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How to Create iOS Shortcuts Using AI with Claude and Codex

Learn how to use Claude Code or OpenAI Codex with the Shortcuts Playground plugin to build iOS shortcuts using plain-language prompts on your Mac.

By Editorial Team ·

How to Create iOS Shortcuts Using AI with Claude and Codex

Shortcuts on Apple devices are underrated. Except for power users, I haven’t seen many casual users using shortcuts. Possible reasons are that most people are not aware of how useful shortcuts can be in automating routine daily tasks.

Create Shortcuts

For example, you can create a shortcut that sends live location to family members with a simple tap, open current app settings from the control center without navigating through a complex process, resize screenshots, save text directly to notes, and much more. Another possible reason is that creating shortcuts requires technical knowledge. Users have to deal with various elements to create automation.

That is going to change in the upcoming iOS 27. Apple is reportedly adding plenty of AI features in iOS 27. One of the most exciting updates is that you may create any shortcuts using natural language. It wasn’t surprising at all, considering how AI is making it easier to build things. Recently at Google I/O, Google announced Google AI Studio with Android app integration that can build any Android app in under 5 minutes.

You can describe in simple, plain text what you want, and Apple will build a shortcut tailored for you. You don’t need to go through a complex shortcut setup with various actions, variables, loops, and conditional statements. But this functionality is still rumored and only expected in iOS 27. Moreover, since it relies on Apple Intelligence, you need a supported iPhone to access this feature.

Fortunately, you don’t need to wait for iOS 27 or have a supported iPhone to get that feature. Federico Viticci at MacStories created a shortcut playground that allows you to create any shortcut using Claude Code or Codex using natural language. You can describe what shortcut you want, and these tools can build it for you. Because it’s not natively offered on iOS, you need to go through some setup and meet certain requirements to create shortcuts and use them on your Apple devices.

In this guide, I am going to explain everything about this new Shortcut Playground, including its requirements, what you need to build it, and a step-by-step guide on how to build it in simple steps.

What is Shortcut Playground?

Shortcuts Playground is an open-source, free-to-use plugin for Claude Code and Codex that builds shortcuts using simple natural language commands. It is built by Federico Viticci from MacStories - also the original creator of Workflow, which was later acquired by Apple and renamed Shortcuts. Here is the announcement from him.

“Today, I’m pleased to introduce something I have been working on for the past six months: Shortcuts Playground, a plugin for Claude Code and Codex that can create any shortcut for Apple’s Shortcuts app using natural language. With Shortcuts Playground, you can simply prompt Claude Code or Codex with a sentence requesting a shortcut of any kind; a few minutes later, you’ll end up with a real shortcut in Finder, ready to be imported into the Shortcuts app.”

In simple terms, using Shortcuts Playground, you can create fully functional shortcuts that you can use on your Apple devices. You describe what you want in a prompt, and the plugin creates a working shortcut file. It uses the built-in shortcuts command line tool on macOS. Once done, you can double-click to add the shortcut to your Shortcuts app and also share it with others.

By now, you have a good idea of what Shortcuts Playground is and how you can use it. However, there are some limitations and requirements to be aware of. You will need the following:

  • Mac (You can also create shortcuts on Windows, but you need a Mac to create/sign the final .shortcut file)
  • Python 3.10+
  • Claude Code or Codex
  • Claude Code subscription or a free Codex account. Federico recommends using Claude Code for a nicer experience.
  • Apple Shortcuts app

How to Create Shortcuts Using Claude Code or Codex

You can use Anthropic’s Claude Code or OpenAI’s Codex on Mac to create shortcuts using Shortcuts Playground. Claude Code requires a paid subscription - either the Pro or Max plan. The basic Claude plan starts at $20 per month, which is more than enough to create tens of shortcuts.

OpenAI Codex, on the other hand, offers a free version. You can sign up using your free ChatGPT account, and the free tier offers decent rate limits.

Both methods work equally well. In my experience, Claude Code offers a more unified approach, whereas OpenAI Codex sometimes struggles to generate .shortcut files and instead produces raw XML files. You need to explicitly instruct it to save the final .shortcut file. However, if you want to get started for free, OpenAI’s Codex is the only option.

Quick Setup Overview

Here is a summary of the setup steps before diving into each method in detail:

  1. Make sure Python 3.10+ and Node.js are installed. Open Terminal and check with python3 --version and node --version.
  2. Install Claude Code from Terminal using npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Then run claude --version to confirm.
  3. If using Codex, install it via Homebrew: brew install codex. Then run codex once and sign in.
  4. Install Shortcuts Playground for Claude Code by running claude plugin marketplace add https://github.com/viticci/shortcuts-playground-plugin, then enable the plugin inside Claude Code.
  5. Install Shortcuts Playground for Codex by running codex plugin marketplace add https://github.com/viticci/shortcuts-playground-plugin. Open Codex, go to Plugins, and select Shortcuts Playground.
  6. To create a shortcut in Claude Code, open the app, start a new session, open a folder, and type your prompt. Ask it to create the final .shortcut file.
  7. To create a shortcut in Codex, open Codex, select Shortcuts Playground from Plugins, enter your shortcut prompt, and ask it to save the final .shortcut file to your Desktop. Double-click it and tap Add Shortcut.

