SLC iPhone Shortcut Features: App, Home Screen, Do Not Disturb

The whole purpose of smartphones is to make the life of their users more convenient, and one major feature iPhones use to accomplish this is various shortcuts. Rolled out in a specific Shortcuts app starting with iOS 12, these features allow you to perform a number of different tasks that will help you personalize and control every part of your iPhone usage.

At Bad Apple, not only are we here to offer the very best iPhone repair services in Salt Lake City and other parts of Utah, but also to help our clients understand the basic operations and features of their devices while doing so. In this two-part blog series, we'll go over what the Shortcuts app includes, plus some of the top shortcuts within it that you should be considering for regular use to get more from your Apple device.

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iPhone Shortcuts App

As we noted, Apple began rolling out all its new phones with the Shortcuts app already installed starting with iOS 12, plus every additional software update since then. It comes pre-downloaded on any device running iOS 13 and up -- if you have an older iteration, you can download it from the App Store quickly and easily.

This app allows you to create different shortcut "flows" that will accomplish several tasks at once, either with just a simple tap on the display or by using Siri voice commands. You can find dozens of these shortcuts online via App Store search or social media sites, allowing you to customize your smartphone even further.

Let's go over several of the top shortcut options you have at your fingertips.

Home Screen Personalization

While only Android users previously had the ability to customize their phone's home screen as much as they wanted, Apple has finally jumped on board by offering this feature in iOS 12. With the Shortcuts app, you can set up personalized shortcuts that allow you to quickly jump between different areas of your device and make it more accessible and functional for yourself.

One-Tap Calling

Known as the Speed Dial Shortcut, this feature allows you to set up a shortcut that will automatically call your designated loved one's phone number. You can choose which app to bring up for this feature, and whether or not it should use the iPhone's speakerphone in case you're in public and can't speak privately at the moment.

Simple Do-Not-Disturb

There's also a very simple "DND Until I Leave" Shortcut that will allow you to block all notifications and incoming calls, texts or emails until you turn it off. You can choose when this should happen, in case you only want the phone to stop receiving alerts for a certain time period (such as when you're busy attending an important meeting).

Traffic Stop Safety

Thought we were finished? Not even close. There's even an "I'm Getting Pulled Over" Shortcut that can be triggered through Siri, which will cause your phone to send your current location to a designated contact while also beginning a recording from your front-facing camera.

We'll go over more of these features in part two of our series. To learn more about this, or for information on our iPhone, iPad or other device repair services in Salt Lake City, speak to the staff at FixITMobile | Bad Apple today.