How to Fix Automation Not Working in Shortcuts App on iPhone

Wondering why the automation feature is not working in the Shortcuts app on your iPhone?

With Apple’s new automation feature in the Shortcuts app, you can now easily automate routine tasks on your iPhone.

From setting alarms to playing songs, your phone can do it all with just a single tap. 

However, setting up automation may be challenging for users who are not tech-savvy. There may even be instances where it doesn’t work as expected.

Today, we’ll show you what to do if automation in the Shortcuts app is not working on your iPhone. 

Let’s begin!

1. Check If Automation Is Enabled. 

Before changing your settings, check if Automation is enabled on your device. 

You might have disabled it accidentally, and there’s no harm in double-checking to be sure.. 

1. Open your iPhone and access the Shortcuts app. 
2. Now, tap on the Automation tab in the navigation menu. 
3. Look for the automation you want to use and tap on it. 
4. Ensure that the toggle switch next to Enable This Automation is set to ON. 

Once done, try using automation again to check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix iPhone Keeps Dimming Screen Brightness

2. Restart Your iPhone. 

Whenever you encounter problems on your device, it’s a good measure to restart it. 

This should resolve temporary bugs on your system and ensure that your system resources are initialized properly. 

Restarting your phone also clears corrupted and unused data from the system memory. 

If you are using an iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, or later, here’s what you need to do: 

1. Hold down the Volume Down button and Side button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears. 
2. Now, drag the slider to the right and wait for 30 seconds. 
3. Press the Side button afterward to turn on your device. 

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For older models, follow the steps below: 

1. Locate the Power button on your device. 
2. Now, hold the button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt shows up.
3. Drag the slider to the right and wait 30 seconds before turning on your device. 

Run the task automation again to see if everything checks out. 

3. Change Sound Settings. 

Automation can also prompt your device to announce changes in conditions, like when your iPhone reaches a certain charge level. 

If automated voice notifications are not working on your iPhone, try checking the volume in the settings. 

1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. 
2. Go to the Automation tab and open the preset you want to change. 
3. Next, tap on Speak Text. 

4. Expand the Siri Voice Command. 
5. Adjust the Rate and Pitch. You can also change the language and voice. 
6. Enable the Wait Until Finished option. 

7. Go to the previous page and tap Done to save the changes. 

Observe if automated voice announcements work on your iPhone. 

4. Disable Bluetooth. 

If you still can’t hear automated announcements, it’s possible that there’s a Bluetooth device connected to your iPhone. 

Try disabling Bluetooth on your phone to ensure sound is sent to the speakers. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Open Settings on your iPhone. 
2. Access the Bluetooth tab. 
3. Tap the toggle switch next to Bluetooth to turn it off. 

4. Restart your phone. 

Try automated announcements again to check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix Guided Access Not Working on iPhone

5. Update Your iPhone. 

The version of iOS you’re using might have an underlying issue related to automation features. 

To rule this out, see if there’s a new version of iOS available for your device and install it. 

Follow the steps below to guide you through the process: 

1. Open Settings on your iPhone. 
2. Navigate to General > Software Update. 
3. If there’s a new iOS version available, tap Download and Install. 
4. Once the new software is ready, follow the prompts to install the update. 

Use automation again to check if it will work. 

6. Recreate Your Shortcuts. 

Try re-adding your automation shortcuts if they are not working. Data for your shortcuts may have gotten corrupted, explaining why it doesn’t work. 

Follow the guide below to delete shortcuts on your iPhone: 

1. Open Shortcuts on your device. 
2. Now, go to Automation. 
3. Find the automation you want to delete. 
4. Swipe left on the automation and tap Delete. 

5. Repeat the process until you’ve removed all automation presets. 

Recreate your shortcuts and see if they will work. 

7. Reset Your Settings. 

If automation is still not working, we recommend resetting your configurations. 

This should ensure no conflicts with your iPhone’s settings that causes automation to malfunction. 

Follow the steps below to reset your settings: 

1. On your iPhone, go to the main menu and open Settings. 
2. Now, tap on General. 
3. Look for Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap on it. 
4. Tap the Reset option and select Reset All Settings. 

5. Follow the prompts to continue. 

Try using automation again to check if the problem is solved. 

8. Contact Apple. 

If none of the solutions above worked, we recommend that you report the problem to Apple’s team. 

Head to their support page and look up the issue you’re experiencing. Apple’s site should suggest possible fixes for your problem along with articles about Shortcuts and Automation. 

You can also get in touch with their team through phone or chat if the suggested solutions did not work. 

That ends our guide for fixing automation in the Shortcuts app if it’s not working on your iPhone. 

If you have questions or other concerns, please let us know in the comment section, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

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