Siri Shortcuts

teach Siri some new tricks

A Vista Tech Talk & Tea Zoom session - updated notes produced from presentation slides.

Brian Negus, 26 November 2020 - updated October 2024

These notes are written for VoiceOver users. If you aren't using VoiceOver, tap instead of double tap and where the instructions tell you to swipe up and select from a menu, just tap and rest your finger  on an item to reveal a menu. Unfortunately iOS 18 seems to have introduced some VoiceOver bugs that may make some tasks in setting up shortcuts and automations difficult. These have been reported.

In iOS 18.1 I'm having problems dragging actions in shortcuts. There is no announcement of the current position for VoiceOver users.

Also in automations, the " new blank automation" button can't be activated with a VoiceOver double tap. A triple tap seems to work.

Shortcuts app offers two main features

Shortcuts - a sequence of actions that are performed on request with an instruction to Siri or by locating and double tapping them on screen.

Automations - predefined actions are carried out when a specific event occurs, for example when a specific app is started or closed or when you arrive at or leave a specific location.

The Shortcuts app - Shortcuts

Set up shortcuts to do:

Just one task, such as open a specific web page; for example I have a shortcut called “iPhone user guide” which opens Apple's user guide in Safari; 

Tasks with spoken input, for example “log my weight”, which asks me to speak my weight and then records it in the Health app;

A sequence of tasks, e.g. a morning routine of checking the weather and then playing your favourite music;

A more complex program which could include spoken inputs and actions that depend on your choice of input. Essentially, a simple computer program.

How to run a shortcut

Shortcuts can be run from the shortcuts app with a tap if VoiceOver isn't on or a double tap for VoiceOver;

Shortcuts can be placed as icons on the Home screen; 

Siri can be taught a phrase for the shortcut;

The phrase must be spoken precisely - Siri doesn’t try to work out what you mean.

Ready-made shortcuts from apps

Apps with ready-made shortcuts - as easy as it gets

SeeingAI offers shortcuts for all of its channels.

You must set them up using the Menu within the app and selecting Settings.

Use “configure Siri Shortcuts”.

Select the channels you want as shortcuts, one by one.

Each one takes you to a screen which lets you change the default shortcut's phrase for Siri..

Change the Siri phrase if you wish and then double tap on the "Done" button near the bottom of the screen.

I don't think this approach is common. Most apps that support shortcuts provide actions that can be used to construct your own shortcut. I'm not totally sure, but I think that GoodMaps Outdoors created shortcuts in my shortcuts automatically when it was installed.

Ready made Shortcuts in the Shortcuts app

Shortcuts suggested by the Shortcuts app

There are three tabs at the bottom of the Shortcuts app screen; Shortcuts, Automation and Gallery.

The Gallery tab offers some shortcuts and automations that you might want to use.

Some might have limited appeal, but you may find one or two that are either useful or helpful as starting points for something you do want. If you want to ad one of these shortcuts to your personal library just double tap and then use the "add shortcut" button.

The weight watchers amongst you will find the "log my Weight" shortcut under the Quick Shortcuts heading.

You might also find the "what's a shortcut?" shortcut under the Essentials heading helpful.

Shortcuts shared by others - Take care!

Anyone can share a shortcut as a clickable link;

If it isn’t for sure from a trusted source don’t install;

When you download a shared shortcut, take a look at its content - just to be sure;

If you want to try a shared shortcut (and you trust me!) here’s a shortcut to open my blind iOS website in Safari: 
 

Create your own shortcut

A quick look at the tools you have to play with

Use the Shortcuts tab.

Double tap on Create Shortcut at top right.

There will be a “search actions” search field around the middle of the screen. Use this if you know what you need.

Otherwise below the search field you will find a row of buttons offering different types of actions including scripting, controls, device and more. Double tap on any of these to show a list of available actions.

Below that row thee is a long list beginning with a few suggested actions followed by a list of apps that make shortcut actions available. Double tap on an app to view its available actions.

Creating Shortcuts - Example

Examples will illustrate general principles

There’s no substitute for practicing writing your own shortcuts and checking out all the available actions. You can't do any harm by experimenting. You can always delete your test shortcuts immediately after you create them if you wish. If you are a VoiceOver user, simply locate the shortcut in the shortcuts list, swipe up until you hear "delete" and then double tap. If you aren't using VoiceOver, double tap and hold on the shortcut to show the menu.

