How to Fix Shortcuts not working on iPhone in iOS 17

By Moses Johnson - Managing Editor
4 Min Read

If Shortcuts app is not working on your iPhone after iOS 17 update, follow this troubleshooting guide to fix the problem.

A shortcut provides a quick way to get things done with your apps, with just a tap or by asking Siri. In addition to running the simple shortcuts suggested by Siri, you can use the Shortcuts app to add ready-made or custom shortcuts to your iPhone. The app lets you combine multiple steps across multiple apps to create powerful task automations. If you noticed your shortcuts not working on iPhone after iOS 17 update, you’re not alone.

Shortcuts not working on iPhone is a big problem since the vast majority of people are accustomed to running shortcuts to accomplish various tasks. If you are also facing issues, here are troubleshooting tips that’ll help you fix shortcuts not working on iPhone in iOS 17!

9 Ways to Fix Shortcuts Not Working on iPhone in iOS 17

1. Close The Shortcuts App

First, try closing out the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. It’s possible the Shortcuts app has crashed, causing it to stop working.

If you have an iPhone with a Home button, double-click it to bring up the app switcher. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe up from the bottom to the center of the screen to bring up the app switcher.

To close the Shortcuts app, swipe it up and off the top of the screen. You’ll know Shortcuts app is closed when it no longer appears in the app switcher.

2. Remove the Shortcuts widget

Some shortcuts don’t work well in the widget. If you are not sure if your shortcut works well in the widget, you may want to remove the Shortcuts widget on your iPhone.

Touch and hold the widget on the Home Screen of your iPhone. Now, tap Remove Widget, then tap Remove.

3. Recreate The Shortcut

If you are still facing issues, try to delete and recreate the shortcut that is causing an error on your iPhone.

  1. In the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, tap Edit.
  2. Tap one or more shortcuts (a checkmark appears in the upper-right corner to indicate selection), then tap Delete.
  3. Tap Delete Shortcut.

Tip: To quickly delete a shortcut, touch and hold a shortcut, tap Delete, finally, tap Delete Shortcut.

Now, recreate the short cut you just deleted.

Tip: You can create a new shortcut by touching and holding the Shortcuts app icon on the Home Screen of your iPhone and then tapping Create Shortcut.

4. Enable Sync Shortcuts on iPhone

If you’re signed in with your Apple ID on your Apple devices and enable iCloud Sync in the Shortcuts app, you can keep your collection of shortcuts up to date on all of your devices, including your Apple Watch. When you add, change, or remove a shortcut from one of your devices, iCloud ensures that the changes are reflected on your other devices automatically.
The order of your shortcuts is also kept updated between all of your devices.
Important: Personal automation shortcuts don’t sync to other devices.

To turn on iCloud Sync on your iPhone, head over to Settings > Shortcuts. Now, turn on iCloud Sync.

5. Allow Scripts to Run From a Shortcut

Due to the inherent risk of running automation on your iPhone, the Shortcuts app has settings to protect you from malicious actors and scripts. Before you add or run shortcuts from outside the Gallery or shortcuts containing JavaScript, you must enable it in Settings.

Start the Settings app on your iPhone and go to Shortcuts > Advanced. Now, turn on Allow Running Scripts.

6. Turn Your iPhone Off And Back On

Shutting off your iPhone allows all the little programs running in the background to reboot and start again. If a minor software glitch is preventing Shortcuts from working on your iPhone, restarting the phone may fix the problem.

If you have an iPhone 8 or earlier, press and hold the Sleep / Wake button, which is located on the upper right hand side of your phone. Release the power button when a red power icon and the words slide to power off shows up on the screen of your iPhone. Swipe the red power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.

Wait about 20 seconds, then press and hold the Sleep / Wake button until the Apple logo shows up on the screen to turn your iPhone back on.

If you have an iPhone X or newer, press and hold the side button and either the volume up or volume down button at the same time. Release both buttons when slide to power off shows up on the screen. Swipe the power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.

After about 20 seconds, press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo shows up on the screen. Your iPhone will turn on shortly after.

7. Check For iOS Update

Apple releases iOS updates from time to time to fix any software glitches and bugs. If Shortcuts app is not working on your iPhone due to an iOS bug, updating your iPhone to the latest iOS version can fix the issue.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General. Now, tap on Software Update. If an update is available, tap Download & Install or Install Now.

8. Delete Shortcuts App and Reinstall

If you’re still having trouble getting your iPhone Shortcuts app to work properly, try deleting the app and reinstalling it. Deleting and reinstalling the Shortcuts app has the potential to remove corrupted files within the app and give it a fresh start.

To delete Shortcuts, press and hold on its app icon. Once a menu pops up, tap Remove App, then Delete App. Finally, hit Delete when the confirmation pop-up appears.

After deleting Shortcuts, launch the App Store and tap the Search tab in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Search for Shortcuts, then tap the installation button to its right.

9. Reset All Your iPhone Settings

If you are still struggling to fix Shortcuts not working on iPhone issue, try resetting your device to factory settings. Please note, it will erase all the existing settings and website login information however, your media or data will remain untouched. To do this, head over to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm your action.

After resetting your iPhone to default settings, all the problems you are experiencing with the Shortcuts app should be resolved for good.

Successfully Fixed Shortcuts Not Working on iPhone in iOS 17 Issue!

You’ve fixed Shortcuts problem on your iPhone and you can start running shortcuts again. Make sure to share this article with your friends on social media so they know what to do when Shortcuts is not working on their iPhones after iOS 17 update!

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By Moses Johnson Managing Editor
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Moses Johnson is the Editorial Director of GeeksModo.com, who has a keen eye for news, rumors, and all the unusual stuff around Apple products. Moses is commonly referred to online as The Professor, with decades of experience in tech under his belt.
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