Apple upgraded the Shortcuts app across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26. You now get new intelligent actions, deeper system integration, and the first full set of personal automations for Mac.
According to Apple’s support document, this is the app’s biggest update in years.
Shortcuts now connects with Apple Intelligence, letting you generate text, analyze images, and automate everyday actions across devices. It also introduces a cleaner editor, new icons, and faster workflows.
Major Additions
1. Intelligent Actions and Apple Intelligence Integration
Apple added a new “Use Model” action that connects directly to Apple Intelligence or ChatGPT. You can feed the model’s output into other steps of your shortcut, such as rewriting or summarizing text.
The “Visual Intelligence” action brings image recognition to automation, while “Image Playground” generates visuals using AI tools built into iOS 26. These options expand creative and productivity workflows without leaving Shortcuts.
2. Writing Tools
Apple Intelligence also powers a full Writing Tools suite, including:
- Adjust Tone of Text
- Make List from Text
- Make Table from Text
- Proofread Text
- Rewrite Text
- Summarize Text
These tools automate text cleanup, structure, and tone adjustments directly in your workflows.
3. macOS Personal Automations
Apple confirmed that macOS now supports full personal automations. You can trigger shortcuts automatically using:
- Time of Day (for example, 8 AM weekdays)
- Message or Email received from specific people
- File and Folder changes
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Display connection
- Battery level or charger status
- Focus or Stage Manager toggles
This makes Mac automations as flexible as those on iPhone or iPad.
New App Actions
Apple listed over 25 new actions spread across system apps:
Freeform
- Add Files to Board
- Find Message
Messages
- Find Message
- Find Conversation
Photos
- Rename Album
- Search Photos
- Create New Memory
- Filter Library
Reminders
- Show Quick Reminder
Screen Time
- Get App & Website Data
Sports
- Get Upcoming Sports Events
Stocks
- Add Symbol to Watchlist
- Delete Symbol from Watchlist
Weather
- Add Location to List
- Remove Locations from List
Voice Memos
- Find Voice Recording
Use Model
- Run Apple Intelligence or ChatGPT and feed the result into your shortcut
Visual Intelligence
- Open Visual Intelligence
Writing Tools
- Adjust Tone of Text
- Make List from Text
- Make Table from Text
- Proofread Text
- Rewrite Text
- Summarize Text
Each of these lets Shortcuts handle everyday actions faster, without needing separate app launches.
Editor and Interface Upgrades
Apple’s support page highlights several quality-of-life updates:
- Improved drag-and-drop and variable selection
- Rich previews for events, reminders, and other data
- Over 100 new glyph icons, including new shapes and transport symbols
- Option to control whether shortcuts appear in Spotlight Search
Matthew Cassinelli notes that these small touches make larger shortcuts easier to read and organize.
Updated Actions
Several existing actions have been enhanced for accuracy and real-time data use:
- Calculate Expression now understands units like temperature, distance, and currency with live rates.
- Create QR Code supports color and style customization.
- Date can specify holidays.
- Find Contacts can now filter by relationship.
- Transcribe Audio runs faster.
- Show Content can display scrollable lists, such as reminders or calendar events.
These updates reduce setup time for complex automations.
Control Center and Spotlight Integration
Shortcuts now ties into Control Center and Spotlight more deeply.
You can run a shortcut directly from Spotlight using selected text or context from an open document.
In Control Center, Apple added support for shortcuts as custom controls like “Run Shortcut” or “Open App” and even menu bar collections on macOS.
A Smarter, More Connected Shortcuts App
Apple’s documentation shows a clear goal: unify automation across devices and make Apple Intelligence part of the workflow. Cassinelli’s report emphasizes that Shortcuts feels less experimental and more like a core system feature.
The result is a cleaner editor, smarter triggers, and faster actions that make automation easier for beginners and more capable for experts.
