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What is Cizzuk?
Cizzuk is the personal software site of an independent iOS developer who builds small, focused utilities that work around limitations in Apple's built-in features. The apps are distributed through the App Store and, in Japan, through an AltStore PAL source.
What the site covers
- Deflector — runs any Shortcuts shortcut from the Dynamic Island, Apple Watch, or Side Button, using Automations to trigger shortcuts in ways the Shortcuts app normally can't. Its Watch app runs shortcuts on the paired iPhone rather than on the Watch.
- Side Search — lets users pick a voice assistant other than Siri for the Side Button, using Side Button Access (available only on iPhones in Japan). Assistants can be powered by Claude, Gemini, web URLs, app URL schemes, or a custom server.
- CBNote — for people who don't use the camera much, it reassigns Camera Control to notes, a clipboard manager, or voice recording; it is primarily a note app with camera functionality.
- Alare — an alarm that keeps ringing until you physically move. Built on AlarmKit, it doesn't need to stay open overnight, so battery impact is lower and there's no bedtime ritual of opening the app.
- Safari extensions — CSE customizes Safari's default search engine across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS, with keyword switching and Focus/Shortcuts integration; WebA11Y adds accessibility styles such as bold text, underlined buttons, and font changes.
Who it suits
The common thread is people who want to remap Apple's fixed hardware buttons and system behaviors — Side Button, Camera Control, Dynamic Island, alarms — rather than accept the defaults. Several apps depend on region- or OS-specific features (Side Button Access in Japan, AlarmKit), so check device and OS compatibility before committing. The site also carries short release posts and Japanese-language technical notes, which are useful if you want to follow fixes and workarounds as they ship.
A practical next step: open the page for the one app matching your annoyance — an alarm you sleep through, a camera button you never use — and read its "Learn more" page for exact requirements before installing.
How do I install Cizzuk's apps through AltStore PAL instead of the App Store?
Cizzuk's apps can be installed through AltStore PAL by adding Cizzuk's source to the AltStore PAL app, then installing from there instead of the App Store. The site describes its AltStore PAL Source as "the first Recommended Source for AltStore PAL from Japan," and it distributes apps through that channel as an alternative to the App Store.
What the site says about the AltStore PAL route
- Cizzuk maintains an AltStore PAL source specifically for this distribution.
- The source is presented as a Recommended Source within AltStore PAL.
- The listed apps on the site include Deflector, Side Search, CBNote, Alare, and the Safari extensions CSE and WebA11Y.
Practical steps
- Install AltStore PAL on a compatible iPhone (AltStore PAL is an alternative app marketplace, so availability depends on your region and iOS version).
- In AltStore PAL, add the Cizzuk source using the source link provided on Cizzuk.
- Browse the source and install the app you want, then trust/allow it as AltStore PAL prompts.
When this route makes sense
Choose AltStore PAL if you specifically want distribution outside the App Store, for example to follow a developer's preferred channel or to access apps in a region where alternative marketplaces are supported. If you want the simplest, most broadly compatible install, the App Store remains the default path. Check each app's own page on the Cizzuk site for its current availability and requirements before switching.
Which Cizzuk app should I use to launch shortcuts from the Dynamic Island or Side Button?
Use Deflector, the Cizzuk app built specifically for running shortcuts from the Dynamic Island, Apple Watch, or Side Button. Cizzuk describes it as working with Automations in the Shortcuts app to trigger shortcuts "in ways that would normally be impossible," and notes that its Watch app runs shortcuts on your iPhone rather than on the Watch itself.
A concrete case: you have a shortcut that starts a focus mode and a timer. With Deflector, you can fire it from the Dynamic Island instead of opening the Shortcuts app or asking Siri. If you mostly want the Side Button to launch a voice assistant instead of Siri, that is a different app, Side Search, which lets you choose an assistant powered by Claude, Gemini, a web URL, an app URL scheme, or a custom server. Side Search depends on Side Button Access, which Cizzuk notes is available only on iPhones in Japan, so check that your device and region support it before planning around it.
| Need | App to consider |
|---|---|
| Run shortcuts from Dynamic Island, Apple Watch, or Side Button | Deflector |
| Replace Siri on the Side Button with another assistant | Side Search (Japan-only Side Button Access) |
| Repurpose the Camera Control button for notes or recording | CBNote |
| An alarm that requires movement to stop | Alare |
Next step: list the two or three shortcuts you trigger most often and where you are when you trigger them. If the answer is "on the Lock Screen or from the Dynamic Island," Deflector fits; if it is "by holding the Side Button to talk to an assistant," look at Side Search and confirm Side Button Access is available to you. More detail is on Cizzuk.
