Apple’s Shortcuts app is one of our favorites. It’s a time-saving widget creator that’s also a lot of fun to play around with. Consider Shortcuts to be an iPhone version of If This Then That, in that it allows your iPhone’s apps to operate together in a sequence to perform a helpful function. There are both official Apple Shortcuts and user-created shortcuts. Some Shortcuts include Siri voice control, such as the entertaining “Say Cheese” Shortcut, which allows you to take a hands-free shot by simply saying “Siri, say cheese” to your phone. The “Home ETA” Shortcut is a great example of an official Shortcut that you have to tap to activate.
This Shortcut utilizes your Maps app to check where you are, looks at your pre-programmed home address to see how long it will take you to get there, then uses your Messages app to generate an SMS with your estimated arrival time and sends it to a pre-selected contact, regardless of where you are. All of this happens by just touching on the Shortcut in your Shortcuts library once you’ve supplied the relevant data in the Shortcut sequence. From the ability to countdown to a specific day to being able to select the ideal 6GIF for any scenario, Apple’s Shortcuts Gallery has hundreds of more amazing examples, as well as other Shortcuts that other users have made and shared.
Getting started with Shortcuts on iPhone
Shortcuts is now pre-installed on all iOS 13 devices, but anyone using an older version of the mobile operating system will need to download the software from the App Store. It’s compatible with both the iPhone and iPad. On iOS 12, you’ll have to go through a permission page if you wish to add third-party Shortcuts. Users of iOS 13 and 14 must go to Settings and manually “Allow Untrusted Shortcuts.” There’s always a risk when you do this, but because you can see (and edit) the Shortcut steps of each Shortcut you add to your phone, the risk is minor as long as you’re getting a real Shortcut iCloud link.
Add these useful Shortcuts to your iOS toolbox
Here is a random collection of the greatest Shortcuts we recommend you should definitely try out, ranging from identifying vital businesses near you to saving time making graphic stuff to enjoying your music effortlessly. Shortcuts can be used to:
1. Find the perfect GIF in Seconds
GIPHY Search and Share is a super-fast method to find the perfect GIF for any occasion and send it to your friends and family via email or social media. Simply press the Shortcut, type the word or phrase you wish to represent, choose an alternative, and share.
2. Create a Playlist Of Your Favorite Songs
Making the Top 25 Playlist is all about that. This widget analyses which tunes you’ve listened to the most in your Music app and automatically makes a playlist of what is probably your current top tracks if you want a one-touch solution to hearing your favorite music.
3. Create a One-Tap App To Call Your BAE
Speed Dial lets you create an app tile for your iPhone’s home screen that, when tapped, dials the person you’ve chosen from your contacts. What’s even better is that you may choose a photo (or a custom icon design) to appear on the tile.
4. Fake any Number of Text Messages
The default setting in iPhone Alerts is to send 500 notifications each day, but you may change this to a more reasonable level via the app. If you want to leave, quit conversing, get off the phone, appear popular, or anything, discreetly tapping on this Shortcut will play the text alert audio as many times as you instruct it.
5. Leave The Perfect Tip
Calculate Tip is ideal for anyone who has trouble with mental math and is concerned about appearing stingy by leaving too little or overpaying by leaving too much. Enter the check amount, and this Shortcut will calculate the tip amount and the new total.
6. Silence Your Phone In a Particular Situation
DND Until I Leave is a simple way to activate the Do Not Disturb feature on your iPhone. Rather than fiddling with your Settings menu, a single tap of this Shortcut activates Do Not Disturb till you leave your current place.
7. Make a live GIF
Shoot a GIF allows you to make a quick and dirty photo-based GIF at any time. You may choose how many frames to shoot and how long each shot should display, then construct your slideshow with the front or back camera and share it right away.
8. Get Directions To Your Nearest Need
A Walk to Coffee Shop enables you to just get directions to the nearest coffee shop. You can, however, change the sort of business to anything you like. Customize it to discover your nearby bookstore, grocery store, public restrooms, or anything else you’d like to look up frequently.