There’s a better way: a two-action Shortcut you can run from Control Centre that jumps straight to the current app’s Settings page.

WHAT THIS SHORTCUT DOES

This shortcut detects the app you’re currently using and opens that app’s Settings page. No scrolling. No searching. One tap and you’re there.

It works with most apps that expose a Settings page, Apple apps and third-party apps alike.

WHY IT’S WORTH ADDING

The Settings app is huge. Between Apple’s apps and everything you’ve installed over time, finding one specific app’s settings can take longer than it should.

If you regularly adjust things like:

• notifications

• location access

• camera / microphone permissions

• background refresh

• local network access (handy for smart home apps)

…this shortcut removes a surprising amount of friction.

Because it lives in Control Centre, you don’t even need to properly “leave” the app. Swipe down, tap once, change the setting, swipe back, carry on.

HOW IT WORKS

The shortcut uses the app-prefs: URL scheme, a special link format that iOS can use to jump into specific parts of Settings.

Every app has a unique bundle identifier (a text string like com.apple.mobilesafari or com.google.Maps). The shortcut grabs the bundle identifier for the current app, drops it into an app-prefs: link, and opens it.

That’s the whole trick.

NOTE: Deep links like this can be a bit finicky across iOS versions. If it ever opens the main Settings screen instead of a specific app, check the Troubleshooting section below.

BUILD THE SHORTCUT

1. Open Shortcuts

2. Tap + to create a new shortcut

3. Name it something obvious, like App Settings

4. Give it an icon if you wish. If you don't it will normally default to a Safari icon.

STEP 1: GET CURRENT APP

1. Search for Get Current App

2. Tap it to add it to the shortcut.

This action captures the app that’s currently open (or was most recently open) and exposes its details to the next step — the key one being Bundle Identifier.

NOTE: A bundle identifier is just the app’s internal ID. You won’t normally see it in iOS, but it’s how Settings knows which app page to open.

STEP 2: OPEN THE APP SETTINGS URL

1. Search for the Open URLs action.

1. Add it to your shortcut. Then remove the default variable of Open Current App by selecting the Clear Variable

2. In the URL field, enter this format: app-prefs: then add the Get Current app variable

3. Select the Current App variable selected scroll down the list of types and select Bundle Identifier.

Your final shortcut should look like this:

That’s it. Two actions, done.

TIP: If you don’t see Bundle Identifier as a detail option, tap the variable again and look for a “Details” or “Show More” option, then select Bundle Identifier from the list.

ADD IT TO CONTROL CENTRE

This is what makes it genuinely useful rather than just a neat trick.

1. Open Settings

2. Tap Control Centre

3. Tap Add a Control

4. Find Run Shortcut (or Shortcuts)

5. Choose your App Settings shortcut

Once it’s added, you can long-press in Control Centre to enter edit mode and drag it somewhere thumb-friendly.

TIP: Adding a specific shortcut to Control Centre requires iOS 18 or later. On older versions you’ll only get a generic Shortcuts control that opens the app.

HOW TO USE IT

Open any app → swipe down for Control Centre → tap your shortcut.

Settings should open directly on that app’s page (notifications, permissions, background refresh, etc.).

If you run it from the Home Screen, or from an app that doesn’t expose a Settings page, it may fall back to opening the main Settings screen instead.

TROUBLESHOOTING

THE SHORTCUT OPENS THE MAIN SETTINGS SCREEN INSTEAD OF THE APP PAGE

This can happen if the app doesn’t expose a Settings page, or if iOS doesn’t recognise that app’s bundle identifier via app-prefs:. It’s uncommon, but it does happen.

I GET A PERMISSION PROMPT THE FIRST TIME I RUN IT

That’s normal. iOS may ask for confirmation the first time a shortcut opens Settings via a URL scheme. Tap Allow and it shouldn’t ask again.

IT DOESN’T SEEM TO DETECT THE RIGHT APP

Run it while the app is still open, or immediately after switching away from it. If you’ve hopped between a few apps, Shortcuts may not grab the one you intended.

I CAN’T FIND “GET CURRENT APP”

Double-check you’re on iOS/iPadOS 18.5+. If you are, try restarting your device and reopening Shortcuts — some actions only appear after the OS/Shortcuts database refreshes.

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