App open/close triggers for iOS automations stopped working after update

Question

Level 1

4 points

App open/close triggers for iOS automations stopped working after update

Since updating to iOS 26.6, automations have stopped working, specifically triggers that are supposed to run when an app is opened or closed.

Updating to iOS 27 did not resolve the issue.

I tested different types of automations. For example, I created an automation that should display a notification when Instagram is opened. The notification itself works correctly — if I manually run the automation or test the command, the notification appears. However, the trigger that should activate the automation when Instagram is opened does not work.

I also tested this with different apps and different automation configurations. In every case, the automation itself works, but the trigger for opening or closing an app does not.

How can I fix this issue? Is this a known system-wide bug that will be fixed in a future iOS update?

iPhone 15 Pro, iOS 27

Posted on Sep 15, 2026 2:15 AM

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Answer 1

WheelieNick

Level 9

65,154 points

Sep 15, 2026 3:24 AM in response to AnKnoxville

Hi there

Please try this

Offload the Shortcuts App: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find Shortcuts, and tap Offload App. Then, reinstall it from the App Store or via the storage menu. This clears corrupted cache files without wiping your saved shortcuts.

Delete and Recreate Automations: Swipe left on the failing app-open/close automations in the Shortcutsapp to delete them completely, restart your iPhone, and build them again from scratch.

Toggles and Permissions: Check that Background App Refresh is enabled for Shortcuts (Settings > General > Background App Refresh). Verify inside the automation settings that Run Immediately (or Turn off Ask Before Running) is correctly toggled on.

Force Restart: Perform a standard force restart to clear system-level memory and restart the background processes responsible for detecting app transitions.

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Answer 2

AnKnoxville Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 15, 2026 6:14 AM in response to WheelieNick

None of these solutions helped. The app-open and app-close triggers still do not work at all.

I tried different apps, including both Apple’s built-in apps and third-party apps, but the result is always the same: the automation itself works, but the trigger when opening or closing an app does not.

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