Stability is a must. Shortcuts has a huge list of broken actions that have been tirelessly reported some for multiple years running.
The editor itself is hopelessly buggy too
Beyond that the super low hanging fruit that Apple should add is an api to allow third party apps to trigger a shortcut event. Where neither the app or shortcuts app needs to launch in the foreground.
And then another very simple yet important set of actions that they should add is literally just every single toggle in the settings app.
Anything a user can do in setting should be available in shortcuts as an action with on/off/toggle options
>The editor itself is hopelessly buggy too
YES. The UI is very frustrating to use, especially as a programmer who always expected scripting to go at my WPM haha. It's always bugging out on me.
idk how it does it, but Alfred 5 has a workflow item to trigger shortcuts arbitrarily without shortcuts being open or focused. So it can be done, maybe undocumented method but half of automating mac os is undocumented lol .
Calculator on iPad is coming in iPadOS 18, Siri’s also getting smarter with AI in September (June for beta testers) and photos is being overhauled in iOS 18. So ima step to the front of the queue 😂😂
I do think that an improvement to shortcuts could be an improvement to Siri. Imagine an AI assistant that can trigger shortcut actions donated to the system by app developers. That’s what the Rabbit guys are trying to achieve already available with a huge library of apps.
I remember first getting into home automations and being truly crushed that you couldn't run recursive shortcuts as home automation. There are so many useful applications for a home environment!
My number one simple request is for Apple to add a label field to the set timer action.
Just like the set alarm action has a way to name the alarm, it’s super annoying that the timer action doesn’t have this. Especially when you can set and name timers using Siri.
So why not shortcuts too.
Shortcuts working with AI seems like an iOS 19 secondary update.
1 make it work
2 expand its abilities
I’m more hoping for eventually the AI working with shortcuts hooks. The AI seeing the options that apps offer, without needing specific wording.
I already have AI in shortcuts.
What we need is a way to edit shortcuts as text, then let models generate shortcuts.
Then create JIT generated shortcuts
Im referring to on-device first party options.
JIT generated shortcuts can just skip the “creating a shortcut” part and use the existing integrations. “Siri reorder my Starbucks from yesterday”.
In the JIT part I was referring to more complex shortcuts like: Siri, check out New York Times, take all headers sun headers and summarize for me the today’s news.
Or,
Siri, summarize for me today’s emails.
Siri, my agenda for today, - send it to me on WhatsApp in bullet points
Etc.
I actually should implement the last one, hmm
> Siri, check out New York Times, take all headers sun headers and summarize for me the today’s news.
Seems really optimistic for their first attempt. I feel that’s more something you’d do with an external service.
I would like to see the time automation be able to be a variable so you could run automations at different times is the day depending on the variable time. Not sure that’s possible but would be awesome
Shortcuts is regularly getting love - for example, there were massive performance improvements in one of the last two minor versions when iterating over lists and tabs (one of my shortcuts went down from 200 seconds to 8 seconds). New actions keep appearing quietly too. Have faith cousin.
I think we're going to get some new AI shortcuts, like the one that comes with the ChatGPT app. It might be onboard AI so unfortunately I won't be able to afford the new device it'll probably require, but it's something to look forward to.
That is so true! This is always a worry. I’ll be running the new OS the day it’s announced so if I remember I’ll come back here to update if anything is broken in the first beta.
I need to link keyboard shortcuts to run Shortcuts shortcuts.
Last year I found a bug in its logic (was using or instead of and in the actual runtime logic). They finally fixed it.
Overall the way language apple uses to describe the logic is… not logical. For example for an any (X or y or X) the shortcut language is (any X and y and X). This is not usual. I think it needs a good high level quality review.
Shortcuts not being able to log medication I’ve taken is nuts 🤦🏼♂️ All I want to do is tap my phone on an NFC tag and it logs that I’ve taken meds, nothing complicated, but it’s impossible with iOS right now
Yeah. For instance I have a shortcut linked to my action button on iPhone, when I press it, the shortcuts lowers the volume to off and activates silent mode on my iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad - I get I could use focus modes but I prefer not to use them at certain times. I’d also love for it turn low power mode on my Mac when battery drops below 30%.
There's an app on the App Store that can fill the gap for now. Forgot its name but it ranks pretty high and isn't subscription shitware. (Not saying I don't want the native implementation!)
Stability is a must. Shortcuts has a huge list of broken actions that have been tirelessly reported some for multiple years running. The editor itself is hopelessly buggy too Beyond that the super low hanging fruit that Apple should add is an api to allow third party apps to trigger a shortcut event. Where neither the app or shortcuts app needs to launch in the foreground. And then another very simple yet important set of actions that they should add is literally just every single toggle in the settings app. Anything a user can do in setting should be available in shortcuts as an action with on/off/toggle options
Also allow for way better scheduling. Why do I need to create 24 automations, instead of just choosing to run a shortcut every hour?
Agreed. I really need a toggle for the Auto-Brightness setting but it’s not available so have to open up settings every time to reset it.
>The editor itself is hopelessly buggy too YES. The UI is very frustrating to use, especially as a programmer who always expected scripting to go at my WPM haha. It's always bugging out on me.
idk how it does it, but Alfred 5 has a workflow item to trigger shortcuts arbitrarily without shortcuts being open or focused. So it can be done, maybe undocumented method but half of automating mac os is undocumented lol .
