Looking for a way to create shortcuts on your iPhone to automate certain tasks? Apple has provided a dedicated shortcuts app that comes pre-installed on all iPhone models running on iOS 13 and later. This single app is all you need to create shortcuts and allow your iPhone to perform certain actions automatically in sequence. This may be something you want Siri to do after receiving your voice command, or it could be a feature that you want to enable at a certain point in time.
The Shortcuts app – a standalone and enhanced version of Siri shortcuts introduced with the release of iOS 12 in 2018 – Is designed to make things easier for users. It can be used to create automated workflows, such as creating a schedule for the morning, generating expense reports after completing your recent purchase, or searching for a nearby coffee shop before you get home.
Apple has provided a gallery of preset shortcuts from which you can choose the one you need. Alternatively, you can also create your shortcuts, depending on your needs. This is how it can be done.
How to create shortcuts on iPhone
To create shortcuts, you need to make sure your iPhone is running at least iOS 13. There is the dedicated shortcuts app that Apple has provided by default. However, if you have uninstalled the app for any reason, you can download It from the App store.
- Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
- Touch the plus sign (+) in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Now hit Add action to choose an action you want to perform.
- Your iPhone will now show you the list of available applications and actions. It will also suggest some actions based on your iPhone usage.
- The application will show you the selected action on the New Shortcut screen. You can edit the action you have chosen by tapping any of the highlighted actions.
- Press the plus sign (+) to add another action. It is important to note that by default, your previous action will appear on the screen. However, you can see all available actions by tapping the close button.
- Once you’re done with the actions you want, you can test your workflow by hitting the Play button.
- Now touch next and enter a name for your custom shortcut.
- Press Done to save your shortcut.
The saved shortcut will appear in the My Shortcuts section of the Shortcuts application. You can also duplicate your saved shortcut or delete it with a press and hold gesture on that particular shortcut. Also, you can reorder the shortcuts to organize them according to their priority.
You can also take your shortcuts to a widget for easy access directly from your home screen. Apple also allows you to share your favorite shortcuts with anyone to allow them to use the same automated workflow on their iPhone, without the need to add the steps you followed manually.