Hello folks,
This week we’re in the shortcut dip between new Apple products shipping – but that just leaves more room for Shortcuts fun really.
Next week I’ll have more fun stuff to share, especially as we head towards the summer beta season – and be on the lookout for new streams in the calendar too:
? NEW FROM ME THIS WEEK
My video on what’s beyond the surfaces of AirTags, a shortcut for importing Castro’s OPML to podcasts, and one of my first Mac shortcuts:
- [The AMAZING AirTags feature Apple hasn’t added (yet?)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8d6m52fpbo)
My new video on the automation possibility with AirTags and the U1 chip is up on YouTube – I’m calling it “Spatial Awareness for Siri.” Check out the short video and let me know what you think in the comments! - [Export podcasts > Podcasts](https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/20f18fe4f60d455694b91a736b7abb01)
I came across this thread between Stephen Aquino (Accessibility writer at Forbes) and Oisin Prendiville (co-founder of Supertop) talking about a possible method of moving from Supertop’s podcast app Castro into the main Podcasts app using the OPML file and built a shortcut to solve the problem. I was hoping Shortcuts could automatically parse the OPML with a simple file rename, but that didn’t work, so I built a somewhat-shaky converter that just scrapes the RSS feeds out and passes them into “Subscribe in Podcasts” – and it worked! I’m going to build a more universal version, but feel free to try it out now if you use Castro. - [Open the Mini Player](https://www.matthewcassinelli.com/shortcuts/open-the-mini-player/)** ?**
I’ve spent some time setting up my own versions of Federico’s Mixed Automation shortcuts for Mac, mostly around opening specific apps as well as a few URLs in specific browsers – members can access one of my first tests that opens the Mini Player of the Music app on the Mac, which simulates key presses in combination to activate the keyboard shortcut.
?** POSTS FROM R/SHORTCUTS**
Last week I shared posts from the Shortcuts User Group – this time it’s links from the last month of r/Shortcuts, the 200,000+ strong community for all things Siri Shortcuts on Reddit:
- [Always-Updated List of iOS App URL Scheme Names & Paths for Shortcuts](https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/n3bhia/list_of_app_url_schemes_including_detailed_paths/)
Redditor u/lookloo79 posted this link back to GadgetHacks.com where Justin Meyers is collecting a list of URLs that Shortcuts users can open to access different parts of iOS, particularly in the Settings app. I’ve already got this bookmarked as a resource to refer to over time – I can already seem improvements I can make to my existing shortcuts with this set of deep links. - [Creating a shortcuts for toggling notifications off/on for your email](https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/mr9p7o/you_can_create_shortcut_for_notifications_offon/)
Speaking of URL schemes, u/neo_ocean linked to Craig Given’s site containing a deep link directly to the “Allow Notifications” screen for the Mail app, letting you quickly toggle email notifications on/off without digging through the Settings app every time. This sounds like a great use for 5PM Time automation to go in and manually turn notificaitons off after work (if you ask me ?). - [Charty updated to 1.4 | Developer post](https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/n1sd75/charty_14_theseus_is_out_on_the_app_store/gwfh38t/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Charty developer Rodrigo Araujo shared example shortcuts and new details about version 1.4 of his Shortcuts-based chart app that lets you generate charts (& see them in widgets) programatically – I’m excited for the new Ring Charts that let you recreate the Apple Watch fitness goals with any cusstom data. Check out the comments for the details, example shortcuts, and ask questions to the dev directly!
? LINKS SINCE LAST TIME
The Verge calls for changes to Shortcuts notifications, a guide to using Shortcuts on Apple Watch, and Matt Gemmell’s simple automation:
- [Apple Shortcuts is great, but it needs a notification toggle | The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/9/22424463/apple-shortcuts-notifications-toggle-user-settings)
I fully agree with this piece from The Verge – Shortcuts’ volume of notifications gets overwhelming if you use the app a lot. I think there should be additional ways to customize the notifications too so they have more meaning – I hope we see changes like this in iOS 15. - [How to use Siri Shortcuts on Apple Watch | Make Tech Easier](https://www.maketecheasier.com/use-siri-shortcuts-apple-watch)
If you haven’t experimented with Shortcuts on the Apple Watch, this article from Make Tech Easier walks you through the basics with lots of screenshots to make it easy to follow along. I’ve been working on a set for Apple Watch myself that I plan to share soon, so brush up ahead of time to get ready for those . - [Matt Gemmel’s automation for Low Power Mode at 40% battery | Twitter](https://twitter.com/mattgemmell/status/1392051387836547072)
Author Matt Gemmell shared a tip on Twitter for his Battery automation – whenever his phone dips below 40%, turn on Low Power Mode. I actually have the same thing set at 50%, although I have been meaning to change it because I usually hit that too early in the day and don’t want Low Power Mode showing when I’m recording videos. Check out the tweet and set it up for yourself – it’s just one automation trigger and a single action inside.
? SHORTCUTS SPOTLIGHT
How to get the Shortcuts icon as an Apple Watch complication
If you’re trying to use Shortcuts on the Apple Watch more, a great way is by accessing your shortcuts via complications on the watch face.
But if you just want a way to quickly open the Shortcuts app and pick from all your Watch shortcuts, there’s a way to get a complication that doesn’t launch a specific shortcut…
You just need to remove all your shortcuts from being available on Apple Watch (I suggest taking a screenshot of them first so you can add them back later) and then the only option shown in the complication picker will be “Shortcuts.”
Then, you can stick it on a watch face and have a quick launcher to see all your shortcuts in the app (once you put them back in) – I’ve got mine on the Siri face.