How to Use Apple’s iOS Shortcuts App

It is no surprise that you spend a lot of time on your iOS devices. You run one trash after other in several apps. Just think for once how much of time can be saved if you had the chance to automate those tasks or combine them in a single action. Well, it is now possible to do it with the help of Apple’s shortcuts app. It offers several predefined actions, and the allows you to create customized sequences.
Once you have set up an alternative, click on it and the app will run all the tasks that have been assigned to it. You can run the app on any of the iOS devices including the Apple Watch. You need to have iOS12 or higher watchOS 5 to make it work. Shortcuts act identically to Apple’s Workflow app that allows you to generate and run multiple tasks in a single action. It won’t be wrong to say that Shortcut is the replacement of Workflow that comes along with iOS12. Download Shortcuts from App Store if you already do not have the app.
  • Let’s Begin with Shortcuts
A shortcut can be run in multiple ways. The most basic idea is to open the shortcut app and tap shortcut from the main screen. Widgets can be inserted in the home screen. Click on the Get Started button to kick the things off.
  • Generate the Shortcut
You can create the shortcut right from the app. At the library screen, click on the icon for generating an alternative.
  • Select a Shortcut
Think about that specific task you would like to automate. You can generate shortcuts if you want to add an event to the calendar, look for an address, play music and choose specific videos or the photos. You can combine numerous tasks in a single shortcut. Don’t forget that these actions will show on the left-hand side of iPad or on the screen of iPhone at the bottom. For instance, you can generate a shortcut to text latest photo from the library to a particular person. Toggle down the list of the actions and click on the one for getting latest photos.
  • Make Your Shortcut
When you do this for the first time, it will tell you it doesn’t have any access to your photos. Click on the link to allow access. Select how many images you want to send. Now tap on the action for sending a message. Click on the link for granting access.
  • Finalize your Shortcut
Enter the + sign if you want to add a specific contact to shortcut. Select a connection and click on the person’s mobile number. You can even type the message in the field below their name. Click the Play button for running the shortcut. Messaging app should pop up with the attached photo. Click the arrow for sending a message.
  • Changing Settings of Shortcut
Click Settings icon in the upper right edge for making changes to shortcut. At Settings screen, Click Name field to give shortcut more descriptive name. Click on the link for the icon to change the icon. You can choose color or the custom image as per your convenience. Click done once you have made changes.
  • Sync Shortcut with Siri
Click on the link to add to Siri if you want Siri to run when you need it. You will see an add to Siri, Click on Record Button for recording phrase that you want to use for running shortcut.
  • Add Shortcut to Home Screen
Click Add to Home Screen if you want your newly generated shortcut to existing on the home screen of your device.
  • What to do for Adding Shortcut to Home Screen
A web page will open in the browser to describe how to add a shortcut to the Home Screen. Click Share icon in the upper right edge on the webpage. Click the entry to Add to Home Screen.
  • Finalize Adding Shortcut to Home Screen
You will see a panel that keeps all shortcuts that have been added to the home screen. Tap add to complete the process, and you will see the alternative on the home screen.

Olivia Jones is a self-professed security expert; she has been making the people aware of the security threats.Her passion is to write about Cyber security, cryptography, malware, social engineering, internet and new media. He writes for Norton security products at norton.com/setup.

Comments