Shortcuty Actions

Actions that can be used directly in the Shortcuts app. These actions extend your shortcuts with powerful capabilities like AI integration, web search, variable management, and shortcut update checking.

To use these actions in the Shortcuts app, search for "Shortcuty" when adding actions. Each action includes detailed parameter descriptions and examples.

Showing 28 of 28 actions

Network Actions

Actions for network operations, AI integration, and web services.

ACTION
Ask OpenAI

Send prompts to OpenAI's API and get AI responses with web search capabilities.

Parameters

  • API Key (Text) - Your OpenAI API key
  • User Message (Text) - What do you want to ask or do?
  • System Instructions (Text, Optional) - Optional instructions for the AI's behavior
  • Model (Choice) - Which OpenAI model to use
  • Enable Web Search (Boolean) - Allow AI to search the web and scrape content
  • Scrape Count (Number) - How many search results to scrape (1-5)
  • Conversation History (Text, Optional) - Previous conversation messages as JSON

Use Case

Perfect for AI-powered automation, content generation, text analysis, or getting AI assistance within your shortcuts. Enable web search for current information.

Example

User Message: 'What's the weather today?'
Model: GPT-4o Mini
Enable Web Search: true

Return Value

String: The AI's response text, or error message if request fails

ACTION
Conversation Manager

Store or retrieve conversation messages for AI chats.

Parameters

  • Operation (Choice) - Store a message or retrieve conversation history
  • Conversation ID (Text) - Unique conversation identifier (leave empty to generate new)
  • Role (Choice) - Who is speaking (for store operations only)
  • Message (Text) - The message content (for store operations only)

Use Case

Build chatbots or maintain context across multiple shortcut executions for more natural AI interactions.

Example

Operation: add
Conversation ID: 'my_chat'
Role: user
Message: 'Hello!'

Return Value

String: Success confirmation, conversation JSON, or list of conversations

ACTION
Check Shortcut Update

Check if a shortcut needs updating and return true/false.

Parameters

  • Shortcut UUID (Text) - The unique identifier of the shortcut
  • Current Version (Text) - Your current shortcut version

Use Case

Check if your shortcuts have newer versions available on Shortcuty. Returns true if update available, false if up-to-date. Supports semantic versioning (1.2.3).

Example

Shortcut UUID: 'abc123-def456'
Current Version: '1.2'
Returns: true (if v1.3 available)

Return Value

Boolean: True if an update is available, False if the shortcut is up-to-date

Data Management Actions

Actions for storing, retrieving, and managing variables and data.

ACTION
Manage Variables

Store, retrieve, and delete variables with container support. Supports Base64 encoded files.

Parameters

  • Operation (Choice) - Store, retrieve, or delete variables
  • Key (Text) - The variable key name
  • Value (Text) - The value to store (for store operations)
  • Container (Text) - Container to organize variables (defaults to global)

Use Case

Modern variable storage with container organization. Perfect for user preferences or Base64-encoded files. Use Base64 Encode action to store files as text variables.

Example

Operation: store
Key: 'user_preference'
Value: 'my_value'
Container: 'my_project'

Return Value

String: Success message, retrieved value, or error details

ACTION
Get Variable Keys

Get all variable keys from a container as an array.

Parameters

  • Container (Text) - Container name (defaults to global if empty)

Use Case

List all stored variable keys for iteration, filtering, or display. Returns a clean array perfect for Choose from Menu or Repeat with Each actions.

Example

Container: 'my_project'
Returns: ['api_key', 'username', 'photo1']

Return Value

Array of Strings: Variable keys ready for shortcuts operations

ACTION
Get Containers

Get all container names with optional filtering.

Parameters

  • Filter (Text, Optional) - Optional text to filter container names (case-insensitive)

Use Case

List all containers or filter by name. Perfect for Choose from Menu to let users select containers, or for organizing workflows by project.

Example

Filter: 'work'
Returns: ['work', 'homework', 'network']

Return Value

Array of Strings: Container names matching the filter

ACTION
Container Operations

Create, delete, or get information about containers.

Parameters

  • Operation (Choice) - Create, delete, or get info about containers
  • Container Name (Text) - Name of the container to manage
  • Force Delete (Boolean) - Delete container even if it contains variables

Use Case

Manage container lifecycle. Create containers for new projects, delete old ones, or get statistics about container usage.

Example

Operation: create
Container Name: 'new_project'

Return Value

String: Success message, container info, or error details

ACTION
Get Container Info

Get detailed information about a container including all variables and values.

Parameters

  • Container (Text) - Container name to inspect (defaults to global)

Use Case

Export all variables from a container as JSON. Perfect for backups, debugging, or transferring data between shortcuts.

Example

Container: 'my_project'
Returns: {'api_key': 'sk-abc', 'username': 'john'}

Return Value

String: JSON object with all variables and their values

ACTION
Get Shortcut Detail

Get detailed information from a shortcut entity. Select a shortcut from Browse Shortcuts or Get My Shortcuts.

Parameters

  • Shortcut (ShortcutEntity) - A shortcut from Browse Shortcuts or Get My Shortcuts
  • Detail Type (Choice) - What information to return (UUID, name, author, download URL, description, etc.)

Use Case

Extract specific information from a shortcut entity. Works with shortcuts from Browse Shortcuts, Get My Shortcuts, or other discovery actions.

Example

Shortcut: [from Browse Shortcuts]
Detail Type: downloadUrl
Returns: Download URL for the shortcut

Return Value

String: The requested detail value (varies by detail type)

Discovery Actions

Actions for discovering and browsing shortcuts, creators, and categories from the Shortcuty community.

ACTION
Get Shortcut Detail

Get detailed information from a shortcut entity. Select a shortcut from Browse Shortcuts or Get My Shortcuts.

Parameters

  • Shortcut (ShortcutEntity) - A shortcut from Browse Shortcuts or Get My Shortcuts
  • Detail Type (Choice) - What information to return (UUID, name, author, download URL, description, etc.)

Use Case

Extract specific information from a shortcut entity. Works with shortcuts from Browse Shortcuts, Get My Shortcuts, or other discovery actions.

Example

Shortcut: [from Browse Shortcuts]
Detail Type: downloadUrl
Returns: Download URL for the shortcut

Return Value

String: The requested detail value (varies by detail type)

ACTION
Browse Shortcuts

Discover shortcuts from the community with visual icons and details.

Parameters

  • Filter Type (Choice) - How to browse: popular, trending, newest, or category
  • Category (Text) - Filter by category (required for category filter)
  • Max Results (Number) - Number of results to return (1-50)

Use Case

Browse shortcuts visually with icons, names, authors, and download counts. Perfect for discovering new shortcuts or finding shortcuts by category.

Example

Filter Type: popular
Max Results: 20
Returns: Array of ShortcutEntity with icons

Return Value

Array of ShortcutEntity: Shortcuts with visual icons and details

ACTION
Search Shortcuts

Search for shortcuts in Shortcuty by query.

Parameters

  • Query (Text) - Search query (minimum 3 characters)
  • Max Results (Number) - Number of results to return (1-50)

Use Case

Search for shortcuts by name or description. Returns shortcuts matching your search query with visual icons.

Example

Query: 'weather'
Max Results: 10
Returns: Array of ShortcutEntity matching 'weather'

Return Value

Array of ShortcutEntity: Matching shortcuts with icons

ACTION
Search Creators

Search for creators/users in Shortcuty by query.

Parameters

  • Query (Text) - Search query (minimum 3 characters)
  • Max Results (Number) - Number of results to return (1-50)

Use Case

Find creators by username. Returns user entities with profile pictures and information.

Example

Query: 'creator'
Max Results: 20
Returns: Array of UserEntity matching 'creator'

Return Value

Array of UserEntity: Matching creators with profile information

ACTION
Get Categories

List all available shortcut categories.

Parameters

  • No parameters required

Use Case

Get an array of category names for menus or filtering. Perfect for creating category selection menus.

Example

Returns: ['Productivity', 'Social Media', 'Entertainment', ...]

Return Value

Array of Strings: Category names

ACTION
Get Shortcut Details (Batch)

Get details for multiple shortcuts at once. Use the output from Browse Shortcuts or Get My Shortcuts.

Parameters

  • Shortcuts (Array of ShortcutEntity) - Array of shortcuts from Browse Shortcuts or Get My Shortcuts
  • Detail Type (Choice) - What information to return for each shortcut
  • Max Results (Number) - Limit results (1-50)

Use Case

Process multiple shortcuts at once to extract the same detail from each. Perfect for getting download URLs or names from a list of shortcuts.

Example

Shortcuts: [from Browse Shortcuts]
Detail Type: downloadUrl
Returns: Array of download URLs

Return Value

Array of Strings: Detail values for each shortcut

ACTION
Get User Shortcuts

Get shortcuts published by a specific creator.

Parameters

  • Creator (UserEntity) - The creator whose shortcuts to retrieve
  • Max Results (Number) - Number of results to return (1-50)

Use Case

Browse all shortcuts from a specific creator. Works with UserEntity from Search Creators or other sources.

Example

Creator: [from Search Creators]
Max Results: 20
Returns: Array of ShortcutEntity from that creator

Return Value

Array of ShortcutEntity: Shortcuts published by the creator

ACTION
Get Liked Shortcuts

Get shortcuts you have liked (works for both signed-in and signed-out users).

Parameters

  • Max Results (Number) - Number of results to return (1-50)

Use Case

Retrieve all shortcuts you've liked. For signed-out users, uses local likes. For signed-in users, fetches from server with pagination.

Example

Max Results: 30
Returns: Array of ShortcutEntity you've liked

Return Value

Array of ShortcutEntity: Liked shortcuts with icons

Management Actions

Actions for managing your published shortcuts, viewing analytics, and submitting new shortcuts.

ACTION
Get My Shortcuts

List your own published shortcuts with visual details.

Parameters

  • Max Results (Number) - Number of results to return (1-100)

Use Case

View and manage your published shortcuts with icons and details. Requires authentication.

Example

Max Results: 50
Returns: Array of ShortcutEntity for your shortcuts

Return Value

Array of ShortcutEntity: Your published shortcuts

ACTION
Get Shortcut Stats

View analytics and statistics for your shortcuts.

Parameters

  • Shortcut (ShortcutEntity) - The shortcut to get stats for
  • Timeframe (Choice) - Time period to analyze: 7 days, 30 days, or 90 days
  • Stats Type (Choice) - What stats to retrieve: downloads only, summary, or full

Use Case

Track how your shortcuts are performing. Get download counts, trends, and version check data. Requires authentication and ownership.

Example

Shortcut: [from Get My Shortcuts]
Timeframe: 30 days
Stats Type: summary
Returns: Formatted stats report

Return Value

String: Stats report (format varies by stats type)

ACTION
Delete Shortcut

Permanently delete one of your shortcuts from Shortcuty.

Parameters

  • Shortcut (ShortcutEntity) - The shortcut to delete
  • Confirm Deletion (Boolean) - Must be true to delete

Use Case

Remove shortcuts you no longer want published. Requires authentication, ownership verification, and explicit confirmation.

Example

Shortcut: [from Get My Shortcuts]
Confirm Deletion: true
Returns: Confirmation message

Return Value

String: Success or error message

ACTION
Submit Shortcut to Shortcuty

Create new shortcuts or update existing ones on the Shortcuty platform.

Parameters

  • iCloud Sharing URL (Text) - The iCloud sharing link for your shortcut
  • Description (Text, Optional) - What does your shortcut do?
  • Category (Choice, Optional) - Choose a category
  • Version (Text, Optional) - Version of your shortcut (e.g. 1.0, 2.1)
  • Screenshots (Array of Images, Optional) - Screenshots to showcase your shortcut (up to 5)
  • Auto Submit (Boolean) - Automatically submit for review after upload
  • Existing Shortcut ID (Text, Optional) - UUID of existing shortcut to update
  • Changelog (Text, Optional) - What changed in this version?

