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Turnpike

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 2, 2011
584
326
New York City!
Normally anything can be found with half an hour Googling, but the internet is FLOODED with "how to make Siri say what you want" type How-To's, and finding anything on the subject of customizing Siri commands (in the way I'm looking) seems to be impossible. Looking at my previous tests and the dates they are tagged with in various apps, I've been trying to figure this out since late 2020.

For example, (to keep it simple) I would like to be able to say "Hey Siri" and then instead of saying "new note" I'd like to be able to say "waffles" and it do the same thing. Then I want to be able to say "Hey Siri" and then instead of saying "Create new note in Drafts" I would just say "Bingo". Then I want to be able to say "Hey Siri" and instead of saying "Create new text note in Evernote" I want to say "Food". So while driving, I can (hands free) say "Hey Siri" "Food" "Bananas and Bread" and then "Bananas and Bread" gets added to an Evernote page. Is there a place where I can set something up, the same way custom autocorrect preferences can be set?

Ideally, I'd like to be able to say a quick, simple key word instead of "Create a new note in Drafts" and another simple key word instead of "New Note" for Notes, and so on for other apps. I take many many notes a day, and being able to sort them by app (or even by folders in the Notes app) would be a tremendous help. If you do this 75 times a day, saying "Create new note in Drafts" or a different phrase that works with a different app, remembering which phrase works with each app, and then making sure Siri hears you correctly without loosing the thought becomes a constant problem.

Again: I only use the iPhone for this, I don't use Siri for ANYTHING else so don't worry about conflicts, and I don't want to confuse the problem or solution by talking about the Apple Watch or Mac, and if there is a solution or app that costs money, that's not an issue either. I always use the latest, largest iPhone Pro if that ever makes any difference.

I'd pay or do anything for a solution to this, even if it's creating some kind of app just for this purpose. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
you can do this be creating a Shortcut, giving it the name you want and executing it then from Siri. Its is actually quite trivial - open Shortcuts and create the below:

IMG_2200.jpeg


Adjust the language settings. Be aware that »Dictated Text« is a magic variable, which you can simply select to add. Save the Shortcut under whatever name (top left corner).

You now can invoke the above via: "Hey Siri, waffles!" and a new note with your dictated text is created.

If you prefer Evernote, Apple’s Shortcuts provides access to e.g. create a a new note there too.
 
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