You should use your iPhone to create time-saving workflows and automations with Apple’s preinstalled Shortcuts app. In case you haven’t but dipped your toes into the world of iPhone automation, listed below are six examples to get you began.
Methods to Create Automations
To create an automation, launch the Shortcuts app in your iPhone and faucet on the Automation tab. Now, faucet “Create Private Automation” to see a listing of triggers that you should utilize. It’s additionally potential to create dwelling automations, however we’re specializing in private ones as we speak.
Can’t discover the Shortcuts app in your iPhone? It’s put in by default, however you may need uninstalled it. You may re-download Shortcuts free of charge from the App Retailer.
When you’ve chosen a set off, you’ll have to assign some actions, which we’ll cowl for the examples beneath. We advocate utilizing the search bar to search out triggers since scrolling by Apple’s numerous classes will be time-consuming.
It’s additionally advisable to disable the “Ask Earlier than Operating” toggle when creating your automation since your automation would require a further faucet to run for those who go away it enabled.
Lastly, if in case you have an Apple AirTag, you possibly can use it as an NFC tag to set off automations within the Shortcuts app, too.
Change Your Apple Watch Face
You may retailer completely different watch faces in your Apple Watch and swap between them at will. Completely different watch faces can serve completely different functions. For instance, you may wish to create:
- a face for work that reveals your upcoming appointments, information, or inventory costs.
- a face for exercising with climate info and shortcuts to apps like Exercises and Timer.
- a easy face that reveals solely the time once you’re enjoyable at dwelling.
Remembering to manually swap between watch faces is a ache, so why not automate the method as a substitute? It’s straightforward to create an automation that adjustments your watch face based mostly on the time and day of the week, or that switches everytime you arrive at work or dwelling.
To do that, begin a brand new Automation and decide “Time of Day,” after which faucet “Weekly” to specify a time and day of the week, or use the “Arrive” and “Depart” triggers to arrange a location-based set off as a substitute. Faucet “Add Motion,” after which select “Set Watch Face,” adopted by the face that you simply wish to set off.
Disable “Ask Earlier than Operating” and hit “Completed” to save lots of your Automation. Now you can create related automations for another Watch faces that you simply may wish to swap to based mostly in your routine. The “Arrive” and “Depart” triggers are good for tagging places (like a fitness center or office) in case your schedule is unpredictable.
Get Conscious Reminders on Social Media Apps
Social media generally is a time sink. Most of us are conscious of this however nonetheless fall sufferer to its addictive nature. You possibly can set app limits for your self utilizing Display screen Time that may limit how a lot time you possibly can spend on these apps, or you can take a gentler method with a aware reminder as a substitute.
This works by triggering an app-specific notification after a sure period of time has elapsed. This may work with nearly any app, however we’ll be utilizing Fb for our instance.
Create a brand new private automation, select “App” because the set off, and faucet “Select” to pick out the app in query. Be sure that the “Is Opened” situation is chosen, after which hit “Subsequent” to proceed. Faucet “Add Motion” and add “Wait,” adopted by the delay in seconds earlier than your notification triggers (We selected 120 seconds.).
Now, hit the plus “+” button and add the “Present Notification” motion. Exchange “Hi there World” with one thing like “You’ve been looking Fb for 2 minutes.” Then, hit “Subsequent,” adopted by “Completed” to save lots of your automation (taking care to disable “Ask Earlier than Operating”).
You possibly can broaden this automation so as to add one other “Wait 180 seconds” motion, adopted by a “Present Notification” motion that claims “You’ve been looking Fb for 5 minutes,” and so forth.
Mechanically Handle Low Energy Mode
Low Energy Mode is a helpful option to stretch your iPhone’s battery life for those who’re working low on juice. The function disables sure options like automated fetching of mail and reduces display brightness to save lots of as a lot vitality as potential. You’ll typically see the “Low Energy Mode” button seem subsequent to low-battery alerts.
With Shortcuts, you possibly can set off Low Energy Mode routinely when your battery reaches a sure proportion. It’s also possible to create a complementary automation that disables the function as soon as the battery has recovered.
