Global keyboard shortcut for application in the background

Hi everyone,


I want to create a global shortcut for a menu item of app XY. This should be executed even when the app does not have the focus and is in the background. I can create the needed shortcut in Keyboard Preferences, but it only works when the app is active (has the focus).


What’s the most elegant way to achieve this, preferably without 3rd party tools?

Posted on Aug 27, 2025 10:03 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 27, 2025 10:27 AM

Björn Herrmann wrote:

Hi everyone,

I want to create a global shortcut for a menu item of app XY. This should be executed even when the app does not have the focus and is in the background. I can create the needed shortcut in Keyboard Preferences, but it only works when the app is active (has the focus).

What’s the most elegant way to achieve this, preferably without 3rd party tools?


Most elegant way is already built in to the macOS...


Command Tab presents the HUD (heads up display) you can simple use your mouse to select the app, or tab your way forward or tilde your way back (all the time holding the Command key down). You can also quite an app here, again holding the Command key down + the Q

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 27, 2025 10:27 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

Björn Herrmann wrote:

Hi everyone,

I want to create a global shortcut for a menu item of app XY. This should be executed even when the app does not have the focus and is in the background. I can create the needed shortcut in Keyboard Preferences, but it only works when the app is active (has the focus).

What’s the most elegant way to achieve this, preferably without 3rd party tools?


Most elegant way is already built in to the macOS...


Command Tab presents the HUD (heads up display) you can simple use your mouse to select the app, or tab your way forward or tilde your way back (all the time holding the Command key down). You can also quite an app here, again holding the Command key down + the Q

Aug 27, 2025 12:12 PM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks, but - I don’t want to sound rude - I know all that, but that’s not what I was asking for. Maybe I should explain the current problem properly: I use a SIP phone app which has dedicated menu item shortcuts to answer/end calls. They work fine as long as this app is in the front. Usually I work in other apps when a call comes in. Of course I could cmd+tab to it and then hit the app’s shortcut combo, but I would love to do this without switching to this app first.


I could automate this via AppleScript to first switch to the app, answer the call and then switch back to the app I was currently in, but I would love a more elegant solution which I could ideally bind to an as of yet unused function key.

Global keyboard shortcut for application in the background

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