• With iOS 18.4, Apple offers a new Shortcuts action called “Open Conversation” which lets you access specific chats inside Messages.
  • To create it, go to the Shortcuts app > + icon > Open Conversations, and select the chat you want to add as a shortcut.
  • You can then add this shortcut to the lock screen, home screen, Control Center, or Action Button to access this chat instantly.

With iOS 18.4, it’s now possible to access a favorite chat in the Messages app straight from the iPhone Lock Screen. Apple has added a new Shortcuts action that can open any particular conversation in the Messages app. Since you can add any shortcut as a Lock Screen Control, all it’ll take is a little bit of configuration to access your favorite messages from the lock screen in a jiffy.

How to Access Favorite Messages app from iPhone Lock Screen

Accessing your favorite messages from the iPhone lock screen is a two-part process. First, you’ll need to create the shortcut and then add it to your lock screen.

Step 1: Create a Shortcut Using Open Conversation Action

Creating the shortcut to open a specific conversation will only take a moment in the Shortcuts app. As noted earlier, your iPhone needs to be running iOS 18.4 or later to be able to create this shortcut.

  1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the plus + icon at the top right of the screen from the Shortcuts tab.
  3. Type “conversation” in the Search Actions search bar and tap on Open Conversation .
Create Open Conversation shortcut - 1
  1. Tap on the blue Conversations option and select the conversation you want to add to the shortcut from the drop-down menu. The drop-down will list all your recent conversations.
  2. Tap on Done to save the shortcut.

Note You can also add a variable so it asks to select input each time the shortcut is run. But that would defeat the point of getting to a conversation faster.

Add a Favorite chat to the Open Conversation shortcut - 2

Step 2: Add Shortcut to the Lock Screen

Once you’ve created the shortcut in the Shortcuts app, all that’s left to do is add it to your lock screen.

  1. Unlock your iPhone using Face ID, but don’t swipe up to go to the Home Screen.
  2. Long-press the lock screen until you enter editing mode. Swipe left or right to choose the lock screen you want to edit, and tap on Customize. Then, tap on the Lock Screen preview thumbnail on the left.
  3. If you already have a Lock Screen control in place, tap on the minus (-) icon on the control you want to replace.
  4. Then tap on the plus (+) icon .
Customize Lock Screen Controls on iPhone - 3
  1. From the Controls menu, select Shortcut.
  2. Tap on the Choose option on the Shortcut pop-up.
  3. Then, select the Open Conversation shortcut you just created.
Add Open Conversation shortcut to Lock Screen - 4
  1. Tap anywhere on the screen to close the pop-up and tap Done to save the changes.
  2. The shortcut will be added, and you’ll be able to open your favorite conversation from the lock screen now.
Access favorite Messages chat from Lock Screen - 5

That’s all there is to it. Using this shortcut, you can keep any conversation – spouses, friends, family members, or anyone at all – at the tip of your fingertips. Just one long press and your favorite messages will open right away from the lock screen.

Besides the lock screen, you can also add this shortcut to the Control Center, add its widget to the home screen, and assign it to the Action Button. It’d be great if Apple added an option to access chats from third-party apps as well. Not everyone’s an avid iMessage user, after all. But for those of you who are, or want to become one, it’s definitely a nifty feature.

Bringing the latest in technology, gaming, and entertainment is our superhero team of staff writers. They have a keen eye for latest stories, happenings, and even memes for tech enthusiasts.

Add new comment

Name

Email ID

Δ

Author - 6 Author - 7 Author - 8 Author - 9 Author - 10 Author - 11 Using-Siri-on-iPhone - 12
  • Apple and Google have officially confirmed their team-up for the next-gen Siri AI.
  • The Cupertino Giant will be using Google’s Gemini for a more personalized Siri model as well as Apple Intelligence features.
  • We can expect the next-gen Siri to come out with iOS 26.4, sometime in March or April.

Apple has officially confirmed joining forces with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power the next-generation Siri. It will offer a more personalized experience and will be coming out with the iOS 26.4 update. Apple also plans to leverage Gemini’s capabilities for other Apple Intelligence features as well, later down the line.

The Next-Gen Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI

Apple officially confirmed that it will be partnering with Google in a statement to CNBC . Here’s what it stated, “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models, and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users.”

Later, Google also shared a post on X confirming the tie-up, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.”

News from Google X Post Screenshot - 13

Image Credit: X/@NewsFromGoogle

Both statements clearly mention that the Cupertino Giant will be using Gemini to power its assistant Siri. This was already rumored, as Apple’s attempts to acquire Perplexity went nowhere. With Gemini, Siri will get a major AI update . It will be able to handle more nuanced conversations and provide better results. Something long-time Apple users have been asking for years.

The next-gen Siri will arrive with the iOS 26.4 update, which will launch sometime in March or April. And it is only going to be available for Apple Intelligence-supported devices .

Something else worth noting is how Google’s statement mentions that Gemini will power Apple Intelligence features. This leads us to believe that Apple could use Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities for its Writings tools , Image Playground , and Message summaries, too.

Elon Musk Not Happy With Apple and Google Tie Up

xAI CEO Elon Musk also responded to Google’s announcement post on X, sharing his thoughts on the matter by saying, “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.” Though we don’t expect either Apple or Google to respond to Elon, we will update the situation as it progresses.

It is worth noting that xAI is the company behind Grok, which is in hot water currently due to its inappropriate image generation fiasco , and has been getting backlash from multiple news outlets, X users, and even government authorities.

How to Access Your Favorite Messages from iPhone Lock Screen - 14

With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.

Add new comment

Name

Email ID

Δ