Use Case

Submit new shortcuts or update existing ones. Supports screenshots, auto-submission, and changelogs. Requires authentication.

Example

iCloud Sharing URL: 'https://icloud.com/shortcuts/...'
Description: 'Weather helper'
Auto Submit: true
Returns: Shortcut UUID

Return Value

String: Shortcut UUID if successful, nil if failed

Utilities Actions

Utility actions for logging, text processing, and data manipulation.

ACTION
Log Message

Log messages from your shortcuts for debugging and tracking.

Parameters

  • Message (Text) - The message to log
  • Log Level (Choice) - The severity level of the log
  • Source (Text) - The shortcut or component name

Use Case

Debug your shortcuts, track execution flow, or monitor shortcut performance and errors.

Example

Message: 'Weather data fetched successfully'
Log Level: info
Source: 'Weather Helper'

Return Value

String: Formatted log confirmation with timestamp and details

ACTION
Hash Text

Generate a cryptographic hash of the provided text using various algorithms.

Parameters

  • Text to Hash (Text) - The text you want to generate a hash for
  • Hash Algorithm (Choice) - The hashing algorithm to use

Use Case

Generate checksums, create unique identifiers, or implement security features in your shortcuts.

Example

Text to Hash: 'Hello World'
Hash Algorithm: sha256

Return Value

String: The generated hash in hexadecimal format

ACTION
Parse URL

Extract and analyze components from URLs.

Parameters

  • URL to Parse (Text) - The URL you want to analyze
  • Component to Extract (Choice) - Which part of the URL to return

Use Case

Extract specific parts of URLs, process web links, or validate URL formats in your automation.

Example

URL to Parse: 'https://example.com/path?q=test'
Component: host

Return Value

String: The extracted URL component (host, path, query, etc.)

ACTION
Format Text

Transform and format text in various ways.

Parameters

  • Text to Format (Text) - The text you want to transform
  • Format Type (Choice) - How to format the text

Use Case

Clean up text input, standardize formatting, extract specific content, or prepare text for further processing.

Example

Text to Format: 'hello world'
Format Type: titleCase
Result: 'Hello World'

Return Value

String: The formatted text according to the selected format type

ACTION
Detect Silent Mode

Detects if the device is currently in silent mode. Returns true if the device is in silent mode, false if not silent.

Parameters

  • No parameters required

Use Case

Check device silent mode status for conditional logic in shortcuts. Use with If statements to adjust behavior based on whether the device is in silent mode.

Example

Detect Silent Mode
Returns: true (if device is in silent mode)
Returns: false (if device is not in silent mode)

Return Value

Boolean: True if the device is in silent mode, False if the device is not in silent mode

ACTION
Trim Text

Remove characters from the beginning, end, or throughout text.

Parameters

  • Text to Trim (Text) - The text you want to trim
  • Trim Direction (Choice) - Where to trim from: leading, trailing, both, or all
  • Character Set (Choice) - What characters to trim: whitespace and newlines, whitespace, newlines, tabs, or custom
  • Custom Characters (Text, Optional) - Custom characters to trim (only used when Character Set is Custom)

Use Case

Clean up text input, remove whitespace, or strip specific characters from text. Perfect for processing user input or cleaning data before further processing.

Example

Text to Trim: '  hello world  '
Trim Direction: both
Character Set: whitespace and newlines
Returns: 'hello world'

Return Value

String: The trimmed text with specified characters removed according to the trim direction and character set

Deprecated Actions

Legacy actions that will be removed in a future version. Please use the recommended alternatives instead.

ACTION
Variable Storage (Deprecated)

Legacy variable storage system. Use 'Manage Variables' instead which has better performance and features.

