ChatGPT adds SearchGPT to Apple Shortcuts

If you find yourself turning to ChatGPT instead of Google for quick answers on your phone, OpenAI just made that habit a whole lot easier.

In the latest update to the ChatGPT app on iOS and iPadOS, OpenAI quietly added a new action to Apple's Shortcuts app: Open SearchGPT.

For anyone with access to the search feature, tapping this shortcut instantly launches ChatGPT and jumps straight into web search mode, bypassing the standard chat screen entirely.

A direct lane to AI search

The shortcut bridges one of the biggest friction points on mobile, which is the extra taps it takes to get an AI web query going.

With Shortcuts integration, you can now pin SearchGPT directly to your Home Screen, drop it as a Lock Screen widget, or even map it to the Action Button on newer iPhone models.

That turns ChatGPT into something that behaves very much like a dedicated default search engine on your phone.

OpenAI officially rolled out ChatGPT Search in late October, offering context-aware web browsing, source links, and follow-up query support right inside conversations.

For now, SearchGPT remains limited to ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers, though OpenAI has said it plans to expand access to free users in the coming months. To set it up, you just need to grab the latest app update from the App Store.

Why it matters

Speed is everything on mobile. The difference between an app you use occasionally and one that replaces your default search engine usually comes down to how many taps it takes to get an answer.

By hooking into Apple's Shortcuts, OpenAI essentially gives power users a hardware-level shortcut to its AI search engine. If you are already paying for Plus, assigning this to your Action Button is arguably the fastest way to get real-time web answers on an iPhone today.

It is also a clever flanking move against Google. Google pays billions every year to remain the default search engine in Safari, but Shortcuts lets OpenAI sneak in through the back door entirely on user demand.

The obvious catch is the paywall. Until OpenAI opens search to free tier users, this remains a handy perk for paying subscribers rather than a mainstream Google killer.