Apple released iOS 16 on Monday and with it the latest update to its Siri Shortcuts feature, this time making “app shortcuts” automatically available to users when they install compatible apps. With App Shortcuts, users can speak the no-configuration Shortcuts activation phrases that are now pre-generated in the Shortcuts app, acting as pre-programmed Siri commands for everything you want do in this app.
As I wrote earlier this summer, App Shortcuts is Apple’s big bet for Siri, shifting from the top-down model of defining “intents” into specific categories that Apple needed to create in advance and map out a path for certain type of applications to work with Siri. Now, the “App Intents” feature that powers App Shortcuts gives developers control, defining all the ways their app can be used with Siri and automatically creating each permutation of that action as shortcuts individual for the user.
With iOS 16 now available (and our iOS 16 review ready for you to check out) and developers releasing their app shortcuts into the wild, here’s how you can expect to see more Siri shortcuts down the road your experience, plus the best way to do it. take advantage of what is possible.
Application shortcuts
(Image credit: Future)
New app shortcuts found in the Shortcuts app below the newly named custom shortcuts section will appear below the icons of apps that support the new APIs; If your app doesn’t support app shortcuts, be sure to request the feature directly from the developer.
Developers define the set of features that will be supported by app shortcuts, and each feature can have multiple variations of the same term; in theory, this means you can say the same trigger phrase with different keywords to Siri, and ideally the app should have the correct option set.
(Image credit: Future)
Each set of app shortcuts has a prompt to add the set to Siri, which is also available to toggle back on/off from the Info icon on the same screen.
Also, if you tap the “…” button on the shortcut, you can tap Use on the new shortcut to add it as a custom shortcut, where you can add additional steps, rename it, and then paste place it in a shortcut. widget
Tips from Siri
(Image credit: Future)
In order to discover your app shortcuts in the native app experience, Apple has also provided developers with Siri Tips to appear unobtrusively at relevant times, such as right after taking the action used in the shortcut.
Developers can also set up custom pages in their app settings to display all their shortcuts, plus Apple has provided a stylized Shortcuts button to link back to that app’s app shortcuts page .
Plus, you can check what shortcuts are available from any app by asking Siri “What can I do here?” and she will respond with the possible options.
Featured Search
(Image credit: Future)
App shortcuts are also a notable addition to Spotlight search, which is much more front and center thanks to Apple replacing home screen indicators with a search field on the iPhone.
In iOS 16, individual app shortcuts for an app will appear in search results, occupying a small bar below the main app results; this gives iOS a command-line-like tool to type exact commands and press Enter to perform that action.
Now it’s a world of Siri shortcuts
Whether you’re used to Siri or a shortcut user, it’s clear that Apple continues to put its weight behind Siri Shortcuts as a system feature.
Not only has Shortcuts expanded as a platform on the Mac, but Apple followed the original launch of Siri Shortcuts with a refined version that avoids initial setup, integrates more natively into app experiences, and works much better with Siri in general.
It’s actually been quite confusing with Apple launching the feature as Siri Shortcuts, and then mostly just talking about the Shortcuts app as an automation platform, only to re-enforce the Siri side of things in a way spectacular
This year, Apple really reminded us that Shortcuts is part of Siri, and that the entire toolkit is more than just a feature reserved for advanced users who spend time setting it up: Siri Shortcuts is for everyone, for each application and for each device.
Now, I can’t wait to see where Apple takes things next.