HOW TO Create an Apple TV shortcut

1 Create a shortcut

Weirdly, the Home app doesn’t include any automations for the Apple TV box, but you can easily create your own. The first step is to open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, then tap “+” in the top right.

2 Choose a command

On the New Shortcut screen, tap Add Action, then type “Open” in the Search field at the top. Scroll down to the Remote section, where you’ll see an “Open App on Apple TV” command. Tap it to be taken to the next screen.

3 Select Apple TV

You’ll see the “Open App on Apple TV” command at the top. Tap the blue Apple TV text, then on the next screen choose your Apple TV. Once that’s done the command will change to “Open TV on [your Apple TV name]”.

4 Choose an app

Now let’s select an app to automatically open. By default, the “Open App on Apple TV” command has chosen the TV app (highlighted in blue). To change it, tap the highlighted text, then choose an app from the list that appears — let’s choose Disney+.

5 Show remote control

The command at the top should now read “Open Disney+ on [your Apple TV name]”. Tap the Show Remote Control command below it, then in the command for that, tap the blue Apple TV text to choose your particular Apple TV.

6 Almost there

Now when you trigger this shortcut, your Apple TV will start up, automatically switch to Disney+ and then display the Remote Control app on your iPhone so you can choose what you want to watch. Now let’s add suitably cinematic lighting.

7 Add a Home event

Type “Home” into the Search field, then under the Home app option, choose the Control Home command. Your shortcut should now have a “Set Scenes and Accessories” command, with “Scenes and Accessories” highlighted in blue.

8 Pick a scene

Tap the highlighted “Scenes and Accessories” text and either choose a scene you’ve created in Home, or scroll down and choose a lighting accessory from the options. We already have a Movie Night scene set up, so we’re going to add that.

9 Save your shortcut

Your shortcut should now look like the one shown above. Tap the grayed out text at the top of the menu to give your shortcut a name, an icon and a color. Your shortcut can now be invoked from the Shortcuts home screen or by asking Siri.