You can use this prompt template as a starting point:

Create a shortcut named “Hello Test” that shows an alert saying “It works”. Create the final .shortcut file and save it to my Desktop.

How to Create Shortcuts Using Claude Code

Requirements

Step 1: Install Claude Code on your Mac. Open Terminal and check the Node version. If Node is not installed, follow the steps below to install it.

Steps to Install Node.js on your Mac:

  1. Visit the Node.js download page and download the macOS installer.
  2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  3. Once installed, open Terminal and run node --version to confirm the installation.

Step 2: Once Node.js is installed, install Claude Code by running the following command in Terminal:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Run claude --version to confirm it installed correctly.

Step 3: Install the Shortcuts Playground plugin by running:

claude plugin marketplace add https://github.com/viticci/shortcuts-playground-plugin

Then open Claude Code, go to Plugins, and enable Shortcuts Playground.

Step 4: Open Claude Code, start a new session, and open a working folder. Type your shortcut prompt, for example:

Create a shortcut named “Good Morning” that reads the current weather and plays my Morning playlist. Create the final .shortcut file and save it to my Desktop.

Claude Code will process the request and generate a .shortcut file in the location you specified.

Step 5: Double-click the .shortcut file on your Mac. The Shortcuts app will open and prompt you to add it. Click Add Shortcut. The shortcut will also sync to your iPhone and iPad automatically via iCloud if Shortcuts syncing is enabled.

How to Create iOS Shortcuts Using OpenAI’s Codex

Requirements

Step 1: Install Codex using Homebrew. Open Terminal and run:

brew install codex

Then run codex and sign in with your ChatGPT account.

Step 2: Install the Shortcuts Playground plugin for Codex by running:

codex plugin marketplace add https://github.com/viticci/shortcuts-playground-plugin

Open Codex, go to Plugins, and select Shortcuts Playground.

Step 3: Enter your shortcut prompt and explicitly ask Codex to save the final .shortcut file to your Desktop. For example:

Create a shortcut that resizes the latest screenshot to 50% of its original size and saves it to my Photos library. Save the final .shortcut file to my Desktop.

Step 4: Double-click the generated .shortcut file and click Add Shortcut in the Shortcuts app.

Tips to Create a High-Quality Shortcut

  • Be as specific as possible in your prompt. Mention the shortcut name, what it should do, any inputs or outputs, and where to save the file.
  • If the shortcut doesn’t work as expected, describe the problem in a follow-up prompt and ask the AI to fix it.
  • Test each shortcut in a safe context before relying on it for important tasks.
  • When using Codex, always explicitly ask it to generate the final .shortcut file, not just XML.
  • Start with simple shortcuts to get familiar with the workflow before attempting complex automations.

How to Edit Shortcuts Once Created

Once a shortcut is added to the Shortcuts app, you can edit it like any other shortcut. Open the Shortcuts app, find your shortcut, and tap the three-dot menu to open the editor. You can add, remove, or rearrange actions manually.

Alternatively, you can go back to Claude Code or Codex, describe what you want to change, and ask it to regenerate the .shortcut file with those modifications. Then replace the existing shortcut by adding the new file.

Shortcuts Playground Makes Apple Shortcuts Easier

Shortcuts Playground brings natural language shortcut creation to Apple devices right now, without waiting for iOS 27. While the setup requires a Mac and either a paid Claude subscription or a free Codex account, the resulting workflow is straightforward once everything is in place. You describe what you want, the AI builds it, and you add it to your Shortcuts app with a double-click.

FAQs on Building Shortcuts Using Claude and Codex

1. Is it safe to run a shortcut created by AI?

Generally yes, but you should review what a shortcut does before running it, especially if it accesses sensitive data like contacts, location, or files. Open the shortcut in the editor to inspect its actions.

2. Why does the shortcut ask for so many permissions?

Shortcuts on Apple devices follow strict privacy controls. Any action that accesses your data - photos, contacts, location, calendar - requires explicit permission the first time it runs. This is normal behavior, not a sign of a problem.

3. Why does a shortcut work on Mac but not on iPhone?

Some shortcut actions are platform-specific. Certain actions available on macOS are not available on iOS. If you want a shortcut that works on iPhone, specify that in your prompt so the AI uses only iOS-compatible actions.

4. How can I share the generated shortcut with someone else?

Open the Shortcuts app, find your shortcut, tap the three-dot menu, and select Share. You can share it as a link that others can open to add the shortcut to their own Shortcuts app.

5. Will the shortcut automatically appear on my iPhone after I add it to my Mac?

Yes, if iCloud sync is enabled for Shortcuts on both devices. Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud and make sure Shortcuts is toggled on. The shortcut should appear on your iPhone within a few minutes.

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