Find things
Tired of looking things up? Get some helpers
ONE OF THE best ways you can use shortcuts is to help you find things. When done well, this can bring up helpful information in a few seconds that would ordinarily be a hassle to locate. That information can then be linked with other steps to create a more useful shortcut, or simply relayed back to you.
Apple has already made a few useful shortcuts that do just this. For example, tap the Gallery tab, then search for Meet Halfway. This handy shortcut will find attractions close to the midway point between you and a friend. You tell it what you’re looking for (a restaurant or a mall, for instance) and where your friend is located, and the shortcut brings up a list of possible destinations. Choose one and it will take you to Maps so you can find your way there. If you like the look of it, tap Add Shortcut at the bottom of the window.
There are plenty of other ways you can use Shortcuts to find what you’re looking for, whether that is your friends’ upcoming birthdays or your task list for the day. We are going to get stuck in by creating a couple of our own below. To get started on your own shortcut, tap the My Shortcuts tab, then tap the “+” button in the top-right corner.