Mastering Apple Shortcuts: Automate Tasks on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch

With Apple’s Shortcuts app, you can streamline everyday tasks on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch in just a few taps or commands.

If you’re constantly switching between apps and performing repetitive actions, automating those tasks could save you a lot of time. Apple’s Shortcuts app lets you do just that—bundle multiple actions into a single command. It comes with a wide variety of pre-built shortcuts, and also lets you create customized ones based on your needs.

Shortcuts are compatible with iOS 12 and later, but for full functionality, you’ll need iOS 13 or iPadOS 13.1 and above. On the Mac, macOS Monterey (12.0) or newer is required. If you’re using an Apple Watch, make sure it’s running watchOS 7 or later to access the app directly from your wrist.

How to Run a Shortcut

You can launch a shortcut by opening the Shortcuts app and tapping on the one you want to use. Alternatively, just say “Hey Siri,” followed by the shortcut’s name. For newcomers, Apple offers a Starter Shortcuts section with sample shortcuts to try.

For instance, the “Take a Break” shortcut enables Do Not Disturb and sets a timer. The “Text Last Image” shortcut sends the most recent photo or screenshot you took. There’s also a Shazam shortcut that helps identify songs. You can learn more about how shortcuts work by selecting “What’s a Shortcut?” within the app.

Explore the Gallery tab to browse various shortcuts categorized by use, such as Accessibility, Fun with Siri, Music, Widgets, and Sharing. You’ll also find more specific sections like Get Organized, Quick Actions, and Photography. Simply tap “Add Shortcut” to save one to your personal library, and run it with a tap or Siri voice command.

Some shortcuts require user input—for example, if a shortcut plays music, you might need to choose a playlist. You’ll be prompted to enter necessary information during setup.

As you download apps, new shortcut options may appear under App Shortcuts. These include native Apple apps like Photos and Notes, as well as third-party apps like Facebook, Yelp, or ChatGPT.

You can tap to run any of these, or long-press to add them to your Home Screen for quicker access. All your shortcuts are listed under All Shortcuts, where you can manage or launch them as needed.

Creating Your Own Shortcuts

Beyond using pre-made shortcuts, you can build custom ones from scratch. If you’re logged into the same Apple ID on all your devices, your shortcuts will sync across them.

To base a new shortcut on an existing one, long-press it, select New Shortcut, then tap Done. Your new shortcut will appear on the All Shortcuts screen.

To start from scratch, tap the plus (+) icon on the All Shortcuts page. You can create actions like sending a message, adding a calendar event, selecting media, or playing music. You can even chain multiple actions together.

For example, you might create a shortcut that takes a photo and emails it. Begin by selecting Take Photo from the Controls category. You can set it to use the front or back camera or choose each time. Then, add the Send Email action from the Sharing section, enter the recipient’s address, and customize the subject. When finished, tap Done.

You can rename your shortcut by long-pressing it and selecting Rename, and you’re free to edit or rearrange actions later.

Automating Shortcuts

You can automate shortcuts to run based on triggers like time, location, or system events. To create one, go to the Automation tab, tap New Automation, and choose a condition—for instance, when Do Not Disturb is turned off.

Suppose you want music to play as soon as Do Not Disturb is disabled. Select that condition, choose Run Immediately, and add the Play Music action with your preferred song. Tap Next and then Done. Test the automation by toggling Do Not Disturb off, and your music should start automatically.

Adding Widgets for Quick Access

You can add shortcut widgets to your Home Screen for even faster access. Tap and hold an empty spot, enter edit mode, then tap the plus (+) icon to add a widget. Choose Shortcuts, then pick your preferred layout and tap Add Widget.

Managing Shortcuts

Long-pressing any shortcut brings up management options. From there, you can rename, edit, share, duplicate, move, or delete it.

Running Shortcuts on Apple Watch

Some shortcuts can also run directly from your Apple Watch. Open the Shortcuts app on your watch and tap the one you want. To make a shortcut available on your watch, enable Show on Apple Watch from the shortcut’s settings on your iPhone or iPad.

Downloading Community-Created Shortcuts

You’re not limited to Apple’s offerings—many users share their own shortcuts online. Websites like Reddit and RoutineHub are great places to find creative and useful automations. Examples include:

Good Morning: Greets you, shows weather and news, then opens an app of your choice.
Good Night: Activates Do Not Disturb and says goodnight.
Meditation: Enables Do Not Disturb, starts a timer, and plays chimes.
Download YouTube: Lets you download YouTube videos directly to your photo library.
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