Automator | You | Your workflow, unless you have a copy |
| `.workflow` an app installed | An installer | Only that menu entry |
| `.service` bundle | Third-party software | Only that menu entry |

These files are tiny, so this isn't a space problem. The reasons to look here are clutter in the Services menu, entries for apps you've removed that no longer work, and keyboard shortcuts that collide with other apps.

## See what's there

Open **System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts…** and choose **Services**. Every service is listed by category, with a checkbox and an optional shortcut. To see the files:

```
ls -la ~/Library/Services
du -sh ~/Library/Services
```

To check what a workflow does before removing it, open it in Automator. It shows the actions in order without running them.

## Removing or disabling a service

To hide a service but keep it, deselect it in the Keyboard Shortcuts list above.

To remove it:

1. Quit any app that's using it.
2. In Finder, choose **Go → Go to Folder…** and enter `~/Library/Services`.
3. Move the `.workflow` or `.service` bundle to the Trash.
4. The entry usually leaves the Services menu right away. If it doesn't, log out and back in.

If you built the workflow yourself, consider copying it somewhere safe first. Unlike most of the Library folder, this is content you created, and nothing rebuilds it.

## When you uninstall an app

An app that added its own workflow here doesn't remove it when you drag the app to the Trash. The leftover entry stays in your Services menu and fails when you choose it. Remove its file here, and check its [Preferences](/library/preferences/) and [Application Support](/library/application-support/) leftovers while you're at it. The scripts some sandboxed apps install for automation live in a different place, covered in the [Application Scripts guide](/library/application-scripts/).

A shared `/Library/Services` folder exists for services installed for every account; changing it requires an administrator password.

## Sources

- [Use services in apps on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-services-in-apps-mchlp1012/mac) (Apple Support)
- [Automator User Guide for Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/automator/welcome/mac) (Apple Support)
- [Services Implementation Guide](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/SysServices/introduction.html) (Apple Developer Documentation Archive)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I turn a service off without deleting it?

Yes. Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Services and deselect it. The file stays in place and the entry disappears from menus.

### Are Shortcuts app shortcuts stored here?

No. Shortcuts keeps its library in its own database, and you manage those in the Shortcuts app. Only Automator workflows and installed service bundles live in this folder.

### How do I edit an existing Quick Action?

Double-click the .workflow file, or open it from Automator. Your changes are saved back into the same file in ~/Library/Services.

---

Canonical page: https://fresh.ist/library/services/
Official site: https://fresh.ist/ (fresh.ist only)
Generated: 2026-10-10