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How to Create Shortcuts (beginning with iConnectHue 5.5)
A note in advance:
The existing shortcuts such as: Scenes, Magic Scenes, Group Colors, Animations, Group off and light on/off are available to all owners of the 2020 upgrade and later, as well as to all Pro subscribers.
The new shortcuts, which are created through the shortcut app, are available to all owners of the 2024 upgrade and Pro subscribers. Exceptions are: Set group brightness; Group switch: Enable Daylight mode (other actions are included in 2024); Toggle sensor; Start instant timer (sleep, reminder). These are exclusively reserved for our Pro subscribers as a thank you for their ongoing support.
Introduction to iOS Shortcuts
Shortcuts are a powerful way to simplify and automate interactions and daily actions with your favorite apps and devices.
They allow you to bundle multiple actions that can be executed with a single tap, voice command or even Apple’s last feature, the power button on the iPhone 15 Pro and ProMax.
But why are shortcuts so useful, especially in combination with iConnectHue?
- Time Savings: Shortcuts reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks. Instead of manually adjusting settings like scenes or timers each time, a shortcut can do it instantly e.g via voice control.
- Simplify Daily Routines: With shortcuts, complex sequences of tasks can be simplified into one easy action, making your daily routines more manageable. Lets say you want to set a sleep timer and toggle a sensor. With the right settings you could simply run the shortcut, type in the desired minutes for the timer and select the sensor. All in a matter of seconds.
- Execute Complex Actions Quickly: Actions that usually require multiple steps can be executed quickly with shortcuts. For example you plan on reading in a comfy atmosphere and want to turn down the brightness and deactivate the majority of your lights. You could simply create a shortcut called “reading”, add all the actions and tell siri to run the shortcut when needed.
- Integration with iOS System: Shortcuts can be linked with other iOS systems like Apple Home to create comprehensive automations. This integration allows for a seamless smart home experience where different apps and devices work together based on your preferences and commands. Even further you can add them to your homescreen and reduce the time to find them even further.
How do shortcuts exactly work and what are they composed of:
Shortcuts Components:
- Actions: These are the ground layer of shortcuts. Each action performs a specific task, like sending a message, playing music, or in our case for example start a timer. Even further actions can be combined to create multifunctional shortcuts (see previous example with brightness + disabling specific lights).
- Personal and Home Automations: You can set up shortcuts that run automatically under certain conditions, such as time of day, arrival at a location, or the action of another device within your smart home ecosystem.
How Shortcuts Work:
- Creating a Shortcut: To create a shortcut, you start by adding actions from a list available within the app (optional bild einfügen). You can search for actions by app or function directly and then customize the details to fit your specific needs.
- Organisation: Actions are organized in a sequence that defines how the shortcut operates. You can adjust this sequence to tailor it to your needs and personal preferences.
- Running Shortcuts: Shortcuts can be initiated in several ways—manually, by tapping an icon, using Siri voice commands, or automatically triggered by the system based on predefined conditions.
Using the Shortcuts App:
- Gallery: The Shortcuts app includes a Gallery, which displays pre-built shortcuts. These can be modified replaced with custom ones.
- Sharing and Customizing: You can even share your favourite shortcuts with friends and family and let them benefit of your creativity!
If you want to read more in detail how shortcuts work and get some general information by Apple we suggest to visit the following page:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/shortcuts/welcome/ios
In summary there can be said that there are a ton of options you have while creating and using shortcuts, e.g different states of the light or sensor, using if functions and combining different apps. To explain everything it would probably take hours or even days. Our advice for getting a taste of it is playing around with it and trying different stuff as that’s the perfect way to get a hang of it and find what works best for you and your preferences.
But what options do you even have for creating iConnectHue shortcuts?
Select one of the following options to see more: