App Intents

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Explore the App Intents framework, including how to expose your app's actions and content to Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, and other system experiences.

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Posts under App Intents subtopic

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Handling Raw User Input Prompts (Open-ended Dictation)
In some of our intents, we want the user to dictate a custom prompt or text body to be stored in the memory cache (e.g., 'Siri, add memory tag with content: Remember to invalid auth caches when schema bumps'). How can we define an AppIntent parameter that accepts open-ended dictation or arbitrary string blocks from Siri's speech-to-text translator? Are there length limits or language restrictions on string parameters parsed by Siri?
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49
6d
Flexibility in adoption AppEntity Schemas
Hi, I have a list of contacts that I store in my app. Can I list all the contacts and their properties into the new Siri by adopting this schema? @available(iOS 27.0, *) @AppEntity(schema: .messages.messagePerson) struct CJPersonAppIndexedEntity: IndexedEntity { ... } It's not really part of the 'messages' domain, but is it correct to use? Also, if I have a concept of a 'task' and 'file' in my app? Can I use the .reminders domain and use .createreminder intent, and mix that 'reminders' and 'files' domains with the 'messages' domain, all in the same app?
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42
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How to show correct title for intents in Spotlight
In my plant watering app, I created a PlantEntity and a WaterPlantIntent that edits the plant to mark it as watered. PlantEntity conforms to AppEntity and IndexedEntity. I also created OpenPlantIntent that conforms to OpenIntent. My AppShortcutsProvider is implemented like so: struct ShortcutsProvider: AppShortcutsProvider { static var appShortcuts: [AppShortcut] { return [ AppShortcut( intent: WaterPlantIntent(), phrases: [ "Water plant in \(.applicationName)", "Water \(\.$plantEntity) in \(.applicationName)" ], shortTitle: "Water Plant", systemImageName: "drop.fill" ) ] } } Now, when I search in Spotlight for a plant name, two results are shown but both are titled the name of the plant. The one in the App Name section just opens the plant in the app but the one in the Top Hit section actually performs the WaterPlantIntent! There's no indication that would occur. I expected it to be titled Water Plant Name so users know what shortcut is being run. Is there a way I can configure my code to show the proper title here?
3
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Will Siri AI only use AppIntents that have AppSchemas when "vibe coding" shortcuts?
I have an app that allows users to create charts and add series to them using AppIntents in Shortcuts. I couldn't find any AppSchemas that would match my entities in the official documentation. While "vibe coding" shortcuts, will Siri AI only access app intents through AppSchemas? If 1 is true, is there any alternative to AppSchemas to make AppIntents discoverable by Siri?
1
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108
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optional properties beyond the shape of a schema domain
At WWDC24, the guidance was that you could extend a schema conforming App Entity beyond its pre-defined shape with optional parameters, but that these would not be understood by Siri. In tandem, there was also CSSearchableItemAttributeSet properties but I don't recall how those were or were not understood by Siri. Could you please help clarify how these two related concepts work together going forward in terms of how entities are exposed across Spotlight, Shortcuts, and Siri.
1
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81
6d
Sirikit to AppIntent Migration
For apps migrating from SiriKit to App Intents, is there a recommended way to test that an intent is actually discoverable by Siri AI — beyond just confirming the code compiles? Are there APIs to verify an intent is properly indexed and reachable via natural language? Divya Ravi, Senior iOS Engineer
1
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45
6d
AppIntents Compatibility
Here are a variety questions around compatibility, some related to iOS 27 changes, some related to iOS / watchOS: Sometimes my AppShortcutProvider do not update properly. Do you a suggested series of actions to clean them up on the device after making changes? I have a lot of trouble getting watch apps to recognize shortcuts that I supply to them, and trigger phrases that work on the phone fail on the watch even when it hears all the words correctly. Do you have any suggestions for supporting watchOS? There are a number of .result() variants for AppIntents, and some are only compatible with iOS 26 / 27. Do you have any recommendations for how to offer support for iOS 18 devices too without completely sacrificing the new features especially in iOS 27? AppEntity(schema:) for iOS 27 greatly expanded its usefulness, but they are not backward-compatible. Is there a way to gate the usage of AppEntity(schema:) for just iOS 27 or gracefully degrade? How does the new Siri interact with AppShortcutProvider? Are they unnecessary as long as I have Intent Entities and Intents? Do they interfere?
