Notebookcheck Logo

Apple speeds up Shortcuts in iOS 14.6

Shortcuts are speedier with iOS 14.6. (Image via Apple)
Shortcuts are speedier with iOS 14.6. (Image via Apple)
The latest version of iOS (14.6) brings many new features and improvements, but one major change wasn't announced by Apple. Multiple users are reporting that tasks scripted in the Shortcuts app run in about half the time they used to.
Apple iOS iPhone Smartphone Software

Apple’s Shortcuts app is a handy method of automating tasks on or creating scripts for iOS and iDevices. However, Shortcuts has a major drawback: longer scripts take noticeably long times to execute. Shortcuts users may see a vast improvement in speed with iOS 14.6, though; it appears that Apple has surreptitiously included some optimizations for the scripting app.

Users on Reddit noticed their more complex Shortcuts scripts ran in significantly less time after updating to iOS 14.6. One user reported that a Shortcut with 700 actions routinely took about 30 seconds to complete in prior iOS versions. However, on iOS 14.6, the Shortcut completes in roughly 13 seconds. Others posted similar experiences.

9to5Mac confirmed this with their own 380 action Shortcut. On iOS 14.5.1, the Shortcut took 8 seconds to execute. After updating to iOS 14.6, the Shortcut finished in 4 seconds. The site tested the Shortcut on both an iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max. 

What is curious is that Apple made no mention of Shortcuts in the update notes for iOS 14.6. The company has not broadcasted any improvements or optimizations in the scripting app, leaving it to users to discover the faster speeds themselves. 

Have you noticed improvements in Shortcuts? Let us know in the comments.

Buy an Apple iPhone 12 (renewed) from Amazon.

Source(s)

Reddit

9to5Mac

Related Articles

The
Google will announce an upgrade to 5 years of software support for Pixel phones, starting with the 6 series 07/08/2021
iOS 15 brings a number of productivity and security enhancements. (Image Source: Apple)
Apple previews iOS 15 with enhanced productivity and privacy features, will grace 20 devices this fall including iPhone 6S and iPhone SE 1st gen 06/08/2021
Apple is expected to use two displays types on this year's iPhone 13 series. (Image source: Dusan Jovic)
LG and Samsung tipped to supply Apple with OLED displays for iPhone 13 series; 120 Hz and LTPO panels already in production 06/01/2021
The AirPods Max may arrive in new colours this year, but there will not be a second-generation model. (Image source: Ervo Rocks)
Apple reputedly planning to refresh the AirPods Max, but not with a second-generation model 05/31/2021
Twitter Blue, a paid tier of Twitter, may be on the way. (Image via Jane Manchun Wong on Twitter)
Twitter may soon offer premium Twitter Blue service for US$3 per month 05/28/2021
The new iPad Pro features Apple's Mac-optimized M1 processor and support for up to 16 GB of RAM making it more Mac-like than ever. (Image: Apple)
Why Mac app support could be headed to iPadOS 15 (or why it should) 05/22/2021
iPhones with
iPhones will switch to Apple-made 5G modems as early as 2023 05/10/2021
Only 4% of US users on iOS allowed app-tracking after the update. (Source: Flurry Analytics)
96% of iOS users in the US turned app tracking off after the 14.5 update 05/09/2021
MediaTek is expected to grab a 37 percent chunk of the mobile chipset market in 2021. (Image: MediaTek)
MediaTek will reign supreme in the mobile chip market in 2021, Qualcomm and Samsung to continue trailing 05/05/2021
Multiple educational apps send students' data to third parties, often without their knowledge. (Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)
New study finds 60% of apps used by U.S. schools share student data with third parties, sometimes without the users' knowledge 05/05/2021
M1 Mac users can leverage Checkra1n to jailbreak their iDevices now (Image source: chekra.in)
iOS 14.5 can now be jailbroken with Checkra1n; M1 Macs get preliminary support 05/01/2021
Apple Watches can now unlock their linked iPhones. (Source: Apple)
The latest iOS and watchOS updates finally add a mask-compatible unlocking option 04/27/2021
Android 12 may automatically hibernate unused apps, freeing up phone storage. (Image via Android w/ edits)
Android 12 includes auto-hibernate feature for unused apps 04/20/2021
Schematic and CAD leaks point to a notably larger rear camera array on the forthcoming iPhone 13 models from Apple. (Image: EverythingApplePro/Macrumors)
Purported iPhone 13 schematic and CAD leaks point to larger rear camera array on all models 04/16/2021
One UI? On my iPhone? (Image via MacRumors)
Samsung gives iPhone users a taste of the "other side" with iTest web app 04/09/2021
Apple's Find My network can now be used to track non-Apple products like e-bikes, headphones, and location tags. (Image via Apple)
Apples opens its Find My network to third-party companies, allowing your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to locate non-Apple things 04/08/2021
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
Sam Medley, 2021-05-26 (Update: 2021-05-26)