iOS 27 Shortcuts lets you describe automations instead of building them
Apple’s Shortcuts app has existed since 2018, but building anything useful in it always meant wrestling with variables and if-then logic. A new feature in iOS 27 changes that: Describe a Shortcut lets you type what you want in plain English and Siri AI assembles the automation for you.
What It Can Do
The author used it to build a custom Shazam workflow without writing a single line of code. The setup works like this: identify a song, then automatically log the song name and artist to a dedicated page in Obsidian, attach a free YouTube stream link, and open a space to note where you were when you heard it.
That is a meaningful upgrade over the standard Shazam experience, which requires either Apple Music or Spotify to play songs and offers no way to add personal context to a tagged track.
Device Requirements
To use Describe a Shortcut, you need a supported device running iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27 Golden Gate, with Siri AI enabled under Settings > Siri. There is a waitlist for the Siri AI beta, though the author reports getting through it in about a day.
Supported hardware includes:
- iPhone 15 Pro models or any newer iPhone
- iPads with M-series processors or the A17 Pro iPad Mini
- M-series Macs or the MacBook Neo
The Operator Angle
If you’ve avoided Shortcuts because the builder felt like a chore, this is the prompt to try it again. Plain language input that produces working automations is exactly the kind of friction reduction that turns a tool from theoretical to practical.
I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.
With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.
At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.
And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.
Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.
