Quick Actions on an iPhone or iPad let you perform quick tasks right from the Home screen. To do this, you use the icon of an app. Shortcuts may be hidden behind this icon so that you can apply them immediately.
For example, you can make a video directly via the Camera app, add a calendar appointment, view photos from a year ago, send your location via Maps, etc. These shortcuts are not only hidden behind the app icon, you can find them on many more places back in iOS and iPadOS.
What are quick tasks?
Quick tasks are also called Quick Actions. They are, as the name suggests, tasks that are linked to an application and that you can perform quickly. The most important function are tasks that can be found ‘behind’ an app symbol. You can consult the shortcuts from the home screen, app library and even from Spotlight, but there is more. The Quick Actions can also be found in apps and in the control panel.
Use Quick Actions on iPhone and iPad
You should almost always activate the quick tasks in the same way, regardless of where you apply them. To use this, simply hold down an item until the shortcuts appear. Below are some examples:
Quick tasks for app symbols
- Unlock your iPhone or iPad
- Go to the Home screen or app library
- Place your finger on an app and wait a few moments
- A pop-up menu will appear
- Now tap one of the options in the menu to use the quick action
In addition to the Home screen and App Library, you can also apply this action to app icons found in Spotlight for iOS and iPadOS.
Quick Actions in control panel
- Open the control panel
- Place your finger on a part and wait a few moments
- In some cases, additional options will appear
Quick tasks in apps
It is also possible to use Quick Actions in applications, but this is not always clear. In most cases you can assume: if there is a special button with underlying tasks, you can try to activate the quick task option. An example is Safari, when you place your finger on the tabs icon or booklet, you will see additional options.
This is also possible, for example, with locations in the Maps app, a photo in your library, documents in files, etc. The basic principle is the same in every case, place your finger on an item and wait a few moments until an additional pop-up menu appears . Isn’t this coming? Then there is no Quick Action linked to this part.