Shortcuts to enable and disable Zoom 

(This refers to the Zoom accessibility feature that can be toggled, when Zoom is enabled, with a 3 finger double tap if VoiceOver is off and a 3 finger triple tap if VoiceOver is on. Zoom, when enabled, can interfere with some VoiceOver features so it may be useful to have a shortcut to disable and reenable it quickly if you are a VoiceOver user.)

Double tap on create shortcut.

Search in the search field around the middle of the screen.

Search for Zoom;

You will find “set Zoom” in the search results; double tap it to add it to your shortcut.

You may also find actions provided by the Zoom video conferencing app. We don't want those this time.

You have now inserted the action “turn Zoom on”.

To create a shortcut to turn zoom off or to toggle Zoom you can edit this action.

VoiceOver users should swipe up to hear the available choices.

Your choices will include" "edit operation turn" and "edit state on". The first  is giving you the opportunity to change the so-called operation of the action to change it from "turn" to another type of operation and the second lets you change the state of the on/off switch if you leave the operation as "turn".

If you double tap on "edit operation turn" a menu of choices will appear offering, turn, toggle and Ask Every Time. So if you wanted a shortcut just to toggle Zoom you could select toggle and the on/off switch would disappear.

Alternatively you could leave the operation as turn and  double tap on "edit state on". The action will change to "turn Zoom off".

If you aren't using VoiceOver, rest a finger on the relevant item to view choices or change the item.

Editing actions can seem a little odd at first but you should soon get the hang of it as you practice with them and experiment with more of them.

Now we need to give the shortcut a name.

Feel near top centre and you will hear the current name "set Zoom", followed by actions menu. Double tap and select rename from the menu that appears. Enter the shortcut name, e.g. “Zoom on” , “Zoom off” or "Toggle Zoom".

Locate Done at top right and double tap.

If Siri doesn't respond straight away to a spoken command like "Siri Zoom on" first try running the shortcut by double tapping it in the shortcuts list. If that doesn't fix Siri, try restarting your device.

More complex shortcuts

It is possible to create complex shortcuts with spoken input, keyboard input and actions that depend on one or more conditions. For the full story see Apple's Shortcuts User Guide.

The Shortcuts app - Automations

Perform one or more actions when specific events occur, including -

At a specific time, at sunrise or sunset; On arrival / departure - e.g. when I arrive at work; Email, e.g. when I get an email from Jim, 

Or when a specific app starts or stops.

Automations are specific to a device so you can have an automation on just your iPhone, for example, if you have both an iPhone and iPad.

All your shortcuts would normally appear on all your devices unless you turn off iCloud for Shortcuts but automations are specific to a device and will only trigger on the device on which they were created.

A simple automation

Wake up to a greeting from your iPhone

Choose the Automation tab.

If this is your first automation, use the "New Automation" button near centre screen. If you already have some automations, use “add” at top right.

Double tap on “time of day” in the list that appears.

Set the time, the frequency and whether the automation  should Run after Confirmation or Run Immediately. In this case you probably want Run Immediately.

Use the "next" button at top right to move to the next step.

You can use any of the suggestions or existing shortcuts displayed or you can build a new automation just as shortcuts are built. To do this, use the "new blank automation" button. VoiceOver users may need to triple tap instead of double tap to activate this button.

For our simple example you could use "new blank automation" and then search for "speak".

Add a message to the speak action.

Use the "Done" button at top right to add this automation to your automations on this device.

Limitations of Shortcuts and automations

You can’t write a shortcut to perform an action in an app if the app doesn’t offer that action to the Shortcuts app.

You’ll need to check by searching for the app. 

Having said that, many actions are available and there’s no substitute for working your way through the full list to get a feel for what’s available and where it’s located. The apps sections includes all apps on your device that offer shortcuts.Some of the other categories may show actions from apps that aren’t installed on you device.

Placing a shortcut as an icon on the Home screen

Locate the shortcut in the Shortcuts app and swipe up until you hear "edi" and double tap to begin editing.

Locate and double tap the share button at the bottom of the screen.

Swipe right to "add to Home screen" and double tap.

(If you aren't using VoiceOver, rest a finger on the shortcut icon and then select share.)

Extra "automations" for VoiceOver users  - VoiceOver Activities

In VoiceOver settings

Change a group of VoiceOver settings for a specific app or “context”

Can be applied to apps or contexts.

Contexts are things like word processing and social media.

It’s a fairly limited set of VoiceOver settings that can be applied, but it may be useful for something you like to do.

An example might be for a trainer who has very fast speech and minimal feedback set on their iPhone. They might want to have an activity for training with slower speech and more spoken feedback for the student to listen to during a training session.

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