What shortcuts do on your iPhone
A shortcut is a quick way to run a task or series of tasks with one tap. Instead of opening an app, finding a setting, and tapping through several screens, you can create a shortcut that does all of that in one action. For example, you could make a shortcut that turns on Do Not Disturb, closes all your open apps, and opens your calendar — all with a single tap on your home screen.
Shortcuts live in the Shortcuts app, which comes built into every iPhone. You can also add shortcuts directly to your home screen, lock screen, or Control Center so they are even faster to reach. The shortcuts you create are yours alone — they do not sync to other devices unless you choose to share them.
Key Takeaways
- The Shortcuts app comes pre-installed on your iPhone and is where you build and store all your shortcuts.
- You can create a shortcut from scratch using the Shortcuts app, or download pre-made shortcuts from the Shortcuts Gallery.
- Adding a shortcut to your home screen takes just a few taps and makes it accessible without opening the Shortcuts app.
- Shortcuts can automate single actions like sending a text, or chain multiple actions together like adjusting settings and opening apps.
How to create a shortcut from scratch
Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. Tap the plus icon in the top right corner to start a new shortcut. You will see a blank canvas with a search bar at the top.
Search for the action you want to add. For example, if you want to send a text message, search for "send message". Tap the action when it appears. The action will be added to your shortcut as a blue block. Now you can customize it — tap inside the block and fill in details like the phone number or message text.
To add more actions, search for the next one and tap it. Each new action stacks below the previous one. The shortcut will run from top to bottom, so order matters. When you are done adding actions, tap Done in the top right. Give your shortcut a name, choose an icon and color if you want, then tap Done again to save it.
How to add a shortcut to your home screen
Open the Shortcuts app and find the shortcut you want to add to your home screen. Tap and hold on the shortcut until a menu appears. Tap Add to Home Screen. A preview of the shortcut will appear with a size option — keep the default or make it smaller, then tap Add in the top right.
Your iPhone will switch to the home screen and show you where the shortcut will be placed. Tap Add again to confirm. The shortcut now appears as an icon on your home screen and will run whenever you tap it. If you want to move it, tap and hold the icon and drag it to a new spot.
How to use pre-made shortcuts from the Gallery
You do not have to build every shortcut yourself. The Shortcuts app includes a Gallery of shortcuts other people have created. Open the Shortcuts app and tap the Gallery tab at the bottom. Browse through categories like Productivity, Health, or Home, or search for a specific type of shortcut using the search bar.
When you find one you want, tap it to see what it does. Read the description to make sure it does what you need. Tap Add Shortcut and the shortcut will be added to your library. You can then add it to your home screen the same way you would a shortcut you created yourself. Some shortcuts will ask you to fill in details like a phone number or email address the first time you run them.
How to add a shortcut to your lock screen
Lock screen shortcuts appear at the bottom of your lock screen and run without unlocking your phone. Open the Shortcuts app, tap and hold the shortcut you want to add, then tap Add to Lock Screen. Choose the icon style you prefer and tap Add.
Your iPhone will open the lock screen customization screen. Tap the lock screen you want to edit, then tap the area at the bottom where shortcuts appear. Tap the plus icon to add a new shortcut. Find and tap your shortcut in the list. It will now appear on your lock screen. You can add up to four shortcuts to your lock screen.
How to add a shortcut to Control Center
Control Center is the panel that slides up from the bottom of your screen. You can add shortcuts there for even faster access. Open the Shortcuts app, tap and hold the shortcut you want to add, then tap Add to Control Center. Choose an icon and tap Add.
The shortcut is now in Control Center. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen (or down from the top right on newer iPhones) to open Control Center and see your shortcut. Tap it to run the shortcut. If you want to remove it later, open Control Center, tap and hold the shortcut icon, then tap Remove.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
The most common mistake is adding actions in the wrong order. Shortcuts run from top to bottom, so if you want to send a message and then open an app, the message action must come before the app action. To fix this, open the shortcut, tap and hold the action you want to move, and drag it to a new position.
Another issue is forgetting to fill in required details. If a shortcut asks for a phone number or email address and you leave it blank, the shortcut will ask you to provide it every time you run it. Open the shortcut, tap the action that needs details, and fill in the information. If you want it to ask you each time instead, leave it blank on purpose — that is sometimes useful for shortcuts you use with different people or numbers.
If a shortcut stops working, the most likely cause is that an app it depends on has been deleted or updated. Open the shortcut and look for any actions with a warning icon. Tap the action to see what went wrong, then either fix it or delete it and replace it with a different action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a shortcut I created with someone else?
Yes. Open the Shortcuts app, tap and hold the shortcut, then tap Share. You can send it via message, email, or AirDrop. The person who receives it can tap the link and add it to their own Shortcuts app. They can then edit it to fit their needs.
What happens if I delete a shortcut from my home screen?
Deleting it from your home screen does not delete the shortcut itself. The shortcut stays in the Shortcuts app. You can add it back to your home screen anytime by opening the Shortcuts app and tapping Add to Home Screen again.
Can I run a shortcut without opening the Shortcuts app?
Yes, that is the whole point of adding shortcuts to your home screen, lock screen, or Control Center. Once a shortcut is in one of those places, you can tap it directly without opening the Shortcuts app. You can also ask Siri to run a shortcut by name if you have named it clearly.
Why does my shortcut ask me for information every time I run it?
This happens when you leave a field blank on purpose or when the shortcut is designed to ask for input. If you do not want it to ask, open the shortcut, tap the action that is asking, and fill in the information. If you want it to ask but with a different prompt, tap the action and change the text in the input field.
Can I use shortcuts to automate things that happen on a schedule?
The Shortcuts app itself does not have built-in scheduling, but you can use the Home app or Automations feature within Shortcuts to run shortcuts at specific times or when certain conditions happen. Open the Shortcuts app, tap the Automation tab, and tap the plus icon to create an automation that runs your shortcut automatically.