How to stop the shortcuts app from showing before my app opens

Fix the Shortcuts popup that appears when launching apps from Blank Spaces.

Make sure you have updated to the latest version of Blank Spaces on the App Store.

When you tap an app on your Blank Spaces widget, you might briefly see the Apple Shortcuts app flash on screen before your app opens. This happens because of how iOS handles widget-to-app launches. Here's how to fix it.

1. Turn on direct app launching

Some apps support launching directly (without routing through Blank).

  1. Open Blank Spaces and tap the paintbrush icon (top right).

  2. Scroll down to App Launching.

  3. Turn on Try to launch apps directly.

2. Set up Auto Launch (if the issue persists)

If some apps still route through Shortcuts, you can use our built-in Auto Launch plugin to bypass it entirely.

  1. Open Blank Spaces and tap the + icon at the bottom of any widget.

  2. Tap App missing.

  3. Tap Set up Auto Launch.

  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to link your shortcut and automation. Setup takes about 3 minutes.

Still seeing a flash? Reduce the visual effect

If you still need to route through Shortcuts for certain apps, you can minimize the visual disruption by enabling Reduce Motion on your iPhone:

Settings → Accessibility → Motion → turn on Reduce Motion

This won't eliminate the redirect, but it removes the animation so the transition feels faster.