What shortcuts are and where to find them
A shortcut on your iPhone is a quick way to run one action or a chain of actions with a single tap. Instead of opening an app, navigating through menus, and tapping multiple times, you can create a shortcut that does all of that in one go. Shortcuts live in the Shortcuts app, which comes built into every iPhone running iOS 12 or later.
You can add a shortcut to your home screen, lock screen, or Control Center so it launches instantly without opening the Shortcuts app first. Common shortcuts include sending a text to a specific contact, playing a particular playlist, turning on Do Not Disturb, checking the weather, or opening a website. You can also create shortcuts that combine multiple actions — for example, a "Leaving Work" shortcut that texts your partner, turns off work email notifications, and starts your commute music all at once.
Key Takeaways
- The Shortcuts app comes built into your iPhone; open it from your home screen or App Library to start creating or browsing shortcuts.
- You can add a shortcut to your home screen as an icon, to your lock screen for quick access, or to Control Center by swiping down from the top right.
- Apple provides ready-made shortcuts in the Shortcuts app gallery, or you can build your own by selecting actions and connecting them together.
- Home screen shortcuts appear as custom icons you can tap like any other app, while lock screen shortcuts require a long press to reveal.
- If a shortcut asks for permission the first time you run it, that is normal — you are allowing it to access contacts, messages, location, or other data.
How to add a shortcut to your home screen
Open the Shortcuts app and find the shortcut you want to add. You can browse the gallery at the bottom of the screen for pre-made shortcuts, or tap the plus sign in the top right to create your own. Once you have found or created a shortcut, tap and hold on it until a menu appears.
Select "Add to Home Screen" from the menu. A new screen will open showing a preview of how the shortcut will look. You can change the name and the icon if you want — tap the colored circle to pick a different color or image. When you are happy with how it looks, tap "Add" in the top right. Your iPhone will ask where on your home screen you want to place it. Choose a location and tap "Add" again. The shortcut now appears on your home screen as a tappable icon.
How to add a shortcut to your lock screen
Lock screen shortcuts are newer and only work on iPhone XS and later. To add one, open the Shortcuts app and find the shortcut you want. Tap and hold on it, then select "Add to Lock Screen" from the menu.
Your iPhone will show you a preview of the lock screen with the shortcut added. You can customize the icon and color here too. Tap "Add" when you are ready. The next time you lock your phone, long press on the lock screen to reveal your shortcuts. The ones you added will appear at the bottom. Tap any of them to run that shortcut without unlocking your phone.
How to add a shortcut to Control Center
Control Center is the panel that slides down from the top right of your screen. To add a shortcut there, open the Shortcuts app and find the shortcut you want. Tap and hold on it and select "Add to Control Center."
A confirmation screen will appear. Tap "Add" to confirm. Now when you swipe down from the top right corner of your screen, your shortcut will appear in Control Center as a small icon. Tap it to run the shortcut instantly. This is the fastest way to launch a shortcut because you do not have to open the Shortcuts app or unlock your phone — Control Center is always one swipe away.
How to create your own shortcut from scratch
Open the Shortcuts app and tap the plus sign in the top right corner to start a new shortcut. You will see a blank canvas with a search bar at the top. This is where you add actions — the individual steps your shortcut will perform.
Tap the search bar and type what you want the shortcut to do. For example, type "send message" to find the action that sends a text. Tap the action to add it to your shortcut. A panel will appear asking you to fill in details — like which contact to send the message to and what the message should say. Fill in those details, then tap "Add" to confirm. Repeat this process to add more actions. Each action will run in order from top to bottom. When you are done adding actions, tap "Done" in the top right, give your shortcut a name, and then you can add it to your home screen, lock screen, or Control Center using the steps above.
What to do if a shortcut asks for permission
The first time you run a shortcut, it may ask for permission to access your contacts, messages, location, calendar, or photos. This is a safety feature — the shortcut is asking your permission before it can read or send information on your behalf. Read what the shortcut is asking for and decide if that makes sense. A shortcut that sends a message should ask for permission to access your contacts and messages. A shortcut that checks the weather should ask for your location.
Tap "Allow" to give permission, or "Don't Allow" to refuse. If you refuse, the shortcut will not work. You can change your mind later by opening Settings, scrolling down to Shortcuts, and tapping it. You will see a list of shortcuts and the permissions each one has. Tap any shortcut to see what it can access, and toggle permissions on or off.
Troubleshooting shortcuts that do not work
If a shortcut does not run or stops partway through, the most common cause is a missing permission. Open Settings, go to Shortcuts, and check whether the shortcut has permission to access what it needs. Another common issue is that the app the shortcut is trying to open is not installed on your phone. For example, a shortcut that opens Spotify will not work if you have not installed Spotify.
If you created the shortcut yourself and it is not working, check that all the actions are filled in correctly. Tap the shortcut to edit it and look for any action with a yellow warning triangle — that means something is missing or wrong. Tap that action and fill in the missing information. If you still have trouble, try deleting the shortcut and creating it again from scratch, or browse the Shortcuts gallery for a similar pre-made shortcut that you can use instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a shortcut I created with someone else?
Yes. Open the Shortcuts app, tap and hold on the shortcut you want to share, and select "Share Shortcut." You can send it via Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or any other sharing method on your phone. When someone receives it, they tap the link and choose "Add Shortcut" to install it on their own iPhone.
Why does my shortcut ask for permission every time I run it?
Some shortcuts are set to ask for permission each time for security reasons. If you trust the shortcut and do not want to see the prompt again, look for a setting within the shortcut itself. Open the shortcut to edit it, look for an action that says "Ask for" or "Request," and toggle that setting off. Then save the shortcut.
Can I use shortcuts to automate things on a schedule?
Yes, but only through the Automation feature in the Shortcuts app. Tap the Automation tab at the bottom, then the plus sign to create a new automation. You can set a shortcut to run at a specific time of day, when you arrive or leave a location, when you connect to Wi-Fi, or when you open a particular app. The shortcut will run automatically without you having to tap anything.
What is the difference between a shortcut and a widget?
A widget is a small app window that shows information on your home screen or lock screen without opening the full app. A shortcut is an action or series of actions that runs when you tap it. Widgets are for viewing information; shortcuts are for doing something. You can have both on your home screen at the same time.
Can I edit a shortcut after I add it to my home screen?
Yes. Open the Shortcuts app, find the shortcut, and tap and hold on it. Select "Edit" to make changes to the actions inside. When you are done, tap "Done" to save. The version on your home screen will update automatically.