How App Shortcuts work
App Shortcuts are built on App Intents. They let an iOS app define actions the system can run from Siri, Spotlight, the Shortcuts app, the Action Button, and other surfaces without needing a custom share-sheet extension.
In SnapAction, shortcuts focus on screenshot scanning: scan the latest screenshot, scan with a limit, open the app to scan, or report current scan status.
This is different from a Share Extension. A Share Extension receives content from another app’s share sheet. SnapAction’s current verified entrypoints are shortcut and widget surfaces for acting on screenshots already in Photos.
Example: scanning with the Action Button
User flow:
- Take a screenshot on iPhone
- Trigger the SnapAction shortcut from the Action Button or Siri
- SnapAction finds the latest screenshot in Photos
- The app sends it through the Convex AI analysis pipeline
- iOS shows scan progress and a notification when finished
Result: The screenshot becomes a resource card with metadata and next actions.
How SnapAction uses system surfaces
- App Shortcuts: Siri and Shortcuts phrases such as scanning a screenshot with SnapAction.
- Action Button: On supported iPhones, a shortcut can run the latest-screenshot scan quickly.
- Control Center widget: WidgetKit surfaces can open scan flows from Control Center.
- Live Activities: ActivityKit and Dynamic Island can show scan progress while work is running.
The marketing copy should describe these verified entrypoints rather than promising a share extension from Safari, X, Notion, or every other app.