Parameters

  • Operation (Choice) - Store, retrieve, delete, or list variables
  • Key (Text) - The key name for the variable
  • Value (Text) - The value to store (only required for store operations)
  • Container (Text, Optional) - Optional container name

Use Case

⚠️ DEPRECATED: This action will be removed in a future version. Please use 'Manage Variables' instead for better performance and features.

Example

Use 'Manage Variables' instead

Return Value

String: Success/error message, retrieved value, or list of stored keys

ACTION
Convert Variable List (Deprecated)

Converts old variable list format to arrays. Use 'Get Variable Keys' instead which returns arrays directly.

Parameters

  • Variable List (Text) - The list result from legacy Variable Storage

Use Case

⚠️ DEPRECATED: This action will be removed in a future version. Use 'Get Variable Keys' instead which returns clean arrays directly.

Example

Use 'Get Variable Keys' instead

Return Value

Array of Strings: Clean array of variable keys

How to Access Actions

Actions are available directly in the Shortcuts app.

  1. Open the Shortcuts app
  2. Create a new shortcut or edit an existing one
  3. Tap the "+" button to add an action
  4. Search for "Shortcuty" in the action search
  5. Select the action you want to use
  6. Configure parameters as needed

Each action includes inline documentation and parameter descriptions to help you configure it correctly.

Integration Tips

Best practices and comprehensive guides for using Shortcuty actions in your shortcuts.

Auto-Updating Shortcuts

Build self-updating shortcuts using the "Check Shortcut Update" action:

Method 1: Using the Action (3 Actions)

For developers who want control over the update flow:

  1. Add "Check Shortcut Update" with your shortcut UUID and current version
  2. Add an "If" statement to check the result
  3. If true: Add "Open App" → Shortcuty, then "Stop Shortcut"
  4. This gives you full control over what happens when an update is available

Supports semantic versioning (1.2.3) for accurate version comparisons.

Method 2: Using Manual URLs

Alternative approach using URL endpoints:

  1. Get "Version" and "Download Link" URLs from "My Shortcuts" in the Shortcuty app
  2. Use "Get Contents of URL" to check the version
  3. Compare with your current version and download if newer
  4. Use "Download Link" for tracked downloads

This method gives you complete control over the update process using URL endpoints.

Method 3: No Third-Party Actions Required

Build auto-updating shortcuts using only built-in iOS Shortcuts actions and the Shortcuty API endpoints. No app installation required!

Prerequisites:

  • Your shortcut UUID (find it in the Shortcuty app or on your shortcut's page URL)
  • Your current shortcut version (e.g., "1.0", "2.1.3")
  • Base URL: https://shortcuty.app

Step-by-Step Tutorial:

1. Set Up Variables

  • Add a "Text" action to store your shortcut UUID: abc123-def456-ghi789
  • Add a "Text" action to store your current version: 1.0
  • Add a "Text" action for the base URL: https://shortcuty.app

2. Build the Version Check URL

  • Add "Combine Text" action
  • Format: {base_url}/api/shortcuts/{uuid}/version
  • Example result: https://shortcuty.app/api/shortcuts/abc123-def456-ghi789/version

3. Get Latest Version

  • Add "Get Contents of URL" action
  • Use the URL from step 2
  • This returns the latest version as plain text (e.g., "2.1")

4. Compare Versions

  • Add "If" statement
  • Condition: Latest version is not equal to current version
  • For simple version numbers: Use "Text" → "Is" comparison
  • For semantic versioning (1.2.3): You may need custom logic to compare version numbers

5. Build Download URL (If Update Available)

  • Add "Combine Text" action inside the "If" block
  • Format: {base_url}/api/shortcuts/{uuid}/get
  • Example result: https://shortcuty.app/api/shortcuts/abc123-def456-ghi789/get

6. Download the Update

You have two options:

Option A: Direct Download (Recommended)

  • Add "Open URLs" action
  • Use the URL from step 5
  • The endpoint will redirect to iCloud and automatically download the shortcut
  • Add "Stop Shortcut" action after opening the URL

Option B: Get Final Download URL First

  • Add "Get Contents of URL" action
  • Enable "Expand URLs" option to follow redirects
  • This will return the final iCloud shortcut URL
  • Then use "Open URLs" with that final URL
  • Add "Stop Shortcut" action after opening the URL

7. Optional: User Notification

  • Add "Show Notification" or "Show Alert" before opening the download URL
  • Inform user that an update is available
  • Example: "Update available! Opening download..."

8. Error Handling (Optional but Recommended)

  • Wrap the "Get Contents of URL" in a "Try" block
  • Add error handling if the API request fails
  • Show a notification if the check fails

Example API Endpoints:

Version Check:
https://shortcuty.app/api/shortcuts/{your-uuid}/version

Download URL:
https://shortcuty.app/api/shortcuts/{your-uuid}/get

Tips:

  • Getting Your UUID: Find it in the Shortcuty app under "My Shortcuts" → your shortcut → Developer Info, or from your shortcut's page URL on browse.shortcuty.app
  • Version Comparison: For simple versions like "1.0" vs "2.0", text comparison works. For semantic versions like "1.2.3", you may need to split by "." and compare each part numerically
  • Semantic Versioning: The API supports semantic versioning, but you'll need custom logic in Shortcuts to properly compare versions like "1.2.3" vs "1.10.0"
  • Error Handling: Always handle network errors gracefully. If the API is unreachable, your shortcut should still function
  • Performance: Consider adding a cooldown period (e.g., only check once per day) to avoid excessive API calls
  • Testing: Test with a known outdated version to verify the update flow works correctly

Complete Workflow Summary:

  1. Text: Current Version → "1.0"
  2. Text: Shortcut UUID → "abc123-def456-ghi789"
  3. Text: Base URL → "https://shortcuty.app"
  4. Combine Text → "{base_url}/api/shortcuts/{uuid}/version"
  5. Get Contents of URL → Get latest version
  6. If → Latest version ≠ Current version
  7.     Combine Text → "{base_url}/api/shortcuts/{uuid}/get"
  8.     Show Notification → "Update available!"
  9.     Open URLs → Download URL
  10.     Stop Shortcut
  11. End If

This method works entirely with built-in Shortcuts actions and requires no third-party apps or actions!

Container System

Containers let each shortcut store its own information separately. Think of them as personal storage spaces - each shortcut can have its own container (or multiple containers) to keep its data organized and separate from other shortcuts.

Container Naming Conventions

Use technical identifiers like app bundle identifiers or database schemas:

  • Good names: NotesPrefs, WeatherBotSettings, UserConfig, CacheData
  • Avoid: Generic names like data, temp, or global

Container Sharing

Any shortcut can access any container by name. This allows related shortcuts to share data and work together:

  • Different note shortcuts can share NotesConfig for common settings
  • Related shortcuts can share SharedConfig container
  • This enables shortcuts to work together and share information when needed

Best Practices

  • Always specify a container name (don't use default)
  • Name containers like: AppNamePrefs, ShortcutNameConfig
  • Use consistent naming patterns across shortcuts
  • Keep related variables together

Variable Management

Modern variable storage with container organization for efficient data management.

Storing Files as Variables

Use Base64 encoding to store files as text variables:

  1. Get your file (photo, document, etc.)
  2. Use "Base64 Encode" action (built into Shortcuts)
  3. Store the encoded text as a variable using "Manage Variables"
  4. Retrieve later with "Base64 Decode"

Variable Naming Conventions

  • Good names: user_preference, user_photo_1, last_weather_update
  • Avoid: Single letters like a, x or numbers only like 1, 2
  • Avoid: Generic names like data, temp

Iterating Over Variables

Use "Get Variable Keys" to get all keys from a container as an array, then use "Repeat with Each" to iterate:

  • Perfect for "Choose from Menu" to let users select variables
  • Use "Repeat with Each" to process all variables in a container
  • Returns clean arrays ready for shortcuts operations

Performance Considerations

  • Large Base64 files (photos/videos) take more storage
  • Containers keep things organized and fast
  • Use "Get Variable Keys" to see what's stored
  • Clean up old variables you don't need

AI & OpenAI Integration

Powerful AI capabilities integrated directly into your shortcuts.

