iPhone Shortcuts — Faster access to App Settings & Updates
Apple’s Shortcuts app makes it easy to speed up repetitive iPhone tasks. Two especially time-saving workflows let you jump straight to app settings or the App Store Updates view, and you can place them in Control Center or assign them to the iPhone Action button for instant access.
Why this helps
- Saves time navigating nested menus.
- Makes frequent actions (check app updates, open an app’s settings) one tap away.
- Can be triggered from Control Center, Home Screen, or the Action button.
Quick example — Open the App Store Updates view
- Open the Shortcuts app and tap “+” to create a new shortcut.
- Add the action “Open URL” and enter the URL:
itms-apps://apps.apple.com/updates - Optionally: Add “Open App” or other actions as needed.
- Tap the share/export icon to add the shortcut to the Home Screen, or go to the shortcut’s details to add it to Control Center or assign it to the Action button (iPhone models that support it).
More tips
- Use the Shortcuts “Open App” action combined with URLs to deep-link into settings or app-specific screens where supported.
- Create automations for time-based checks (e.g., run a shortcut at a set time to open update checks).
Official Shortcuts support and guides: Apple – Shortcuts
Tutorials and walkthroughs: YouTube — example walkthrough
Have you made a shortcut that saved you time? Tell us in the comments below.