Quick and Efficient Ways to Check the Weather on Your iPhone
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Digital Minimalism
In the ongoing digital minimalism series, I’m excited to share a practical guide that will help you check the weather effortlessly, avoiding the clutter of third-party applications. The reality is, adding more apps to our devices often increases stress and complicates our experience. Instead of wasting time searching for a weather app, there are multiple ways to access the latest weather updates without any cost.
Many weather applications available on the App Store tend to be either overpriced or overly complicated. While I enjoy exploring new apps to see how they cater to specific user needs, most weather apps fail to deliver unique features and instead try to appeal to a broad audience. In this article, I will outline two effective methods for swiftly obtaining weather information on your iPhone. While these techniques can sometimes be applied on a Mac, macOS has yet to fully replicate the Siri experience available on iPhones.
Section 1.1: Using Siri for Weather Updates
If you have an iPhone 7 or a more recent model, you can receive weather updates without even unlocking your device. Just say: “Hey Siri, what’s the weather?” Depending on your internet speed, you can expect a response in a matter of seconds. Personally, with a slower internet connection (around 40MB downstream), I receive a reply from Siri in under 1.5 seconds on my iPhone 12 Mini.
To enable hands-free Siri responses, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and select Siri & Search.
- Under Ask Siri, toggle on the option for "Listen for 'Hey Siri.'"
- You will be prompted to repeat a few phrases to help Siri recognize your voice.
Section 1.2: Utilizing the Shortcuts App
While engaged in other tasks on your iPhone, you might want to check the weather without losing focus. An effective multitasking method involves:
- Swiping down from the top of your device to access the notification screen.
- Swiping right until you reach the widget screen.
- Tapping on the search box.
- Typing the name of your shortcut (the app will assist in locating it without needing the full name).
- Selecting the Shortcut.
For this method to work smoothly, you’ll need a well-designed shortcut. The link below leads to a shortcut created by Federico Viticci and the MacStories team, which provides today’s weather forecast.
Today Weather Forecast
For more useful shortcuts, check out the MacStories website.
Thank you for engaging with this guide! I aim to help you utilize technology efficiently and effectively. I hope this tutorial has provided you with valuable insights into maximizing your use of Apple devices, particularly your iPhone.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions on quickly checking the weather from your iPhone, please share in the comments. I’d love to hear your feedback and discuss further.
Chapter 2: Additional Resources
The first video explores 25 items to declutter from your iPhone, showcasing how digital minimalism can streamline your device usage and enhance your experience.
The second video delves into simplifying life through digital minimalism, featuring what’s on an iPhone with iOS 17 and tips for finding balance in technology.