1
0
51
6d
Implementing EntityQuery Against a Custom External SQLite Database
In our application, we have dynamic records (sessions, workspaces, and logs) stored in a local SQLite database that is modified in real-time by a background command-line tool. We want Siri to resolve these as AppEntity types (e.g., 'Siri, show status of [Session Name]' or 'Siri, export log for [Project]'). Since EntityQuery requires returning list/suggested entities, how do we efficiently synchronize or query the external SQLite file from the App Intent extension? Are there file-locking or concurrency issues we should be aware of when the CLI tool is writing to the database while Siri is querying it? Is there a performance penalty or memory limit when returning thousands of dynamically generated AppEntity instances in suggestedEntities()? Should we implement custom indexing or virtual tables to support Siri's fuzzy name matching?
1
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23
6d
Can I import images into my app with App Intent Schemas?
I'm trying to create an App Intent that takes in an image and copies it to a destination within my app. Sure, this can be done with shortcuts, but that's lame, I want siri to grab an image off the screen and invoke the action! Without an app schema, it doesn't seem like siri can tell what's possible in the app, so I'm trying to find a schema that fits? I've started trying to do this with the photos.addAssetsToAlbum App Intent schema, but it doesn't seem like Siri is onboard with the concept. It's replied many times that it is unable to add things to my App and that I should try via other means like opening my app and importing directly. Should be I be trying this with a different intent schema?
2
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77
6d
Adopting AppIntents and AppEntities for Apple Intelligence
In my app, I adopt ‘App Intents’ and ‘App Entities’ for various items and actions in my app. These work in the Shortcuts app, and users can use Find Intents to lookup information or use the intents to act up on them, even though they don’t map on to any of the specific App ‘Schemes’ and ‘Domains’ that are listed. If I'm using just App Entities and Intents on their own, would these participate with the new Siri AI, without any additional work? For example, in my app, I have entities like Contacts, Tags, and ‘Visit Logs’. I have intents for 'create tag’, ‘add tags to a contact’, add a ‘Log’ to a 'contact' etc. These are specified in the AppShortcutsProvider list, but I have more than 10 intents. How would these work with the new Apple Intelligence and Siri? Or does Siri integration require AppSchema adoption?
6
4
195
6d
AppSchema in App Extension best practices
It’s often desirable to implement AppIntents in an app extension, but under AppSchema this is more challenging because “on screen awareness” binds views to app entities. This creates a need to synchronize AppEntity data across the boundary between the main app and the app extension. What are the best practices for managing the required bidirectional data exchange? Are there good sample applications that illustrate how to do this cleanly?
1
0
26
6d
Async AppEntity creation
For an AppIntent that creates an AppEntity via a long-running async task, does it make sense for the intent’s “perform” method to return a placeholder AppEntity and update it later via a donation, or is it best to make “perform” async and return only once the entity is completely resolved?
1
0
46
6d
IndexedEntity vs CoreSpotlight
In my app, I use CoreSpotlight to create CSSearchableItems (for Spotlight integration), and I also have a list of AppEntities for Shortcuts support. Are there any big benefits in migrating this setup to using IndexedEntity, with regards to Siri and Apple Intelligence? I also would need to support iOS17 for now. Note that the AppEntities don't map onto any existing AppSchema domains.
