Create an iOS Automation When Connecting AirPods

Introduction

If you're an AirPods user, you likely have a go-to app when you put them in—whether it’s Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, or even TikTok. Instead of manually opening your favourite app every time you connect your AirPods, why not automate the process? With the Shortcuts app on iOS, you can create an automation that presents a menu each time your AirPods connect, allowing you to quickly select which app you'd like to open.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up an iOS automation that triggers a shortcut when you connect your AirPods. The shortcut will then prompt you to choose from a list of apps, making it a seamless experience.

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Step 1: Create a Shortcut to Display an App Selection Menu

First, we’ll create a shortcut that will run when your AirPods connect. Instead of launching just one specific app, this shortcut will present a menu, letting you choose which app to open.

Steps:

1. Open the Shortcuts app.

2. Tap + in the top-right corner to create a new shortcut.

3. Tap Add Action.

4. In the search bar, type List and select it.

5. Edit the first two options in the list to the Application names you'd like.

6. To add more options to the list just select the Add new item and name it accordingly.

7. Repeat this process for any other apps you want to include, such as YouTube, TikTok, or Podcasts.

Now, we need to specify what happens when each menu item is selected.

8. Tap Add Action and search for Choose from list

9. Next tap Add Action and search for the If action and add to the shortcut.

10. Within the If action make sure that the Selected Item variable is selected. Then just add the application name from the list.

11. Next tap Add Action and search for Open App and add the application you want to open from the list.

12. Repeat steps 9–11 for each app in your list, selecting the appropriate app for each menu item.

Once done, your shortcut should look something like this:

- If "Apple Music" is chosen, open Apple Music.

- If "Podcast" is chosen, open Spotify.

- If "YouTube" is chosen, open TikTok.

- If "Cancel" is chosen, open YouTube.

As you can see on my Shortcut I have added a Cancel option to the list, just in case. Instead of adding the Open App option to the If action I've added Stop this shortcut

12. Tap Done to save your shortcut.

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Step 2: Set Up an AirPods Automation Trigger

Now we need to create an automation that runs the shortcut whenever your AirPods connect.

1. Go to the Automation tab in the Shortcuts app.

2. Tap Create Personal Automation (or the + button if you already have other automations).

3. Scroll down and select Bluetooth as the trigger.

4. Tap Choose at the top of the window and select your AirPods from the list of available Bluetooth devices.

5. Tap Next to proceed to the action setup. This will take you back to the main automation configuration window, here you'll need to make sure you've selected Run Immediately and not Run After Confirmation

6. Tap Next, this will show you your already made Shortcuts, here we just need to select your shortcut you created earlier in Step 1 and select it.

7. Now your newly created automation should appear within the list.

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Step 3: Test Your Automation

Now for the fun part—testing it!

1. Disconnect your AirPods if they are already connected.

2. Reconnect them and wait a second.

3. A menu should appear asking which app you'd like to open.

4. Tap your choice, and your iPhone will immediately open the selected app.

If everything works as expected, you’ve successfully created an automation that enhances your AirPods experience!

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Customisation Ideas

Want to take it further? Here are some ideas to enhance your automation:

- Play Music Automatically – Instead of just opening an app, add an action that starts playing a song or playlist immediately.

- Different Menus for Different AirPods – If you have multiple pairs of AirPods (e.g., AirPods Pro and AirPods Max), create separate automations with different app lists.

- Set Volume Levels – Add an action to adjust the volume depending on the app you choose. For example, set the volume to 80% when opening Spotify.

- Trigger Other Actions – Want to activate Focus Mode when opening a specific app? Add another step in the shortcut to enable it.

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Conclusion

With just a few taps, you’ve automated a small but useful part of your daily routine. Now, every time you connect your AirPods, your iPhone will prompt you to open your favourite app, saving you time and making the experience seamless.

As always if there is anything you'd like me to expand upon or want me to cover then ping me a message and I'd be glad to help you out. Alternatively if there are any ideas you like me to go over let me know, I' always up for learning new things with Shortcuts and automations.