Automate Your Mobile Life with Shortcuts (iOS): A No-BS Step-by-Step Tutorial

What you'll learn (objectives)

Build a reliable morning routine automation that checks weather, calendar events, and starts your playlist — all legit and hands-free. Create a quick "I'm running late" message using location or a manual trigger. Understand intermediate concepts like variables, magic variables, If blocks, and Get Contents of URL for basic API use. Spot and fix the sketchy stuff that makes automations fail (permissions, low power, confirmations). Level up with NFC, HomeKit, and webhooks — when to use them and when they're overkill.

Prerequisites and preparation

iPhone running iOS 15 or later (Shortcuts improves every year; older iOS may be missing features). Shortcuts app (built-in). If you deleted it, reinstall from the App Store before continuing. Apple ID signed in, with iCloud enabled for Shortcuts if you want backups and cross-device sync. Basic accounts set up: Apple Music or Spotify (with Shortcuts-compatible actions), HomeKit devices (optional), Messages permission granted. A little patience and willingness to test — automations rarely work perfectly first try.

Quick prep checklist (self-assessment)

Do you have the Shortcuts app? (Yes / No) Is iCloud enabled for Shortcuts? (Yes / No) Have you granted Shortcuts access to Contacts, Location, Music, and Notifications? (Yes / No) Are you connected to Wi‑Fi or mobile data? (Yes / No)

If you answered "No" to any of the above, fix that before you start. Trust me — troubleshooting permissions mid-build is a giant time suck.

Step-by-step instructions

Automation A: Morning Routine — Build this first

This one’s a no-brainer. When your phone alarm stops or at a set time, Shortcuts tells you what matters and gets the day rolling.

Open Shortcuts → tap the Automation tab → tap the "+" → Create Personal Automation. Choose a trigger:

Time of Day: set it to your usual wake-up (e.g., 7:00 AM). Or Alarm: choose “When Alarm is Stopped” to trigger after your alarm ends — more natural.

Tap Next → Add Action → search "Get Weather Forecast" → select "Current Weather" or "Get Weather Forecast" (daily summary). Add Action → "Get Upcoming Events" → set time window (e.g., next 12 hours) and filter calendars if you want only work events. Add Action → "If" (Scripting) → choose condition: If Count of Events is Greater Than 0.

Inside the If: Add "Get Details of Calendar Events" → choose "Title" or "Start Date" to build a spoken summary. Else: Add a "Text" action with a fallback like "No meetings today."

Add Action → "Play Music" → pick a playlist or "Shuffle" a playlist. Add Action → "Speak Text" or "Show Notification" to summarize: weather + first upcoming event or "no meetings." Toggle off "Ask Before Running" to make it hands-free (note: some automations with certain actions still require confirmation — see pitfalls). Tap Done. Test it by running from the Automation screen or adjusting the trigger to a minute from now.

Why this works (intermediate concept)

You're chaining actions and using conditionals to turn raw data (weather, calendar) into a usable spoken summary. Magic Variables let you reference outputs from earlier actions without manual re-wiring — the little blue tokens you tap when adding a new action. Use them instead of retyping values.

Automation B: Quick "I’m running late" message

This one is perfect for a widget or Siri shortcut when you're half out the door.

Shortcuts → + → Create Personal Automation → choose "Open App" or "NFC" if you want to tap a sticker to trigger it. For a widget-friendly manual option, set no automatic trigger and save it as a Shortcut. Add Action → "Get Current Location" (if you want to attach location coordinates) or skip if you prefer not to share location. Add Action → "Text" — create a template: "Running late — be there in ~15. ETA: Estimate." Put a placeholder for ETA if you plan to calculate travel time. Optional: Add "Get Travel Time" (Scripting → Get Travel Time) from current location to a chosen address, select driving or transit, and save result to a variable (magic variable). Add Action → "Send Message" → pick Contacts or "Ask Each Time" to choose who to notify. Insert the Text action or a magic variable for the ETA. Make it accessible: save as Home Screen widget, add to Siri with a phrase like "Running late," or add to the Shortcuts widget for one-tap access.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Permissions: If Shortcuts can’t access Contacts, Location, or Calendar, actions silently fail or return blank. Check Settings → Shortcuts → toggle required permissions. Ask Before Running: Some automations require confirmation (especially ones that send messages). If you toggle off Ask Before Running and the action still prompts, that action isn’t allowed to run automatically (Apple limits some behaviors for privacy). Low Power Mode: iOS limits background activity; automations may be delayed or not run. Don’t blame Shortcuts if your phone is conserving battery. Conflicting automations: Multiple automations scheduled for the same moment can bork each other. Keep a tidy list and name them clearly. Wrong variable use: Using the wrong magic variable is the classic "it says nothing" bug. When in doubt, insert a "Show Result" or "Quick Look" after a step to inspect what you have. Third-party app actions: Not all apps support Shortcuts actions. If an app only has URL schemes, you'll need to use "Open URL" or "Get Contents of URL" — more fragile than native actions.

