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How to use Shortcuts on iPhone
In This Article
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a quicker way to complete a specific task on your iPhone, the answer might just be yes.
Apple’s Shortcuts app allows you to create “shortcuts” that reduce multiple actions into one convenient tap (or voice command with the help of Siri).
That means you can get directions from a calendar event, forward messages across apps, create GIFs, personalise your home screen with custom app icons and more. Once you’re done setting them up, all of these tasks will be quicker and easier to complete using your handy shortcut.
Keep reading to learn all the basics you need to know when opening the Shortcuts app for the first time.
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What you’ll need:
The Short Version
How to use Shortcuts on iPhone
Step1
Open the Shortcuts app
The app should come pre-installed on your iPhone or iPad, but if you don’t have it you can find it in the App Store.
Step2
Tap the Plus icon
You can find this icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Step3
Tap Add Action
This is the big blue button in the middle of the screen.
Step4
Choose what you want your shortcut to do
You can search for a specific action or use the suggestions to come up with ideas.
Step5
Tap on your shortcut’s name to give it a new name
You can also change the icon at this stage.
Step6
Tap Rename
Or Choose Icon to pick a new icon.
Step7
Type a new name for your shortcut
This name is also what Siri will use to refer to your shortcut.
Step8
Tap Done
That’s it – you’ve made a shortcut.
Troubleshooting
To delete a shortcut, simply tap Edit at the top of the Shortcuts app, select any shortcuts you want to remove and tap Delete.
An automation is a type of shortcut that is triggered by an event (such as the clock hitting a certain time or when you receive a message from a specific person) rather than manually.To create an automation, just enter the automation tab at the bottom of the Shortcuts app and tap the plus icon to get started.
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Hannah joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating with a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She’s also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
