![](https://help.apple.com/assets/5E8CEA35094622DF10489984/5E8CEA42094622DF1048998D/en_US/c10e8a839dc838a25d0feb0e9e428a0a.png)
Use the Ask for Input action in a shortcut
Ask for Input is a powerful action that lets you enter information at the time your shortcut is run. The action presents a dialog that asks a question. When you enter the answer and tap OK, the data is passed into the next action or is stored as a Magic Variable to be retrieved later.
![Dialog asking the user for input before the shortcut continues.](https://help.apple.com/assets/5E8CEA35094622DF10489984/5E8CEA42094622DF1048998D/en_US/f2511e6a65921dcd01dcbbe676c0a752.png)
Ask for Input supports the entry of words, dates, or numbers, and the keyboard adapts to each input type. Additionally, Ask for Input allows you to specify a default value that prefills the dialog. When you run the shortcut, you can adjust the prefilled information.
![Dialog asking the user for numerical input opens a numeric keypad instead of a text keyboard.](https://help.apple.com/assets/5E8CEA35094622DF10489984/5E8CEA42094622DF1048998D/en_US/6f7f223207bc26598eeef7b4247e1212.png)
The Ask for Input action works well with “logging” shortcuts, such as shortcuts that log health data or create journal entries.
Tip: Use an Ask for Input action that’s set to Number to quickly enter numbers in the Shortcuts widget or on your Apple Watch with the numeric keypad.