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Manually creating Settings launchers in app launching apps

CoolRick

CoolRick

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 15, 2017
3
10
UPDATE: These Settings URLs no longer work starting in iOS 11. Apple has removed that functionality from the Settings app. Your only choice to keep these functional would be to remain on iOS 10.

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Apple is now apparently cracking down on app launching apps abilities to launch into the different screens within the Settings app (see latest release of Launcher from Cromulent Labs). The removal of this feature is very upsetting because the ability to go directly into the various screens of the Settings app is very handy. It seems that existing launchers still function, but evidently Apple won't allow these apps to let you create new ones going forward. So I thought I would share how one can manually create these themselves.

Most app launching apps allow you to create launchers where you input your own URL. You can use this to create your own launchers for the Settings app by following these steps. They apply to the Launcher app by Cromulent Labs, but are generally applicable to all app launching apps.
  1. Create a new launcher (Custom Launcher in the Launcher app) that allows you to set the URL.
  2. In Launcher, you can tap on the icon, choose "Custom Icon" and then "Choose App Icon". Then you can search for "settings" to see all of the previous Settings icons and choose the one you want for the new launcher. Or search for "bluetooth" or "battery", etc.
  3. Input the name of the launcher in the name field.
  4. Now it's time to set the URL. Here is a list of the URLs that can be used to launch into the various screens of the Settings app. Copy and paste the corresponding line that starts with "Prefs" into the URL field. Then save and you're done. These work on iOS 10 currently. No guarantees for other versions of iOS.

Settings
App-Prefs:root
Settings -> About
App-Prefs:root=General&path=About
Settings -> Accessibility
App-Prefs:root=General&path=ACCESSIBILITY
Settings -> Autolock
App-Prefs:root=DISPLAY&path=AUTOLOCK
Settings -> Background App Refresh
App-Prefs:root=General&path=AUTO_CONTENT_DOWNLOAD
Settings -> Battery Usage
App-Prefs:root=BATTERY_USAGE
Settings -> Bluetooth
App-Prefs:root=Bluetooth
Settings -> CallerID
App-Prefs:root=Phone&path=CallerID
Settings -> Cellular/Mobile
App-Prefs:root=MOBILE_DATA_SETTINGS_ID
Settings -> Compass
App-Prefs:root=COMPASS
Settings -> Control Center
App-Prefs:root=ControlCenter
Settings -> Date/Time
App-Prefs:root=General&path=DATE_AND_TIME
Settings -> Dictionary
App-Prefs:root=General&path=DICTIONARY
Settings -> Display/Brightness
App-Prefs:root=DISPLAY
Settings -> Do Not Disturb
App-Prefs:root=DO_NOT_DISTURB
Settings -> Facebook
App-Prefs:root=FACEBOOK
Settings -> Facetime
App-Prefs:root=FACETIME
Settings -> Flickr
App-Prefs:root=FLICKR
Settings -> Game Center
App-Prefs:root=GAMECENTER
Settings -> General
App-Prefs:root=General
Settings -> iCloud
App-Prefs:root=CASTLE
Settings -> iCloud Backup
App-Prefs:root=CASTLE&path=BACKUP
Settings -> iCloud Storage
App-Prefs:root=CASTLE&path=STORAGE_AND_BACKUP
Settings -> International
App-Prefs:root=General&path=INTERNATIONAL
Settings -> iTunes & App Store
App-Prefs:root=STORE
Settings -> Keyboard
App-Prefs:root=General&path=Keyboard
Settings -> Keyboard -> Keyboards
App-Prefs:root=General&path=Keyboard/KEYBOARDS
Settings -> Location Services
App-Prefs:root=Privacy&path=LOCATION
Settings -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars
App-Prefs:root=ACCOUNT_SETTINGS
Settings -> Manage Storage
App-Prefs:root=General&path=STORAGE_ICLOUD_USAGE/DEVICE_STORAGE
Settings -> Maps
App-Prefs:root=MAPS
Settings -> Messages
App-Prefs:root=MESSAGES
Settings -> Multitasking
App-Prefs:root=General&path=MULTITASKING
Settings -> Music
App-Prefs:root=MUSIC
Settings -> Music EQ
App-Prefs:root=MUSIC&path=com.apple.Music:EQ
Settings -> Notes
App-Prefs:root=NOTES
Settings -> Notifications
App-Prefs:root=NOTIFICATIONS_ID
Settings -> Passcode
App-Prefs:root=PASSCODE
Settings -> Personal Hotspot
App-Prefs:root=INTERNET_TETHERING
Settings -> Phone
App-Prefs:root=Phone
Settings -> Photos
App-Prefs:root=Photos
Settings -> Privacy
App-Prefs:root=Privacy
Settings -> Profiles
App-Prefs:root=General&path=ManagedConfigurationList
Settings -> Reminders
App-Prefs:root=REMINDERS
Settings -> Reset
App-Prefs:root=General&path=Reset
Settings -> Ringtone
App-Prefs:root=Sounds&path=Ringtone
Settings -> Safari
App-Prefs:root=SAFARI
Settings -> SIM/PIN
App-Prefs:root=Phone&path=SIM%20PIN
Settings -> Siri
App-Prefs:root=SIRI
Settings -> Sounds
App-Prefs:root=Sounds
Settings -> Software Update
App-Prefs:root=General&path=SOFTWARE_UPDATE_LINK
Settings -> Storage & iCloud Usage
App-Prefs:root=General&path=STORAGE_ICLOUD_USAGE
Settings -> Touch ID & Passcode
App-Prefs:root=TOUCHID_PASSCODE
Settings -> Twitter
App-Prefs:root=TWITTER
Settings -> Usage
App-Prefs:root=General&path=USAGE
Settings -> Videos
App-Prefs:root=VIDEO
Settings -> Vimeo
App-Prefs:root=VIMEO
Settings -> Volume Limit
App-Prefs:root=MUSIC&path=com.apple.Music:VolumeLimit
Settings -> VPN
App-Prefs:root=General&path=VPN
Settings -> Wallet & Apple Pay
App-Prefs:root=PASSBOOK
Settings -> Wallpaper
App-Prefs:root=Wallpaper
Settings -> Weibo
App-Prefs:root=WEIBO
Settings -> Wi-Fi
App-Prefs:root=WIFI