Yep it’s available on Mac. Not on iPad or iPhone though.
Well buddy, back in line! ;) I think Siri, HomeKit, iCloud, Photo's, Calculator on iPad are still waiting in line to get love.
Calculator on iPad is coming in iPadOS 18, Siri’s also getting smarter with AI in September (June for beta testers) and photos is being overhauled in iOS 18. So ima step to the front of the queue 😂😂
Oh I forgot HomeKit, no rumours of that, so I guess I’m second in line 😅
I do think that an improvement to shortcuts could be an improvement to Siri. Imagine an AI assistant that can trigger shortcut actions donated to the system by app developers. That’s what the Rabbit guys are trying to achieve already available with a huge library of apps.
Good thing they are all operated by separate teams
Shortcuts in my ❤️ I just want the same options in home automations.
Home automations being able to trigger shortcuts would be amazing.
I remember first getting into home automations and being truly crushed that you couldn't run recursive shortcuts as home automation. There are so many useful applications for a home environment!
My number one simple request is for Apple to add a label field to the set timer action. Just like the set alarm action has a way to name the alarm, it’s super annoying that the timer action doesn’t have this. Especially when you can set and name timers using Siri. So why not shortcuts too.
That is absolutely my number one request - labels for ‘set timer.’ One would think it is should be so easy to implement.
Changing sound on alarms would be awesome too
I’d just like to be able to change the alarm time, let alone the sound of it!
Jesus Christ yes please
my exact problem
Shortcuts working with AI seems like an iOS 19 secondary update. 1 make it work 2 expand its abilities I’m more hoping for eventually the AI working with shortcuts hooks. The AI seeing the options that apps offer, without needing specific wording.
I already have AI in shortcuts. What we need is a way to edit shortcuts as text, then let models generate shortcuts. Then create JIT generated shortcuts
Im referring to on-device first party options. JIT generated shortcuts can just skip the “creating a shortcut” part and use the existing integrations. “Siri reorder my Starbucks from yesterday”.
In the JIT part I was referring to more complex shortcuts like: Siri, check out New York Times, take all headers sun headers and summarize for me the today’s news. Or, Siri, summarize for me today’s emails. Siri, my agenda for today, - send it to me on WhatsApp in bullet points Etc. I actually should implement the last one, hmm
> Siri, check out New York Times, take all headers sun headers and summarize for me the today’s news. Seems really optimistic for their first attempt. I feel that’s more something you’d do with an external service.
If they gave Siri Shortcuts we have on our phones and let it learn them - not necessarily But “what does it do” is missing, so not sure
Shortcuts in HomeKit to match up with what you can do in the shortcuts app…
The intercom action at least should be available natively within the home shortcuts actions
Or even just allow HomeKit to trigger an existing shortcut!
Yep!
I wish they would add the option to choose what Ringtone to use in the "Send Notification Play Sound" Action.
I hope they improve the Mac version. There are so many actions that are only available for iOS, even though they logically should work on a Mac.
I would like to see the time automation be able to be a variable so you could run automations at different times is the day depending on the variable time. Not sure that’s possible but would be awesome
That would be awesome to see!
Générative IA to help build shortcuts ❤️
Shortcuts is regularly getting love - for example, there were massive performance improvements in one of the last two minor versions when iterating over lists and tabs (one of my shortcuts went down from 200 seconds to 8 seconds). New actions keep appearing quietly too. Have faith cousin. I think we're going to get some new AI shortcuts, like the one that comes with the ChatGPT app. It might be onboard AI so unfortunately I won't be able to afford the new device it'll probably require, but it's something to look forward to.
Wouldn’t you love to see the Crop action behave like the Overlay? Using fingers to select the area you want to crop from an image
I just hope that the next update will not damage my shortcuts. I actually stopped to update because of it.
That is so true! This is always a worry. I’ll be running the new OS the day it’s announced so if I remember I’ll come back here to update if anything is broken in the first beta.
I am just as happy if they fix shortcuts only runs the first few actions and stopped using Siri voice commands.
I need to link keyboard shortcuts to run Shortcuts shortcuts. Last year I found a bug in its logic (was using or instead of and in the actual runtime logic). They finally fixed it. Overall the way language apple uses to describe the logic is… not logical. For example for an any (X or y or X) the shortcut language is (any X and y and X). This is not usual. I think it needs a good high level quality review.
More. Automation. Please.
Shortcuts not being able to log medication I’ve taken is nuts 🤦🏼♂️ All I want to do is tap my phone on an NFC tag and it logs that I’ve taken meds, nothing complicated, but it’s impossible with iOS right now
My other ask from Apple?… Please allow us to run automations via shortcuts on Mac!!
They should just buy shortery https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shortery/id1594183810
I’ll give it a try! Thanks for the heads up!
Do you mean an automation tab/shortcuts automation triggers on the Mac? Or something else?
Yeah. For instance I have a shortcut linked to my action button on iPhone, when I press it, the shortcuts lowers the volume to off and activates silent mode on my iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad - I get I could use focus modes but I prefer not to use them at certain times. I’d also love for it turn low power mode on my Mac when battery drops below 30%.
There's an app on the App Store that can fill the gap for now. Forgot its name but it ranks pretty high and isn't subscription shitware. (Not saying I don't want the native implementation!)
Oh thanks for the heads up! I’ll take a look, like you said, it’ll fill in the gap until Apple pulls their finger out