How to add custom keyboard shortcut for a nested menu item?

You can specify the shortcuts like Format->Indentation->Increase in 10.8 (thanks @JohanKaving), or >Format>Indentation>Increase in 10.7.

Another option would be to assign a shortcut to a script like this:

tell application "System Events" to tell process "Terminal" to click menu item "Pro" of menu "New Window" of menu item 1 of menu "Shell" of menu bar 1


There are two answers here, depending on exactly what your question is:

  • If what you want to do is just what your example states, try this:

    • Launch Terminal, and open its preferences ⌘,.
    • In the Settings preference pane, select Pro in the left-hand column.
    • At the very end of the left-hand column, click the Default button.

    At that point, you'll find that ⌘N now opens a new window in your preferred style, and ⌘T does the same for a new tab.

  • If your example was just an example, and it's some other app where you want to add a keyboard shortcut, you should be able to do it via System Preferences → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Application Shortcuts → +.

    As @Nano8Blazex said, you can usually just enter the name of a nested shortcut and it will work fine.