Apple keeps improving the iPhone’s OS, iOS with every update. But it could not achieve the number of features present in Android OS. However, there are many hidden useful iPhone features that most users are unaware of. These features can be achieved through the Shortcuts app. There are chances you have heard about it, but haven’t used it. If you haven’t used it, its time to start. To help you with your Shortcuts journey, here are some useful Shortcuts Automation for iPhone.
Shortcuts is a powerful tool on iPhone but most users don’t know about it or how to use it. It also includes Automation tool that works similarly to the if and then condition. This means you can trigger many automatic operations by just creating automations.
- Shortcut that you add manually will be available in Shortcuts tab
- Automation created can be found in Automation tab
- Here you will find both Shortcuts and Automations tips
- You can create your own Automation from available selections
Here are 10 Shortcuts Automation you can create on your iPhone to make your daily life easier and fun. Let’s begin!
1. Change Orientation of Specific Apps
Many users, including myself prefer the Auto Rotate feature off. Itโs because the feature gets annoying when the iPhone tilts automatically when we don’t want it to tilt. At the same time when using apps like YouTube, Streaming Apps, and some specific sites, I use them in the auto orientation mode On. But to do that I have to change the Orientation settings every time. With Shortcuts, you can adjust orientation for specific apps and avoid changing it manually every time.
- Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
- Go to the Automations tab and tap the New Automation tab or + icon.
- Scroll down and choose the App option.
- Now select ‘Is Opened’ and ‘Run Immediately’. On the same screen choose apps that you want to open with Auto Orientation enabled. And then tap Next.
- Next search for Orientation and choose Set Orientation Lock.
- Tap on Toggle and select Turn. Then choose Off for orientation Lock.
- Finally, tap Done.
Create one more Automation but this time Choose ‘Is Closed’ in Step 4 and set Orientation Lock to ‘On’ in Step 6. Make sure to choose the same set of apps in this automation as well.
Now when you open select apps, the Orientation Lock will turn off and you will be able to use the app in portrait and landscape based on iPhone angle.
2. Auto Sleep Mode On and Off
If you donโt want to set Focus Mode every time manually, you can always choose to set automation for it. For example, if you want to set Sleep Mode during your sleep routine, then you can manually set a specific time to activate Sleep Mode.
- Open the Shortcuts app, and tap on the + icon in the Automation tab.
- Select the Time of Day and then set the time when you go to Sleep. Also, select ‘Run Immediately’.
- Now tap on Next followed by ‘New Blank Automation’.
- Tap on Add Action, then search for Focus > choose Set Focus.
- Tap on the Do Not Disturb and change it to Sleep. Change Off to On.
- This will bring more options. In until turned off, set your Wake Up time.
- Finally, tap Done.
Similar to the Sleep Mode you can set Automation for other Focus Mode.
3. Turn Off WiFi and Internet based on Location
If you use WiFi at home or office and Cellular Data outside your home or office, then you can create automation to make things easy. The Automation will turn off WiFi when you are outside and turn on WiFi when you reach home, all automatically. Hereโs how to create automation for it.
- Open Shortcuts and tap + in Automation.
- Here choose Arrive and then set your home location. Choose ‘Anytime’ and ‘Run Immediately’.
- Tap Next > New Blank Automation > Add Action.
- Search for WiFi, choose Set Wi-Fi, and set it to On.
- Search and Choose Set Mobile Data and set it to Off.
- Then tap on Done.
Now create Leave automation and this time set WiFi to off and Mobile Data to On.
What it will do is, when you arrive home, WiFi will turn on and Mobile Data will turn off. When you leave home, the WiFi will turn off and Mobile Data will turn on Automatically.
4. Schedule Messages
You can also schedule your messages, but the time should be for within a day. So if you plan to send a message the same day but at a later time, you can schedule it with Text Automation.
- Open Shortcuts > Automation > + icon.
- Select Time of Day option. While Time of Day selected, set the time you intend to send the message.
- You can choose the frequency like Daily, Weekly or Monthly. ‘Choose Immediately’ in the last section.
- Now tap Next > New Blank Automation > Add Action > Send Message.
- Tap on Message and Write your message you want to send. Then tap on Recipients to choose contacts.
- Tap Done.
If you don’t want to send the message automatically in repeat order, you need to delete the Automation once the message is sent.
5. Turn WiFi Password into a QR
Unlike Android phones, iPhone does not have option to share connected WiFi network with QR code. You can see the password of the connected WiFi but can not share it with QR code. However with this Shortcut, you can create a QR code to share WiFi.
- First go to WiFi settings and see the password of your WiFi. You will need it later.
- Download a pre-made shortcut called QR Anything.
- You will find it in Shortcuts. Tap on it and it will show a bunch of options that you can convert into QR code. Here choose Current WiFi Network.
