Last Updated on February 19, 2023 by Content Team
If you’re sick and tired of doing repetitive tasks on your computer and want to spend your time on more productive activities, I’ve got news for you.
You don’t have to perform the same tasks again and again. Because you can automate them using a macro tool.
Not sure what that is?
A macro tool records your mouse activity, scroll patterns, clicks, and keystrokes. It then allows you to automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, similar clicks, copy/paste files, form submission and even more complex activities like searching for images, scraping data from websites, and even performing system maintenance – see the end of this article for more uses.
It can save you dozens of hours every month and allow you to focus on the more important aspects of your business.
Here’s a list of some of the most popular macro tools that’ll completely change your work. Most of these tools use a ‘freemium model’ – you can use the tool with limited functionality.
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1. Macro Recorder
Best macro tool for gaming
Macro Recorder is an advanced but very user-friendly macro tool that can seamlessly automate everyday tasks and save you tons of time.
In terms of usability, MacroRecorder has several advantages over the other tools I’ve discussed so far.
For example, it can turn shaky mouse moves into nice curved or linear shapes. This is great for creating screencasts as it eliminates visual distractions. You also have the option to adjust playback speed for individual or all mouse movements.
MacroRecorder also makes editing pretty easy by combining the mouse moves between two clicks into a single mouse action.
It works for both Windows and Mac OS and can be downloaded for free. See end of article for setting up Macro recorder on a simple game.
2. MouseKey Recorder
If you are looking for a simple and intuitive macro recording tool, ready to use and without complex configurations, MouseKey Recorder is the best choice.
Once installed on your PC, recording mouse movements and keyboard keystrokes will be a breeze. The recorded macros can be saved on the PC, played back at any time (thanks to the scheduling function), and at the desired speed (double, triple, and even more). MouseKey Recorder is available in a free version, with the only limitation being the maximum number of repetitions that can be set for the macro.
3. Pulover’s Macro Creator
Best free macro tool for windows
Pulover’s Macro Creator is a completely free but powerful macro recording tool for Windows with an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
Apart from giving you the ability to record mouse and keyboard acitivities and automate repetitive tasks, it can create custom macros using simple commands even if you’re not a programmer.
The tool can do a lot more for you if you know how to code. But if you don’t, you can record, test and create working macros using the Record, Play and Export buttons with hotkeys.
In short, Pulover’s Macro Creator will save you countless hours by automating repetitive tasks and creating complex automation sequences for your most important activities.
In case you’re stuck with any tasks, simply refer to the video tutorials in their knowledge base for guidance.
4. JitBit
JitBit Macro Recorder is a feature-rich mouse recorder that can record activities and automate your tasks in a Windows environment.
It’s surprisingly easy to use and even a complete novice, who’s never used it before, can easily create automation sequences with it in a matter of minutes.
When you create a macro with JitBit, you can save it as an EXE file and use it on any computer running on Windows OS.
It also lets you create hotkeys and shortcuts to write long passages of text with a single key. For example, instead of typing
“Hey I’m not in office right now please contact me on my mobile number XXXXXXXXXXX if it’s urgent.”
use a macro that writes the whole message for you.
You can use JitBit for a free 7 day trial and purchase the basic premium version for as low as $39
5. Easy Clicks
EasyClicks, as the name suggests, is a macro tool that makes it easy to automate repetitive tasks.
It’s a free tool that currently works with Windows only but has all the basic features, plus a pretty neat user interface, to simplify your daily tasks.
It lets you record mouse activity with a single click and creates complex macros with precision that can be accessed with keyboard shortcuts and edited as many times as you want.
6. AutoIt Scripts
AutoIt Scripts is a lightweight Windows application ideal for automating routine tasks like repetitive clicks, form submissions, copy/paste text, minimizing, hiding and even activating Windows.
It doesn’t have a great user interface but it can perform almost every automation task that other macro tools offer.
Here are some of its key features as listed on its website.
- Easy to learn BASIC-like syntax
- Simulate keystrokes and mouse movements
- Manipulate windows and processes
- Interact with all standard windows controls
- Scripts can be compiled into standalone executables
- Create Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
- COM support
- Regular expressions
- Directly call external DLL and Windows API functions
- Scriptable RunAs functions
- Detailed help file and large community-based support forums
- Compatible with Windows XP / 2003 / Vista / 2008 / Windows 7 / 2008 R2 / Windows 8 / 2012 R2
- Unicode and x64 support
- Digitally signed for peace of mind
- Works with Windows Vista’s User Account Control (UAC)
7. TinyTask
TinyTask is an extremely light weight software (only 33KBs) which is fully capable of recording, playing, repeating your mouse clicks and keyboard strokes.
