{"id":319582,"date":"2025-08-05T10:32:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T10:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/319582\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T10:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T10:32:19","slug":"heres-how-apple-intelligence-makes-shortcuts-smarter-and-more-useful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/319582\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s how Apple Intelligence makes Shortcuts smarter and more useful"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">From a liquid glass makeover to the introduction of a separate games app, <a class=\"_internalLinks_17ndg_77\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hardwarezone.com.sg\/lifestyle\/apps\/definitive-guide-everything-new-apple-wwdc-2025\" target=\"_blank\">WWDC 2025<\/a> featured many exciting announcements (<a class=\"_externalLinks_17ndg_78\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hardwarezone.com.sg\/lifestyle\/apps\/definitive-guide-everything-new-apple-wwdc-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">learn more here<\/a>). Among the slew of updates, one that may have flown under the radar is the <b>introduction of Apple Intelligence to the Shortcuts app<\/b>. Shortcuts, for the uninitiated, is an app that you can use to create and run automated sequences of actions \u2013 think of it as macros for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">This new feature comes to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, and enables users to automate and enhance everyday tasks using prompts powered by Apple Intelligence \u2013 using a combination of on-device intelligence, Apple\u2019s Private Cloud Compute, or ChatGPT.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">To showcase this new feature, here are some ways you can use Apple Intelligence in the Shortcuts app to boost your productivity and make your life a little more convenient. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"  width=\"1140\" height=\"760\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/451a9628c1beccf51400d9e4f448ac9db10af851f47735f264c82c9519b49446\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_17ndg_117\">Make sure you are on the public beta version of iOS 26. <\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">As a reminder, you will need to have a device that supports Apple Intelligence. This means you will need to be using an<b> iPhone 15 Pro or newer<\/b> and running the <a class=\"_externalLinks_17ndg_78\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hardwarezone.com.sg\/mobile\/apple-public-beta-ios26-ipados26-macos26-tvos26-watchos-26-available?ref=contentblockl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">latest public beta of iOS 26<\/a>. Afterwards, open the Settings app, tap on \u201cApple Intelligence &amp; Siri,\u201d and ensure that the Apple Intelligence option is enabled. <\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">For the purpose of this article, we will be running through examples on the iPhone and iOS 26. However, these Shortcuts can be used on iPad and Mac too as long as you are running the latest betas.<\/p>\n<p>Turn lengthy PDFs into quick summaries<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"  width=\"1140\" height=\"760\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/a699033ca97db08effc0ae84c17f7f32eb7e0e6d30239ffe072c8e3eff477286\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_17ndg_117\">Delete the original \u201cGet Variable\u201d action as it is no longer needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">If you often receive long PDFs but don\u2019t have time to read them fully, here\u2019s a handy step by step guide to create a shortcut that can help you summarise them.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"_listElement_17ndg_59\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Search for \u201cGet Variable\u201d and select Shortcut Input from the variables available<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Turn on \u201cReceive from Share Sheet\u201d so the shortcut shows up in the share list when you share a PDF<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Add the \u201cUse Model\u201d action and choose from the three models available<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">When configuring this step, you will be able to choose from three different model types: On-device, Cloud, and ChatGPT. Personally, I found the <b>On-device model to be a tad bit faster<\/b> while still delivering high-quality summaries. It also performs all processing locally on your device, which is ideal if you prioritise privacy.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"_listElement_17ndg_59\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Afterwards, type in a prompt such as \u201cSummarise the following PDF document\u201d <\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Press and hold to rearrange the \u201cUse Model\u201d action and link it to the \u201cShare Sheet\u201d action. <\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Delete the \u201cGet Variable\u201d action<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Add the \u201cGet Text from Response\u201d action to extract the summary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Finally, to view the result, you can add the \u201cQuick Look\u201d function.This will display the summary on your screen as soon as it is generated. If you want to keep the summary for future reference, you can include the \u201cCreate Note\u201d action. This action will automatically save the summary to the Notes app, making it easy to revisit later.<\/p>\n<p>How do I use the shortcut? <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"  width=\"1140\" height=\"760\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/e5ea181bdce09079d2e905ab79dff900fb406848a737999d755badbf020897e7\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_17ndg_117\">Scroll all the way down to see the shortcut <\/p>\n<p>Photo:HWZ<\/p>\n<ul class=\"_listElement_17ndg_59\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Find the PDF file to summarise<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Press and hold till you see the share option. <\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Scroll down till you see the Shortcut. <\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Choose the shortcut and let it run for a few seconds. Once activated, the dynamic island will now showcase the progress of the Shortcut <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">If your shortcut does not appear at the Share sheet, you can select on edit actions all the way at the bottom to find the shortcut and add it to the list of quick share options. <\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\"><a class=\"_externalLinks_17ndg_78\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icloud.com\/shortcuts\/90ee3a12db164e4485e8883fc0d1009f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">You can import the shortcut here.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Generating a personalised morning summary\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"  width=\"1140\" height=\"760\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/c728ad6faa3bf05305963a1128ae6cfef6de9df5de76f0c23a3c0d3ce41a9f82\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_17ndg_117\">You can automate this shortcut to run in the morning everyday. <\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ <\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Need a quick summary of your day? This shortcut collects the important details and shows them to you in an easy-to-read format.