Previously, I have discussed a specified time entry shortcut that behaves similarly to a microwave touchpad. It works for an absolute time entry (e.g. 10:23 AM), but many applications mix in countdown with no regard for streamlining the UX. Claude, for example, shows usage reset in both 1h23m and 4:20. Again, the goal of this shortcut is simple. Instead of using a scrollable default timer, let’s opt for a known method that works: the microwave-keypad, left-align, countdown input.

1. Download the shortcut through the link.
2. The shortcut takes a text input. And the expected input follows “microwave” logic. For example, entering 12 will be read as 00:12 (zero padding in the front). If it’s 1h23m you would like, you must pass 123.
3. Returned value is in text variable, total minutes. Passing 123 would mean 1h23m, and the returning value will be 83. The caller shortcut could use the value to add X minutes to the start time of your liking.
   

Because it only takes digits, the shortcut itself is relatively simple. It zero-pads at the front, and turns it into a pair of hour and minute. Then it returns the sum in minutes.