7 Genius Things You Can Do with Apple Intelligence in the Shortcuts App

Apple Intelligence didn’t steal the spotlight this year, but one thing quietly changed the game: it now works inside the Shortcuts app.

That means you can automate tasks using AI. No need to repeat the same actions every day. Just build a Shortcut once, and let Apple Intelligence handle the rest with a single tap.

Not sure what to use it for? Here are 7 practical things you can now do with Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts, things that weren’t possible before.

Note

These Shortcuts require iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 Tahoe, and they work seamlessly across all three platforms. You can also add them to your Share Sheet or automations to make your workflow even easier.

1. Turn Voice Memos into Summaries and Save Them to Notes

Got a long voice recording? Whether it’s a meeting, a random idea, or a voice memo to yourself, you can now create a Shortcut that:

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• Transcribes the audio
• Summarizes the content
• Saves both to the Notes app

It works offline (on-device), supports up to 10 minutes of audio, and saves you from reading full transcripts.

2. Summarize Any PDF with One Tap – No Copying Needed

There’s currently no direct way to upload a PDF to Apple Intelligence and get a summary. You’d usually have to copy the entire text manually and paste it into a writing tool with a Summarize option. But now, you can simplify this process with a Shortcut. 

Open a PDF in Safari, Mail, or the Files app, tap Share, and choose your Shortcut. Apple Intelligence will read the entire PDF and give you a quick summary. You can even tweak the tone by making it formal, friendly, or turning it into a list. 

3. Get a Morning Briefing with Weather, Calendar, and Reminders

Imagine starting your day with a Shortcut that pulls today’s calendar events, reminders, and weather, and then asks Apple Intelligence to write it all out like a personal morning briefing. The result? A natural-language summary of your day, created in seconds. 

Set it to run at a specific time every morning, and you’re good to go.

4. Summarize Emails the Way You Like

The Mail app does have a summary feature, but it often skips important details, sounds too formal, or doesn’t highlight key info clearly. With Shortcuts, you’re in control. Just:

• Print the email to PDF
• Share it with your custom Shortcut
• Let Apple Intelligence summarize it using your own prompt

You decide what the summary sounds like, whether it’s casual, concise, detailed, or anything in between.

5. Turn Podcasts into Actionable Notes

If you don’t always have time to finish an episode. This Shortcut can:

• Fetches the latest episode from an RSS feed
• Transcribes the audio
• Summarizes key takeaways
• Saves it to Notes

Perfect for staying updated without going through the hassle of summarizing the podcast every day. 

6. Clean Up Random Thoughts into Organized Notes

You’re thinking out loud, or maybe rambling an idea into your mic, not a problem. This Shortcut takes what you say and turns it into a structured, bulleted list. It separates tasks, dates, or ideas, and also saves the full transcript for later use. Great for messy minds.

7. Build Your Own Chatbot with Follow-Up Support

Apple says they are not interested in creating an Apple Intelligence chatbot. However, you can easily do that yourself with the “Use Model” action.

You can:

• Write custom prompts
• Ask Apple Intelligence or ChatGPT anything
• Turn on “Follow Up” to keep the conversation going

You can build a chatbot for planning, journaling, decision-making, or even just chatting for fun. And unlike Siri, the AI doesn’t just forward you to ChatGPT, it answers in your chosen style and context, based on your input and how your Shortcut is built.

Want more Shortcuts and Apple Intelligence tips? Check out our full guide to Spotlight in macOS 26 and supercharge your productivity even further.

What’s Next for Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts?

Right now, Apple Intelligence only works with text and audio in Shortcuts. But Apple says it’s just the beginning. Soon, it’ll be able to understand your calendar, reminders, Clock app, and more. That means even smarter automations, such as knowing when you’re free, reminding you to leave, or adjusting based on your daily routine.

Apple Intelligence is smart on its own, but inside Shortcuts, it becomes yours. You’re not just asking it questions. You’re turning it into your personal assistant, built around how you live.

Related articles worth reading:

• Apple Intelligence Features Unveiled at WWDC 2025
• macOS 26 Tahoe Brings Phone App to Mac: How to Use It and Why It Matters
• macOS Tahoe vs Sequoia: All the Big and Subtle Changes You Need to Know