iOS 27 讓 iPhone 捷徑更易建立，並支援自然語言描述自動化

The Shortcuts app is one of those “if you know you know” iPhone features. While most parts of Apple’s operating systems are intuitive — almost designed to make you forget you’re using computer software — Shortcuts is for folks willing to go one step further.

Shortcuts lets you automate tasks on your iPhone, iPad and Mac, but it hasn’t always been user-friendly software. I often found earlier iterations of the app tricky to use — I had to manually set up each shortcut’s function, as well as the conditions for activation.

Now, with iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence, creating Shortcuts is easier than ever. If there’s a specific automation that you want your iPhone to learn, you can build a shortcut simply by describing what you want it to do in natural language. Essentially, you can now vibe code your own shortcut.

Ask for an iPhone shortcut, and you shall receive

You can use Shortcuts to automate many complex functions in iOS 27. Begin by opening the Shortcuts app and tapping the + button on the bottom of your screen. The app will cycle through a few suggested automations, such as “Dim screen brightness when Bedtime begins” and “When I get in the car, get directions”.

iOS 27 gives you a new, more intuitive way to create shortcuts.Jason Chun/CNET

The latest version of the app is powered by Apple Intelligence, which lets you create a shortcut by describing it in plain, simple language. You can even combine and execute multistep tasks. For example, you can set up a single shortcut that turns on Background Sounds every night when your bedtime starts and automatically turns off the sounds after an hour.

Once you’ve created a shortcut, it stays in the Shortcuts app, where it can be further modified. Long-press the shortcut to see options for editing or renaming.

My own shortcuts are basic, but I use them every day. I have one that toggles the Control Center on and off, allowing me to access it with my Action Button. I have another shortcut that automatically turns on Reduce Motion when my phone goes into Low Power mode, as a further battery-saving measure (I also find that the visuals of Reduce Motion are better-tailored to the slower animations of Low Power mode).

Tap on the name of the shortcut, and you’ll see an option to add it to your Home screen as a bookmark.Jason Chun/CNET

If you’ve mastered the basics, you can get creative with how you activate your shortcuts. You can pair a shortcut with your iPhone’s Action Button to create an on-demand coffee button. You can also add a shortcut that lives on your iPhone lock screen as a widget or on your Home screen as a bookmark. And you can ask Siri to run a shortcut by saying, “Siri, [name of shortcut].”

Maybe you’re already thinking of clever new automations that will greatly improve your iPhone, iPad or Mac experience. Or, if you need ideas, you can check communities like Reddit to find more creative uses for the Shortcuts app.

What if I don’t want to vibe code my shortcuts?

If you’re not a fan of the Describe a Shortcut method, you can have the app default to the more traditional Editor mode. Go to Settings —> Apps —> Shortcuts, and select “Editor.”

The Describe a Shortcut feature requires Apple Intelligence, which means you can only use it if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or later or an iPad or Mac equipped with Apple silicon (M1 or later). Earlier devices will only let you use Shortcuts in Editor mode.