Genius tips for Shortcuts

Clever shortcut hacks for super–smart workflows

SHORTCUTS ARE CLEVER, but they get even smarter when you pair them with some other tricks and features built into iOS. That’s especially true of iOS 14, which adds a number of ways you can raise your shortcuts to the next level and add some extra spark to automated tasks.

For example, you can add shortcuts to your Home screen, putting them within easy reach. This can be done in one of two ways. The first is to tap the “…” button next to a shortcut on the My Shortcuts page, then tap the “…” button again.

From here, tap Add to Home Screen. This will add a quick link to your shortcut that looks just like an app icon.

The second method is to long– press on a blank area of your Home screen, then tap “+” to add a new widget. Scroll to Shortcuts, then choose either an individual shortcut or a link to your shortcuts folder. Once the widget is on your Home screen (and you’re not in jiggle mode), long–press it and tap Edit Widget. This will let you choose the shortcut or folder you want to display.

Shortcuts are designed to be used hand–in–hand with Siri and activated using your voice, but there is another way you can swiftly launch your favorite shortcuts: using the Back Tap feature. This is an accessibility tool that lets you perform various functions with either a double or triple tap on the back of your phone, and it can be used to launch shortcuts.

Once you have created and saved a shortcut, open the Settings app and go to Accessibility > Touch. Scroll down to Back Tap. Choose either Double Tap or Triple Tap, then scroll down the list of actions until you see the Shortcuts header. Underneath this all your shortcuts are listed, so just choose whichever one you want to use.

Shortcuts get even better when paired with other Apple devices. For instance, you can speak your trigger phrases to your HomePod or AirPods. That works well if, for example, you have a shortcut dedicated to outdoor exercise. Pop in your AirPods, say the trigger phrase, and set off on your jog with your shortcut firing up.

Shortcuts lets you set custom icons for apps. Combined with Widgetsmith, it makes it easy to create a visual overhaul for your device.

Set up a shortcut to run with the Back Tap accessibility feature and you can launch any workflow with a couple of taps on the reverse side of your device.