2
1
67
6d
Handling Raw User Input Prompts (Open-ended Dictation)
In some of our intents, we want the user to dictate a custom prompt or text body to be stored in the memory cache (e.g., 'Siri, add memory tag with content: Remember to invalid auth caches when schema bumps'). How can we define an AppIntent parameter that accepts open-ended dictation or arbitrary string blocks from Siri's speech-to-text translator? Are there length limits or language restrictions on string parameters parsed by Siri?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
49
Activity
6d
Flexibility in adoption AppEntity Schemas
Hi, I have a list of contacts that I store in my app. Can I list all the contacts and their properties into the new Siri by adopting this schema? @available(iOS 27.0, *) @AppEntity(schema: .messages.messagePerson) struct CJPersonAppIndexedEntity: IndexedEntity { ... } It's not really part of the 'messages' domain, but is it correct to use? Also, if I have a concept of a 'task' and 'file' in my app? Can I use the .reminders domain and use .createreminder intent, and mix that 'reminders' and 'files' domains with the 'messages' domain, all in the same app?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
42
Activity
6d
How to show correct title for intents in Spotlight
In my plant watering app, I created a PlantEntity and a WaterPlantIntent that edits the plant to mark it as watered. PlantEntity conforms to AppEntity and IndexedEntity. I also created OpenPlantIntent that conforms to OpenIntent. My AppShortcutsProvider is implemented like so: struct ShortcutsProvider: AppShortcutsProvider { static var appShortcuts: [AppShortcut] { return [ AppShortcut( intent: WaterPlantIntent(), phrases: [ "Water plant in \(.applicationName)", "Water \(\.$plantEntity) in \(.applicationName)" ], shortTitle: "Water Plant", systemImageName: "drop.fill" ) ] } } Now, when I search in Spotlight for a plant name, two results are shown but both are titled the name of the plant. The one in the App Name section just opens the plant in the app but the one in the Top Hit section actually performs the WaterPlantIntent! There's no indication that would occur. I expected it to be titled Water Plant Name so users know what shortcut is being run. Is there a way I can configure my code to show the proper title here?
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
73
Activity
6d
Will Siri AI only use AppIntents that have AppSchemas when "vibe coding" shortcuts?
I have an app that allows users to create charts and add series to them using AppIntents in Shortcuts. I couldn't find any AppSchemas that would match my entities in the official documentation. While "vibe coding" shortcuts, will Siri AI only access app intents through AppSchemas? If 1 is true, is there any alternative to AppSchemas to make AppIntents discoverable by Siri?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
108
Activity
6d
synonyms API on DisplayRepresentation
For schema conforming App Entities, does the synonyms API on DisplayRepresentation feed into Siri AI's natural language understanding of your app's entities?
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
46
Activity
6d
optional properties beyond the shape of a schema domain
At WWDC24, the guidance was that you could extend a schema conforming App Entity beyond its pre-defined shape with optional parameters, but that these would not be understood by Siri. In tandem, there was also CSSearchableItemAttributeSet properties but I don't recall how those were or were not understood by Siri. Could you please help clarify how these two related concepts work together going forward in terms of how entities are exposed across Spotlight, Shortcuts, and Siri.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
81
Activity
6d
Sirikit to AppIntent Migration
For apps migrating from SiriKit to App Intents, is there a recommended way to test that an intent is actually discoverable by Siri AI — beyond just confirming the code compiles? Are there APIs to verify an intent is properly indexed and reachable via natural language? Divya Ravi, Senior iOS Engineer
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
45
Activity
6d
AppIntents Compatibility
Here are a variety questions around compatibility, some related to iOS 27 changes, some related to iOS / watchOS: Sometimes my AppShortcutProvider do not update properly. Do you a suggested series of actions to clean them up on the device after making changes? I have a lot of trouble getting watch apps to recognize shortcuts that I supply to them, and trigger phrases that work on the phone fail on the watch even when it hears all the words correctly. Do you have any suggestions for supporting watchOS? There are a number of .result() variants for AppIntents, and some are only compatible with iOS 26 / 27. Do you have any recommendations for how to offer support for iOS 18 devices too without completely sacrificing the new features especially in iOS 27? AppEntity(schema:) for iOS 27 greatly expanded its usefulness, but they are not backward-compatible. Is there a way to gate the usage of AppEntity(schema:) for just iOS 27 or gracefully degrade? How does the new Siri interact with AppShortcutProvider? Are they unnecessary as long as I have Intent Entities and Intents? Do they interfere?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
51
Activity
6d
Implementing EntityQuery Against a Custom External SQLite Database
In our application, we have dynamic records (sessions, workspaces, and logs) stored in a local SQLite database that is modified in real-time by a background command-line tool. We want Siri to resolve these as AppEntity types (e.g., 'Siri, show status of [Session Name]' or 'Siri, export log for [Project]'). Since EntityQuery requires returning list/suggested entities, how do we efficiently synchronize or query the external SQLite file from the App Intent extension? Are there file-locking or concurrency issues we should be aware of when the CLI tool is writing to the database while Siri is querying it? Is there a performance penalty or memory limit when returning thousands of dynamically generated AppEntity instances in suggestedEntities()? Should we implement custom indexing or virtual tables to support Siri's fuzzy name matching?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
23
Activity
6d
Can I import images into my app with App Intent Schemas?
