7 Essential Siri Shortcuts for Everyday Use

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Despite being long-time iPhone users, few people end up using Shortcuts. I was surprised to discover several colleagues and friends didn’t use Shortcuts. To encourage everyone to use Siri shortcuts, I am sharing a must-have Siri shortcuts list to make the best of your iPhone. You can set up these Shortcuts with custom settings or simply download them (Links below) to your iPhone.

1. Get Me Home

When returning home late, this shortcut can automatically notify your loved ones that you’re on your way. This shortcut is also usable to keep your parents, siblings, or partner informed about your ETA (estimated time of arrival). To use it, all you need to say, “Hey Siri, Get me home.”

What it does: Your shortcut will:

• Send a WhatsApp message (with your Estimated Time of Arrival included) to your partner (or parents, colleagues, or friends).
• Pull up driving directions to your home address in Google Maps.

Set up: You can read our guide on using the Get Me Home Siri Shortcut or get it directly using the link below.

Download: Get Me Home Shortcut

2. Circle to Search

Circle to search made a debut on flagship Samsung and Google Pixel smartphones. While it’s yet to make it to the iPhone, you can get similar functionality with this Siri shortcut.

For example, while watching a YouTube video you like the sneakers someone is wearing. You can say, “Hey Siri, search this” or double-tap the back of your iPhone. That will summon the Siri shortcut, open Google Lens search, and show you the sneaker brand with locations to buy them.

Set up: Check our guide on using Circle to Search Siri Shortcut on iPhone. Alternatively, you can get it directly on your iPhone using the link below.

Download: Google Circle to Search Shortcut

3. Hey Siri, Activate Super Low Battery

This shortcut will go beyond the standard Low Power Mode on iPhone. It will dim your iPhone’s screen brightness to the lowest setting, disable Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth, and send a text to your pre-assign contact that the battery may die soon. To ensure the message is sent reliably, your iPhone must be unlocked when the battery reaches 5%.

Create the Shortcut

• Open the Shortcuts app.
• Tap the + button to create a new shortcut.
• Name the Shortcut: Tap the downward arrow button at the top of the screen and rename Super Low Power Mode.
• Add Actions: Search for and add the following actions in this order:
  • Set Low Power Mode: Toggle it ON.
  • Set Brightness: Adjust the slider to the lowest level.
  • Set Wi-Fi: Toggle it Off.
  • Set Bluetooth: Toggle it Off.
  • Send Message: In the Message field, type something like – My phone battery is about to die. I might be unreachable for a while.

Create an Automation:

1. Go to the Automation tab in the Shortcuts app.
2. Tap the + button.
3. Under Create Personal Automation.
4. Select Battery Level as the trigger.
5. Set the slider to 5% and choose Falls Below.
6. Tap Next and select your Super Low Battery Alert shortcut.
7. Toggle off Ask Before Running.
8. Tap Done.

Activate the Shortcut:

• This shortcut first checks your battery level is below 5%, and then runs if it is set to run automatically.
• You can say, “Hey Siri, activate Super Low Battery.”

Download: Activate Super Low Battery Shortcut

4. Schedule WhatsApp Messages

Surprise your loved ones and friends with timely wishes using WhatsApp messages. Those messages will be automatically sent at midnight and you don’t even need to type every time to schedule them. The only catch for this Siri shortcut is that your iPhone needs to be unlocked for the automation to run. When the iPhone is locked, you’ll get a notification about it and then you’ll need to tap on it to send the message.

Create an Automation in Shortcuts App:

1. Go to the Automation tab in the Shortcuts app.
2. Tap the + button.
3. Under Create Personal Automation.
4. Select Time of Day and set the specific time you want the message to be sent.
5. Tap Next.
6. Tap Add Action and search for WhatsApp.
7. Select Send Message next to WhatsApp icon.
8. In the Message field, type the message you want to send.
9. In the Recipients field choose the contact or group you want to send it to.

5. Someone is Following Me

Feel someone is following you? If you want to discreetly alert your family without drawing attention, this shortcut could be a lifesaver. It automatically dims your screen, starts recording video, and sends a text to a pre-selected contact with your current location.

Set up: Check our guide to create the Someone is Following Me Shortcut on your iPhone. This shortcut does these two things:

1. Adjust Phone Settings (Set Volume and Brightness to 0%, Activate DND).
2. Send a Message with your location and Recorded Video to a specific recipient.

Activate the Shortcut:

You can say, “Hey Siri, Someone is Following Me.” Using the Siri Command can be difficult in many emergency situations. So, you can use the Add to Home Screen option for the Siri shortcut and activate it from there.

Download: Someone Is Following Me Shortcut

6. Toggle Orientation Lock for Maps

When using your phone for GPS navigation in a car mount, you likely want the map to stay in landscape orientation. The shortcut ensures it automatically switches to landscape when you open the app and returns to your preferred orientation (likely portrait) when you close it. This saves you the hassle of manually adjusting it each time. You can also use it for apps such as Photos, YouTube, and other media apps.

Shortcut 1: Turn Off Orientation Lock When Opening Maps

• Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
• Tap the + button to create a new shortcut.
• Name the Shortcut: Tap the downward arrow button at the top of the screen, type Orientation Off.
• Add Actions:
  • Set Orientation Lock: Choose Off.

Create Automation for Shortcut 1

• Go to the Automation tab and tap the + button.
• Under Create Personal Automation, Choose App as the trigger.
• Select Maps and check Is Opened.
• Tap Next.
• Choose Run Shortcut and select the Orientation Off shortcut.

Shortcut 2: Turn ON Orientation Lock when Closing Maps

• Open the Shortcuts app.
• Tap the + button to create a new shortcut.
• Name the Shortcut: Tap the downward arrow button at the top of the screen, type Orientation ON.
• Add Actions:
  • Set Orientation Lock: Choose On.

Create Automation for Shortcut 2

• Go to the Automation tab and tap the + button.
• Select Create Personal Automation.
• Choose App as the trigger.
• Select Maps and check Is Closed.
• Tap Next.
• Choose Run Shortcut and select the Orientation ON shortcut.

7. Set Multiple Alarms

If you’re a heavy sleeper, this Siri shortcut can set multiple alarms at five-minute intervals to help you wake up gradually. For example, If you tell Siri you want your first alarm at 8:00 AM with -minute intervals and a total of 3 alarms, Siri will set alarms for 8:00 AM, 8:15 AM, and 8:30 AM. See this GIF for example.

Shortcut Name: Set Multiple Alarms

Actions:

1. Ask for Start Time:
   • Add action: Ask for Input
   • Input Type: Time
   • Question: What time should the first alarm be?
   • Save response in variable: StartTime
2. Ask for Interval:
   • Add action: Ask for Input
   • Input Type: Number
   • Question: How many minutes between each alarm?
   • Save response in variable: Interval
3. Ask for Number of Alarms:
   • Add action: Ask for Input
   • Question: How many alarms do you want to set?
   • Input Type: Number
   • Save response in variable: NumAlarms
4. Repeat
   • Add action: Repeat
     • Choose variable NumAlarms
5. Create Alarm (Inside Repeat Loop):
   • Add action: Create Alarm
   • Name: StartTime
   • Add: Interval to StartTime
   • Set variable: StartTime to Adjusted Date.
6. End Repeat: Close the repeat loop.
7. Add action: Open Alarm.
8. Show notification: Alarm Set

How to Use:

1. Say “Hey Siri, Set Multiple Alarms.”
2. Siri will ask you for the start time of the first alarm, the interval between alarms, and the total number of alarms.
3. Siri will then create the alarms for you.

Download: Set Multiple Alarms