New iPad & iPhone Shortcuts Boost Automation & Creativity

Recently, Apple released the new Shortcuts app and full shortcuts support for iOS 13 to provide more users with the time-saving feature. Shortcuts have been already tested by iOS 14 users. Everyone enjoyed the increased functionary, time-saving features, and creativity. If you are looking to save minutes every day by automating routine iPhone actions, you should definitely try out this update. 

What’s In? 

Using the shortcuts, you can create automation for certain events, text, and directions as well as generate automatic reports. The updated Siri can now suggest shortcuts on the go when you may need them, and activation takes nothing but a single tap. 

You can create as many shortcuts as you need and ask Siri to turn them on every time they are required. All the adjustments are available via the Shortcuts app, and you can locate them on the home page of the app gallery or in shortcut widgets of your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. 

You can browse for dozens of ready-made shortcuts via the app library. All the items are divided into categories, such as ‘Essentials’ or ‘Morning Routine,’ so it’s very easy to find what you need and even never use shortcut customization. If you are an advanced user, you can go deeper and create chains of actions across various applications to initiate complex actions. 

Online Shortcuts

If you lack shortcuts in the default library, and you don’t feel like creating your own ones, there’s a simple way to get them online:

• Reddit – avid Apple users are always willing to share their helpful routines with other users. You can simply browse the topics and download the shortcuts created by other users to save your time;

• Shortcuts Gallery – this website is a lot like the original shortcut library but features a much more extensive database. You can get any of the shortcuts for free.

NFC Triggers 

While most of the shortcuts serve as voice commands, you may not always remember how exactly the shortcut sounds. Fortunately, there are 2 ways to simplify the task by using location data and NFC tags. 

The first method lets you set specific locations to trigger actions when you approach particular spots. For example, you can adjust the smart garage door opener to activate when you approach the garage. The same logic can be applied to any connected device around your home or office. 

If you have an iPhone XS or newer with iOS 13.1+ on board, you can enable the NFC module to interact with NFC tags around your home. You can place NFC tags, such as NFC stickers anywhere around the house, and tap them with your phone every time you need to activate something. This will turn your iPhone or Apple Watch into a universal key. 

Automate Your Life

The use of shortcuts in routine tasks can save you many hours per year. If you don’t care much about time-saving, using your phone and connected devices will at least become much more exciting. Do you already benefit from Apple Shortcuts? Which are your favorite commands? Join the chat below and share the news to encourage other Apple users to update.