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"_listElement_17ndg_59\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Add the \u201cGet Reminders\/ Events\/ Weather Conditions\u201d actions to choose what choose what you want included in your morning summary <\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Add the \u201cUse Model\u201d action and insert the following prompt \u201cCreate a friendly morning briefing that summarises today\u2019s weather, calendar events, and reminders.\u201d<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Add \u201cShow Result\u201d to see the summary on screen, or \u201cSpeak Text\u201d to hear it read out loud. <\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Finally, click on the share button on the bottom and add it to the homescreen for easy access. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Making the shortcut even more useful<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">If you would like to go a step further, you can also prompt the model to rank the day\u2019s events in order of urgency. <\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Additionally, you can also <b>automate the shortcut to run at a specific time or event each day<\/b>. To do this, open the \u201cAutomation\u201d tab in the Shortcuts app. From there, you can set the shortcut to run automatically based on your preferences. This can be such when your alarm is turned off, at a fixed time every morning, or when you turn on a specific <a class=\"_externalLinks_17ndg_78\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hardwarezone.com.sg\/guides\/how-to\/feature-apple-iphone-ios-accessibility-feature-guide#:~:text=6)-,Focus%20modes,-I%20set%20a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">focus mode<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\"><a class=\"_externalLinks_17ndg_78\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icloud.com\/shortcuts\/682564934da444a8adaf81cd4ffb0091\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">You can import the shortcut here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Generate the latest news summaries<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_12j3k_1\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"  width=\"1140\" height=\"760\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/c6c820bf34115fd7745cc0fdc1dde91841db97e47ff1fba4c1b5c766213f004c\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_17ndg_117\">Most news sites (including HWZ) has an RSS feed you can link from. <\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Finally, the last shortcut allows you to get a quick overview of the most recent news by summarising articles from a news page of your choice. <\/p>\n<ul class=\"_listElement_17ndg_59\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Start by using the <b>\u201cGet Items from RSS Feed\u201d<\/b> action to pull articles from your chosen news source.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Paste the RSS link from your preferred news source into the URL field. If you leave it blank, it will default to Apple News.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\"> You can choose to retrieve just one article for a quick update, or up to five for a broader view of the day\u2019s news.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Add the <b>\u201cGet URL from Input\u201d<\/b> and <b>\u201cGet Details of Article\u201d<\/b> actions so that the shortcut can extract the full content of each article for summarisation.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Use the \u201cUse Model\u201d action to summarise the article using Apple Intelligence. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\"> You can customise the prompt to control the length or format of the summary. For example, you might write:<br \/>\u201cSummarise this article in 80 to 120 words\u201d or \u201cSummarise as a bulleted list\u201d for easy scanning.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"_listElement_17ndg_59\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_17ndg_64\">Finally, add the \u201cQuick Look\u201d action to display all the summarised articles on a single, easy-to-read page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">For this shortcut, <b>you can choose to use Apple Intelligence\u2019s built-in \u201cSummarise Text\u201d function<\/b>. However, I found that relying solely on this feature can be limiting, as it offers less flexibility in how the information is presented. If you want more control over the tone, length, or format, creating your own prompt (like the one used above) gives you greater freedom. That said, if you\u2019re looking for a faster and simpler setup, using the built-in \u201cSummarise Text\u201d option is a convenient choice that streamlines the shortcut creation process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\"><a class=\"_externalLinks_17ndg_78\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icloud.com\/shortcuts\/8bd28350246f4d9c88efc2eb31933889\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">You can import the shortcut here.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>What are some other functions of Apple Intelligence in the Shortcut app?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Beyond the core \u201cUse Model\u201d action, Apple Intelligence also enhances the Shortcuts app with other capabilities. Its Writing Tools actions, which include options to summarise, proofread, rewrite, and adjust the tone of text, can be particularly useful for anyone who wants to ensure their message comes across clearly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">If you want to go beyond the standard Apple Intelligence features, you can explore Visual Intelligence and Image Playground. Visual Intelligence lets your shortcuts pull useful information from images and screenshots like text from receipts, infographics, or even labels. On the other hand, Image Playground gives you the option to create images just by describing what you want. What you do with those images is totally up to you. Maybe you\u2019ll use them to organise your notes, add visual flair to reminders, or just have a bit of fun with them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">All in all, Apple Intelligence in the Shortcuts app is still relatively new and largely unexplored. But it already opens up plenty of possibilities like as shown above. Sure, while many of these shortcuts still require some manual inputs, they help to streamline the process by cutting out some intermediate steps, and generally help make things more convenient.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From a liquid glass makeover to the introduction of a separate games app, WWDC 2025 featured many exciting&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":319583,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3159],"tags":[1662,14271,64805,60981,78631,71538,547,53,16,15,115994],"class_list":{"0":"post-319582","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-apple","9":"tag-apple-intelligence","10":"tag-how-to","11":"tag-ios-26","12":"tag-ipados-26","13":"tag-macos-tahoe","14":"tag-mobile","15":"tag-technology","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom","18":"tag-wwdc2025"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114975706253417255","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=319582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319582\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/319583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=319582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=319582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=319582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}