Automate Tasks with Siri, Shortcuts and Deep Links

Start with one shortcut that adds a task to one project. Once that works, you can run it from Siri and add details such as a date or tag.

Build a simple capture shortcut

Open Apple’s Shortcuts app and create a new shortcut. Name it something easy to say, such as Add to my inbox.
Add Ask for Input and set it to ask for text. Search the available actions for Tasks, then add its task-creation action.
Use the answer as the task title and choose an existing project, such as Inbox. Run the shortcut with “Book a haircut”, then open that project in Tasks to check the result.

Apple’s shortcut creation guide shows how to add and test actions.

Example shortcut

Ask for text“What do you need to do?”
Create a taskTitle: your answer. Project: Inbox.
Check the result“Book a haircut” appears in your Inbox project.

Follow the recipe one action at a time. Action names and options can vary by installed version.

Not seeing Tasks actions? Check that Tasks is installed and up to date on the device running the shortcut. Open Tasks, return to Shortcuts and search its actions again. Explore the available actions.

Create task action in Shortcuts with title, Inbox, status, tags, priority and recurrence options. — The Create task action exposes the fields the shortcut can supply. Ask Each Time prompts for a title when it runs.

A shortcut with Create task, Create comment on the created task, and Open Task actions. — This example passes the created task to a comment action, then opens it for review.

Run it with Siri

Ask Siri to run Add to my inbox. Try it once while you can check the created task. If Siri does not start it, run it directly in Shortcuts first and check your device’s Siri settings.

A task detail screen showing the title Give my device for service, Inbox project, High priority and Work tag. — Open the created task to check its title and Project row. If your shortcut adds a priority or tag, check those rows too.

Add one extra detail at a time

For a “Plan tomorrow” shortcut, add a date to the creation action if your version offers it. Run it again and check the saved task before adding anything else.

Not seeing Date on the task? The destination project may need a Date field. For a missing Tag field or Priority field, add that specific field to the same project. A missing Shortcuts action or parameter is a version issue; adding a project field does not add an action to Shortcuts.

Open the right place afterwards

An Open action can finish a shortcut in the task or project you need next. A task or project link does the same from another app: it opens that particular item in Tasks.

Try the other shortcut recipes when your capture shortcut works reliably. Run a test twice so you know whether it creates a second task; a capture shortcut usually does.

Explore all 15 related features

Browse the related features below for more detail.

More than 50 App Intents

Build detailed automations around Tasks entities and actions.

Create actions

Create tasks, subtasks, projects, folders, Smart Lists, tags, statuses, priorities, task types, comments and collaborators.

Edit actions

Edit tasks and the project entities used by a workflow.

Delete actions

Delete supported tasks, projects, folders, Smart Lists and workflow entities.

Clone actions

Clone tasks, subtasks and projects through Shortcuts.

Read actions

Get projects, Smart Lists, tags, statuses, priorities, task types, comments and collaborators.

Search action

Find matching tasks and return their entities.

Workflow actions

Move, complete and reopen tasks through automation.

Returned entities

Pass created or found Tasks items into later Shortcut actions.

Spotlight integration

Find and open Tasks content through system search.

Focus Filters

Adjust the Tasks context used with an Apple Focus.

Tasks URL scheme

Open Tasks screens and actions from a URL.

x-callback-url

Connect Tasks to compatible URL-based workflows.

Deep links

Link directly to tasks, projects, folders, Smart Lists, comments, settings and more.