Advanced tips and variations

Use "Get Contents of URL" for API calls. Example: pull weather from a custom service or push a webhook to Zapier. Set Method to GET or POST, include headers (API key) and parse JSON with "Get Dictionary from Input." NFC tags: Buy cheap NFC stickers and configure Shortcuts to run when the phone taps a tag. Great for a bedside "Good night" automation that locks doors, sets HomeKit thermostat, and turns off lights. HomeKit scenes: Create Scenes in Home app and call them from Shortcuts with "Control Home" — far more reliable than toggling individual devices. Error handling: Use "Otherwise" branches in If blocks and add "Show Notification" with an error message to know when something failed. Reusable components: Build small helper shortcuts (like "Format Event Summary") and call them from larger shortcuts with "Run Shortcut." Keeps things modular and less sketchy to maintain. Use Choose from Menu to make shortcuts flexible. Example: a "Commute" shortcut that lets you pick Work/Home/Other and adjusts travel time accordingly. Avoid hard-coded values: Store addresses and phone numbers in Contacts or a small Note and fetch them — easier to update than editing the shortcut.

Intermediate concept: Variables & Magic Variables

Variables let you keep data — strings, numbers, dictionaries — Find more info for later use. Magic Variables are dynamic references to outputs of earlier actions. Tap the variable token (blue bubble) when adding to a new action. If this sounds fuzzy, try adding "Get Current Weather", then add a "Show Result" and insert the magic variable. You’ll see what the action returned in real time.

Troubleshooting guide

When your shortcut acts sketchy, do this checklist in order:

Run it step-by-step: Open the shortcut and tap the play button. Watch which step fails. Insert "Show Result" after suspect steps to log outputs. Check permissions: Settings → Shortcuts. Also Settings → Privacy → [Location/Microphone/Contacts]. Look for confirmation walls: If an action prompts for confirmation, Shortcuts may not run fully automatically. Replace with actions that are allowed, or accept manual triggers. Test network calls: If "Get Contents of URL" fails, test the endpoint in a browser or Postman. Check TLS, API keys, rate limits, and CORS-like restrictions (some endpoints reject non-browser clients). Check iOS state: Low Power Mode, Airplane Mode, or limited cellular can block calls or background activities. Update iOS and Shortcuts: Apple fixes bugs and adds actions. If behavior is weird, update and retry. Recreate the shortcut: If nothing else works, rebuild it from scratch. Something corrupt in the shortcut can be impossible to find.

Common error messages and fixes

Error Likely cause Fix No output / blank Missing permission or wrong magic variable Grant permission; add "Show Result" to inspect; reselect the variable Shortcut asks to confirm Action restricted from running silently (e.g., sending messages to multiple recipients) Accept manual confirm or redesign to use approved actions / single recipient Get Contents of URL fails Bad endpoint, missing headers, or network issues Test endpoint, add API key header, ensure HTTPS, check network Doesn’t run at scheduled time Low Power Mode, Do Not Disturb, or conflicting automations Disable Low Power, check automation list, ensure device awake

Interactive quiz (check your knowledge)

Answer these quick questions to see if you're on the right track. Answers are below — no cheating.

True or False: If Shortcuts doesn't have permission for Contacts, a "Send Message" action will simply skip the recipient and still send the message. What action do you use to call a web API in Shortcuts? Which feature lets you reference the output of a previous action without naming a variable manually? Why might an automation that sends messages still prompt you before running automatically?

Quiz answers

Question Answer 1 False. If Shortcuts lacks Contacts access, the action may fail or send to no one; check permissions first. 2 Get Contents of URL (with GET/POST and headers as needed). 3 Magic Variables. 4 Because Apple restricts certain actions (like sending messages without confirmation) for privacy — those automations require Ask Before Running or manual confirmation.

Final checklist before you go live

Test each shortcut from the editor, then test via its trigger (alarm, NFC, time). Turn off Ask Before Running only when you’ve confirmed the automation behaves safely. Keep names obvious — “Morning: Weather + Calendar” beats “Shortcut 3.” Back up important shortcuts to iCloud or share them to Files as .shortcut files.

Alright — you’ve got the basics and some intermediate moves. Shortcuts isn’t magic, but it’s legit powerful when you stop winging it and actually structure your flows. Don’t be that person with a dozen half-broken automations and zero documentation. Build, name, test, and iterate. If something feels sketchy or too fragile, simplify it. Most of us prefer reliable over flashy.

Want more? Tell me what automation you want (commute, parental control, gym check-in) and I’ll give you a tailored shortcut step-by-step with exact actions and variables you can copy. No fluff — just what works.