13 Shortcuts I Use Every Day (iOS & Mac Automations)

[@ChrisLawley]

What’s your favorite shortcut?

[@robertkozak]

Not sure if you are tired of hearing this but: Thanks for your channel. I've been watching since you started and its only getting better and better

[@murtadha96]

I created a really nice shortcut called "Study" and it uses an action introduced in iPadOS 15. The shortcut goes like this: present a list of two options: Web or PDF, choosing the first will open Brave (my go-to browser for studying) in which I have a page open for my online college module, it then opens Notion in slide-over and then I put an action to navigate to the specific page where I put notes for that module. Finally I lock the screen orientation to landscape and present a list asking for what background noise to play: Fireplace, Rain or Others. The last one triggers the full list of sounds from Dark Noise to choose from, while the first two just plays the corresponding sound from Dark Noise. The PDF option does the same thing but instead of opening Brave it open PDF Expert 😁

[@JDJlucky7]

@@murtadha96 that is a very nice and helpful shortcut you have!

[@TechTipsUSA]

See file size in share sheet

[@goddesswhispers]

I really really really want to use the timer shortcuts (break timer or just timer in work stuff) but I just can't figure out how to use them and have not found a video for those specific timers. Would LOVE to see one posted for that. Thanks for your awesome, useful, helpful vids!

[@joselmartin8695]

The shortcuts would be even more powerful if they allow it to be on control center.

[@Aman-dm6zi]

you can pin them to menu bar

[@sbeckas]

@@Aman-dm6zi Does that mean drag and drop to the menu bar? I am not sure how to pin-sorry.

[@Aman-dm6zi]

@@sbeckas yes there is a settings for pinning shortcuts to menu bar. that setting can be found in the shortcuts app

[@sbeckas]

@@Aman-dm6zi thanks for your help🙂

[@saile6864]

@@Aman-dm6zi for me, I can only find it under my Mac shortcuts setting, so I’m probably not going to use it

[@Murderball9]

Please keep churning out the Shortcuts videos. You started my obsession with it. Lol. Been following your channel from the beginning, and of course got an iPad Pro as a result. Absolutely love it.

[@tlainthehouse]

After listening to the same Automators podcast you referenced, I created a packing list shortcut that was a little different. Mine asks for the from and to dates of my trip, where I’m going, and the categories of things I need to take. It then creates a single task the day before I’m traveling called “Pack for x” (where x is where I’m going). It has a deadline of the day I travel. That task has a checklist with all the things I need to pack. It also adds another “Pack for return home” task that is set the day before I return home (with a deadline of the next day). It has the same checklist as the first one and helps me know I packed everything up again for the return trip.

[@ZacharyColes]

This sounds amazing! would you be willing to share the shortcut?

[@MrAlmoOndo]

People are waiting for you to share the shortcut you created.

[@tlainthehouse]

@@MrAlmoOndo I am trying. My replies keep disappearing.

[@MrNowhereM]

@Tim Atkins Any chance you can try it again? Maybe it works with a link shortener

[@miuzig]

Any chance you can share the shortcut?

[@SoftTofu123]

this is by far the most useful "things you can do with your iPad" video

[@user-ky1ln6gu4c]

I love the shortcuts that help me find the nearest restroom, which I use.

[@iFish12]

I use a shortcut for setting my medication reminders. I used to always say “hey Siri, in 4 hours remind me medication”. With iOS 15 I was hoping Siri would be 100% local, but it still uses internet to know how to use my voice. So reminder shortcuts are a godsend

[@alscarpa6177]

Christopher, thank you! This is an app I was not using until your video.

[@DemetriPanici]

I’m so glad Apple bought the shortcuts app a few years ago

[@ChrisHolly]

Functional and clean, as it ought to be. Outstanding! A real inspiration to get device behavior together.

[@grenadespoon]

I love that you have the F1 calendar added to your calendar.

[@Mootikinss]

Seeing how much stuff you have in different places, I can only imagine all the things you would do with Obsidian.

[@jakewilliams5074]

I love your color grading! 👌🏼

[@javtimestwo]

All of these shortcuts are very advanced for me. I need to learn how to use these myself. Do you have a video that is shortcuts for beginners 🤷🏽‍♂

[@anandsunku]

Can I automate switching on silence unknown callers using shortcuts?

[@billpulliam8096]

Can you run the shortcut Bag Checklist in another app besides Things 3?

