If you’re like most iPhone users, you probably use a lot of shortcuts to get things done faster. Whether it’s a quick way to reply to a text message, open a document, or search for something on your phone, customizing your shortcuts is key. Here are four tips for making custom text shortcuts on your iPhone:

  1. Use the Keyboard Shortcuts Menu The Keyboard Shortcuts Menu is located in the upper-left corner of the keyboard and includes all of the standard keyboard shortcuts that you’re probably familiar with (like Ctrl+C to copy something). But don’t stop there! You can also add custom text shortcuts by tapping on the “Add New Shortcut” button and entering in your desired shortcut. For example, if I wanted to quickly open my email inbox, I would type “e” into the “Shortcut” field and hit enter. Voila! My shortcut is now available whenever I want it.
  2. Create Custom Quick Actions Quick Actions are similar to keyboard shortcuts but work with apps instead of just documents. To create a Quick Action, first open up an app that you want to use as a shortcut (like Mail or Safari) and then tap on the three lines in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Next, enter in your desired action (like “New Email”) and hit save. Now every time you launch Mail or Safari, your Quick Action will be automatically activated and ready to go.
  3. Use Siri Shortcuts Siri can do a lot more than just answer questions or control music playback – she can also help you access important information quickly by creating custom Siri shortcuts. To do this, first enable Siri on your iPhone by going into Settings -> General -> Siri & Search -> Allow Third-Party Apps and then selecting “Allow.” After that’s done, simply say whatever you want Siri to do (like “Show me my email inbox”) and she’ll take care ..

There’s a lot you can do with the iPhone’s “Text Replacement” feature. One example is included on every iPhone by default—“omw” is automatically replaced with “On my way!”. You can use that same idea for anything. All you need is a shortcut and a phrase to go with it. We’ll show you how.

First, open the Settings app on your iPhone (this is also available on iPad).

Go to the “General” section.

Select the “Keyboard” settings.

Now go to “Text Replacement.”

Tap the “+” icon in the top-right corner.

Now you need to enter a “Phrase” and a “Shortcut”—the Phrase will replace the Shortcut. Tap “Save” when you’re done.

Now you’re ready to use it! Simply type the shortcut and you’ll see the full phrase appear above the keyboard. You can tap the phrase to insert it or continue typing by tapping the spacebar or return and it will automatically be inserted.

This is a great time-saving feature for typing out longer phrases. One handy tip is to use your street name as a shortcut for your entire address. Your imagination is the only limit, so go forth and make some shortcuts!

RELATED: What Are iPhone Shortcuts and How Do I Use Them?