Everything you need to know

by James · March 13, 2023

This is a fast-moving era and we always strive to get things done as quickly as possible. The Shortcuts app is the perfect addition to your iPhone to get things done quickly. Whether you need help staying healthy or doing chores around the house, the app has it all.

We’ve put together a beginner’s guide to get started with the app. So read on how to download, use, edit and share shortcuts.

Table of Contents

Download and set up shortcuts

The Shortcuts app usually comes pre-installed on your iOS device, but you might have accidentally removed it to free up space at some point. So, if you want to download it, all you have to do is visit the App Store and search for it like you would any other app.

Once it’s on your iPhone, you can start downloading shortcuts, creating folders, and customizing it.

Download: Shortcuts (Free)

Install shortcuts from gallery

When you open the Shortcuts app, you’ll see three different tabs at the bottom: Shortcuts, Automationand Gallery. To browse and use the shortcuts available in the app, go to: Gallery.

You will now see several sections that categorize shortcuts such as Photography obsession Work from anywhere. You can slide these rows or tap them View all next to the title bar to view the shortcuts.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Just enter a keyword or phrase a Search at the top of the bar and all associated keyboard shortcuts are displayed. You can install some really handy iPhone shortcuts to perform everyday tasks.

To add a shortcut to your collection, tap it and select it Add Shortcut obsession Shortcut setting, depending on what is displayed. You will then see the added shortcut a Shortcuts sheet.

Create your own custom shortcut

If you want a specific shortcut that isn’t found in the Gallery section, you can create your own from scratch. Sure, it’s not exactly easy, but follow our dedicated guide on creating a shortcut on iPhone to get the hang of it quickly.

To create a custom shortcut:

Open the Shortcuts tab and press the button plus (+) icon in the upper right corner.
Touch New shortcut at the top to add a name.
Select it Add action to item in blue and create the workflow according to the available options.
press it Ready when you have finished adding actions.

The new shortcut will appear a Custom keyboard shortcuts and All shortcuts pages. You can change and edit your custom shortcut at any time by tapping the icon with three horizontal dots.

Another way to create a new shortcut is to long press the Shortcuts app icon on the home screen and select Create a shortcut from the pop-up menu.

Create folders for shortcuts

When you start adding and using more keyboard shortcuts, it’s very easy for the Shortcuts tab to quickly become disjointed and cluttered. Fortunately, you can also create folders to clean up clutter and find shortcuts faster.

Folders are found in almost every application; you can use folders to organize your notes on your iPhone or pictures in the Photos app. To create a folder in the Shortcuts app, follow these steps:

Touch the Shortcuts sheet. By default you will see the All shortcuts page in front of you.
Click Shortcuts in blue in the upper left corner of the screen to return to the folders page.
Choose the Folder icon in the upper right corner.
Enter a name and customize the icon to your liking.
press it Addition. your folder will appear below Folders.

To move a shortcut to a folder, simply long press and select it Move from the context menu. You can change how shortcuts are displayed in a folder by tapping the four rectangle icons at the top and selecting Grid and List.

Use shortcuts to automate common tasks

We discussed the Shortcuts and Gallery ear already, but still have the Automation tab left. When you open it, you will see the option Creating personal automation obsession Set up your Home Hub according to your needs.

An automation, if you didn’t know, is a type of shortcut that is automatically activated at a specific time or event, unlike normal shortcuts that have to be triggered manually through the app.

Personal Automation lets you use shortcuts to perform tasks based on various events, such as time of day, low power mode, when you leave for work, and more. Touch Creating personal automation and use the instructions to select the one that suits your needs.

You can do the same with Home Automation, but you need to set up Home application for the first time. Feel free to read our beginner’s guide to automating Shortcuts on iPhone for help along the way.

Edit and delete shortcuts

The Shortcuts app allows you to edit a shortcut you’ve already created. Long press the shortcut and select Editing from the context menu to bring up the editor, where you can edit the actions listed in the shortcut and modify the workflow as desired.

If you tap the name at the top, you’ll see options such as Rename, Select Icon, Duplicate shortcutand Move. However, make sure you know what you are doing when changing the actions, as this will change how the shortcut works.

Likewise, if you want to get rid of a shortcut, simply long-press and select Delete option from the same context menu. And when the confirmation message appears, tap the button Delete shortcut to delete it from all your iCloud devices.

You can also share iOS shortcuts as iCloud links or files. You must do the following:

Long press the shortcut and select it share it from the context menu.
Tap it now Opportunities under the shortcut name and choose from them iCloud link and File.
Send it to anyone using the iPhone Share Sheet.

The recipient can simply tap the file or iCloud link to install the shortcut on their device.

Get the most out of iOS Shortcuts

The Shortcuts app on iPhone makes certain functions much easier, saves a lot of time, and is a handy tool for automating tasks. You can install existing shortcuts in seconds or create your own shortcuts if you have time and patience.

The app has a simple layout and is very easy to navigate. But if you install too many shortcuts on your iPhone to perform various tasks, you can also create folders to keep them all organized.