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AI Custom Actions

AI Custom Actions let you create reusable AI-powered actions for the articles you save in GoodLinks. Instead of writing the same request each time, define an action once and run it from an article’s action menu whenever you need it.

An action can summarize or explain an article, work with selected text and saved highlights, organize the article, generate an image, and more. GoodLinks automatically provides the article content as context, and the AI model can use supported tools when the task requires them.

Requirements

AI Custom Actions require:

  • GoodLinks 4.0 or later.
  • iOS 27 or macOS 27.
  • Access to Private Cloud Compute or a configured fallback AI provider.

AI Custom Actions run on one article at a time. They are not available for multiple selected links or links in Trash.

How AI Custom Actions Work

When you run an action, GoodLinks sends its prompt and the article content to the AI model. The model returns a response and can use GoodLinks tools to retrieve more information or complete the requested task.

For example, tools allow the model to:

  • Get link metadata, article content, selected text, and highlights.
  • Get the tags in your GoodLinks library.
  • Save links or update the current article’s metadata.
  • Export highlights using your configured format.
  • Open a web or app URL after completing the task.
  • Perform calculations and data transformations with JavaScript.
  • Generate an image when Image Generation is configured.

You can see the current list by selecting View supported tools… while editing an AI action.

Some tools can change your GoodLinks library or open another app or website. Make the intended behavior clear in the prompt, especially when an action should update an article or close automatically.

Private Cloud Compute

Private Cloud Compute is Apple’s system for processing demanding AI requests with larger models running on Apple silicon servers. Only the information needed for the request is sent. Apple states that this information is used only to produce the response, is not stored, and is not accessible to Apple. This allows GoodLinks to process larger articles while retaining Apple’s privacy protections.

GoodLinks uses Private Cloud Compute first when it is available. If it is unavailable or its usage limit has been reached, GoodLinks uses the fallback model selected in Settings > AI > Custom Actions.

For more information, see Apple’s Private Cloud Compute Security Guide.

Configure AI Custom Actions

Open Settings > AI, then find the Custom Actions section.

  1. Select a fallback provider: OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google.
  2. Enter the provider’s API key if it has not already been configured.
  3. Select the model that GoodLinks should use when Private Cloud Compute is unavailable.

Requests handled by a third-party provider are subject to that provider’s privacy policy, usage limits, and pricing.

Configure Image Generation

To let actions create images, use the Image Generation section in Settings > AI:

  1. Select OpenAI or Google as the image provider.
  2. Configure its API key if needed.
  3. Select an image-generation model.

Image Generation is configured separately from the model that runs the action. An action can therefore use one provider to understand the article and another to generate its image.

Create an Action

  1. Open Settings > Custom Actions.
  2. Select the Add button, then choose AI.
  3. Enter a descriptive name.
  4. Write the prompt that should run whenever you select the action.
  5. Choose whether the action is available on iOS, macOS, or both.
  6. Optionally choose a color and icon, then save the action.

Custom Actions sync through iCloud. The Available On setting controls where each action appears.

Run an Action

Open an article, then choose your custom action from the article’s More menu. You can also run it from the context menu for a single link.

GoodLinks opens the action in a sheet and displays the response as it is generated. The response can include formatted text and generated images. If the prompt asks the model to update the article, save another link, open a URL, or close the action, the corresponding tool performs that work in GoodLinks.

Example Actions

Summarize an Article

Summarize this article in five concise bullet points. Finish with one sentence explaining who would benefit most from reading it.

Translate to German

Translate this article into German.

Explain Selected Text

Explain the selected passage. Include a short example if it helps clarify the idea.

Run this action from the article view after selecting the passage you want to understand.

Review Highlights and Notes

Review this article's saved highlights and highlight notes. Group them by theme, identify any conflicting ideas, and finish with three key takeaways.

Organize an Article

Add one to three relevant tags to this article, preferring tags already in my GoodLinks library. After successfully updating the article, close this action automatically.

This action changes the article’s metadata and closes its result sheet after the update succeeds.

List URLs in the Article

Use the JavaScript tool to find all URLs in this article's Markdown content. List each unique URL once, in the order it appears.

Generate an Infographic

Create a vibrant infographic inspired by this article, use 1:1 aspect ratio.

This action requires an image provider and model under Settings > AI > Image Generation.

Write Better Prompts

  • Describe the result you want and how it should be formatted.
  • Add useful constraints, such as the number of bullets, tone, language, or tag count.
  • When a task requires calculations or data transformations, explicitly ask the model to use the JavaScript tool.
  • State whether the action should only make suggestions or update the article.
  • Refer to “the selected passage” when the action should work with selected text.
  • Tell the action when to close automatically after completing a task.

Troubleshooting

The action does not appear

Confirm that:

  • You are running iOS 27 or macOS 27.
  • The action’s Available On setting includes the current platform.
  • Private Cloud Compute is available or a fallback provider and model are configured.
  • You are working with a single link that is not in Trash.

The action cannot read the article

The article must have readable text. Open or download the article in GoodLinks, then try again.

The fallback provider returns an error

Check the provider’s API key, selected model, account status, usage limit, and network connection in Settings > AI.

The action does not generate an image

Select and configure an image provider and model under Settings > AI > Image Generation. The image-generation configuration is separate from the Custom Actions fallback model.