Built-in Web Search vs Separate Action

The "Ask OpenAI" action has web search built-in:

  • Simply enable "Web Search" in the Ask OpenAI action
  • AI automatically searches when needed
  • Gets real-time information for your questions
  • No need to use separate Web Search action for most cases

Use the standalone "Web Search" action when you need to:

  • Get raw search URLs for further processing
  • Control search parameters separately from AI requests
  • Build custom search workflows

Available Models

Choose from OpenAI's latest models:

  • GPT-5 - Next generation model with advanced capabilities
  • GPT-5-Mini - Fast next-gen model for quick responses
  • GPT-4o - Previous generation model, highly capable
  • GPT-4o Mini - Fast and efficient, cost-effective

Each model has different strengths for various use cases.

Conversation Manager Integration

Maintain context across multiple AI interactions:

  1. Store conversation history using "Conversation Manager"
  2. Pass conversation history to "Ask OpenAI" for context
  3. Update conversation history after each AI response
  4. Generate unique conversation IDs for different topics

This enables natural, ongoing AI chats in your shortcuts!

Conversation History Workflow

  • Use "Conversation Manager" → Generate ID to create a new conversation
  • Store user messages with role "user"
  • Store AI responses with role "assistant"
  • Retrieve full conversation JSON to pass to "Ask OpenAI"
  • Clear old conversations when needed

Web Search Integration

Combine web search with AI for powerful research workflows.

Standalone Web Search

  • Search with customizable queries
  • Filter by time period and content safety
  • Get 1-20 results as needed
  • Returns URLs for further processing

Combining with Ask OpenAI

For research workflows:

  1. Use "Web Search" to find current information
  2. Pass search results to "Ask OpenAI" for analysis or summarization
  3. Use time filters for recent information
  4. Enable web search in Ask OpenAI for automatic searching

Common Use Cases

Shortcut Preferences Storage

Each shortcut can have its own config:

  • Weather shortcuts use WeatherPrefs container
  • Notes shortcuts use NotesConfig container
  • Store settings like: default_location, endpoint_url, user_preferences
  • Prevents conflicts between different shortcut configurations

App-Specific Data Isolation

Organize by app or function:

  • MusicBotPrefs - Music shortcuts configuration
  • HomeKitCache - Cached home automation data
  • TaskManagerData - Task and reminder settings

Each 'app' gets its own namespace for clean organization!

Backup and Export

Use "Get Container Info" to export all variables from a container as JSON:

  • Perfect for backups and debugging
  • Transfer data between shortcuts
  • Share configuration between devices

Debugging & Logging

The "Log Message" action helps you debug and monitor your shortcuts.

Log Levels

Choose the right log level for your needs:

  • Debug - Detailed information for troubleshooting
  • Info - General informational messages
  • Warning - Potential issues that need attention
  • Error - Error conditions that need fixing
  • Critical - Serious issues requiring immediate action

Best Practices

  • Use descriptive source names to organize logs by shortcut or component
  • Track shortcut execution flow with timestamps
  • Monitor performance and errors
  • Logs are automatically stored, encrypted, and cleaned up after 7 days
  • Access logs from Profile → Shortcut Logs in the Shortcuty app

Help & FAQ

Common questions and detailed answers about using Shortcuty actions.

Getting Started

How do I build self-updating shortcuts?

