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Add FileMerge to Finder's Quick Actions Menu on macOS

Prerequisites​

This guide assumes you have already installed Xcode.

What to do​

To add FileMerge to the macOS Finder Quick Actions menu, create an Automator Quick Action (formerly known as a Service) that opens selected files with FileMerge.

Steps to add FileMerge to Finder Quick Actions:

  • Open Automator: Launch the Automator application from your Applications folder.
  • Create a new Quick Action:
    • Choose File > New or click New Document.
    • Select Quick Action and click Choose.
  • Configure the Quick Action:
    • Set "Workflow receives current" to files or folders in Finder. (reference)
    • Set "Application" to Finder.
  • Add the "Open Finder Items" action:
    • In the Actions library (left sidebar), search for "Open Finder Items".
    • Drag and drop the "Open Finder Items" action into the workflow area on the right.
  • Specify FileMerge as the opening application:
    • In the "Open Finder Items" action, click the "Open with" dropdown menu.
    • Select Other....
    • Navigate to your Xcode application bundle (typically /Applications/Xcode.app).
    • Right-click (or Control-click) on Xcode.app and choose Show Package Contents.
    • Navigate to Contents/Applications/.
    • Select FileMerge.app and click Add.
  • Save the Quick Action:
    • Choose File > Save.
    • Give your Quick Action a descriptive name, such as "Compare with FileMerge" or "Open in FileMerge".
    • Click Save.
  • Enable the Quick Action in System Settings:
    • Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
    • Click on Privacy & Security.
    • Scroll down and click on Extensions.
    • Click on Finder.
    • Ensure the checkbox next to your newly created "Compare with FileMerge" (or whatever you named it) Quick Action is enabled.

Now, when you select one or more files in Finder and right-click, your "Compare with FileMerge" Quick Action will appear in the Quick Actions submenu, allowing you to open the selected files with FileMerge.

Sources​