To do that, create a brand new private automation and select “Battery Stage” because the set off. Set the battery proportion that you simply wish to use to set off Low Energy Mode by shifting the slider, after which faucet on “Falls Beneath X%” beneath. Faucet “Subsequent,” after which “Add Motion.” Then, discover “Set Low Energy Mode,” and make it possible for “On” is chosen.
Hit “Subsequent” and “Completed” to save lots of your automation. Now, create one other automation to disable the setting, ensuring to pick out “Rises Above X%” for the set off, and “Set Low Energy Mode” to “Off,” too. Low Energy Mode will now activate and deactivate based mostly purely in your battery proportion.
Launch Your Music App When Connecting a Speaker or Headphones
You probably have wi-fi headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, you should utilize them as a set off each time your iPhone connects. That is notably helpful for those who use one thing like Spotify, which doesn’t have the identical degree of integration with the iOS working system that Apple Music does.
For Apple Music customers, there are triggers to begin taking part in particular playlists, or for those who’re a podcast or audiobook fan, you should utilize this set off to launch your most well-liked app as a substitute.
First, create a brand new private automation with “Bluetooth” because the set off. Choose the system that you simply wish to set off your automation, after which hit “Subsequent” so as to add actions. You should use the “Open App” motion to specify your music, podcast, or audiobook participant of selection.
For driving, you possibly can create an analogous automation, besides utilizing “CarPlay” because the set off (assuming that your automotive has CarPlay assist). In case you don’t have CarPlay assist, you may wish to add an NFC set off to your dashboard to do one thing related.
Allow Do Not Disturb in Video games or Different Apps
In case you use your iPhone for enjoying on-line video games like Amongst Us or Fortnite, you in all probability don’t wish to be disturbed whereas a match is happening. That’s precisely the place this Do Not Disturb mode automation is available in. By default, Do Not Disturb mode silences incoming calls and notifications each time your system is locked.
With one tweak, the function can be utilized to silence all calls and notifications. To do that, head to Settings > Do Not Disturb and allow “All the time” underneath the “Silence” part. In case you don’t change this setting, the next automation gained’t have any impact.
Now, create a brand new private automation with “App” because the set off. Select your required sport or app and make it possible for solely “Is Opened” is chosen beneath. Hit “Subsequent,” after which “Add Motion,” and select “Set Do Not Disturb” with the circumstances “On” till “Turned Off” to allow it indefinitely. Hit “Subsequent” and “Completed” to save lots of your automation, however flip off “Ask Earlier than Operating” first.
To ensure that your iPhone to disable Do Not Disturb mode once you’re completed taking part in, you’ll have to create one other automation. Select “App” because the set off, after which choose the identical app, and make it possible for solely “Is Closed” is enabled. Hit “Subsequent,” and select “Set Do Not Disturb” to “Off” as an motion, after which reserve it with the “Ask Earlier than Operating” toggle disabled.
Make Your iPhone Announce When the Battery Is Charged
We’ve already coated how you can make your iPhone scream once you join it to energy up to now. This can be a enjoyable trick, however not as helpful as an automation that says when your iPhone has reached your required battery capability.
Remember that Apple’s optimized charging may delay your system from hitting the perfect 100% cost, so choosing a capability like 80% is likely to be extra helpful in some cases. You may create a number of automations for various battery percentages if you’d like.
To start out, create a brand new private automation with “Battery Stage” because the set off. Determine at what battery proportion you’d like your iPhone to make its announcement, and make it possible for “Rises Above X%” is chosen beneath. Hit “Subsequent,” after which “Add Motion,” adopted by the “Communicate Textual content” motion.
Exchange “Textual content” with no matter you need your iPhone to say at this level, after which faucet on “Present Extra” to see additional choices. You may choose a language, voice, pitch, and pace (charge). Use the “Play” button on the backside of the display to preview your announcement, after which hit “Subsequent” and disable “Ask Earlier than Operating,” adopted by “Completed” to save lots of.
Get Artistic with Automations
These automations are primary however helpful, and so they can be utilized as a place to begin for a lot extra advanced workflows. In case you’re searching for inspiration, the r/Shortcuts subreddit is a good useful resource for each automation concepts and shortcut recipes.
Shortcuts in your iPhone are nice, however do you know you could set off Shortcuts workflows in your Apple Watch, too?
