Shortcuts

Automations people build from your app's actions, and run from anywhere.

Introduced
2018
iOS 12
Kind
Platform feature
Runs on
iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch
Get it from
Built into the system
iOS
iPadOS
Mac Catalyst
macOS
tvOS
visionOS
watchOS

Overview

Shortcuts lets people chain actions from different apps into one tap, one phrase or an automation that runs on its own. Every App Intent your app defines shows up here, ready to use.

With Apple Intelligence, shortcuts can call a model with the Use Model action, and people can build them by describing what they want.

Your actions

Every App Intent appears in Shortcuts automatically.

Automations

Run by time, place, a tap, or an event.

Use Model

Call Apple Intelligence models inside a shortcut.

Everywhere

Siri, Spotlight, widgets and the Action button.

History

How it grew up.

2018

Shortcuts app

Arrives in iOS 12, built on Workflow.

2019

Automations

Built into iOS 13, with personal automations triggered by events.

2021

Mac

Shortcuts comes to macOS Monterey.

2025

Use Model

Shortcuts can call Apple Intelligence models.

2026

Describe a shortcut

Describe a task and Shortcuts assembles the steps.