If you’re an Apple user, you’re probably already familiar with the convenience and efficiency that comes with using keyboard shortcuts. But did you know that there’s an entire app dedicated to creating custom shortcuts for all your frequently used actions and tasks? It’s called the “Shortcuts” app, and it’s a game changer.
Here are my top ten favorite shortcuts available in the Shortcuts app:
1. “Travel ETA” for quickly texting your estimated time of arrival to a friend or family member. This shortcut uses your location and traffic data to calculate your ETA and sends it in a text message with just a tap.
2. “Heading Home” for automating your commute home. With this shortcut, you can set up a series of actions to be triggered when you leave work, such as turning on your house lights, setting your thermostat, and sending a text message to your spouse.
3. “Order Takeout” for quickly placing an order at your favorite restaurant. This shortcut allows you to select your preferred restaurant, menu items, and delivery or pickup options, all with just a few taps.
4. “Create Event” for quickly adding an event to your calendar. This shortcut allows you to specify the details of your event, such as the name, location, and duration, and automatically adds it to your calendar.
5. “Add to Reading List” for quickly saving articles to read later. This shortcut allows you to add a webpage to your Reading List with just a tap, making it easy to save articles or websites for later.
6. “Send Message” for quickly sending a pre-written message to a contact. This shortcut allows you to create and save a message template, and send it to a chosen contact with just a few taps.
7. “Create Note” for quickly adding a note to your Notes app. This shortcut allows you to specify the details of your note, such as the title and body, and automatically adds it to your Notes app.
8. “Search YouTube” for quickly searching YouTube for a specific video. This shortcut allows you to specify your search term and opens the results in the YouTube app.
9. “Create Reminder” for quickly adding a reminder to your Reminders app. This shortcut allows you to specify the details of your reminder, such as the name and due date, and automatically adds it to your Reminders app.
10. “Play Podcast” for quickly playing a specific podcast episode. This shortcut allows you to specify the podcast and episode you want to play and opens it in the Podcasts app.
The “Shortcuts” app is a powerful tool that allows you to automate and streamline all your frequently used actions and tasks. Give it a try and see just how much time and effort you can save with these handy shortcuts!
