Every morning, you likely perform the same digital routine: you turn off your alarm, check the weather, start your coffee maker, open your calendar, and play your favorite podcast. Instead of tapping your iPhone screen twenty times while half-asleep, you can trigger this entire sequence with a single word using Apple Shortcuts.
The Shortcuts app is a powerful, built-in iOS automation tool that connects your apps together. By creating a custom Morning Routine shortcut, you can transform your iPhone from a passive screen into an active personal assistant. In this guide, you will learn how to build your first multi-step automation.
Step 1: Creating a New Shortcut
Unlike third-party automation tools, the Shortcuts app has deep, system-level access to your iPhone.
- Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the + (Plus) icon in the top-right corner to create a new, blank shortcut.
- Tap the title at the very top (it usually says “New Shortcut”) and rename it to Morning Routine.
You now have a blank canvas. The next step is to add “Actions”—the specific tasks you want the phone to perform.
Step 2: Adding Actions
We want this shortcut to read the weather out loud, show your daily calendar, and start playing a podcast.
Action 1: Get the Weather
- Tap the Add Action button.
- Search for Get Current Weather and select it.
- Search for Speak Text and add it.
- Tap the faint blue text inside the Speak action and type: “Good morning. The weather today is [Current Weather].” (You can insert the weather variable by tapping it above the keyboard).
Action 2: Show Your Calendar
- Tap the search bar at the bottom and search for Get Upcoming Events.
- Set it to fetch the next 5 events from your work calendar.
- Add a Show Result action directly beneath it. This will pop up a clean list of your daily meetings on the screen.
Action 3: Play a Podcast
- Search for Play Podcast and add it to the bottom of the list.
- Tap the blue text to select your favorite daily news podcast.
Step 3: Triggering the Automation
Now that your routine is built, you need an easy way to trigger it.
Method 1: Siri Voice Command
Because you named the shortcut “Morning Routine,” you can simply say, “Siri, Morning Routine.” Siri will instantly read the weather out loud, display your calendar, and start the podcast.
Method 2: Home Screen Button
If you prefer not to speak, tap the Share icon at the bottom of the shortcut and select Add to Home Screen. This creates a large, custom button right next to your apps. Tap it once when you wake up, and let your iPhone handle the rest.
By investing ten minutes into building a custom Apple Shortcut, you reclaim precious time and mental energy every single morning.