I’m trying to create a Shortcut that will, as part of it, open a specific folder in Files on iOS and iPadOS.
Does anyone know if this is possible?
Yes, the “File” action lets you pick folders too. Then you can use the “Open File” action which will opens the folder you picked in the Files app.
1 Like
Thanks! Not completely sure how to get there though. I don’t really see how I can choose to open a folder with that action.
Are you saying I should just open a file and then I’m in the folder? And that’s sort of the workaround.
What I really need to do is have the File-picker show up in a specific folder and then be able to go into another folder and then select an audio file to play in the Files.app if that makes sense
You can navigate into the folder and press Open on the top.
2 Likes
I’ve not tested this, but per ChatGPT:
Yes, it is possible to create a Shortcut that opens a specific folder in the Files app on iOS or iPadOS. Here’s how you can set it up:
Steps to Create the Shortcut:
- Open the Shortcuts App:
• Launch the Shortcuts app on your iOS or iPadOS device.
- Create a New Shortcut:
• Tap the “+” button in the top-right corner to create a new shortcut.
- Add the “Open File” Action:
• Tap Add Action.
• Search for and select the “Open File” action.
- Specify the Folder Path:
• Tap the field for the file or folder.
• Navigate to the folder you want to open in the Files app.
• Select it and confirm. (Note: If the folder is in iCloud Drive, you can directly choose it. If it’s in another location, you may need to ensure it is accessible via Files.)
- Save and Name the Shortcut:
• Tap the ellipsis icon (•••) at the top of the screen.
• Give the shortcut a meaningful name (e.g., “Open Work Folder”).
• Optionally, add it to your Home Screen for quick access.
- Test the Shortcut:
• Tap the play icon in the bottom-right corner to test it and ensure it opens the correct folder.
Notes:
• The “Open File” action will default to opening the folder in Files as long as the selected folder is accessible in the Files app.
• Ensure permissions are granted if the folder resides in a third-party cloud storage service (e.g., Google Drive, OneDrive) connected to the Files app.
1 Like
If you go to the link that it scrapped this from you get screenshots too! 
2 Likes
Even better!
20 characters
1 Like
Thanks @Bmosbacker @RunningBoris and @zsbenke the photos helped. I did try ChatGPT but I couldn’t exactly replicate it.
Do you guys know if it’s possible to make a Shortcut that presents other shortcuts?
For example, now I have two alternative ways to start my meditation routine. One via Shortcut to Calm and the other via a Shortcut to audio files in the Finder app.
I would ideally be able to start a single Shortcut which would then present these two alternatives to me when I press it.
I don’t know if that makes sense or if it’s possible?
I sort of got to this point (see below), but can’t really seem to progress (I know that’s in Danish, which also doesn’t help when using ChatGPT or the web. Because instructions are usually in English). But that’s the If-option at the bottom
That’s easy as well. If you create a folder for your shortcuts you want to run, you can just get them by folder name directly, then use the “Choose from List” action to pass your desired shortcut to the “Run Shortcut” action.
Here’s an example which lets me pick a shortcut from a folder related to the current app I have open on my iPad.
By the way, I would advise to just start to browse Shortcuts actions on the right side and press on the “i” icon. It contains localized help messages for each action. I learned so much from doing this. You can even pin interesting ones as favorites.
2 Likes
I also use the shortcut action “Open Folder” (for shortcuts) which then puts the selected folder up on the screen, and you can then tap the shortcut you want to launch. I just think it looks nicer than a “choose from” menu, but that’s a personal quirk.
-Eric
1 Like
I’m sorry to bother the friendly folks in this thread once more. But I have tried really hard to make this Shortcut happen.
I’m sort of stuck now where I can’t seem to link the “Or” to start the Shortcut that opens the folder with the meditation files
I can’t for the life of me make it work. Does anyone know why those two can’t be linked?
