How to use this Time-Saving feature Apple added to the iPhone

Do you ever find yourself completing the same couple of actions on your phone every day? It is annoying to do the same thing over and over again. For simplification, there’s a little-used feature in iOS 12, i.e. Shortcuts. You don’t need to be an app developer to de-clutter your everyday tasks, and the Shortcuts app will do that for you.

Siri Shortcuts is one of the best features in iOS12. It is a feature that can help automate tasks or reduce the steps needed to compile a particular action. The Shortcuts app doesn’t come pre-installed. You’ll have to download it from the App Store. In the app, you can add pre-made shortcuts or create your custom commands. Here are five useful Shortcuts:

- Police Shortcut: This has gained more attention than any other Shortcuts. This puts our phone in DND mode, sends a text message (letting someone know you’re pulled over) and pops you to start filming a video. It is an excellent example of power shortcut.

- Item Lookup: Whenever you want to search for a product on Amazon, use this Shortcut. You can scan the barcode of the product and automatically search it online.

- OK Google: Great for iPhone users who want to use Google Assistant. Now that Google Assistant has the support of Siri Shortcuts, you can say, ‘Hey Siri, OK Google’, to talk to Google Assistant.

These next two Shortcuts are useful for people who love to use their phones to play music or a lot of videos.

- Play Spotify Track: It allows you to ask Siri to play a song in Spotify instead of Apple Music. Just run the Shortcut & say the name of the song and it will launch on Spotify.

- Play in Background: This one allows you to play YouTube videos in the background. For this, you’ll need the YouTube app and Google Chrome. In YouTube app, click share and select Siri Shortcut. Wait till the ad is over then close Chrome. Next select play from the control centre.

You can find more useful shortcuts in the Shortcuts app Gallery or Sharecuts website. Shortcuts have two forms, Suggestions & Shortcuts. The Siri Suggestions are apps & actions that Siri notice you doing more often; however, the Shortcuts app allows you to combine actions to complete a command. As more app developers support Shortcuts, users will be able to do even more with this powerful app.