Shortcuty offers multiple ways to add version checking to your shortcuts:

Automatic Method - Shortcut Updater Tool:

  • Use the Shortcut Updater Tool in the iOS app to automatically add update-checking code
  • No manual coding required - the tool injects the updater mechanism for you
  • Available in Developer Tools for shortcuts you've uploaded

Manual Method 1 - Check Shortcut Update Action:

  • Use 'Check Shortcut Update' action with shortcut UUID
  • Provide current version number
  • Use 'If' statement after the check
  • If true: 'Open App' → Shortcuty, then 'Stop Shortcut'
  • Supports semantic versioning (1.2.3)

Manual Method 2 - Native URLs:

  • Get 'Version' and 'Download Link' URLs from 'My Shortcuts' in the Shortcuty app
  • Use 'Get Contents of URL' to check version
  • Compare with current version and download if newer
  • Use 'Download Link' for tracked downloads

View complete version checking guide →

Container System

What are containers?

Containers let each shortcut store its own information separately. Think of them as personal storage spaces - each shortcut can have its own container (or multiple containers) to keep its data organized and separate from other shortcuts. For example, a notes shortcut might have a container with nothing but notes.

Use case: A notes shortcut stores notes in MyNotes container, while another shortcut can access those notes to share or export them to different formats.

How should I name containers?

Use technical identifiers:

  • NotesPrefs - For Notes app shortcuts
  • WeatherBotSettings - For weather shortcut preferences
  • UserConfig - For user configuration data
  • CacheData - For cached responses

Think like app bundle identifiers or database schemas.

Container sharing between shortcuts

Any shortcut can access any container by name. This allows related shortcuts to share data and work together:

  • Different note shortcuts share NotesConfig for common settings
  • Related shortcuts share SharedConfig container

This enables shortcuts to work together and share information when needed!

Variable Storage

Storing files as variables

Use the 'Base64 Encode' action first:

  1. Get your file (photo, document, etc.)
  2. Use 'Base64 Encode' action
  3. Store the encoded text as a variable
  4. Retrieve later with 'Base64 Decode'

This lets you store any file type as text!

Variable naming conventions

Good variable names:

  • user_preference - Clear purpose
  • user_photo_1 - Descriptive
  • last_weather_update - Specific

Avoid:

  • Single letters like a, x
  • Numbers only like 1, 2
  • Generic names like data, temp

AI & OpenAI Integration

How does the Ask OpenAI action work?

Send prompts to OpenAI and get AI responses:

  • Choose from multiple AI models
  • Add system instructions to customize behavior
  • Enable web search for current information
  • Use conversation history for context
  • Perfect for AI assistance, content generation, and research

What is web search integration?

When enabled, the AI can search the web for current information:

  • Automatically searches when needed
  • Gets real-time data for your questions
  • Perfect for current events and research
  • No need to manually search - AI does it for you

How do I manage conversation history?

Maintain context across multiple AI interactions:

  • Store and retrieve conversation history
  • Generate unique conversation IDs
  • Clear old conversations
  • List all active conversations

Enables natural, ongoing AI chats in your shortcuts!

What models are available?

Choose from OpenAI's latest models:

  • GPT-5 - Next generation model with advanced capabilities
  • GPT-5-Mini - Fast next-gen model for quick responses
  • GPT-4o - Previous generation model, highly capable
  • GPT-4o Mini - Fast and efficient, cost-effective

Each model has different strengths for various use cases.

How does built-in web search work?

Ask OpenAI has web search built-in:

  • Simply enable 'Web Search' in the Ask OpenAI action
  • AI automatically searches when needed
  • Gets real-time information for your questions
  • No need to use separate Web Search action

Creates AI assistants that can access current information automatically!

Debugging & Logging

What can I do with the Log Message action?

The Log Message action helps you debug and monitor your shortcuts:

  • Log different severity levels (debug, info, warning, error, critical)
  • Track shortcut execution flow with timestamps
  • Monitor performance and errors
  • Add source identification for organization
  • Automatic log rotation and cleanup (7 days retention)
  • Encrypted log storage for security

Essential for troubleshooting complex automation workflows!

How do I view my logs?

Logs are automatically stored and managed:

  • Logs are stored securely with encryption
  • Automatic cleanup after 7 days
  • Organized by date for easy access
  • Filter by source or log level
  • Export logs as JSON for analysis

Access logs from Profile → Shortcut Logs in the Shortcuty app