App Intents · Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, widgets (iOS 16 → 27)

How it works

• AppIntent: static let title: LocalizedStringResource, @Parameter(title:) properties, func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult. Results: .result(), .result(value:) (chains in Shortcuts), .result(dialog:) (Siri speaks), .result(view:) (snippet).
• Parameter types: primitives, Date, URL…; AppEnum (fixed cases + caseDisplayRepresentations) or AppEntity (dynamic domain objects).
• AppEntity: id, displayRepresentation, typeDisplayRepresentation, static var defaultQuery. Its EntityQuery: entities(for: ids) (required — resolve saved ids), suggestedEntities() (picker), EntityStringQuery.entities(matching:) (spoken text). 26: @ComputedProperty (getter reads your model / UserDefaults — no stored copy), @DeferredProperty (get async throws: fetched only if the system asks).
• Asking the user: $room.requestValue(), requestDisambiguation, requestConfirmation. 26: requestConfirmation(actionName:snippetIntent:) shows a snippet; requestChoice(between:dialog:view:) with Option(title:style:) returns the pick or throws on cancel. ParameterSummary = the Shortcuts-editor sentence.
• AppShortcutsProvider: static var appShortcuts of AppShortcut(intent:phrases:…) — in Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts on install, zero setup. Every phrase contains \(.applicationName); max 10; one entity/enum parameter per phrase — updateAppShortcutParameters() when its values change.
• Where perform() runs: background by default, app UI not loaded, about 30 s. 26 static let supportedModes: IntentModes — .background, .foreground(.immediate / .dynamic / .deferred), combinable; in .dynamic call continueInForeground(_:alwaysConfirm:). openAppWhenRun is deprecated in 26 (“provide supportedModes”). Widget buttons run in the widget extension; LiveActivityIntent / AudioPlaybackIntent in the app. 27 allowedExecutionTargets (IntentExecutionTargets: main app, App Intents extension, WidgetKit extension) pins the process.
• Dependencies: @Dependency var store: Store, registered at launch with AppDependencyManager.shared.add { store } — not singletons reached from perform().
• Special conformances: WidgetConfigurationIntent (17), SetFocusFilterIntent, ControlConfigurationIntent (Control Center, 18), OpenIntent (opens an entity). 26 UndoableIntent: its undoManager registers undo for the in-app action. AppIntentsPackage (17, frameworks) now also for Swift packages + static libraries.

Example

struct ToggleLight: AppIntent {
  static let title: LocalizedStringResource = "Toggle Light"
  static let supportedModes: IntentModes = [.background, .foreground(.dynamic)]
  @Parameter(title: "Room") var room: RoomEntity
  @Dependency var lights: LightService
  func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult & ProvidesDialog {
    let on = try await lights.toggle(room.id)      // modes: iOS 26
    return .result(dialog: "\(room.name) is \(on ? "on" : "off")")
  }
}
// iOS 26: ask mid-perform with a custom snippet view
let archive = Option(title: "Archive", style: .default)
let delete  = Option(title: "Delete",  style: .destructive)
let pick = try await requestChoice(between: [.cancel, archive, delete],
    dialog: "Archive or delete \(album.name)?", view: AlbumCard(album))
struct RoomSnippet: SnippetIntent {                       // iOS 26
  @Parameter var room: RoomEntity
  func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult & ShowsSnippetView {
    .result(view: RoomCard(room))      // Button(intent: ToggleLight())...
  }                                    // RoomSnippet.reload() on change
}

Spotlight & donation (in brief)

NSUserActivity (isEligibleForSearch/Prediction, Handoff) · Core Spotlight CSSearchableItem + CSSearchableIndex · IndexedEntity (18) · donate (IntentDonationManager.shared.donate(intent:)) after in-app use — feeds suggestions, does not expose the action.

Which protocol when

Picture — write once, surface everywhere

Picture — “Toggle kitchen in Lumen”

New in iOS 26 · 26.4 · 27

• 26 Interactive snippets: SnippetIntent returns ShowsSnippetView; its buttons/toggles run other intents, then the system calls its perform() again to redraw; reload() when your data changes.
• 26 Visual intelligence: an IntentValueQuery with values(for input: SemanticContentDescriptor) (input.pixelBuffer) returns your entities for on-screen / camera image search; @UnionValue enum when results mix entity types.
• 26.4 CancellableIntent: withIntentCancellationHandler(operation:onCancel:) gets a reason — no progress past the 30 s limit, or the person cancelled.
• 27 LongRunningIntent (a ProgressReportingIntent): performBackgroundTask { …} runs past 30 s if it keeps updating progress. EntityCollection<T>: a parameter of ids only (.identifiers, resolvedEntities() when needed). SyncableEntity: id stable across devices (SyncableEntityIdentifier(local:stable:)) so Siri can hand off. App Intents Testing framework (AnyAppIntent, ResolvedIntentResult, IntentDefinitions).

Interview traps

• Phrase without \(.applicationName) — never matches.
• UI from a background perform() — declare supportedModes (pre-26: openAppWhenRun, now deprecated).
• “App Intents replaced SiriKit” — not all: messaging, VoIP calling, media, CarPlay still use INIntent + an Intents extension.
• Assuming app state in perform(); entities persist by id and re-resolve via the query.
• Long work in perform() with no progress — cancelled at ~30 s; report progress (LongRunningIntent in 27).
• Expensive entity fields computed eagerly — @DeferredProperty; copied state — @ComputedProperty.

Remember

“I-E-Q-S”: Intent does it, Entity names it, Query finds it, Shortcut says it — Modes say where it runs.

Likely questions

1. Action in Siri with no user setup? — AppShortcutsProvider.
2. AppEnum vs AppEntity? — fixed cases vs dynamic data + query.
3. Widget button runs code? — Button(intent:) → perform(), then reload.
4. Open the app from an intent (26)? — supportedModes + continueInForeground.
5. Appear in camera image search? — IntentValueQuery on SemanticContentDescriptor.
6. Snippet button tapped — what runs? — its intent, then the snippet’s perform() again.
7. Entity field is a network call? — @DeferredProperty: async, only when asked.