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Make your phone work harder so you don't have to! Here's how to create custom shortcuts

Our phones are full of useful functions, like remembering passwords, reading real-world text, and storing hundreds, if not thousands, of photos.

But there are a lot of things it can do that you probably don’t know about – and some of those things don’t require tapping anything.

Shortcuts can include quickly sending a text, double tapping the back of your phone to take a screenshot or automatically playing your favorite music after your morning alarm goes off.

Watch the video to see how easy it is to access app shortcuts!

Morning routines

Shortcuts are an easy way to do some of the things you do all the time, but faster.

Post on social media, find a hike or check your favorite baseball team’s stats just by hard pressing on the app’s icon on an Android or iPhone.

This will bring up the list of available shortcuts, but not all apps have them.

If you want to take it a step further, you can create your own on iPhones.

Your device can automatically play your favorite music after your alarm goes off, brew your coffee pot (if you have a smart coffee pot) and tell you what time to leave to get to work on time.

How do I create automatic shortcuts?

Creating your own shortcut is similar to coding. You’re designing a custom sequence that tells your phone ‘if/when action x occurs, do y and z.’

There are so many possibilities for this feature and shortcuts can be created based on your needs, wants or whims.

It can get a little confusing but don’t be afraid to play around with it.

These actions can be activated simply by your iPhone or iPad joining a specific wifi network, arriving at or leaving a specific location, or getting an email from a specific person.

To create an automatic shortcut on your iPhone:

  1. Open the Shortcuts app on iPhone.

  2. Tap "Automation"

  3. Select "Create Personal Automation"

  4. Choose the action you prefer

  5. Set the parameters you want and tap "Next"

  6. Add additional actions and repeat as necessary

  7. Tap "Next"

  8. Review your sequence and tap "Done" when you're satisfied

You can also create program sequences for any smart products in your home, such as turning on the lights when you get close to home, or changing the temperature when you leave for work.

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More problems, solved

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Create custom shortcuts on your iPhone with these easy steps