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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- iPhone shortcuts can run silently via text, even when locked.
- A trigger keyword can snap photos and send precise location instantly.
- This complements Find My and adds a fast backup recovery option.
Over the weekend, I came across an X post that reminded me I need to use Apple’s Shortcuts app more often. Most people, myself included, have barely scratched the surface with it and underestimate its full potential.
For example, that X post showed me a simple “anti-theft shortcut” that automatically runs when your iPhone receives a specific text message. When you send that text from another device, it triggers a photo to be taken, grabs your iPhone’s current location, and sends that information to any number you choose. And all of this happens without opening the Find My app. Amazing.
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To test it, I asked my husband to text the keyword I set up, and it worked beautifully. I plan to leave it enabled because I think it’ll be genuinely useful, and not just for theft. If I misplace my phone and want a quick way to see where it is, this will get the job done.
However, I will change my keyword. He keeps texting it now just to catch me looking down at my phone, double chins and all.
It makes him laugh every time, but I want to chuck my phone across the room and permanently erase those hideous photos from existence. So, PSA: keep your keyword to yourself.
How to make an ‘anti-theft’ iPhone shortcut
What you’ll need: An iPhone or iPad running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS and the Apple Shortcuts app. That’s it.
Let’s start by creating a new personal automation (also called a shortcut) and defining how it gets triggered.
Open Apple’s Shortcuts app on your device, tap Automation, then tap the plus (+) button. On the “When” screen, choose Message. This tells your iPhone to run the shortcut as soon as it receives a specific text.
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Now, set the sender to Any Sender, or you can choose a trusted contact, such as your partner. Any Sender lets you text from any phone to trigger the shortcut, while selecting a contact limits it to that one person.
How to create a new personal automation (aka shortcut):
- Open Apple’s Shortcuts app.
- Tap Automation.
- Tap the plus (+) button to create a new personal automation.
- Choose Message.
-
Set the sender to Any Sender or choose a specific contact.
It’s time to define your trigger keyword. This tells your iPhone to run the shortcut any time it receives a text message containing that word or phrase.
On the “When” screen, select Message Contains and then enter a word or phrase. I chose “Find iPhone,” but you can use anything you want. If you’ve selected Any Sender, avoid common words like “lost.” You may use them more often than you realize, and you don’t want to trigger the shortcut accidentally or constantly.
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Finally, back on the “When” screen, select Run Immediately instead of Run After Confirmation. If your phone is stolen or misplaced, you don’t want to confirm anything before the shortcut runs. You just want it to work.
How to set a trigger keyword for your shortcut:
- On the “When” screen, select Message Contains.
- Enter an uncommon trigger word or phrase in the pop-up box.
- Back on the “When” screen, choose Run Immediately.
- Hit the Next button when done.
Now you’ll add the shortcut actions that run, like capturing a photo and sending location data, when the trigger keyword is sent to your iPhone via text. Order matters here.
How to add actions to your shortcut:
- On the “When I get a message…” screen, select Create New Shortcut.
- Optional: Search for an action and select Set Low Power Mode. On the action order (or “Do”) screen that appears, make sure Set Low Power Mode is set to “Turn” and toggled “On.”
- Search for another action and select Take Photo. On the action order screen, “1 photo” should be preloaded, but you can change that and then select the front or back camera, depending on your preference. Before going to the next action, hit the drop-down arrow and toggle off “Show Camera Preview.”
- Search for another action and select Send Message. The “Photo” field should be preloaded, but tap “Recipient” to choose who will receive the photo. Make sure it’s a trusted contact, such as your partner.
- Search for another action and select Get Current Location. On the action order screen, tap the drop-down arrow next to Current Location and choose “Nearest ten meters” for a more precise location.
- Search for another action and select Send Message. The Current Location field should be preloaded, but tap Recipient to choose who will receive the location information. Again, choose a trusted contact.
- Hit the blue checkmark at the top when done. This will bring you to the “Automation” screen, with your new shortcut listed. Tap it to jump in and edit the “When” and “Do” criteria at any time.
The X post that first highlighted this shortcut to me suggested turning on Low Power Mode as the first action. That is optional, in my opinion, but it will help keep your phone alive long enough for the shortcut to do its job and for you to track it afterward. If your iPhone is lost or stolen, battery life is critical, after all.
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When you set up the camera action, you can use the front camera to capture a thief’s face if your iPhone is stolen. But if you plan to use this shortcut mainly for a lost phone, devices are often left face down, so the back camera could be useful. Either way, turn the preview off so the photo is taken silently.
As for the location part of this, it’s helpful to be as exact as possible. I tried them all, and “nearest ten meters” gave me the most precise location.
Another optional action:
You can have your iPhone play a loud sound, either as part of this shortcut or in a separate one with its own trigger keyword (like “ping”) and sequence of actions. For the actions, select Play Music and then choose an annoying tone from Apple Music (like “=”” by=”” prestigigator”=””>).
You can also add a Set Volume action so the media plays at 100% when triggered. All of the variables are adjustable, but this trick is handy for audibly locating your phone and scaring off thieves.
Last but not least, it’s time to test your shortcut. On the action order (or “Do”) screen, tap the Play button at the bottom to run a test. If you’ve already backed out to the “Automation” screen, select your shortcut, tap Do, and then tap Play. You can also have a sender or specified contact text your trigger keyword from another device.
Within seconds, you should receive:
- A camera photo.
- A live location address with a Maps link.
- If you enabled it, your phone will also switch to Low Power Mode.
- If you enabled it, your phone will turn up its volume and play a loud sound.
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If you don’t want your contact to trigger the shortcut at will once they’ve tested it for you, consider changing the keyword, or you can privately test it yourself using the Play button on the “Do” screen.
Does this work if my iPhone is locked?
Yes. The automation runs even when your iPhone is locked.
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You can always revoke this capability via the “Do” screen for your shortcut. Open the Shortcuts app, go to Automation, select the shortcut, choose Do, tap the i information button, then go to Privacy and disable Allow Running When Locked. Keep in mind this will make the shortcut useless if your iPhone is locked when the trigger keyword is sent.
Does my iPhone need internet for this to work?
Yes. Cellular data or Wi-Fi is required to send texts and a location.
Will this work if my iPhone is turned off?
No. If your iPhone is powered off or dead, a shortcut cannot run.
Is this a replacement for Find My?
While it is an alternative option, Find My is still important. This shortcut lets you get a quick visual of where your device is and who may have it, along with exact location info, without logging into another device. But I’d still recommend having Find My set up.
Can I customize the shortcut further?
Absolutely. You can add actions like turning up the volume, playing a loud, annoying song, and locking the screen. Or you can create an entirely new shortcut for this sequence with its own trigger word, like “ping.” The options are endless with Shortcuts.
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