MacFormat UK – September 2019

52 | MACFORMAT | SEPTEMBER 2019 macformat.com @macformat

Create your own QR codes

Use the Shortcuts app to create handy scannable images

IT WILL TAKE

10 minutes

YOU WILL LEARN

To make Shortcuts

that create QR codes

that contain useful info

YOU’LL NEED

iOS 12, the

Shortcuts app

Shortcuts is a new app in iOS 12,

and its handy uses are nearly

infinite. Every shortcut is built

around actions. An action is a

single step. For example you might get a URL

from Safari or an image from Photos, a

location from Maps, or text from the clipboard.

This is your input, and once you’ve got it you

can then tell Shortcuts what to do with it:

email the URL, upload the image, etc.

In recent versions of iOS, Apple added the

ability to scan QR codes in the Camera app.

These bitty images encode text information,

so someone who scans them sees that text.

This is really handy for links on pieces of paper

you’re going to print out – it’s much easier for

someone to scan that QR code than to type in

a web address, especially if it’s a long one.

We’ll show you a couple of different ways to

create QR codes: first, a way to turn any text

that you’ve copied into a QR code (ideal for

web addresses), and one for getting a location

in the Maps app, which people can then find

directions to. Carrie Marshall

HOW TO Make QR codes using Shortcuts

1

Create your shortcut

When you open the Shortcuts app

you’ll see a list of shortcuts you’ve

created; if there aren’t any, you’ll just see

the Create Shortcut button. That’s the

one we want here for creating a brand

new Shortcut, so tap on it to continue.

2

Get your input

Shortcuts are often three-stage

processes: get something; do something

to it; send it somewhere else. Let’s do the

‘get’ bit. If you search for ‘Clip’ on the left,

you’ll see the ‘Get Clipboard’ action. This

brings in whatever thing you copied last.

3

Add the action

To find out what an action does,

tap on the ‘i’ icon for a description. Tap

the + icon to add it to your Shortcut,

and it’ll appear right away in the main

window. You can also save actions as

favourites for faster access.

APPLE APPS iOS software