Jason Cipriani/

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 theShortcutsapp on your iPhone.
2. TaponGalleryto explore all the available shortcuts.
3. Search for theSay Cheeseshortcut.
   
4. Tap on theSay Cheeseshortcut. 
5. Tap Add Shortcutto 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.

Personalizing the Say Cheese shortcut

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

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.

See also

How to record a phone call on an iPhoneHow to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)How to take a scrolling screenshot on Android and iPhoneHow to add your transit card to Apple Wallet

• How to record a phone call on an iPhone
• How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)
• How to take a scrolling screenshot on Android and iPhone
• How to add your transit card to Apple Wallet