How to use Siri to take photos with your iPhone

I’ve been looking for a way to fire up the camera on my iPhone to take photos for ages. If I say “Siri, take a photo,” Siri will activate the camera but it won’t actually take a photo.

It’s 2023, a hands-free era, and I still have to press a button.

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Surely there’s a better way?

You bet!

Unlock the power of Siri to capture memories effortlessly using the iOS Shortcuts app. 

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Here are the simple steps to unlock this Siri superpower:

1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on Gallery to explore all the available shortcuts.
3. Search for the Say Cheese shortcut.
4. Tap on the Say Cheese shortcut. 
5. Tap Add Shortcut to integrate it into your Siri commands.
6. To personalize this shortcut, such as changing the camera or customizing the phrase, tap the three dots on the shortcut to make these changes.

Now, all you need to do is say, “Hey Siri, say cheese,” and let Siri do the snapping for you. 

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Note that on the first use, the shortcut will request permission to save photos to your gallery. Make sure to grant access, so your snapshots are saved seamlessly and automatically in the future.