📱 ChatGPT + iPhone: Shortcuts, 2-part mini-series
5 Shortcuts you can set up with the ChatGPT app on iPhone that'll knock your AI socks off
Welcome to Anyone Can AI: your source of actionable, daily guides for learning new AI skills.
If you’re the type of person who likes shortcuts (but not when it comes to life’s most important things), then this newsletter is for you. And if you want to support a shortcut finder-outer, my coffers swing open wide to receive you.
Today's Tutorial
Welcome, tech wizards! Today, we're diving into the world of shortcuts with ChatGPT-4o. (Because who doesn't love saving time and impressing friends with tech tricks?) Over the next 2 days, we’ll explore how to create 10 powerful new shortcuts that will run on all your Apple devices. From simple voice conversations to advanced article summaries, these shortcuts will make your digital life a breeze. Ready to level up your efficiency game? Let's dive into today’s top 5 ChatGPT shortcuts on iPhone.
Difficulty Level
🟢 Beginner to Intermediate (If you can tap and swipe, you’re halfway there.)
Categories
Productivity Hacks
Automation
Tech Tips
Time to Complete
⏰ 20-30 minutes (A small investment for huge time savings.)
The How To
Voice Conversation Shortcut
Download ChatGPT App: First, ensure you have the ChatGPT app downloaded on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Open the App Store, search for "ChatGPT," and download the app.
Create Shortcut: Open the Shortcuts app. Tap the "+" button to create a new shortcut. Search for the "Start Voice Conversation" action and add it to your shortcut.
Customize Shortcut: Name your shortcut something like "Voice ChatGPT." This will help you easily identify it later.
Map to Action Button: Go to your iPhone settings, then Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap (or Action Button for newer models). Select Double Tap (or press Action Button), then choose the "Voice ChatGPT" shortcut from the list.
Test the Shortcut: Hold the action button or double-tap the back of your iPhone to activate the shortcut. Ask a question, like "What's the average rainfall in the Amazon basin?" ChatGPT will respond both in voice and text.
Text Prompt Shortcut
Create Shortcut: In the Shortcuts app, tap the "+" button to create a new shortcut. Search for the "Ask ChatGPT" action and add it to your shortcut.
Set Up Prompt: Expand the action menu. In the message field, toggle "Ask Each Time" to enable text input for each use. Also, toggle on "Show When Run" to display the prompt and response.
Select Model: Toggle "Start new chat" and select the model up to GPT-4o. This ensures you’re using the latest and most powerful version of ChatGPT.
Test the Shortcut: Name your shortcut something like "Text Prompt GPT." Tap the shortcut and type or dictate a prompt. For example, ask, "What were Winston Churchill's hobbies while he was Prime Minister?" ChatGPT will provide a detailed response. You can refine the prompt settings based on the responses you get.
Summarize Article GPT
Create Shortcut: In the Shortcuts app, create a new shortcut and name it "Summarize Article GPT."
Set Up Share Sheet Input: Add the "Accepts URLs or Text" action to enable input from the share sheet.
Get Article Details: Add the "Get Details of Article" action and set it to extract the body text from the URL.
Custom Prompt: Add a "Text" action block with a custom prompt like, "Summarize the following article in 120 words or less." Insert the article body variable into the text block.
Send to ChatGPT: Add the "Ask ChatGPT" action to send the custom prompt. Toggle "Start new chat" and select GPT-4o. Toggle "Show When Run" to display the summary.
Test It: Open Safari, go to an article, tap the Share button, and select the "Summarize Article GPT" shortcut. ChatGPT will summarize the article and display the result. Optionally, add actions to copy the summary to the clipboard or save it to Notes.
MathGPT by Photo
Download Toolbox Pro: Ensure you have the Toolbox Pro app downloaded from the App Store.
Create Shortcut: In the Shortcuts app, create a new shortcut and name it "MathGPT by Photo."
Set Up OCR Action: Add the "Recognize Text from Image" action from Toolbox Pro. Configure it to recognize text from the shared image.
Custom Prompt: Add a "Text" action block with a prompt like, "I'm going to give you a math problem. Solve and provide the answer for the following text." Insert the recognized text variable.
Send to ChatGPT: Add the "Ask ChatGPT" action to send the custom prompt. Toggle "Start new chat" and select GPT-4o.
Test It: Take a photo of a math equation, open it in Photos, tap the Share button, and select the "MathGPT by Photo" shortcut. ChatGPT will solve the equation and display the solution.
Brainstorm GPT
Create Shortcut: In the Shortcuts app, create a new shortcut and name it "Brainstorm GPT."
Dictate Ideas: Add the "Dictate Text" action. Configure it to start dictating text when the shortcut runs.
Custom Prompt: Add a "Text" action block with a prompt like, "The following are a few ideas I had for different blog posts. Separate those out and give me potential titles."
Send to ChatGPT: Add the "Ask ChatGPT" action to send the custom prompt. Toggle "Start new chat" and select GPT-4o.
Create Note: Add the "Create Note" action to save the response in Apple Notes. Configure the note title to include "Brainstorm Ideas" and the current date.
Test It: Run the shortcut, dictate some blog post ideas, and let ChatGPT generate potential titles and content. The results will be saved as a new note in Apple Notes.