I'm trying to create an App Intent that takes in an image and copies it to a destination within my app. Sure, this can be done with shortcuts, but that's lame, I want siri to grab an image off the screen and invoke the action! Without an app schema, it doesn't seem like siri can tell what's possible in the app, so I'm trying to find a schema that fits? I've started trying to do this with the photos.addAssetsToAlbum App Intent schema, but it doesn't seem like Siri is onboard with the concept. It's replied many times that it is unable to add things to my App and that I should try via other means like opening my app and importing directly. Should be I be trying this with a different intent schema?
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
77
Activity
6d
SiriKit + App Name Synonyms
Is SiriKit now deprecated? And if so, how will that impact INAlternativeAppNames as it relates to app name synonyms in App Shortcuts?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
48
Activity
6d
Adopting AppIntents and AppEntities for Apple Intelligence
In my app, I adopt ‘App Intents’ and ‘App Entities’ for various items and actions in my app. These work in the Shortcuts app, and users can use Find Intents to lookup information or use the intents to act up on them, even though they don’t map on to any of the specific App ‘Schemes’ and ‘Domains’ that are listed. If I'm using just App Entities and Intents on their own, would these participate with the new Siri AI, without any additional work? For example, in my app, I have entities like Contacts, Tags, and ‘Visit Logs’. I have intents for 'create tag’, ‘add tags to a contact’, add a ‘Log’ to a 'contact' etc. These are specified in the AppShortcutsProvider list, but I have more than 10 intents. How would these work with the new Apple Intelligence and Siri? Or does Siri integration require AppSchema adoption?
Replies
6
Boosts
4
Views
195
Activity
6d
Will Siri _only_ invoke Schema-based Intents?
Will Siri only invoke Schema-based Intents? Is there no chance of Siri invoking another short cut, or share sheet extension with an input that its found on screen?
Replies
2
Boosts
2
Views
93
Activity
6d
Anything advertised that's not present in Beta1?
It's hard to know what should be working, and what's a symptom of the beta not including the functionality. Is there any functionality that we should expect to be present in beta 1?
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
15
Activity
6d
AppSchema in App Extension best practices
It’s often desirable to implement AppIntents in an app extension, but under AppSchema this is more challenging because “on screen awareness” binds views to app entities. This creates a need to synchronize AppEntity data across the boundary between the main app and the app extension. What are the best practices for managing the required bidirectional data exchange? Are there good sample applications that illustrate how to do this cleanly?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
26
Activity
6d
Any debugging tools beyond AppIntentsTesting?
Are there any tools this year to debug why siri can't see a schema-based intent or chooses not to invoke it? Is it possible to see what inputs siri has within the context of the conversation that could cascade into intents of other applications? I've had difficulties with knowing if something should work, or of it's just not possible.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
56
Activity
6d
Async AppEntity creation
For an AppIntent that creates an AppEntity via a long-running async task, does it make sense for the intent’s “perform” method to return a placeholder AppEntity and update it later via a donation, or is it best to make “perform” async and return only once the entity is completely resolved?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
46
Activity
6d
SiriKit (Car Commands) to AppIntent
Currently, I have a mix of SiriKit (Car Commands) and App Intents. Should I migrate everything to App Intents and discontinue SiriKit? Is there a compatible/similar AppSchema to Car Commands?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
30
Activity
6d
IndexedEntity vs CoreSpotlight
In my app, I use CoreSpotlight to create CSSearchableItems (for Spotlight integration), and I also have a list of AppEntities for Shortcuts support. Are there any big benefits in migrating this setup to using IndexedEntity, with regards to Siri and Apple Intelligence? I also would need to support iOS17 for now. Note that the AppEntities don't map onto any existing AppSchema domains.
Replies
2
Boosts
1
Views
67
Activity
6d
Opening an App as the Result of an App Intent
Is it possible to hand over from Siri to the App providing the App Intent (i.e. open the app from a Siri as result of an action)? For example, this could be handy when I actually want to show some UI in Response to a customer's prompt, like opening a Photo Album.
Replies
1
Boosts
1
Views
72
Activity
6d