Quick Links
Apple has ditched the ringer switch and made the Action button standard across all models. While the button has a pre-defined set of functions, you may link it with a custom shortcut and accomplish way more. Here are 15 ideas to get you started.
1Unlock Screen Rotation
If you often reach out for thescreen orientation lock buttonin Control Center, setting up an iOS shortcut and linking it with the Action Button could help you. You can get the shortcuthere. Once you add it to the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, head to Settings > Action Button > Shortcut, and then hit “Choose a Shortcut.” Then select the “Set Orientation Lock” shortcut in the Shortcuts app, and you should be good to go.
The next time you’re watching a horizontal video, but the screen doesn’t rotate, simply hit the Action Button and change the orientation without any hassle.
2Find Songs Using Shazam
If you’re someone who loves finding new music, this one is for you. Head to Settings > Action Button > Shortcut, and select “Choose a Shortcut.” In the Shortcuts app, search forShazamor Recognize Music. Once you find the required shortcut, assign it to the Action Button, and that’s it.
Once you have this iOS shortcut in place, you should be able to find out the name of a song by pressing the Action Button without pressing theShazam button in the Control Center.
3Take Screenshots and Save to Camera Roll
Don’t you hate it when you have totake a lot of screenshots, and each time you click one, iOS wastes some time by showing its thumbnail on the screen? Well, you’re able to program the Action Button to take a screenshot and save it directly to your iPhone’s Camera Roll.
Usethis shortcutthat takes a screenshot and saves it directly to the photo gallery. By default, iOS sets the Photo Album as Recents, but you can also change it by editing the shortcut in the Shortcuts app. Simply tap “Recents” and select the required destination. Now, assign the Save to Photo shortcut to the Action Button.
4Scan a Document
This one is useful for students or professionals who might have toscan documents on a regular basis. Create ashortcutthat invokes the Scan feature found in the Files app and link it to the Action Button. Then, capture the images of the documents you need to convert to a PDF and save them on your iPhone.
5Dictate a Quick Note to Your iPhone
Todictate a quick note to your iPhone, you first have to create a custom shortcut and then link it with the Action Button. So, use theVoice Note shortcutwith the actions “Dictate Text” and “Create Note” in the same order. Then tap on “Body” to replace it with “Dictated Text” and hit Done at the top right.
After creating the shortcut, simply go to the Action Button settings page and link it with the shortcut. From now on, you can dictate random ideas, grocery lists, guest lists, or literally anything else that crosses your mind.
6Open an App
This is a pretty straightforward yet one of the most useful Action Button shortcuts. Based on your preference, you can link the Action Button to theOpen App shortcutand use it to open an app at the press of the button. It could be Camera, Snapchat, or Uber; you can link any app and open it on the go (without unlocking your iPhone).
7Call or Text Someone
For personal safety you can set the Action Button to immediately call a trusted contact. Simply create ashortcutthat initiates a call, enter the contact you wish to connect to, and link the shortcut to the Action Button. Similarly, you can set a text or a FaceTime shortcut.
8Activate Low Power Mode
In the Shortcuts app, create a newshortcutwith the action “Set Low Power Mode.” Now, all you have to do is map it to the Action Button. That’s it. This way, you can enableLow Power Modein less than a second.
9Control Smart Home Devices
If you have asmart home device connected to the Apple Home app, you may set an Action Button shortcut that toggles its states between on and off. All you have to do is create aToggle Accessory State shortcutand then map it to the Action Button.
10Add a New Event to Calendar
Add aNew Calendar Event shortcutthat uses the “Add New Event” action. Now, select all three variables to “Ask Each Time,” and you’re done. Running this shortcut will let you add a new event, along with its starting/ending time, to theCalendar app. Map it to the Action Button to start setting event reminders in seconds.
