Shortcuts App Focus Automation Triggers in iOS 15

With the release of iOS 15, Apple replaced standard Do Not Disturb options with customizable Focus modes and significantly expanded the Shortcuts app to integrate with them. This guide outlines the specific action library updates and personal automation triggers introduced in iOS 15, detailing how users can programmatically read, set, and respond to different Focus states.

New Focus Automation Triggers

iOS 15 added dedicated Personal Automation triggers for Focus modes. Rather than relying on rigid time-based or location-based triggers alone, the Shortcuts app allows automations to run based on the state of any Focus mode:

  • Focus State Changes: Users can trigger automations when a Focus mode turns "On" or "Off."
  • Support for Custom and Preset Modes: The trigger library supports built-in modes (such as Work, Personal, Sleep, and Fitness) as well as any user-created custom Focus modes.
  • Independent Execution: Each Focus state transition can execute unique actions, allowing one set of tasks to run when entering a Focus and another to run when exiting it.

New Actions in the Shortcuts Action Library

Alongside automation triggers, the Shortcuts action library received updated actions to give users programmatic control over Focus modes within standard shortcuts:

  • Set Focus: This action replaced the legacy "Set Do Not Disturb" action. It allows users to turn any Focus mode on or off. The action includes parameter controls to keep the mode active until a specific time, until leaving the current location, or until a calendar event ends.
  • Get Current Focus: This action queries the system to detect which Focus mode is currently active. If no Focus is engaged, it returns a null value. This allows shortcut creators to build conditional If statements that adjust shortcut behavior based on the user's current context.

Workflow Integration

These additions allow for bi-directional automation. Users can either use a Focus state change as a catalyst to adjust device settings—such as changing watch faces, running scripts, or toggling smart home devices—or use standalone shortcuts to automatically select and schedule specific Focus modes depending on custom logic.