Apple recently unveiled the latest iPhone 15 lineup. Among major design changes and camera upgrades, the iPhone 15 Pro brings a controversial change to the mix.
Brace yourselves because for the first time in iPhone history, we've got a brand-new button on board. Say hello to the 'Action Button', Apple's new addition to the iPhones 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, that's already sparking hot debates and Twitter wars galore. Let's dive right into this reinvention!
What is the New Action Button?
The Action Button on iPhones 15 Pro and Pro Max is replacing our old and trusty friend Ring/ Silent switch.
But don't worry, you won't have to dive deep into the Settings somewhere to silence your iPhone. That would have caused a downright riot! The Action button still behaves as a Ring/ Silent switch by default. All you need to do is press and hold the button to mute/unmute the iPhone sounds.
But now, the Action button (as it will be called henceforth, at least for the latest Pro models) is customizable. (In case you assign it a different action, you can use the Control Centre to mute/ unmute your iPhone.)
You can assign it a customizable action from a set of available actions. Each action will be accompanied by an animation in the Dynamic Island as it happens. The set of actions includes starting a voice memo, launching the camera app and taking a photo, activating an accessibility shortcut like Live Speech, turning on a Focus mode, flashlight, or translator, or even assigning it a Shortcut from the Shortcuts app.
Using the Shortcuts app, you can open any app or run a series of tasks by assigning it custom shortcuts.
Best Shortcuts for Action Button in iPhone 15 Pro
The inclusion of the Shortcuts app is what really makes the prospect of the Action Button so fun. When paired with Shortcuts, the possibilities are just limitless! And that's what we are here for! Now that you understand the Action Button in all its glory, it's time to see the magic the Shortcuts app can add to it. Trust me, this combo is like peanut butter and jelly!
1. Start Pomodoro
If you often struggle to stay focused on the task at hand, this is a nifty little shortcut to have at your beck and call. With the Start Pomodoro Shortcut, you can quickly turn on a timer and associated Focus mode (which you set up during the initial configuration of the Shortcut) to focus on the task at hand.
With a single click of the Action Button, you'll initiate a customizable timer that will put your phone in, say, Work focus until the time runs out.
2. Play Playlist
For music aficionados, tunes before everything else. Am I right, or am I right? Well, in that case, the 'Play Playlist' shortcut is perfect for you to configure at the Action Button.
You can just click the Action Button to play a pre-selected playlist from Apple Music with this configuration. What else would you want? Whether you're hitting the gym or driving, your tunes are just a click away!
3. Reading Mode
For my fellow readers out there, ever wish to get into your reading zone with the click of a button? Reading Mode is the perfect shortcut for you to have for the Action Button on your iPhone 15 Pro/ Pro Max.
By activating this shortcut, you can set how long you want to read for, and it will automatically put your phone in Do Not Disturb, enable the Dark Mode, start your favorite reading playlist from Apple Music, and open your favorite reading app (both configurable at the time of setting up the shortcut). All you need to do is make your way to your reading nook!
4. Share Location
You can also set up the Action Button to share a location with someone using a text message. If you're someone who often needs to share your current location with others but finds the whole thing tiresome, you can configure the Action Button to fetch the location and load it into the message box at the press of a button which you can then send to anyone.
5. Time Tracking
With the Time Tracking shortcut, you can track the time you spend on different activities, such as work, meditation, therapy, behavior incidents, etc. The activities are configurable at the time of setting the shortcut up, after which you can just log the time with the click of the Action Button. The results are stored in the Notes app.
6. Silence During Meeting
For people who always forget to put their phone in DND before a meeting, the Silence During Meeting shortcut can put your phone in DND and lower the volume for the current calendar event just with the press of the Action Button. After the event is over, it'll automatically reset the volume and put your phone out of DND.
7. Create Meeting Note
With the Create Meeting Note shortcut, you can instantly create meeting notes for your calendar meetings. The shortcut first checks if you already have a note created for a meeting; otherwise, it goes ahead and creates it where you can jot down any thoughts, tasks, and other important information for the meeting.
8. Running Late
Are you someone who's always running late? And when you're already running late, texting people you're going to be late feels like a behemoth task, but when you don't text them, you're risking making them furious. What you need is the 'Running Late' shortcut for your Action Button to quickly text people that you'll be late for your appointment.
9. Shazam & Save
Are you always on the hunt for new tunes with Shazam? Then Shazam & Save is the perfect shortcut for you to have at your fingertips with the Action Button. As the name suggests, running the shortcut will Shazam a song and then save it to your library in Apple Music.
There you go. These are some of the best shortcuts you'll find in the Shortcuts gallery on iPhone that pair extremely well with the Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro. You can also create any custom shortcuts or use a shortcut to open an app.
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