Teach Your iPhone to Check in

@techtiff

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SoundTikTok sound · original sound - techtiff

Promoted product

Shortcuts

Download Shortcuts by Apple on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more apps like Shortcuts.

8 videos7 creators

Why it worked

The video provides a practical and useful automation for iPhone users, addressing a common concern (losing a phone) with a clever, automated solution. The step-by-step demonstration within the Shortcuts app makes it easy to follow and replicate.

Summary

This video demonstrates how to set up an iPhone automation using the Shortcuts app. When the iPhone is connected to a charger, it will automatically turn off airplane mode, turn on cellular data, capture the current location, and take a photo with the front camera, sending this information to a specified contact.

Structure

1Introduce the problem: iPhone going missing.
2Explain the solution: iPhone checks in when charging.
3Detail the setup: Using Shortcuts to automate actions.
4

Original caption

If your iPhone goes missing, it should check in. Inside Shortcuts, create an automation that runs whenever your phone connects to a charger. Have it grab your location, take a photo, and send the information wherever you want. Now your iPhone can let you know where it is automatically.

More from @techtiff

Product placement

iPhone: ACTS - it is operated by the user to perform the functions described in the video (checking in, taking photos, sending location). Removing it would change the video. Apple: APPEARS - it is the brand of the phone being used, but not directly operated or promoted. Removing it would not change the video. Shortcuts (app): ACTS - it is the software used to create the automation. Removing it would change the video. ChatGPT: APPEARS - it is mentioned in the creator's bio link title, but not directly used or promoted in the video. Removing it would not change the video.

On-screen text

Teach Your iPhone to Check in YOUR IPHONE ALREADY KNOWS WHERE IT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND AND HOW TO CONTACT YOU. SO MISSING IT SHOULD CHECK IN. THAT'S JUST BASIC COMMUNICATION. WHENEVER SOMEONE PLUGS A CHARGER, IT SENDS ME ITS CURRENT LOCATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND IT. SET THIS UP INSIDE SHORTCUTS. NEW AUTOMATION THAT RUNS WHENEVER YOUR A CHARGER. FIRST, USE AN ACTION TO TURN OFF AIRPLANE MODE, THEN ANOTHER ONE TO TURN ON CELLULAR DATA. SOMEONE TRIED TO OFFLINE. NEXT, GET YOUR LOCATION, PHOTO WITH THE CAMERA. MAKE SURE YOU CAMERA PREVIEW SO IT JUST IN THE BACKGROUND. THEN SEND THAT INFORMATION WHEREVER YOU I USE EMAIL, BUT YOU COULD SEND A TEXT, ADD THIS TO A NOTE, SAVE SHARED ALBUM, FILE INTO ICLOUD. AND NOW SHORTCUTS FINALLY STARTED SHOWING A NOTIFICATION WHENEVER ONE OF CAMERA.

Transcript

Your iPhone already knows where it's happening around and how to contact you. So if it goes missing, it should check in. That's just basic communication. Whenever someone plugs a charger, it sends me its current location of what's happening around it. Set this up inside Shortcuts. New automation that runs whenever your phone connects to a charger. First, use an action to turn off airplane mode, then another one to turn on cellular data. So someone tried to offline. Next, get your location, photo with the camera. Make sure you camera preview so it just in the background. Then send that information wherever you want. I use email, but you could just as easily send a text, add this to a note, save it to a shared album, file into iCloud. And now Shortcuts finally started showing a notification whenever one of them accesses your camera. Because if your device is taking a photo in the background, it should probably let you know about that. When I'm travelling, I activate this automation and whenever my phone gets plugged into a charger, I get a status report. Your iPhone already has everything it needs to tell you where it is. When to do that.

Your iPhone already knows where it is. I figured it should let me know, too. So