Apple introduced its most recent flagship, the iPhone 15 Pro series, featuring a brand-new programmable Action button. This button replaces the decade-old mute switch that allowed users to switch between ring and silent modes on previous iPhones. By default, the Action button retains its ability to activate ‘silent mode’ when long-pressed.
However, you now have the option to customize the Action button to perform various other functions, including swift access to the camera, flashlight, voice memos, Focus modes, and accessibility features such as Magnifier. But imagine the possibilities if you could unlock even more functionality from the Action button, making it an even more versatile and valuable tool.
The reason behind Apple’s decision to limit the Action Button to assigning features only for a long-press remains unknown. However, you can leverage the iOS shortcuts app to extend the capabilities of the Action Button beyond its original design. In this tutorial, discover how to effectively utilize and personalize the Action Button to display a multitude of actions simultaneously.
Multiple Shortcuts with iPhone 15 Pro Action Button
Out of the box, Apple provides eight predefined actions that the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max’s Action Button can initiate. This doesn’t even include the option to have the Action Button perform no action if you prefer. However, due to the flexibility of mapping any shortcut to the Action Button, the potential is boundless.
So, here’s a guide on how to tailor the Action Button on your iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max to activate multiple actions simultaneously:
- Launch the Shortcuts app on your iPhone 15 or 15 Pro
- Tap the “Shortcuts” option located in the upper-left corner.
- Afterward, click on the “Add Folder” button situated in the upper-right corner, where you can either create a new folder or select one from the list of existing folders.
- Now, access the folder you’ve just created and tap the “+” button located in the upper-right corner.
- Simply tap “Add Action” to explore the list of available actions for Siri shortcuts.
- In this section, search for the action you wish to include, and tap on the relevant result to add it to the folder.
- Continue following the previous two steps to add as many shortcuts as you desire to include in your newly created folder.
Furthermore, you have the option to incorporate your existing and sophisticated iPhone Shortcuts or intricate Siri Shortcuts into the folder. This opens the door to using the Action button to summon the ChatGPT-powered Siri Pro on your iPhone. Here’s the process:
- On the “All Shortcuts” screen, find your preferred Shortcut, and tap the three-dot icon next to it.
- Now, tap the dropdown arrow next to the Shortcut’s name.
- Next, select the “Move” option from the drop-down menu to relocate the Shortcut to the designated folder.
- In this step, choose the folder where we intend to include our preferred Shortcuts, the ones we want to access via the Action Button.
- After completing, exit the Shortcuts app and open the Settings app.
- Now, navigate to the Action Button settings, and on the Action Button screen, swipe to the right until you reach the Shortcut screen.
- Then, select the blue “Choose a Shortcut” button located below the text that says “Shortcut.”
- At this point, the Shortcuts app will launch. You should tap on the “Show Folder” option to access the list of all available folders containing shortcuts.
- Subsequently, select the name of the folder you previously created within the Shortcuts app, and you’re all set.
From this point forward, whenever you perform a long-press on the Action button of your iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, the app folder you’ve created will appear, granting you access to various options with a single button press.
Note: Presently, the Action Folder triggered by the Action Button can display up to 7 actions at a time. Adding a new action to the folder will replace one of the older actions.
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