Use Cases
Voice Conversation Shortcut
Quick Information Retrieval: Use this shortcut to quickly get information hands-free while cooking, driving, or multitasking. Just hold the action button and ask ChatGPT anything, from weather updates to trivia questions.
On-the-Go Assistance: Perfect for situations where you need quick answers but can't type, such as during workouts, meetings, or while traveling.
Enhanced Siri Alternative: Use ChatGPT's advanced capabilities as a more powerful alternative to Siri for complex queries and detailed information.
Text Prompt Shortcut
Research and Learning: Quickly type or dictate questions on various topics to get detailed responses. Ideal for students, researchers, and anyone looking to learn something new.
Creative Writing Assistance: Get instant help with writing prompts, story ideas, or even grammar checks. This is a great tool for writers and content creators.
Problem-Solving: Use this shortcut to ask for explanations of complex concepts, solutions to problems, or advice on various issues.
Summarize Article GPT
Efficient Reading: Summarize long articles or reports into concise versions, saving time while still getting the key information. Perfect for professionals and students who need to digest a lot of information quickly.
Content Curation: Use this shortcut to quickly generate summaries for newsletters, blog posts, or social media updates, providing your audience with quick insights.
Study Aid: Summarize academic articles, papers, or book chapters to help with studying and revision, making it easier to focus on important points.
MathGPT by Photo
Homework Help: Take a photo of math problems from textbooks or assignments and get instant solutions. This is a great tool for students needing quick help with their homework.
Problem Verification: Use the shortcut to verify your math solutions, ensuring accuracy and understanding of the steps involved.
Learning Aid: Break down complex equations and understand the solution process step-by-step, aiding in learning and comprehension.
Brainstorm GPT
Idea Generation: Quickly brainstorm ideas for blog posts, articles, or projects by speaking your thoughts out loud and letting ChatGPT organize them into structured content.
Meeting Preparation: Generate and organize talking points or agenda items for meetings, ensuring you cover all necessary topics.
Creative Projects: Use this shortcut to brainstorm creative ideas for videos, presentations, or any other projects where you need a variety of concepts and titles.
Tips and Tricks
Voice Conversation Shortcut
Optimize for Speed: Customize the shortcut to launch quickly by placing it in an easily accessible location, such as your Home Screen or as a widget.
Refine Your Questions: The more specific your questions, the better the responses. Instead of asking broad questions, try to be as detailed as possible.
Use in Conjunction with Siri: If you often use Siri for quick tasks, consider integrating Siri Shortcuts with your ChatGPT shortcut for seamless use.
Text Prompt Shortcut
Preset Common Prompts: Save time by creating shortcuts with preset common prompts you use frequently, such as "Explain this concept" or "Summarize this text."
Voice Dictation: Take advantage of voice dictation to quickly input prompts without typing, especially useful when you're on the go.
Adjust Output Length: Specify in your prompt if you want a brief or detailed response to control the length and depth of the answers you receive.
Summarize Article GPT
Customize Prompts for Better Summaries: Tweak the prompt you use to get more precise summaries. For instance, ask for key points or a brief overview depending on your needs.
Integrate with Other Apps: Use the summarized text directly in apps like Notes, Evernote, or your preferred document editor to keep your workflow smooth.
Batch Process Articles: Create a shortcut that can handle multiple URLs at once, summarizing each and compiling them into a single document.
MathGPT by Photo
Ensure Clear Photos: For the best OCR results, make sure the math problems in your photos are clear and well-lit. Avoid shadows and blurry text.
Edit OCR Results: Review the OCR text before sending it to ChatGPT to ensure accuracy, especially for complex equations or handwritten text.
Use for Different Languages: If you're dealing with math problems in different languages, configure the OCR settings to recognize the appropriate language.
Brainstorm GPT
Use Pauses Wisely: When dictating ideas, use pauses to organize your thoughts. The shortcut can be set to stop recording after a short or long pause.
Expand and Refine Ideas: After brainstorming, use follow-up prompts to expand on your initial ideas or to get more detailed outlines and content.
Organize by Categories: Structure your brainstorm sessions by categorizing ideas as you dictate them. For example, use phrases like "First idea," "Second idea," etc., to keep them organized.
These tips and tricks will help you maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of each shortcut, ensuring you get the most out of your AI-enhanced productivity tools.
My Unsolicited 2 Cents
Shortcuts are the hidden gems of Apple devices, and when combined with ChatGPT-4o, they become unstoppable power tools. Whether you're a productivity junkie or just looking to save some time, these shortcuts can transform how you interact with technology. It might take a bit of setup initially, but once you've got them running, you'll wonder how you ever managed without them. Plus, showing off your new tech skills is always a bonus. So go ahead, dive in, and start creating shortcuts that work for you. Trust me, your future self will thank you.
(Clever Sign-Off)
Well folks, that’s all for today. If you were forwarded this email by a friend or colleague, go against Smash Mouth’s advice just this once, and instead of taking the back street, take yourself and that friend down a shortcut. And in the meantime, stay tuned for tomorrow’s next 5 ChatGPT Shortcuts on iPhone and kamehameha that ‘Subscribe’ button below for more amazing AI tutorials.
Have feedback for an AI task or skill you’d like to see covered here? Drop me a line or two by responding directly to this email. Anything over a line or two will be pushed to AI so that I can be spoon-fed a summary of the Victorian novel of an email that you send me ;) Just kidding! Sort of…