In Zendesk, open Admin Center, click Workspaces, then Agent tools, Macros, and click Create macro. Name it, choose who can use it, add one or more actions such as a comment or tag change, and click Create. Agents can make personal macros for themselves, while admins create the shared ones the whole team uses.
A macro is a prepared response or set of actions an agent applies by hand when creating or updating a ticket. Think of it as a saved reply that can also tidy the ticket for you: add the comment, set the tag, change the assignee, all in one click.
Macros versus triggers
Macros contain only actions, never conditions. That's the difference from triggers and automations, which check conditions and run on their own. A macro does nothing until an agent chooses to apply it, so it's the right tool when a person needs to judge which reply fits.
Building one in Admin Center
- In Admin Center, click Workspaces in the sidebar and select Agent tools, then Macros. This is the macros list.
- Click Create macro to open the editor.
- Enter a Macro name and, if you like, a Description, so agents can find the right one quickly.
- Under Available for, choose All agents, Agents in group or Me only. This decides whether it's personal or shared.
- Click Add action, choose an action and fill in its field. Repeat Add action for each extra step.
- For a Comment/description action, add formatting, inline images or up to five attachments.
- Click Create. The macro appears in the list for everyone who has access.
Actions worth adding
The editor offers a long list. The ones most teams use are adding comment text, updating ticket fields, adding or removing tags, adding followers, changing the assignee, setting the subject, adding attachments and starting side conversations.
The Comment/description action supports rich formatting and inline images. You can also add a plain text version for channels without rich text, such as SMS and the mobile app, so the reply still reads well there.
If you're drafting the reply wording itself, these prompts for customer service replies give you a head start on the comment text.
Personal or shared: who sees what
Personal macros can only be used by the person who made them, though admins can see them. Shared macros are created by admins, or by agents on a custom role with permission. Each account can hold up to 5,000 shared macros, which is far more than most teams will need.
The Agents in group option is limited to higher tiers. On other tiers you'll be choosing between everyone and just you.
Two shortcuts save time. You can create a macro from an existing ticket, which is handy when an agent has just written the perfect reply. And admins can clone an agent's personal macro into a shared one, so good work doesn't stay locked in one person's list.
Attachments vanish on bulk updates
Macro comments can carry up to five file attachments, and a single linked attachment can be up to 50 MB. But the Zendesk Help Center notes that when a macro is used to bulk update tickets, the attachments aren't included in the comments. So if you apply a macro with a returns form to twenty tickets at once, the form won't go with it. For anything that must include a file, apply the macro ticket by ticket, or link to the file in the comment text instead.
Canned replies in other help desks
Freshdesk calls its version canned responses: reusable reply templates that can include placeholders such as the ticket ID, subject or requester name. Admin privileges are needed to create and manage them. Intercom takes a different angle, letting teammates insert help articles straight into inbox conversations and send them in outbound messages.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
For the wider field, see my picks of the best help desk tools for small teams and this round-up of platforms that compete with it.
My advice on your first macros
Look at last week's tickets and find the three replies your team typed most often. Build a shared macro for each, with the comment, the tag and the status change in one go, and give each a name an agent would search for. Add a plain text version wherever customers reach you by SMS, and keep files as links if you'll ever apply it in bulk.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Can agents create macros?
Yes, personal ones for their own use. Shared macros are created by admins or custom-role agents with permission.
What is the difference between a macro and a trigger?
Macros have only actions and are applied by hand; triggers and automations have conditions and run automatically.
How many shared macros can an account hold?
The documented maximum is 5,000 per account.
Can a macro include attachments?
Yes, up to five files, with each linked attachment up to 50 MB, but not when bulk updating tickets.
Can I build a macro from an existing ticket?
Yes. The help centre documents creating macros from existing tickets.
