5 shortcut tricks that can make your iPhone more powerful

Your iPhone is a powerful tool in your pocket, but are you using its full potential? Sure, you can browse the web, capture stunning photos, and stay connected with loved ones, but there’s a whole hidden world of functionality waiting to be explored. Enter the Shortcuts app: a gateway to automation and efficiency.

In this blog post, we’ll reveal 5 shortcut tricks that will transform your iPhone experience and boost your personal and professional productivity.

Creating a playlist from your Favourite Songs

You can build a playlist of the most heard track in your Music app using the ‘Make Top 25 Playlist’ option in Shortcuts. Auto-generate a playlist of what it considers are the best songs in your profile for this widget.

Turn on Do Not Disturb till you leave that place

Switch your phone into silent mode before you use the ‘DND Until I Leave’ option in Shortcuts to leave a venue. Instead of clicking through the Configuration menu, you can put your iPhone in DND mode all at once. The mode will be turned on with one tap on the feature before you actually exit the current spot.

Master Gestures and Navigation

iOS features many intuitive gestures and navigation techniques that can enhance the iPhone user experience. Learning these gestures and applying them effectively to make the phone even more powerful and user friendly.
Swiping down from the top-right corner (or top-left, on models equipped with Face ID) brings up Control Center; doing the same from below reveals App Switcher; while left or right swipes at bottom reveal Recently Used Applications list.

3D Touch (Haptic Touch on newer iPhones) can also help access quick actions or previews for apps; pressing hard on Camera app icon allows direct photo or video shooting and recording; for instance, pressing hard allows quick QR code scanning directly through 3D Touch!

Master these gestures and navigation techniques on your iPhone to navigate more fluidly, save time, and access features easily.

Send your ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) to someone

You can tell anyone when you hit a position at the click of a button in Shortcuts. The ‘Home ETA’ function basically takes your actual position, calculates how far you are from the pre-selected address, and calculates the time when that location is reached. This is then immediately communicated to the pre-selected touch. All in one single tap.

Enable Keyboard Shortcuts

2. Typing on a touchscreen keyboard can sometimes be cumbersome, but iOS offers a handy feature called Keyboard Shortcuts that can save you time and effort. By setting up personalized shortcuts, you can type a few characters and have them automatically expand into longer phrases or frequently used words.

To enable Keyboard Shortcuts, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap the “+” button to add a new shortcut. For instance, you can set “omw” to expand into “On my way!” or “sig” to expand into your email signature. These shortcuts can significantly speed up your typing, especially for commonly used phrases or lengthy email responses.