Guide
How to Show Your Current City on iPhone
Want to know what town you're in at a glance? Here's how to build a free iOS Shortcut that tells you — and an honest look at what it can and can't do.
The Free Way: iOS Shortcuts
Apple's Shortcuts app lets you build a simple automation that grabs your current location and shows you the city name. It takes about two minutes to set up.
Open the Shortcuts app
It comes pre-installed on every iPhone. If you deleted it, re-download it from the App Store.
Tap the + button to create a new shortcut
This opens a blank shortcut ready for you to add actions.
Add "Get Current Location" action
Tap "Add Action" or the search bar at the bottom, then search for "Get Current Location" and tap it to add it.
Add "Get Details of Location" action
Search for "Get Details of Location" and add it. Then tap the detail type (it defaults to something like "Street") and change it to City.
Add "Show Result" action
Search for "Show Result" and add it. This displays the city name on screen when the shortcut runs.
Name it and add to your home screen
Tap the name at the top to rename it (something like "Where Am I"). Then tap the share icon (or the dropdown arrow next to the name) and select "Add to Home Screen." Now you have a button on your home screen that shows your current city when tapped.
That's it. Tap the icon on your home screen, wait a moment for the GPS fix, and it'll show you your current city. Free, no app required.
What You Can't Do with Shortcuts
The Shortcut above works, but it has real limitations that are worth knowing about before you decide it's good enough.
- • No auto-updating widget. Shortcuts don't run in the background. You have to tap the icon every time you want to check. There's no way to make a Shortcut that keeps a widget updated on your home screen.
- • No lock screen widget. You can't add a Shortcut result to your lock screen. You'd have to unlock your phone, find the icon, and tap it.
- • No Apple Watch complication. Shortcuts doesn't extend to watch face complications. Your wrist stays uninformed.
- • No StandBy mode. When your phone is charging in landscape, Shortcuts can't put your city on the StandBy screen.
- • No CarPlay. You can't get a Shortcut result onto your car's dashboard display.
- • It's not glanceable. The whole point of knowing what town you're in is that it should take zero effort. A Shortcut requires you to actively decide to check, then wait for the GPS. It works, but it's not the same as glancing at your screen and knowing.
Or Just Download Hereish
Hereish does everything the Shortcut can't. It puts your current town on a home screen widget that updates automatically, on your lock screen, in StandBy mode, on your Apple Watch, and in CarPlay. No tapping, no waiting. One glance.
It costs $2, collects zero data, and runs entirely on your device. No subscription, no ads.
