iOS 14.5 beta brings new Shortcuts for screenshots, orientation lock

My favorite new automations in Shortcuts in iOS 14
My favorite new automations in Shortcuts in iOS 14 (Image credit: Joseph Keller / iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple has added new Shortcuts to the latest iOS 14 beta.
  • They include commands for taking screenshots, changing data mode, and orientation lock.

Apple has added three new shortcuts to the iOS 14.5 beta for taking screenshots, setting orientation lock, and changing your 'Voice & Data' mode.

As noted by 9to5Mac:

With the release of iOS 14.5 beta 2 earlier today, Apple added new actions to the Shortcuts app for taking screenshots, changing orientation lock, and even changing cellular data mode.

'Take Screenshot' lets users take a screenshot automatically and save it to their photo library. They can also send the photo to a different app, or edit it briefly.

See more

'Orientation Lock' lets you control the feature using a Siri Shortcut. You can set the feature to toggle the button from whatever its current state is to the opposite, or set it to ensure the feature is always on (or off) each time you open a specific app or perform an action.

Finally, the 'Voice & Data' Shortcut will let you switch between different data modes automatically. You can choose between 3G, 4G, 5G Auto, and 5G, and can use the Shortcut to create an automation based on a time or location. For example, you can turn off 5G overnight whilst you're sleeping, or set it only activate whenever you leave your house.

Apple also added 217 new emojis in the latest beta. From that report:

As reported by Emojipedia, the latest iOS 14.5 beta has brought with it 217 new emojis for users to continue to expand their emoji game.New emojis have arrived on iOS as part of the latest iOS 14.5 beta. These include a heart on fire, exhaling face, and gender options for the people with beards. Also included in this update is a vaccine-friendly syringe emoji, and support for couples with a mix of skin tones.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9