Shortcuts on iPad and iPhone!: Fascinating and Underrated!

Siri on Apple devices is something that has improved a lot with time and so has its popularity. Siri is something many consumers are fascinated about. But there’s something more fascinating built into Apple devices. Though there’re a lot of interesting stuff, this one’s surely worth mention. 

It’s probably the most underrated feature of an iPhone that many don’t bother to make use of. 

What is it? 

You might’ve guessed it, reading the title. It’s Shortcuts. 

Image Courtesy: Apple Support 

Shortcuts is an in-built app by Apple that of course helps you create shortcuts. So, what kinds of shortcuts? 

You get a bunch of them pre-made, which may not be useful for you, but surely help in getting used to it and knowing more about how Shortcuts works. (Subject-verb agreement :))

This helps increase productivity by reducing the time consumed, as doing it manually would take longer. 

For instance, you’re in a hurry and want to turn off/on Wi-if and Bluetooth. Instead of a swipe and two clicks, you can do it with just one (click). 

Okay. If that didn’t make sense. Check this out. You can text the last image with a single click (Provided Shortcuts has access to Photos) This would surely save a lot of time. Also, if you specify on whom to send it, it’d reduce one more step. This is how it would look if you’d done it manually: 

1. Open Photos

2. Select the last one

3. Click ‘Share’ 

4. Select recipient 

This is quite interesting. But there’s more. You also get to create automations on Shortcuts. 

Here’s a sample: 

If ‘X’ happens, do ‘Y’

The ‘X’ and ‘Y’ can be anything within the apps that you use on your iPhone or iPad. Also, ‘X’ and ‘Y’ can be a series of actions and not just one.

Here’s something I use a lot, personally. 

What this basically does is, Everyday at 10:55AM, 5 minutes prior to my class timing, makes a sound, Runs a Shortcut (Connects to the Wi-if and turns on Bluetooth), Opens Google Meet on Safari. 

This is something very simple and basic. But there’s so much you play around with. 

And so good is the ecosystem that, any other Apple device (iPhone/iPad) that you’ve signed in with the same Apple ID too will have the Automations/Shortcuts that you’d created. 

Though there are many features that are centred on Productivity, this one was one of the underrated ones. 

That was it for the blog. 

Hope you liked it 🙂

Also, do let me know your thoughts on Shortcuts in the comments!:)

Thanks for reading!!

#Apple #iPad #iPhone