How to Use Apple Shortcuts to Automate Tasks on Your iPhone

Apple Shortcuts lets your iPhone do repetitive tasks automatically — one tap sends a message, starts directions home, or sets your morning routine in motion.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Explore the Shortcuts Gallery
2.Add a shortcut to your home screen for one-tap access
3.Create a simple custom shortcut
4.Set up automation shortcuts that run on a schedule

Explore the Shortcuts Gallery

~36s

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone (search for it if needed). Tap "Gallery" at the bottom. Browse categories: Essentials, Home, Music, Health, and more. Tap any shortcut to see what it does, then tap "Add Shortcut" to add it to your Shortcuts library. Try these starter shortcuts: "Text Last Person" (texts the last person you messaged), "Directions Home" (opens Maps with your home address), "Sunrise" (opens Maps to the sunrise time and direction near you), and "Current Date" (copies today's date to your clipboard).

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: You can run any shortcut by asking Siri. Once a shortcut is in your library, say "Hey Siri, [Shortcut name]" to run it by voice.

Add a shortcut to your home screen for one-tap access

~24s

After adding a shortcut, you can put it on your iPhone home screen as an icon. In the Shortcuts app, tap the three-dot menu on any shortcut → "Add to Home Screen." Choose an icon and name. Tap "Add." The shortcut appears on your home screen like a regular app — tap it once to run the entire sequence of actions. This is perfect for shortcuts you use daily.

Create a simple custom shortcut

~34s

Tap the "+" button to create a new shortcut. Tap "Add Action." The action library opens — search for "Send Message." Tap it. Set the recipient and message text. Tap "Done." Name the shortcut something memorable, like "Check in with family." Now run it by tapping the shortcut or saying "Hey Siri, check in with family" — it sends the message automatically without you having to type anything.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: The "Ask Each Time" option in action fields means Siri will ask you to fill in the value each time the shortcut runs. Use this for shortcuts where the message text or recipient should vary.

Set up automation shortcuts that run on a schedule

~26s

Tap "Automation" at the bottom of the Shortcuts app → tap the "+" to create a new automation. Choose a trigger: "Time of Day," "Location" (when you arrive/leave home), or "App" (when you open a specific app). For example: every morning at 7 AM, your phone automatically turns off Do Not Disturb and opens your news app. Or when you arrive home, your phone connects to your home Wi-Fi and turns off your VPN automatically.

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Apple Shortcuts is a free app from Apple that lets you create one-tap buttons or voice commands that perform multiple actions at once. Think of it as a personal automation tool: instead of doing five separate steps every morning, one tap can do all five for you.

For example, a "Heading Home" shortcut might: open Google Maps with your home address, send a text to your family saying you're on the way, and start your favorite playlist — all from a single tap or by saying "Hey Siri, heading home."

Shortcuts comes pre-installed on iPhones running iOS 12 or later. The Gallery inside the app offers hundreds of ready-to-use shortcuts — you do not need to build your own from scratch.

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