Workflow Automation - ShareX Feature for Windows

Workflow Automation

ShareX's workflow system is what sets it apart from simple screenshot tools. It allows you to chain together multiple actions that execute automatically after each capture or upload, turning repetitive tasks into one-click operations.

How Workflows Work

A workflow in ShareX consists of a sequence of tasks that run in order after a capture event:

1. Capture — A screenshot or recording is taken
2. After Capture Tasks — Actions that run immediately after capture (e.g., open editor, copy to clipboard)
3. Upload — The file is uploaded to your configured destination
4. After Upload Tasks — Actions that run after a successful upload (e.g., shorten URL, share to social media)

After Capture Tasks

These tasks execute immediately after taking a screenshot or recording:

Task	Description
Show Image Editor	Open the screenshot in the built-in editor for annotation
Copy to Clipboard	Copy the image to the system clipboard
Save to File	Save the image locally with custom naming patterns
Upload to Host	Upload the file to your primary destination
Recognize Text (OCR)	Extract text from the image using OCR
Add Image Effects	Apply watermark, shadow, border, or other effects
Run Actions	Execute external programs or scripts

After Upload Tasks

Once a file is uploaded, additional tasks can run:

Task	Description
Copy URL to Clipboard	Copy the uploaded file's URL for instant sharing
Shorten URL	Use a URL shortener service (built-in or custom)
Share URL	Open social media sharing dialogs
Open URL	Open the uploaded file in your browser
Run Actions	Execute scripts with the upload URL as a parameter

Custom Actions

For advanced users, ShareX supports running external programs and scripts:

• Pass capture information (file path, URL, etc.) as arguments to scripts
• Execute PowerShell, batch files, or any executable
• Chain multiple actions together
• Use variables like %filepath% and %url% in command arguments

Task Settings Profiles

ShareX supports multiple configuration profiles:

• Create separate profiles for different workflows (work, personal, streaming)
• Each profile can have its own destinations, hotkeys, and task settings
• Switch between profiles with a single click

Example Workflows

Tutorial Creator Workflow:

1. Region capture → 2. Open in editor → 3. Annotate → 4. Save locally + upload → 5. Copy URL

Quick Bug Report:

1. Active window capture → 2. Add shadow effect → 3. Upload to Imgur → 4. Shorten URL → 5. Copy to clipboard

Document Archival:

1. Scrolling capture → 2. Save as PDF → 3. OCR text extraction → 4. Save both image and text

Hotkey Integration

Every capture type can have its own hotkey and its own set of after-capture and after-upload tasks. This means Ctrl + Print Screen could do a full-screen capture with upload, while Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen could do a region capture with editor opening — all configurable independently.