The Shortcuts app has lengthy been 1 of Apple’s lesser-utilised offerings, and that is a shame, simply because it can supercharge your iPhone’s capabilities. With a single tap, you could turn on your wise lights, raise the temperature on your wise thermostat, and commence an energetic playlist—and that is just 1 instance.

Like the macOS version, the mobile Shortcuts app is primarily an automation tool that can combine numerous tasks into 1 action that you launch with a tap or a word to Siri. Introduced in 2018 alongside iOS 12, the app is constructed into the iPhone’s operating method, so you will obtain it on 1 of your dwelling screens or in the App Library. From the app’s Shortcuts tab, you can commence manually constructing your personal shortcut, or set up a prebuilt 1 from the integrated shortcut gallery or the internet.

1. Get your self in the mood to concentrate

The Reading Mode shortcut begins by asking you how lengthy you’d like to study for. David Nield

A great way to commence making use of Shortcuts is to set up 1 produced by a person else—you can normally open the tool up to see how it performs and adapt it to your requires if needed. Go to the Gallery tab in the app, appear for a shortcut referred to as Reading Mode, and set up it by tapping the plus icon on the shortcut’s thumbnail.

Reading Mode is a terrific instance of how shortcuts combine a number of actions: It turns on Do Not Disturb, switches to dark mode, opens your reading app of selection and even begins the Apple Music playlist you specify. Tap the 3 dots on the shortcut entry after it is installed to customize any of these actions.

two. Edit photos in batches

Shortcuts can rapidly apply the very same edits to a number of photos. David Nield

As you get far more confident with Shortcuts, you can commence constructing your own—it assists to consider about tasks and groups of actions you do repeatedly on your telephone. To produce a shortcut from the Shortcuts tab, tap the plus icon in the leading proper corner and hit Add Action to get began.

[Related: Edit gorgeous photos right on your phone]

If you want to, say, automate a series of photo edits you do once again and once again, pick Apps, Images, then Choose Images. From the All Actions list, choose Resize Image as the subsequent action, and enter the preferred size. The final action is Save to Photo Album. Tap Accomplished to save your shortcut.

That is a standard instance, but there are lots of other image editing actions out there, which includes the capacity to take away backgrounds and rotate photos, so you can combine them as you need to have.

three. Use ChatGPT with Siri

Place ChatGPT on your iPhone, with support from Siri.

It is challenging to stay away from ChatGPT at the moment, and the AI chatbot can be utilised in tandem with Siri on your iPhone. Initial, register a totally free account with ChatGPT developer OpenAI, then grab an API crucial from its website. API (application programming interface) keys are just identification codes that let 1 plan (Shortcuts) perform with one more (ChatGPT).

With the crucial in hand, open the SiriGPT shortcut in your iPhone’s internet browser and tap Get Shortcut. In the Shortcuts app, pick Set Up Shortcut, paste or sort in your API crucial, and pick Add Shortcut.

If you’d like to launch this shortcut making use of your voice, you will likely want to rename it to one thing simpler—do so by pressing and holding it, then choosing Rename. Launch the shortcut with a tap or a voice command, and ChatGPT will be at your disposal.

four. Let a person know when you will be dwelling

Shortcuts can text on your behalf. David Nield

One particular of the added benefits of operating shortcuts on your iPhone rather than your Mac is that it supplies a significantly far more precise repair on your place. That can come in handy for all types of automations.

Head to the Gallery tab and appear for the Dwelling ETA shortcut. When you set up and run it, it’ll perform out how lengthy it must take you to drive dwelling, and then text your estimated time of arrival to the get in touch with of your selection.

[Related: 14 tricks for getting more out of the underrated Apple Maps app]

Open the shortcut from the Shortcuts tab by tapping on the 3 dots on its entry, and you will be in a position to conveniently alter the address the shortcut defaults to, as nicely as the get in touch with(s) who obtain the message about your ETA.

five. Appear back on your day

You can pick the concerns and responses to support you reflect on your day. David Nield

If you tap Gallery in the Shortcuts app and use the search function, you must obtain a shortcut referred to as Reflect on the Day that does specifically what its name suggests. You will be asked to answer concerns about how your day has been, and you can also set objectives for tomorrow.

Your responses will be stored in the Notes app, so you can track your progress more than time, and the shortcut will also set reminders for the subsequent day so you do not neglect your objectives. To edit the concerns the shortcut asks you at the finish of each and every day, open it up by tapping the 3 dots on its thumbnail.