Apple introduced “Siri Shortcuts” back in iOS 12, which was released in 2018. Many changes have been made in the meantime and for the better. What was initially limited to Siri is now available as a separate and native app called Shortcuts. If you’re a power user looking to learn how to create Siri Shortcuts on your iPhone or iPad, know that you’ve come to the right place.
In this short guide, we present you with two different ways to create Siri Shortcuts on your iPhone or iPad: by installing existing ones or creating your own (from scratch). Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Use the Shortcuts Gallery
Via the Shortcuts app (which comes pre-installed), you can access a large number of Siri shortcuts. This part of the Shortcuts app is called “Gallery.” Follow these directions to use it.
1. When you launch the Shortcuts app, it will open the “My Shortcuts” tab. You can access the Gallery section via the icon at the bottom of the screen.
2. The Shortcuts Gallery contains a collection of ready-made shortcuts sorted into convenient categories. When you find one you like, select it (to open its overview), then tap on the “Add Shortcut” button.
3. When you open your Library, you will find the new shortcut. Tap on the three dots in the top-right corner of the shortcut to see the actions that your shortcut will perform. You can make any changes you wish to modify the shortcut to your own needs.
Finally, keep in mind that you can trigger these shortcuts by tapping on their icons/thumbnails. Alternatively, you can say the name of the shortcut you want to trigger (using Siri, of course). Therefore, these are no longer just limited to Siri, which is certainly a good thing.
2. Create Your Own Siri Shortcuts
If you can’t find a shortcut in the Shortcuts Gallery that does what you’re looking for, you can build your own from scratch. Here’s how.
1. Once again, launch the Shortcuts app. Make sure to tap on “My Shortcuts.”
2. Tap on the “+” icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Take a look at the bottom of the screen where you’ll find an empty field asking you to search for apps and actions. Make sure to tap on it and search for a preferred action/app.
4. Tapping on a specific app will show all the actions you can perform with that app. Click the information icon to learn more about how that action works.
5. Tap the action to add it to your shortcut and continue until you have added all the actions you require. You can press and hold on any action to drag it up or down within the shortcut.
6. To test your shortcut, tap the “Play” icon in the bottom-right corner.
7. When you complete your shortcut, tap “Next” (in the top-right corner). Provide a name and hit Done to save your shortcut to your library.
If you’re struggling to create a shortcut that works the way you would expect, try looking in the Gallery for another shortcut that performs a similar action. You can then look at the list of actions to see how it works.
Conclusion
You’re never going to be able to customize an iPhone in the same way that you can customize an Android device. But with the introduction of Siri Shortcuts, iPhone users now have a much greater level of control over managing regular tasks. They won’t appeal to everyone, but shortcuts can be a real timesaver for power users.
And speaking of how to create Siri shortcuts on your iPhone, make sure to also learn how to install third-party Siri shortcuts. Lastly, here’s how to use Siri shortcuts on Apple Watch as well.