Building a Handy Shortcut For Easy Access To iPhone Functions

You can build a simple Shortcut to access the things you use your iPhone for the most. Then you can use back tap, a Home screen icon or Siri to activate it and choose the function. Great for productivity or for helping someone who needs easier access to some things.

Comments: 8 Responses to “Building a Handy Shortcut For Easy Access To iPhone Functions”

    Bernd
    3 years ago

    Hi Gary, thank you for this, I like the idea very much. Can I ask whether I can choose a contact number for the person I would like to call (in this case, there is a home and mobile number, both are starred as important to me, the home number is coincidentally my own, but always the home number is chosen automatically, not the mobile number which I would want)? I have moved the order of the numbers as mobile first, but no luck. Looking forward to your comment(s). Bernd.

    3 years ago

    Bernd: It should choose based on the order. But I haven't done any extensive testing or anything. Experiment and play around. What happens if you rearrange the numbers and remove and add it back to the Shortcut? What happens if you create a special contact just for use in the Shortcut? What happens if you remove the other number from the Contact, add it to the Shortcut, and then put the other numbers back? Work with it and see what you get in different situations.

    Bernd
    3 years ago

    Thanks, Gary. Deleting the shortcut action, removing the unwanted number, re-adding the shortcut action sorted it, and then re-adding the unwanted number after the re-adding the shortcut had no bearing on this, so it all works. I don't know your relationship to Apple, I'm just a mere beginner user, but this should be a suggestion to them that out of >1 numbers the correct should be chosen. Will it have more umph if you suggest this, or shall I try?

    3 years ago

    Bernd: Use https://www.apple.com/feedback/ I have no special connection to Apple at all.

    Fred
    3 years ago

    Nice video Gary. I noticed that the message function greys out the ability to add emojis or photos, kind of odd. I really hope they continue to improve this app. I use Keyboard Maestro and Alfred for some automation, but I can't seem to find a Mac solution that does it all.

    Bob
    3 years ago

    Thanks for this very informative tip.
    I've been using the "assistive touch" bubble
    for quite a while.
    Now I'll add this shortcut technique
    as one or more of the entries.

    custom touch on iphone shortcut
    2 years ago

    i want to send good morning message with gif through i message everyday with gif image so for that i am able to attach gif inside the iMessage with recipient name but as the iMessage contain image/gif so it wont send without letting me confirm the input so how to make it possible. just to be sure that i have turned off the show me run so it should automatically send but its not. Just to make sure i am talking about GIF image search not typical good morning text message so please help in this.

    2 years ago

    (unnamed person): No, if there is no option for removing the confirmation there is nothing you can do.

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