[@anagrahn]

I’m trying to figure out how to run in Reminders.

[@High_Key]

You’ve probably done similar but not sure if you actually done a full in depth video on how your organize your shortcuts (groups/folders, color schemes, and types of shortcuts in each group/folder)

[@rsallis24]

Trying to get more out of my Apple Watch, really like the watch launcher 👍🏽

[@aalikes7]

I run tons of shortcuts from watch too.

[@jeffhale1189]

Thanks for sharing. I like the Blood Glucose. I enjoyed learning about Shortcuts. Blessings on your day.

[@willhelliwell]

Brilliant! As usual I think I’ll be using the caffeine tracker and connecting it to a Notion database.

[@THEPOETGOD]

I'm looking for a shortcut that turns off true tone on my Mac book when I launch Affinity Photo or Final Cut.. I think this would be useful if no one has built it yet.

[@LeandroPavlicek]

Hey @Christopher!!! Is possible create shortcut that read Emails, Calendar and Reminders?

[@MrCabimero]

I could swear I recently used a shortcut you created to do a split screen using Notability as one of the apps. Am I wrong and if not can you point me to it. I can 't find it on my device. Thanks.

[@futuregootecks]

Holy shit dude, that was so insanely useful !!

[@mynotebook3853]

Hey ! Could you please make a video on Shortcuts for Apple Watch ? Ive tried some habit trackers ( only few available in India ) and they are sub optimal. I wan to make my own through Shortcuts, could you help me figure that out. I use reminders on the bigger devices so never got the need to set up shortcuts on them. Hence noob, here to learn more.

[@BenFoilHat]

I want to launch KZbin music with automation and play a specific playlist. Which direction would you point me? Would it be scripting?

[@RichBowlin]

Great video. Unfortunately I can't get the "Choose Audio..." option to appear in the Drop The Needle Shortcut.

[@aneeshgeoffcarvalho3071]

I have been searching for a shortcut (preferably an automation) to change the timezone of my iPad at 6pm every evening to another timezone as I work remotely on the other side of the world. I haven’t been able to figure this out myself yet but would love to.

[@rorisxng]

Is there a reason you can’t use a widget with clocks for all the time zone you need?

[@abhijitdas601]

Don’t know if it’s still relevant to the original commenter but if anyone here still wondering about this then I think they can create a timezone conversion shortcut and then create an automation that enables the shortcut at the specific time they want.

[@aycajr]

Could you please please please show us how to create a shortcut that will automatically change the Fn keys when using Excel? Thank you!!!!

[@clintonexsteen1093]

I am trying to create a shortcut to open a specific folder but there isn’t an option, some limited links from i don’t know where??

[@TonyTylerDraws]

It should be possible to create a sleep/mood/habit tracker using shortcuts, right? Like placing data into numbers, right?

[@koukidis]

Is there a way to have an automation that saves my clipboards, either over iOS or OSX, and stores into a note in an Apple Notes Group? I bought the app ‘copied’ a few years ago. It did a great job until they closed it down.

[@murtadha96]

I absolutely love those shortcuts videos!

[@theycallmemr_g]

I have no idea how to use this app 😭😭 I honestly still feel confused

[@Animestatues]

How did you put numbers in your keyboard?.

[@btanzw]

Does things have natural language input for the shortcut?

[@77munkyboy]

Hi Great Vid! Do you have or know of a shortcut that will download attached files from gmail and save them to a specific folder on my MAC?

[@NichWoodruff]

Is it possible to select which list the new task will go to within Things?

[@stannes8190]

I love the quick draft. Also, what wallpaper do you use ?

[@DanG15803]

Hi @ChrisLawley - I use the New Task shortcut quite often and really appreciate it! Is there a way to create this same type of shortcut to choose which area multiple tasks go into? For instance, right now it’s just in the Inbox, but I have areas called Home, Work, and a few others. How would I set up which area multiple tasks go into?

[@DreamWizard9]

What is the difference between Automator and Shortcuts? I never got deep into these.

[@Anurag_Pal_27]

Do automations created using the shortcut app drain the battery in the background? For example, if I created a shortcut that triggers without asking for telling me that the iPhone is charged to 80%, is it going to drain the battery in the background?

[@RichDucat]

You make using the full screen keyboard look easy.

