Create personal automations on your phone

May 11, 2024

By Kim Komando

Wanna feel like you’re living in 2075? Start automating your phone tasks, friends. Yep, your phone has a shortcut feature you’re probably not taking advantage of. You can trigger multiple actions at once just by asking Siri or Google Assistant!

Shortcuts work slightly differently on iPhone compared to Android, but the goal is the same: To automate mundane tasks (and make you feel like you’re in “The Jetsons”). Once you start using them, you won’t go back. 

Create a morning routine 

Kick off your daily tasks without lifting a finger. With shortcuts, you can …

• Turn off your alarm.
• Send a good-morning message to your partner or kids.
• Put on your favorite morning playlist.
• Open your to-do list for the day.

… All before that first sip of coffee. You can set the automation to trigger when you turn off your alarm or at a specific time in the morning. Cool, right?

How to get started on iPhone:

• Open the Shortcuts app. (Bet you didn’t even know it was there!)
• Create a new shortcut: Tap on the Automation tab at the bottom, then tap on the + (plus sign) in the top right to create a new automation.
• Choose a trigger: Select Create Personal Automation, like time of day, arriving at a location or connecting to a certain Wi-Fi network.
• Select your actions: Tap Add Action to start building. You can select from hundreds of preset actions, like sending a message, playing a playlist, setting your alarm or opening a specific app.
• Customize the details: For example, if you’re sending a message, you can specify the recipient and the content. If you’re playing music, pick a playlist (like “Wake-up tunes”).
• Review and save: Choose whether the automation requires confirmation before running, then tap Done.

On Android:

• Open the Google Assistant app > Assistant settings. 
• Under Popular settings, tap Routines > New > Personal.
• Add a starter: This could be a voice command, a specific time, sunrise or sunset, when you arrive at a location, or even when a smart device turns on or off.
• Add actions: You could play music, get reminders, read texts or get your traffic report for the commute home. Follow the directions on your screen, then tap Save.

Tip: You can also create personal routines in the Google Home app. If you’re making routines on shared devices, you’ll need to enable “Personal results.” Here’s how.

Now, if you wanna get really fancy …

You can connect your routines with smart devices in your home, like lights, locks and thermostats. Imagine leaving for a vacation, saying, “Hey Siri (or Google), I’m going on a trip!” and having your virtual assistant turn down your thermostat, turn off all your lights and lock your doors behind you.

Seriously, have some fun with these. Some routines are more of a novelty — like making a GIF from your past five photos — but some are super useful. I can’t imagine what they’ll be able to do in 10 more years.