Combine actions into one routine

What a routine does

A routine is a button that runs several actions in order. Open an app, wait, send a shortcut, play a sound: each step runs after the previous one, and the routine stops if a step fails, without leaving the rest half done.

Routines are part of Pro and use the same actions as a normal button: open, command, shortcut, wait, sound, OBS or profile switch. The limit is 12 steps per routine, and each step shows only the fields it needs. Presets and manual steps use the same list.

Before you start

Prepare these items so you do not leave the routine half built:

• CYPAD installed from the Microsoft Store, with Pro active in Settings → Account → License.
• The apps or files you want to open, with their path or URL.
• The keyboard shortcuts you plan to send, tested in the target app.
• The sounds you want to play, already imported in the library.

Step 1: create the button

Open New → Button, give it a name and pick Routine as the action. You will find it in the Advanced automation group, next to commands and HTTP requests, with a description that sums up its job: chaining several actions into one button.

Choose how it fires as well: a normal click, press and hold, or press and release for push-to-talk. A clear name and icon keep it recognisable on the deck when you have several similar routines sitting side by side. The trigger you pick is stored with the button.

Step 2: add the steps

In Routine steps, press Add step and choose the type from the list: open a website, open an app or file, run a command, keyboard shortcut, wait, play a sound, OBS, switch profile and more. Each step shows only the fields it needs, so there is nothing extra to fill in.

Repeat the process until the sequence is complete. The add button is disabled at 12 steps, and you can delete any step with the bin icon next to it; the rest of the routine keeps its order. That way you adjust the chain without losing the work already done.

Step 3: test and save

Use the test control before saving: running the routine is the only way to check whether the waits are long enough and whether the target app accepts the shortcuts, especially when the previous step opens a new window. Waits are the first thing to tune after a failed run.

If the configuration is incomplete, Save stays disabled. Once saved, the routine runs from the deck, from its global hotkey or from the button on your phone, and the rest of the profile keeps working as usual. The trigger mode you chose stays with the button.

Patterns you can copy

These examples already exist as presets or take two minutes to build:

• Focus mode: mute the volume and lower the brightness.
• Web dev: run npm run dev in PowerShell and open http://localhost:5173.
• Angular: run ng serve and open http://localhost:4200.
• Meeting: open your calendar, mute the volume and switch to the calls profile.

If something does not work

When a command fails, a hidden command reports the error and a visible terminal keeps the output on screen. If the routine stops halfway, review the failing step: the routine does not continue with the rest of the sequence, so the problem is right there.

Shortcuts are the other usual suspect: the target app has to support the combination, and Windows does not send reserved sequences or inject input into elevated processes. Test the shortcut by hand first, and check the wait before it as well.