[@Rob_DK]

Hello, i have a request for a shortcut. I want an event in my calendar to trigger a focus mode and when the event ends it switches off again. I really love these!!!

[@kevin916587]

hi, the "build photo album", the function/string "in between" for dates is buggy? for example, i chose wed date, and sat date for end, but when i chose wed, dates behind wednesday are all blacked out.

[@DirectorWD40]

Is there a way to be able to delete certain contacts from the phone app call list?

[@shawnmuckenhirn3576]

I am having an issue where when I trigger the New Task Shortcut from Spotlight and then go to type the task it keeps typing in the spotlight search and not the input field. Is there away around that Thanks!

[@VivekM1]

Hi Christopher, Thank you for a really informative video. I wanted to check with you on your shortcut "Build Photo Album". Does this one work on iOS 15 on iPhone? I have tried it but the date selection of two dates does not seem to work on iPhone. Let's say, if I want to choose two dates (30/10/2021 and 1/11/2021). By selecting the first date as 30/10/2021, it won't allow me to go to the November month. Any idea or suggestion?

[@totaal-ktkoota1355]

Hi, wow this is a great, it is my first video in your channel, and become a subscriber 😊, i hope you do a video about how to build shortcut for calender, and linked to a digital planner, so when i click a day in my digital planner on goodnote app the shortcut open the clander to that specific day.

[@michalstraka8246]

Hi, I have a problem with the combination of iPad + Magic Keyboard & Shortcuts & Spotlight (search). When I search for a shortcut like you do (e.g. "Add a note") and the shortcut prompts me to enter text, I am unable to type into the shortcut prompt via the hardware keyboard because the focus on the text persists in the search bar below it. So I have to use software keyboard to write into dialog. Do you have the same problem?

[@eywere7312]

great vid!! so informative

[@dronefilmsgermany]

Hi I have setup a workflow but I need to click on it to trigger it. Although I have set it up like when my phone connects to home wifi send a message. But when I connect to wifi the shortcut alert comes but it doesn't do anything. I re-installed the app but the shortcut didn't work. Does the shortcuts need manual intervention or do they work automatically like Automator on Mac.

[@michaelwelsh6969]

How did you get those cool thumbnails?!

[@RoMusic2011]

Hey its possible to make automation on iPhone 13 Pro Max to control limit frame rate? For example when turn on home wifi to turn off limit frame rate? To save battery after latest update

[@cgpandre]

Brilliant video , thank you !

[@FarazShykh]

I need your keyboard, how did u get it?

[@Richard_Barnes]

Hi Chris, some good tips here thx 🙏🏻 Why do you use Things 3 when you have Fantastical? Cheers 🙂

[@AbirKhan-iw1nl]

What if my search doesn't provide any photos then how can I return no photos found instead of proceeding to create album?

[@Richard_Barnes]

Am using a few of these since I just got with Things 3 today. Cheers 🙏🏻👍🏻

[@clashtruck]

Hey chris. Just curious How many logged items are there in your things app? 😜

[@ingekoch8796]

Thanks a lot for this great Video. I`m new to shortcuts: can I use todoist for the new task shortcut? And if so, how?

[@SandroGarcia96]

Is there any way to make a "duplicate folder" shortcut? Like : ask for name - duplicate folder x and give it a name Or even just move files from a folder (like downloads) into other folder.

[@santodiablo_pma]

Hi 👋🏽 Could I get a “share location vía Google Maps”, and not via Apple maps? Thank you

[@SB-qj1fr]

What’s keyboard you use it? Isn’t like my keyboard!!

[@MrHAC19]

so it took you 10 days to edit this?

[@cre8iongroup796]

I’m wondering how you got to replace the Dates with a input variable when using a photo filter. I have downloaded the shortcut but keep having issues with this portion. The dates work in a weird way. I was trying to rebuild for a different use but when I pull up the filter between dates it won’t let me delete the date to put in variable

[@jemsncrystals]

I want to make an iphone shortcut. To search words in photos. Just like the spotlight search. I want that i place that shortcuts shortcut on my screen among other icons. And when i click on it it asks for a word. Then i supply it a “text”. And then it shows all the images that has “that text” in it as results. Is it possible???

[@bryanstephens8613]

I don’t know why but whenever I want to set up a short cut that’ve you’ve done, the options that you choose never show up for me. EG I tried “Drop the Needle” but while setting it up the “Choose Audio” option doesn’t appear and it gives me an error when I click done. This is annoying.