- Now enter the password of your WiFi that you want to save into QR Code.
- Tap on Done and it will generate a QR Code. Tap on the arrow next to Image and Save it to Photos for easier access.
- Again tap on Done and you will see a pop-up on going to previous page. Tap Allow Once or Always Allow based on your preference.
That’s it, you can scan the QR Code to easily connect to the WiFi.
6. Take Screenshots with iPhone Frame
You may have seen a bunch of screenshots with the iPhone frame and you will agree with me that it looks good. If you have also wanted to get same type of screenshots, then you can do that with this shortcut.
- Go to this link and download the Apple Frame shortcuts.
- Open Shortcuts if it is not opened and then tap on Apple Frames shortcut.
- It will ask to install folder, just follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
- You will now be given option to select a screenshot that you want to combine with iPhone frame. You can add multiple photos.
- After selecting images tap Done. Now you will get few more options. Choose one based on your need like Save it to Photos.
The image will be saved with iPhone Frames that you can check it in Gallery. The frame will be same as your iPhone model. You can’t choose a different model for frame.
7. Launch Music on connecting to CarPlay
If you have ever wondered that connecting to CarPlay should auto play music, you will be glad to know its possible with the help of Automation. With this automation Audiophiles can save time. Playing music manually every time can be exhausting for those who drives daily. To save your time, follow the steps below to create autoplay automation.
- Open Shortcuts > Automation on your iPhone.
- Tap on + icon > Choose CarPlay. Here make sure to select ‘Connects’ and ‘Run Immediately’.
- Now tap Next > search and select ‘Open App’.
- Tap on blue App text and choose your favorite Music app that will launch when you connect your iPhone to CarPlay.
- Finally tap Done.
To stop Music when you disconnect your iPhone from CarPlay, you need to manually stop the music as currently there is no automation to close apps.
8. Lock Apps
If you are an iPhone user, you know that the device doesn’t have lock apps feature. Although Apple advertise iPhone as a secure phone, it doesn’t have basic ability to lock apps. Since this is a must have feature for many users, they are willing to explore alternative methods to lock apps. You might be surprised to know you can use automation to lock apps indirectly.
It’s not actually app lock, but it utilizes the phone lock feature. This means when you open a locked app after applying automation the device will be locked automatically. And once you enter the password or face id, the device will open with the app. Here’s the steps to implement this automation.
- Open Shortcuts and switch to Automation tab. Then press on the + icon.
- From the list select App option. Select ‘Is Opened’ and ‘Run Immediately’.
- Now tap on blue Choose text and select apps that you want to lock.
- Once you have selected apps, tap Next.
- Here select Blank Automation > Add Action. Search for Lock Screen and select it.
That’s it! Now when you launch selected apps, the phone will lock. It’s not the full proof app lock, but it does the same work.
9. Mute Audio for Specific Apps
Sometimes, when we launch apps like Instagram, TikTok, YouTuber, they resume from where we left off. So if you left in the middle of a Reel or Short, it will start playing as soon as you open the app again. And this could turn out to be weird situation if you are in a office, library or somewhere you shouldn’t play any video out loud. But you can take precautions by setting the audio to mute by default for these apps. I am going to share how to mute apps automatically with automation.
- In the Shortcuts App, go to Automation tab and tap on + button.
- Here choose App and make sure to check ‘Is Opened’ and ‘Run Immediately’. Select apps from blue Choose text.
- Tap Next followed by Blank Automation > Add Action. Search Volume and select Set Volume.
- Tap on the volume percent and change it to 0 and tap Done.
Now when you open a selected app, the Media volume will automatically switch to 0. You can also create a reverse automation by selecting when app closed and then set media volume back to specific percent. Or you can skip it and change volume to normal manually.
10. Notify When Connects to Charger
This incident has happened to me multiple times. I connect my iPhone to charger and assume its charging, but when I come back after sometime, I realize that my iPhone is not charging, maybe because I forgot to turn on the switch or due to some other reason. So it would be really helpful if the phone makes sound or speak something with the help of Siri when we put iPhone to charging. This is also possible with Shortcuts Automation.
- Open Automation Tab in Shortcuts app and press +.
- Scroll down and select ‘Charger’.
- Choose ‘Is Connected’ and ‘Run Immediately’, then press Next.
- Search and select Speak Text.
- Tap the blue text and change it to the text that you want the Siri to speak when charger is connected. Then hit Done.
Now when you connect your iPhone to charger, Siri will speak the word you set in the Automation.
These are some cool Automation for iPhone. Shortcuts is really an amazing tool you can use to set thousands of automation to make your life easy. If you weren’t aware of the Automation, you have been missing on some amazing tasks you can do on your iPhone. But now you know about this feature and take advantage of it. You can try and create your own automations from available options.
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