It has a pretty simple UI with clearly visible record and play buttons that users can use to automate their routine activities.
8. Mini Mouse Macro
Mini Mouse Macro is another mouse and keyboard recorder for Windows that can automate just about any routine task for you.
Using this tool, you can automate things like.
- Web page logins and usage
- Desktop publishing and word processing
- Drawing and graphics
- Online gaming
- Form submissions
- Repeat clicks
- Copy/paste text
And lots more.
The tool is free to download but also has a Pro version that has even more features.
9. AutoHotKey
AutoHotKey is an open source scripting language for Windows which allows users to create scripts for all kinds of tasks like form submission, automatically responding to emails, auto-clicking etc.
It actually combines several tools like hotkeys and text macros, and gives you the ability to significantly cut-off repetitive tasks through automation.
It’s easy to learn for complete beginners but you can only use it to its true potential if you have at least the basic coding skills.
10. nMacro Recorder
nMacro Recorder is another small but useful mouse recorder that you can use to automate most of your repetitive tasks.
It’s a pretty old software which works with the older versions of Windows and might have compatibility issues with Windows 10
Other than that, it has all the standard features that the other macro recorders in this list offer.
11. Do It Again
As the name suggests, DoItAgain automates all your routine tasks and does them for you again and again.
It’s a free macro software compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows.
12. Ghost Mouse
Ghost Mouse is the last macro recorder in this list but that doesn’t mean it’s any less useful than the other tools I’ve mentioned.
Like all the other macro tools, Ghost Mouse records mouse clicks and sequences and automates repetitive tasks to save your time and energy.
13. Macrodroid
Best macro recorder for Android
Macrodroid is the top-rated macro recorder by Android users, with amazing reviews. The app comes with over 100 pre-coded actions that can trigger multiple macros simultaneously. This auto clicker app with work on any android phone.
What can macro recorders be used for?
Here’s a few of the things I have used macro recorders for over the years.
Data Entry: One of the most common uses of macro recorders is in data entry tasks. Users can record a series of keystrokes and mouse clicks required for entering data into a spreadsheet or database. These macros can then be replayed to quickly enter data into multiple fields, saving time and reducing errors. I have used these numerous times in Excel and Google sheets when working with a lot of data.
Web Browsing: Macro recorders can also automate web browsing tasks. For example, users can record a macro that opens a web browser, navigates to a specific website, logs in, and performs a series of tasks such as downloading files, filling out forms, or extracting data. This can be useful for web scraping or for repetitive online tasks.
I’ve just been using one to create competitors’ main navigation maps for SEO purposes – see Steve’s note on this. You need to open all a site’s navigation links manually for this tip.
Software Testing: Macro recorders are commonly used in software testing to automate repetitive testing tasks. By recording a series of actions, testers can create macros that can be run repeatedly to test different software program features. This can save time and reduce the risk of human error in testing.
Video Editing: Macro recorders can also be used in video editing to automate repetitive tasks such as adding effects or trimming clips. For example, users can record a macro that applies a specific set of effects to a video clip, and then replay the macro to apply the same effects to multiple clips. This can save time and improve the consistency of video editing.
Gaming: Macro recorders are also commonly used in gaming to automate repetitive tasks such as farming resources or leveling up characters. By recording a sequence of keystrokes and mouse clicks, gamers can create macros that can be replayed to perform these tasks automatically. This can save time and improve gameplay efficiency. See the video below on how to set up our #1 tool for a simple game.
Wrapping Up
Modern day marketers perform many activities and tasks every day that are important but quite similar in nature. Using the macro tools I’ve listed in this post, you can not only automate all such activities and save time but also develop your own automation sequences to create complex and completely independent processes that do not require any human assistance.
Have any questions about the tools I’ve shared? I’d love to answer them in the comments section.
Jawad Khan is a content marketing consultant, a certified inbound marketer and a freelance blogger. He helps SaaS companies, tech startups and entrepreneurs find their voice online and connect with their target audience using high-quality content. Follow him on Twitter and his blog, WritingMyDestiny.