iOS 17.2 Includes 50 New URL Schemes You Can Use in Shortcuts on Your iPhone

The iOS 17.2 update for iPhone is a big one. Aside from huge new features like the Journal app, Contact Key Verification for iMessage, and a revamped TV app, there are 50 new URL schemes you can use in your self-created shortcuts.

If you're unfamiliar, schemes are names assigned to apps in a format that resembles the protocol portion of URLs, such as https:// or ftp://. So, a scheme for the Camera app on your iPhone would look like camera://. The basic scheme opens up the app in question, and you can turn them into links or deep links with paths, parameters, fragments, and other components added that point to something specific in the app.

URL schemes like these are helpful in custom-made shortcuts in the Shortcuts app when the app itself doesn't have any shortcut actions available by default or as Siri Shortcuts. They also make it possible for Apple to include quick links in the Settings app when you perform searches, so there are at least 25 new items you may come across during a Settings search.

So, what are the new URL schemes available on iOS 17.2?

First, there are schemes for the new Journal app and Journal's settings:

open | moments://
open | prefs:root=JOURNAL

And two for the new Contact Key Verification for iMessage setting:

highlight | prefs:root=APPLE_ACCOUNT#TRANSPARENCY
open      | prefs:root=APPLE_ACCOUNT&path=TRANSPARENCY

Beyond that, the Accessibility settings have new URL schemes that work on iOS 17.2 and later only, including:

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Switch Control ⇾ Menu Items

↳ Top Level
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier#TopLevel
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/TopLevel
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/TopLevel#TopLevel

↳ Media Controls
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier#MediaControls
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/MediaControls
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/MediaControls#MediaControls

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ VoiceOver ⇾ Commands
highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE#CustomizeCommands
open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands

↳ Braille Screen Input
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands#BrailleScreenInput
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/BrailleScreenInput
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/BrailleScreenInput#BrailleScreenInput

↳ Handwriting
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands#Handwriting
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/Handwriting
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/Handwriting#Handwriting

↳ Keyboard Shortcuts
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands#KeyboardShortcuts
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/KeyboardShortcuts
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/KeyboardShortcuts#KeyboardShortcuts

↳ Reset VoiceOver Commands
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands#ResetVoiceOverCommands
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/ResetVoiceOverCommands

↳ Touch Gestures
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands#TouchGestures
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/TouchGestures
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/CustomizeCommands/TouchGestures#TouchGestures

There are also new URL schemes added for Accessibility and other settings that work on other iOS versions, not just iOS 17.2, including:

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Touch ⇾ AssistiveTouch

↳ Side/Top Button Confirmation
  section | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=HOME_CLICK_TITLE/APPLE_PAY_CONFIRM_WITH_AST

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Home Button

↳ Rest Finger to Open
  toggle | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=HOME_CLICK_TITLE/HomeButtonAssistantTitle#RestingUnlockSetting

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Live Captions

↳ Appearance
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION#LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE#LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE

  ↳ Bold Text
    highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE#ENHANCE_TEXT_LEGIBILITY
    open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE/ENHANCE_TEXT_LEGIBILITY
    open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE/ENHANCE_TEXT_LEGIBILITY#ENHANCE_TEXT_LEGIBILITY

  ↳ Color Options
    section | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE#LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_COLOR_OPTIONS

  ↳ Idle Opacity
    section | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE#LIVE_CAPTIONS_IDLE_OPACITY_TITLE

  ↳ Text Size
    highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE#LARGER_TEXT
    open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE/LARGER_TEXT
    open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION/LIVE_TRANSCRIPTION_APPEARANCE/LARGER_TEXT#LARGER_TEXT

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Spoken Content ⇾ Highlight Content

↳ Sentence Highlight Style
  section | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/QuickSpeakHighlight#SENTENCE_HIGHLIGHT_STYLE

↳ Highlight Colors
  section | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/QuickSpeakHighlight#COLOR_CHOICE

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Spoken Content ⇾ Speech Controller

↳ Long Press
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController#SpeechControllerLongPressAction
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController/SpeechControllerLongPressAction
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController/SpeechControllerLongPressAction#SpeechControllerLongPressAction

↳ Double Tap
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController#SpeechControllerDoubleTapAction
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController/SpeechControllerDoubleTapAction
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController/SpeechControllerDoubleTapAction#SpeechControllerDoubleTapAction

↳ Idle Opacity
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController#SpeechControllerIdleOpacity
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController/SpeechControllerIdleOpacity
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=SPEECH_TITLE/SpeechController/SpeechControllerIdleOpacity#SpeechControllerIdleOpacity

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Switch Control

↳ Side/Top Button Confirmation
  toggle | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle#APPLE_PAY_SWITCH

↳ Side/Top Button Confirmation
  toggle | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=HOME_CLICK_TITLE/APPLE_PAY_CONFIRM_WITH_SC
  toggle | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=HOME_CLICK_TITLE/APPLE_PAY_CONFIRM_WITH_SC#APPLE_PAY_CONFIRM_WITH_SC

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Switch Control ⇾ Menu Items

↳ Gestures
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier#Gestures
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/Gestures
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/Gestures#Gestures

↳ Device
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier#Device
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/Device
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/Device#Device

↳ Settings
  highlight | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier#Settings
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/Settings
  open      | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=ScannerSwitchTitle/CustomizeMenuIdentifier/Settings#Settings

Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ VoiceOver ⇾ Braille

↳ Choose a Braille Device
  section | prefs:root=ACCESSIBILITY&path=VOICEOVER_TITLE/Braille#DEVICES

There are likely more URL schemes hiding within iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2, and we'll update this guide when we find them.

Cover photo by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks