Shining a spotlight on one of the best custom Shortcuts for iPhone and iPad
Apple’s Shortcuts app is a powerful tool that enables users to streamline tasks, create custom workflows, and even design their own app icons. But making your own automations takes time and effort many of us don’t have, and each one has to be triggered individually. Snore!
Luckily, the free mega-shortcut Utilities Menu offers a comprehensive easy-access package containing hundreds of smart and useful workflows. With it, you can quickly access all manner of handy tools, from PDF generators to IMDb ratings to font changers. Let’s check it out!
Installing Utilities Menu
To get started, visit RoutineHub’s Utilities Menu page and download the shortcut. If you’re not familiar, RoutineHub is a platform for users to share their best custom Apple Shortcuts with the world.
Once added to your Shortcuts app, run the Utilities Menu shortcut to begin the setup process. You’ll need to grant permissions and can optionally add personal details like your name, favorite search engine, and addresses to enable enhanced customization. To keep things up to date automatically, you’ll also be prompted to install an additional shortcut called Swing Updater.
Using Utilities Menu
From here, the fun can begin. Tap Utilities Menu in the Shortcuts app and you’ll be presented with an extensive menu of items to choose from. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s available:
Text and numbers: Access utilities for translating text, applying text effects, calculating discounts, and generating random numbers.
Media: Create Instagram panoramas, read QR codes from photos, check daily word or image prompts, and upload pictures to Imgur.
Web: Download YouTube videos, expand URLs, view old versions of websites, and use Safari tools like Auto Scroll Mode and Webpage Font Changer.
Entertainment: Enjoy tools for Apple TV control, IMDb ratings, sound galleries, and offline games.
Shortcuts management: Find tools to manage your shortcuts, including Shortcut Icon Finder, Shortcut Count, Shortcut Plist Viewer, and Backup.
Other stuff: Explore utilities like countdown timers, file viewers, password sharing, the Utilities Menu Vault, and even a Water Eject function.
Easy access
To make Utilities Menu even more convenient, tap the shortcut’s three dots in the Shortcuts app and add it to your Home Screen. This creates an icon for one-tap access to all its features. If you want to get fancy, you could even trigger it from the Action button or with a Back Tap.