Apple Shortcuts
Native iOS and macOS automation for Apple device workflows
About Apple Shortcuts
Apple Shortcuts is the completely free, native automation tool built into every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Unlike Zapier, Make, or IFTTT (which cost $2.49-30/month), Shortcuts is 100% free with unlimited automations. It excels at device-specific triggers: time of day, location arrival/departure, app opening, charging, NFC tags, and more. Create personal automations like 'Turn on Low Power Mode when battery hits 20%' or 'Text partner when leaving work.' Shortcuts integrates deeply with iOS apps, Siri, and Apple services (Messages, Calendar, Photos, Health). The 2025 iOS 26 update added 25+ new actions and enhanced automation capabilities. Limitations: Apple ecosystem only, no cross-platform or web service automations like Zapier. Perfect for Apple users wanting device automation without subscriptions; use Zapier/Make for cloud service integrations.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- • Completely free with unlimited automations
- • Pre-installed on all Apple devices (no download/setup)
- • Deep iOS/macOS integration unavailable to third-party apps
- • Siri voice control for hands-free execution
- • Perfect for device-specific automations (battery, location, time)
- • 2025 updates bring powerful new capabilities
Cons
- • Apple ecosystem only—no Windows, Android, or web support
- • No cloud service automations (no Slack, Gmail, Trello integrations)
- • Steeper learning curve than IFTTT for non-technical users
- • Limited third-party app support compared to Zapier/Make
- • Cannot automate cross-platform workflows
Best For
Quick Info
- Category
- ai
- Pricing Model
- free
- Starting Price
- Free
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