The Apple Watch Ultra has an Action button that can be programmed to complete one of seven actions, but Shortcuts offer seemingly endless options.
The Apple Watch Ultra has an Action button that can be set to trigger one of seven different tasks with a single press, but Shortcuts make it possible to use it for a much wider variety of actions. Apple Watch Ultra is the company’s attempt to create a more rugged smartwatch for extreme sports and serious athletes. Using the touchscreen can be difficult in some situations — like during a workout or in the freezing cold — and the Action button gives the wearer more control in those situations. However, the number of actions that can be started with the Action button are limited.
At first glance, it might seem like the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra can only be programmed to start a few tasks. In a way, this is true. The Action button needs to be programmed during the initial setup process, but the function can be changed afterward. The different options for the Action button include Workout, Waypoint, Stopwatch, Backtrack, Dive, Flashlight, and Shortcut. There are varying levels of customization for each option, but the choice with the most customization by far is the Shortcut action. Through the use of Shortcuts, the Action button can be set to run seemingly endless tasks with just a single press.
Before programming the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button to run a Shortcut, the paired iPhone should already have Shortcuts set up. Shortcuts make it possible to run a series of actions automatically. These Shortcuts can be triggered through Siri, an icon on the Home Screen, or through the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button. Users may already be familiar with Shortcuts, as they are used to create the popular custom app icons introduced with iOS 14. After Shortcuts are created, they can be activated by a press of the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.
Shortcuts Expand Possible Action Button Uses
To set up Shortcuts on the Watch Ultra, navigate to Settings > Action Button > Action and select ‘Shortcut‘ from the list of options. To select the preferred Shortcut, return to the ‘Action Button‘ menu, tap ‘Shortcut,’ and select the desired Shortcut from the list. The ability to trigger a Shortcut with a single press of the Action button significantly expands the breadth of its functionality. For example, a starter Shortcut that comes pre-installed is for the Shazam app. Programming the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button to run the Shazam shortcut will automatically identify a song playing in a user’s environment with a click of the button.
Another common Shortcut opens a particular app, and that is particularly useful on the Apple Watch Ultra. While Apple makes it possible to start a workout in the Workouts app with the Action button, there are many people who use other apps to track their activity. Runners might prefer Strava or Nike Run Club to track their runs instead of the native app. With Shortcuts, users can program the Action button to run a Shortcut that opens their preferred workout app with just a press. Though there are only seven tasks that the Apple Watch Ultra‘s Action button can start, there are infinite possibilities when it is paired with the Shortcuts app.
Source: Apple
