Siri is Apple’s voice assistant and can already perform a lot of tasks, answer questions and request data. With every new update, Apple ensures that the assistant becomes smarter. You can also personalize Siri with the commands application, also called Shortcuts.
Using commands, it is possible to have Siri perform tasks that you have devised yourself or that are linked to an app. The option is divided into two options, so you can use automatically generated commands based on your iPhone or iPad use or you can get started with complicated routines and actions yourself.
Siri Shortcuts in brief
Siri Shortcuts can be compared to If This Then That (IFTTT) and ensures that an action is automatically performed after an action or command. The command function can be found in the special Siri Commands application.
The goal is to personalize Siri
Until iOS 12, Siri commands were standard and could not be customized. For example, you can call someone, open an app, ask about the weather, request information, search on social media or order a taxi. These possibilities are still great, but not personal.
Since iOS 12, you can use the commands to create your own commands and link them to actions. For example, you can create a command to open a website, find a Bluetooth tracker, paste data from the clipboard, open your latest Live Photo, etc.
The Siri Shortcuts application
Via the Assignments app you can go wild and come up with your own actions and commands. The app consists of your own library of actions and a gallery of examples and commands that you can activate and edit immediately.
Not only will you find ready-made ones here, you will also find suggested Siri commands specifically for apps you have installed in this tab.
Consult suggested assignments
- Open the Siri commands app
- Navigate to the ‘Gallery’ tab
- View the different suggestions
An overview is immediately shown with interesting shortcuts according to Apple. Tap the plus button next to the suggestion to add it. Do you want to discover specific commands related to your installed applications? Then open the Commands tab and scroll to ‘App Commands’.
Not only suitable for Siri
At first you would think that the shortcuts created in the Shortcuts app can only be activated by Siri, but that is not the case. All shortcuts and actions you create in the app can also be activated via the Assignments app itself, the home screen, widgets or via the share menu.
For example, you can convert your burst photos into a GIF, share your current location via messages, add achievements to health, share your last photo taken directly via AirDrop, translate text, etc. The advantage of this is that you can also save everything you create in Assignments. can link to Siri. This allows you to complete tasks immediately without having to open the Assignments app or tap a button.
Use app commands and create actions
It is extremely difficult to explain the possibilities of Assignments, because they are endless and very personal. Via the gallery function or this website you will find examples that you can immediately activate and show how the app is used. However, there are a number of interesting things to report. Such as adding a Siri command or how to place the task on the home screen or in the share menu.
- Open the Assignments app
- Navigate to the ‘Assignments’
- If necessary, go to ‘All assignments’
- Tap the plus button
From now on you can create your own action and routine. Use the search function to find tasks and add them to the action. You can add multiple tasks and consequences as long as you place them in a logical order. The shortcut is executed from top to bottom.
Tap on three dots to add a Siri command (name for the command), once you have done this you can access the action via Siri with this command. You can also use this menu to add the action to the home screen, sharing panel, sleep mode and Apple Watch. You can also personalize the symbol for the shortcut and add any import questions. You do this when you share the command with others.
Siri shortcuts via apps
Also, app developers can also add the commands functionality to their applications. This means that apps can be accessed in this way by Siri or included in an action or routine. This makes the possibilities even more extensive and you can also control apps using Siri, such as starting your robot vacuum cleaner, controlling music speakers, operating Homey flows or managing health apps.
Personal automations via Siri Shortcuts
You can start shortcuts manually, but you can also use personal automations. These are tasks that you can have Siri perform automatically. For example, you can activate a command as soon as you turn on airplane mode, connect your iPhone to CarPlay, it is charging or when you open an application.
- Open the Siri Commands application
- Navigate to the ‘Automation’ tab
- Tap the plus button at the top
- Choose ‘Personal automation’
You will then receive an overview of all possible triggers that you can use to create an automatic assignment. The options are best seen as triggers that activate something according to the following scheme: if trigger is activated â–¸ then execute task.
Allow untrusted Siri commands
To prevent abuse, Apple has disabled Siri’s ability to use third-party commands by default. By default, the iPhone and iPad blocks shortcuts that do not come from the gallery. So if you want to download an assignment from the internet or, for example, via our website, Assignments will not allow this by default. Fortunately, you can turn this off.
- Open Settings
- Navigate to ‘Assignments’
- Enable the ‘Allow untrusted commands’ option
Don’t see the option? Then first perform your own command or one from Apple in the Shortcuts app. A warning will now appear with additional explanation, then you can confirm activation with the Allow button and the passcode from your iPhone or iPad.
Also for Apple Watch, HomePod and Mac
Siri Shortcuts can be created on the iPhone and iPad, but also activated via an Apple Watch, HomePod and Mac. This way you can provide these specific devices with additional useful functions.
The Siri Shortcuts application for Mac is fully optimized for macOS. This way you can automate tasks for different apps, but also for Finder, the menu bar, Spotlight, Dock, desktop and more. The assignments are synchronized so that you can also use them on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, if possible.
Not for everyone
Siri Shortcuts offers numerous options, but as you have undoubtedly noticed in the explanation above, it is all quite complicated. The novice iOS user will have a lot of difficulty with this, while the expert will find it a piece of cake. Fortunately, Apple solves this with standard previews in the Shortcuts app and Siri suggestions in Settings. In addition, the shortcuts in assignments can also be shared so that you can also use smart actions from friends. It is an app that you have to spend a lot of time in to unravel all the settings.
Of course you will find some useful Siri commands on our website, but the power of the app lies in the personalization. Via the website shortcutsgallery now and in the future you can discover even more shortcuts created by other iOS users.