{"id":29227,"date":"2026-06-02T19:34:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T00:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swappa.com\/blog\/?p=29227"},"modified":"2026-06-02T19:35:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T00:35:28","slug":"top-10-ios-shortcuts-to-automate-your-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swappa.com\/blog\/top-10-ios-shortcuts-to-automate-your-iphone\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 iOS Shortcuts to Automate Your iPhone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Quick Answer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The iOS Shortcuts app (built into every iPhone running iOS 13 or later) lets you automate almost anything on your phone. The 10 shortcuts below are the most practical: low battery alerts, auto-replies, morning briefings, screenshot cleanup, and more. All are free to set up and take under 5 minutes. Browse used iPhones on Swappa<\/a> to get a capable device without the full retail price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Is the iOS Shortcuts App?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Shortcuts app comes pre-installed on every iPhone running iOS 13 or later. It lets you build automations \u2014 either triggered manually (via a home screen icon, Siri, or a widget) or automatically (based on time, location, battery level, and more).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You do not need to know how to code. Each shortcut is built by stacking simple actions, like building with blocks. The automations in this list are beginner-friendly and genuinely useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Top 10 iOS Shortcuts Worth Setting Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Low Battery Auto-Message<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What it does:<\/strong> When your battery drops below 20% (or any threshold you choose), this automation automatically texts a contact letting them know you might go dark soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Open Shortcuts and tap the Automation<\/strong> tab<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Tap +<\/strong>, then Create Personal Automation<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Choose Battery Level<\/strong>, set it to “Falls Below 20%”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Add the action Send Message<\/strong>, choose your contact, and write your message<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Turn off “Ask Before Running” so it fires silently<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    This is especially handy on older iPhones where battery health has degraded. If you’re shopping for a used iPhone, always check the battery health before buying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Read more about Apple Battery Health<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    2. Auto-Reply When Driving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    What it does:<\/strong> Detects when you’re driving and sends an automatic text reply to incoming messages letting people know you’re on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Go to Automation<\/strong> and tap +<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Select Driving<\/strong> as the trigger<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Add Send Message<\/strong> and write something like: “I’m driving right now \u2014 I’ll get back to you soon.”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. You can set it to reply to anyone or only your favorites<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      iOS has a built-in “Driving Focus” that does something similar, but this shortcut gives you more control over the exact message and recipients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      3. Morning Briefing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      What it does:<\/strong> One tap gets you the weather, your first calendar event of the day, and any reminders \u2014 read aloud by Siri or displayed on screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Open the Shortcuts<\/strong> tab and tap +<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Add actions in order: Get Current Weather<\/strong>, Get Upcoming Events<\/strong>, Get Reminders<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Add a Speak Text<\/strong> action to have Siri read everything out loud, or Show Notification<\/strong> to display it<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Add the shortcut to your home screen as a one-tap icon<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        This pairs well with a Time of Day automation<\/strong> if you want it to fire automatically when you wake up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        4. Delete Screenshots Automatically<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        What it does:<\/strong> Runs periodically (or on demand) to find and delete all screenshots from your camera roll, keeping your Photos app clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        1. Create a new shortcut<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Add Find Photos<\/strong>, filter by Media Type = Screenshot<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Add Delete Photos<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. Set it to run via an Automation<\/strong> on a schedule (weekly works well), or add it to your home screen as an on-demand button<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Screenshots pile up fast. This shortcut alone can free up meaningful storage on your iPhone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          5. Share Your ETA in One Tap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          What it does:<\/strong> Grabs your current location, calculates your ETA to a saved destination (like home or work), and texts it to a contact \u2014 all in one tap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          1. Create a new shortcut<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Add Get Current Location<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          3. Add Get Travel Time<\/strong> to a saved destination<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          4. Add Send Message<\/strong> with a template like: “I’m on my way. ETA: [travel time]”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          5. Add to your home screen<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            This is faster and more personal than sharing a Maps link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            6. Focus Mode on a Schedule<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            What it does:<\/strong> Automatically enables a Focus Mode (like Work or Sleep) based on the time of day or your calendar events, and disables it when the time period ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            1. Go to Automation<\/strong> and create a Time of Day<\/strong> trigger<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. Set your desired start time (e.g., 9:00 AM on weekdays)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            3. Add the action Set Focus<\/strong> and choose your Focus mode<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            4. Create a second automation to turn it off at the end of your work day<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              You can also trigger Focus Mode based on a calendar event matching a keyword, like “Meeting.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              7. NFC Tag Automations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              What it does:<\/strong> Tap your iPhone to a cheap NFC sticker (available on Amazon for under $15 for a pack) and trigger any action \u2014 turn on Do Not Disturb, play a playlist, dim the screen, run a morning routine, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              1. Buy NFC215 stickers (widely available and compatible with iPhone XS and later)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              2. Go to Automation<\/strong> and select NFC<\/strong> as the trigger<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              3. Tap your phone to the sticker to scan and name it<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              4. Add whatever actions you want to trigger<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                Common placements: bedside table (sleep mode), car dashboard (driving mode), desk (work focus). This is one of the most creative uses of the Shortcuts app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                8. One-Tap Wi-Fi Toggle for a Specific Network<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                What it does:<\/strong> Connects to (or disconnects from) a specific Wi-Fi network in one tap \u2014 useful if you frequently switch between networks at home, work, or a client site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                1. Create a new shortcut<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                2. Add the action Set Network<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                3. Specify the network name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                4. Add to your home screen with a recognizable icon and label<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                  Note: iOS does not allow fully silent Wi-Fi switches without a confirmation tap, but this shortcut gets you there in two taps instead of five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                  9. Translate Text Instantly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  What it does:<\/strong> Copies text from your clipboard and translates it into a language of your choice, then displays or speaks the translation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                  1. Create a new shortcut<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  2. Add Get Clipboard<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  3. Add Translate Text<\/strong>, set your target language<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  4. Add Show Result<\/strong> or Speak Text<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  5. Add to your home screen or share sheet for quick access<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                    Useful for travel, international contacts, or reading product listings in other languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                    10. Back Tap to Run Any Shortcut<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    What it does:<\/strong> Double-tap or triple-tap the back of your iPhone to trigger any shortcut you’ve built. This is technically an Accessibility setting, but it integrates directly with the Shortcuts app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    How to set it up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                    1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. Choose Double Tap<\/strong> or Triple Tap<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    3. Scroll down and select any shortcut from your library<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                      This turns the back of your phone into a hidden button. Popular uses: open the camera, turn on the flashlight, mute audio, or launch your morning briefing shortcut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Shop iPhones on Swappa<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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                      Comparison Table: Manual Shortcuts vs. Personal Automations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                      Feature<\/th>Manual Shortcut<\/th>Personal Automation<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
                      How it runs<\/td>You tap it (home screen, widget, Siri)<\/td>Triggers automatically<\/td><\/tr>
                      Common triggers<\/td>Home screen icon, share sheet<\/td>Time, battery, location, NFC<\/td><\/tr>
                      Requires confirmation<\/td>No<\/td>Optional (“Ask Before Running”)<\/td><\/tr>
                      Best for<\/td>On-demand tasks<\/td>Hands-free, recurring tasks<\/td><\/tr>
                      Setup location<\/td>Shortcuts tab<\/td>Automation tab<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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                      Getting the Most Out of Shortcuts on a Used iPhone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                      The Shortcuts app works on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later, which covers iPhones going back to the iPhone 6S. If you picked up a used iPhone on Swappa, it almost certainly supports everything on this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      A few things to confirm when setting up Shortcuts on a used device:<\/p>\n\n\n\n