macOS Document Summarizer: One-Click Summaries
Streamlining Text on macOS: A Guide to Document Summarization
Do you find yourself dealing with excessively detailed or lengthy texts? Perhaps you know someone whose writing tends to be overly verbose and rambling? macOS offers a built-in feature for concisely summarizing long documents, saving both time and effort.
Beyond simply grasping the core ideas of an article without exhaustive reading, summarization aids in efficient file management. Alternatively, if you are an author, a generated summary can serve as a foundation for crafting an abstract for publication.
How Summarization Works
This functionality is versatile, applicable to any text-based content, including webpages. If you encounter an article you wish to share, you can quickly condense several introductory paragraphs into a succinct summary of a few sentences.
Let's explore the process of enabling and utilizing this feature. The summarization service typically requires activation before initial use.
Begin by opening the application menu and navigating to Services > Services Preferences. This can be accessed from the menu of any application, including Finder.
This action will direct you to the Shortcuts tab within the Keyboard preferences. Ensure that "Services shortcuts" is selected from the left-hand pane. Then, scroll through the right-hand pane until you locate "Text services."
Check the box adjacent to "Summarize." You can also assign a custom keyboard shortcut by clicking in the designated area to the right of the option.
Using the Summarization Feature
With "Summarize" enabled, you can activate it by selecting text within your document and then accessing the Services menu once more. Select "Summarize" from the menu to initiate the process. This action requires only a single click, or the use of your assigned keyboard shortcut.
Executing the Summarize service will open a new window. Within this window, you can choose to summarize by sentences or paragraphs. Utilize the slider on the right side to adjust the desired length of your summary.
From this point, you have the option to select and copy the summarized text, or to save it as a separate text file.
Finalizing and Utilizing Your Summary
After saving or copying your summary, you can utilize it as needed. For instance, you could incorporate it into file comments. However, be mindful that macOS comments have a character limit of 749 characters; you may need to edit your summary accordingly.
Once created, the summary can be opened as a separate document for further refinement. This allows you to emphasize key points and ensure the summary effectively conveys the essence of the original text. While macOS provides a helpful starting point, a user-edited paragraph often achieves a more natural and coherent flow.