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Michaelgtrusa, rhett7660, gaanee and 3 others
Thanks for compiling this list. Creating custom launchers for Settings could still work.
I wonder why Apple is changing its policies regarding Launcher apps, this is not the first time Apple has blocked launching Settings, though in the past it has allowed this functionality back again.

 
Thanks for the list - very helpful.

I hate it when Apple takes away useful functionality. If there is a security reason they have done this then why don't they do their own launcher app!?!

I was going to get a new iPad, but I am getting sick of having to have multiple apps and jumping through hoops to get things done.
 
Thanks for the complete Settings URL scheme list. A part of that was also added by some of us in the Launcher topic as well.

If it's indeed again the case that Apple is now blocking apps to have these links to quick Settings in their apps build-in I hate they do that. I sure hope that this won't be the case when iOS11 becomes available and that it isn't allowed anymore at all (also not when you create it manually). They should really keep this open to third parties and finally get their own quick settings via the Control Center opened up so you can easily add your own quick settings there.
 
Here's more not in the above list.

Prefs:root=MUSIC&path=com.apple.Music:VolumeLimit

Prefs:root=General&path=Keyboard/KEYBOARDS

Prefs:root=Sounds&path=Ringtone

Prefs:root=General&path=DICTIONARY
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much for creating this list. Maybe mods can make this a wiki so that other users can add to it.
 
@CoolRick thanks for the update. I also copied your post in the Launcher topic start post as well just now and mentioned you as the source ofcourse.

I think it might also be good to keep the URL scheme names available somewhere for iOS9/10 users like with so therefore I kept those in the Launcher topic as well.

Example: Location Services:
Prefs:root=LOCATION_SERVICES (iOS8/9)
Prefs:root=Privacy&path=LOCATION (iOS10)
App-Prefs:root=Privacy&path=LOCATION (iOS11)
 
pacorob said:
@CoolRick thanks for the update. I also copied your post in the Launcher topic start post as well just now and mentioned you as the source ofcourse.

I think it might also be good to keep the URL scheme names available somewhere for iOS9/10 users like with so therefore I kept those in the Launcher topic as well.

Example: Location Services:
Prefs:root=LOCATION_SERVICES (iOS8/9)
Prefs:root=Privacy&path=LOCATION (iOS10)
App-Prefs:root=Privacy&path=LOCATION (iOS11)
Click to expand...

Did the url schemes in iOS 9 not begin with a lower case p? like prefs:.
 
Ledsteplin said:
Did the url schemes in iOS 9 not begin with a lower case p? like prefs:.
Click to expand...

Yes I think they did but I don't think with older iOS 8/9 both lower and capital case types were possible. I will check and update it in the topic start at Launcher topic then to lower case just to make sure.
It was iOS10 that suddenly need to have capital case letter.
 
rhett7660 said:
Quick question, is there a way to have launcher turn on "hotspot"?
Click to expand...

No unfortunately you can't do that with these third party Launcher widgets it's only a direct link to the Settings page and then you still need to change the switch manually there. Maybe with Apple's new iOS11 Control Center you can in the near future.
 
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One I use regularly is clock - to set alarm. In ios11 this doesn’t work with Launcher. Is there a URL for clock?

Thanks
 
RecentlyConverted said:
One I use regularly is clock - to set alarm. In ios11 this doesn’t work with Launcher. Is there a URL for clock?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The below URL schemes worked in the previous versions (source), I don't have iOS11 so are you saying none of the below ones work anymore?

Clock:
Clock-worldclock://
Clock-alarm://
Clock-stopwatch://
Clock-timer://
 
pacorob said:
The below URL schemes worked in the previous versions (source), I don't have iOS11 so are you saying none of the below ones work anymore?

Clock:
Clock-worldclock://
Clock-alarm://
Clock-stopwatch://
Clock-timer://
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.

I had setup clock before in Launcher so I could quickly set up new alarms.

In ios11 a message comes up stating Apple have withdrawn this functionality, so I thought I would try and set it up this way, but it doesn’t work.
 
RecentlyConverted said:
Thanks for that.

I had setup clock before in Launcher so I could quickly set up new alarms.

In ios11 a message comes up stating Apple have withdrawn this functionality, so I thought I would try and set it up this way, but it doesn’t work.
Click to expand...

That's new. Are you saying now that this only applies for clock that this doesn't work with Launcher widgets in iOS11 or any Apple Settings/Apple app URL schemes? Have you tried others?
 
pacorob said:
That's new. Are you saying now that this only applies for clock that this doesn't work with Launcher widgets in iOS11 or any Apple Settings/Apple app URL schemes? Have you tried others?
Click to expand...

Other settings I tried worked, the clock doesn’t - hence the message.
 
pacorob said:
The below URL schemes worked in the previous versions (source), I don't have iOS11 so are you saying none of the below ones work anymore?

Clock:
Clock-worldclock://
Clock-alarm://
Clock-stopwatch://
Clock-timer://
Click to expand...


I'm on iOS 10.1.1. No matter which of these schemes for clock is used, it goes to whichever tab it was left on when closing the app.
 
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