The Shortcuts app on iOS enables you to string together multiple actions and trigger them with ane tap. That's great for simplifying tasks y'all practise manually, but there's a deeper level to the Shortcuts app—automations.

Automations are shortcuts that run automatically based on triggers and criteria that yous configure. With automations, yous tin can command your iPhone on a schedule or based on specific contexts.

Larn how to wield the power of Shortcuts automations to command your iPhone and HomeKit devices.

How Are Automations Different From Shortcuts?

Automations are shortcuts that you pattern to run automatically, according to schedules, context-based prompts, or other factors.

When yous set an automation, you'll build a chain of actions just similar in a standard shortcut. The central difference is that you'll too choose the specific trigger that sets off the automated shortcut.

This ways you lot can build simple or complex chains of deportment—including those that change system settings and collaborate with third-party apps—that will run automatically, in the background.

Automations are bachelor in the Shortcuts app in iOS thirteen and later, only some triggers require later versions of iOS.

What Types of Events Can Trigger Automations?

While some personal automation triggers run actions completely in the background, others require user confirmation before continuing. When triggered, those that crave confirmation will evangelize a notification that you have to tap to run the automation.

These events trigger automations that run automatically:

  • Time of Twenty-four hour period
  • Sleep (Wind Down, Bedtime, and Waking Up)
  • Battery Level
  • Charger (Continued or Disconnected)
  • Alarms
  • Open or Shut App
  • Apple Picket Workout
  • NFC
  • Depression Power Manner
  • Practise Not Disturb
  • Airplane Mode
  • CarPlay

These events trigger automations that require confirmation:

  • Locations (Arrive and Leave)
  • Before I Commute
  • Electronic mail
  • Message
  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth

The Downside: Abrasive Notifications

Truly automated triggers unlock some incredibly powerful automations. Unfortunately, they come with a downside—abrasive iPhone notifications. Despite not requiring confirmation, automations withal send a notification each time they run.

With but a few agile automations, the Shortcuts app can quickly get one of the height offenders in Notification Center and Screen Time.

While requiring confirmation is a fashion to discourage others from installing potentially spammy or unwanted automations on your iPhone, there'due south certainly room for improvement in the implementation of this feature.

Automating Your HomeKit Devices

The Shortcuts app also lets you create Domicile Automations. These belong to a dissever category of automations that control HomeKit devices and use them as triggers to control other devices.

Dwelling house automation triggers include:

  • People Arriving
  • People Leaving
  • Fourth dimension of Day
  • Accessory Controlled
  • Sensor Detects Something (requires a HomeKit sensor)

Abode automations can control HomeKit devices or trigger full shortcuts. These automations don't require user confirmation.

Y'all tin build both personal and dwelling house automations to control various aspects of your iPhone, third-party apps, and your HomeKit setup.

To show you how to get started using automations, we've created pace-past-step instructions for ii example automations beneath, one personal automation and one home automation.

Example i. How to Ready Up a Personal Automation to Activate Low Power Fashion

In this simple example, you'll build an automation that activates your iPhone's Low Power Mode whenever the battery drops below 30 percentage (or your desired level).

Here'south how to fix it up:

  1. Open the Shortcuts app and select the Automation tab at the bottom.
  2. Tap the blue plus icon (+) in the acme-right corner.
  3. Select Create Personal Automation.
  4. Scroll downwardly to the battery triggers at the bottom and tap Battery Level.
  5. Drag the slider to gear up the battery level at which you'd like the automation to enable Low Power Mode—for example, 30 percent.
  6. Choose Falls Below 30%.
  7. Tap the blue Side by side button at the top.

Now, y'all're ready to configure the actions. If you lot've ever built a standard shortcut, y'all'll encounter that the automation interface is almost identical.

  1. Tap the blue Add Action push that's centered on the screen.
  2. Search for Ready Low Power Mode and tap it in the results to add information technology.
  3. Tap the bluish Next button at the top.

There's one important change left to make and it's the key to allowing your automation to run in the groundwork:

  1. Turn off the Enquire Before Running toggle.
  2. Tap the Don't Ask option on the alert that pops up.
  3. Tap the bluish Done button.

That alarm alert only says that the automation will run without asking for confirmation.

If you're familiar with creating shortcuts, you lot can also create a standalone shortcut that contains the Low Power Mode action. So, within the automation, use the Run Shortcut action to run the shortcut you've created.

The automation volition behave in the same mode, but you lot can duplicate standalone shortcuts and share them using iCloud links—2 capabilities that automations lack.

More Examples of Personal Automations to Try

As another automation example, you tin can employ the Shortcuts app to automatically change your wallpaper to match light and dark mode.

You can also fix amazing Apple tree Scout automations.

Instance 2. How to Plough on the Air-conditioning With a Domicile Automation

Dwelling house automations unlock other powerful possibilities for running shortcuts and automations. In this instance, y'all'll create an automation to plow on the air conditioning and the lights when you arrive abode.

To practice so, follow these steps:

  1. In the Shortcuts app's Automation tab, tap the blue plus button (+).
  2. Choose Create Home Automation.
  3. Tap the People Arrive location trigger.
  4. Choose The First Person Arrives.
  5. Then yous can tap the Info button and uncheck everyone but yourself so that the automation volition merely run when you are the get-go person who arrives home.
  6. To choose a specific fourth dimension period during which the automation should run, tap Time and choose Specific times.
  7. Choose the start time and end time for the menses your automation should be active every day.
  8. Tap Done at the top. Then, tap Next.

Now, it'due south fourth dimension to choose the accessories (or HomeKit scenes) you'd like to control with the automation—for instance, a smart plug that controls the air conditioner and the lamp in the vestibule.

  1. Tap each relevant accessory or scene in the list to select it.
  2. Tap Next.
  3. Optionally, adjust the brightness settings and make sure the air conditioner is prepare to plough on.
  4. Then, tap Done to create and enable the automation.

You can customize this type of automation to control various accessories and use different triggers, depending on your HomeKit setup.

Use Shortcuts to Unlock Powerful Automations on Your iPhone

Personal and home automations on iOS present a slew of possibilities for streamlining your iPhone and making your smart home smarter.

While the Shortcuts app is not bad for productivity, its range of actions tin can also help yous improve your health and well-being, amid many other aspects of your life.

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About The Author

Tom Twardzik (37 Articles Published)

Tom is the Inferior Editor for Wellness and has covered tech, culture, and a multifariousness of other topics since 2016. When he'due south not online, he's edifice iOS apps and claims to be writing a novel.

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