How to open Left with the iPhone Action Button

The Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, and later models can be assigned to run a Shortcut — including one that opens Left directly. Here's how to set it up.

What you need

• iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max or iPhone 16 series or later — the Action Button is available on these models
• Left installed on your iPhone
• Shortcuts app — built into iOS, no download needed

Step 1 — Create a Shortcut that opens Left

1. Open the Shortcuts app.
2. Tap the + button to create a new shortcut.
3. Tap Add Action, then search for "Open App".
4. Tap the App field in the action and select Left.
5. Tap the shortcut name at the top and rename it to something like "Open Left".
6. Tap Done.

Step 2 — Assign the Shortcut to the Action Button

1. Open Settings → Action Button.
2. Swipe through the options until you reach Shortcut.
3. Tap Choose a Shortcut and select the "Open Left" shortcut you just created.
4. Exit Settings — the Action Button is now configured.

Step 3 — Test it

Press and hold the Action Button (the button on the upper-left edge of your iPhone). Left should open immediately, even from the Lock Screen.

Advanced: open a specific Left event

If Left supports URL scheme deep links, you can open a specific event directly. Check the Left Shortcuts guide for available URL actions and how to build a shortcut that opens a named event rather than the app's main screen.

Other useful Action Button assignments

The Action Button supports one assignment at a time, but you can use a menu shortcut to present multiple options. Create a Shortcut with a "Choose from Menu" action listing several options (Open Left, Start Timer, Mute) — the Action Button then shows a picker each time it's pressed.