[@robertdiab]

Christopher, another great video! I'm wondering: What font do you use in Drafts, and which theme? Thanks so much.

[@ChrisLawley]

JetBrains Mono

[@mikefa5891]

Hello - can you make a video on how to create a shortcut to shut off the iPhone or using a voice command to instruct Siri to shut off the iPhone? IF it is possible to have the shortcut or the voice command to reboot the iPhone would be even better because people with arthritis like myself have very difficult time to reboot the phone every few days in order to clear out the memory cache. Thank you very much in advance.

[@BigTex00]

I’m interested in a short cut that will automatically open Teams on my iPad at a specific time of day, is that possible?

[@iospro9589]

I want to put three reminders with the same name, with increasing gap of days. For example “Eat apple” for the day following that day then 2 days later then 5 data later that 2nd day. How to do ????? 🚨‼️🚨‼️🚨‼️🚨

[@cultleader3679]

I like how you mentioned your sponsor but didn’t say anything about it that’s a like for me

[@brucewelkovich3567]

Any suggestions for a shortcut for adding text (such as copyright info) to multiple photos at the same time?

[@dianabrockmann1128]

Great video, thanks for posting! Quick question for the new task shortcut. I use Todoist instead of Things. I'm trying to change it to Todoist but not sure how to add the "provided input". Any help with this? Thanks!

[@Leopold284]

Is there a way to automate clock in, clock out using shortcuts? So far I've only been able to run the app at specified time.

[@anagrahn]

A NFC tag with Shortcuts could work.

[@l...]

May you use KZbin chapters please So we can share each chapter Please

[@moren2607]

How do I make a shortcut on macbook that makes it speak when my battery level hits 30%?

[@hossamhal5173]

how hide app with shortcut didn't open except disable shortcut ?

[@Akella1986]

Amazing content!!!

[@Evanescence4ever100]

the links don't work for me

[@REChief]

I finally made my first shortcut the other day! All it does is immediately turn wifi back on when I activate airplane mode, haha.

[@REChief]

I guess technically this is an automation, now that I'm thinking about it.

[@unirreductibleathee8467]

I don't even understand where you start... never seen that screen on my iPad...

[@tikycz8261]

Shortcuts are the most difficult thing to understand for me. I will just do it myself

[@ahmedeldimllawi5092]

NO WAY THE photo albums part !@!!!

[@d42]

1:38 I mean you couldve mentioned that this thing costs 50€ extra...

[@jacuzzi87]

How to automatically switch on or off your iPhone. This automation is not on Apple.

[@l...]

May you use KZbin chapters please Type in description 0:00 ( first chapter must start with zero) 0:10 seconds at least for each chapter 3 chapters at least

[@Jozay562]

It’d be great if you can create these shortcuts on a MAC. Not sure why Hue & Apple on the MAC aren’t compatible in 2022..?!? Absurd.

[@PaulAlvarez1]

Awesome shortcut ideas that aren’t super intimidating!

[@BeeRich33]

I can't find Automations on Monterey. Shortcuts are alone, unlike iOS. Automator on Mac is limited compared to iOS.

[@victormultanen1981]

it is very valuable tutorial

[@amb0199]

I didn't understand shit but thanks for the video anyway.

[@TedMackelCA]

Automator has been in the Mac OS for 10 or more years. I am running Big Sur on a 2013 Mac Book Air - it has Automator. And I have been using Automator on this laptop since I bought it. You dont have to install Monterey to have automation tools.

[@sbeckas]

I would love to learn "beginning" Automator from a YT creator-any suggestions?

[@lucamauri5065]

how you have the number line on top of your keyboard????😃

[@lukadinic822]

You need to have the bigger 12.9 inch iPad for that

[@steff120]

I would love to have shortcut that deletes my browsing history with one finger tap - anyone help me?

[@steff120]

in Safari of course😉

[@JoaquinRubioSabin]

This is the anti-Apple, we just need a decent "app store" full of pre-fabricated, complex but very easy to use and useful! Not this kind of creating buttons to do really simple things.

[@l...]

I need automation ( every week ) send EXEL file ( work report ) To WhatsApp work group ( work team )

[@RomanAround_3201]

"enter multiple tasks!!" but you can just as easily make a line break in the reminders app smh

[@AnonymousOG]

needs chapters dude smh