How can I replace Siri with Claude or Gemini on the iPhone Side Button?
On iPhones sold in Japan, the Side Button Access feature lets you assign a voice assistant other than Siri to the Side Button. Cizzuk's Side Search is built for exactly this: it presents itself as the first app that lets users choose which voice assistant launches from that button, and the assistant can be powered by Claude, Gemini, a web URL, an app URL scheme, or a custom server. The developer also writes about avoiding forced app launches via Side Button Access in a post dated April 9, 2026, which is worth reading if you want to understand the constraints before setting it up. Source: Cizzuk.
What to check before you start
- Device and region: Side Button Access is only available on iPhones in Japan, so the Side Search route depends on that feature being present on your phone.
- Which assistant you want: Claude and Gemini are named as supported assistant backends, alongside web URLs and custom servers. Decide whether you want a hosted assistant or your own endpoint.
- What "replace" means for you: launching a different assistant from the button is not the same as removing Siri from the system. Expect Siri to remain available through other triggers.
A practical setup path
- Confirm Side Button Access is available on your iPhone (Japan-region device).
- Install Side Search and open its settings to pick the assistant or URL you want the Side Button to launch.
- Test the button press, then adjust the assistant choice if the launch behavior isn't what you expected.
For broader context on changing default search and assistant-adjacent behavior in Safari, Cizzuk also publishes the CSE Safari extension, which customizes Safari's default search engine across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. That's a separate tool from Side Search, but useful if your goal is generally to route queries away from Apple's defaults. Source: Cizzuk.
Can I repurpose the iPhone Camera Control button for notes or voice recording instead of the camera?
Yes. Cizzuk's CBNote is built around exactly that idea: it assigns a different action to the iPhone Camera Control button, with notes, a clipboard manager, and voice recording listed as the alternatives to launching the camera. It is primarily a note app that also functions as a camera app, and the replacement action is chosen in the app's settings.
How this fits a real workflow
- Quick capture without unlocking intent: a journalist or researcher who jots observations all day can press Camera Control and land in a note rather than the viewfinder.
- Voice memos on the move: someone walking or driving who wants a spoken reminder gets a one-press path to recording instead of navigating to a separate app.
- Clipboard handling: people who shuttle text between apps can use the button as a clipboard manager shortcut.
The trade-off is commitment: you are giving up the instant camera, so the button becomes a capture tool for whatever you choose. If you take a lot of spontaneous photos, reassigning it costs you that speed; if you rarely use the camera, the button is otherwise wasted.
What to check before relying on it
Confirm that your iPhone model has Camera Control at all, since the feature depends on that hardware button. Then decide which single action you will actually use daily — notes, clipboard, or voice — because the value comes from muscle memory, not from having options.
For related control-button experiments, Cizzuk also offers Side Search, which lets users in supported regions pick a voice assistant for the Side Button, and Deflector, which runs shortcuts from the Dynamic Island, Apple Watch, or Side Button. Both are described on Cizzuk.
What are the Cizzuk Safari extensions and how do they change my search engine or accessibility settings?
Cizzuk lists two Safari extensions, each aimed at a different kind of friction in everyday browsing.
CSE (Custom Search Engine)
CSE changes which search engine Safari uses by default, and the page says it works across iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS — so the same extension can keep your search choice consistent across devices. Two extra behaviours go beyond a simple default swap:
- Keyword switching: you can jump to a different search engine instantly by typing a keyword, useful when one engine suits code lookups and another suits general queries.
- Context-aware updates: search engine settings can change automatically based on Focus mode or Shortcuts automations. A work Focus could route searches to one engine and personal time to another without you touching Settings.
The practical trade-off is setup effort: rules and keywords need configuring once, and automatic switching can surprise you if a Focus mode you forgot about is active. If you only ever want one engine everywhere, the plain default setting does the same job with less machinery.
WebA11Y
WebA11Y applies additional styles to web pages for accessibility — the page names bolding text, underlining buttons and changing fonts. This is a visual-comfort and readability layer rather than a screen-reader replacement: it helps people who find thin fonts, low-contrast button labels or dense paragraphs hard to parse. Because it restyles pages generically, some sites may look slightly off, so it rewards a short trial on the sites you read most.
Choosing between them
| Extension | Solves | Best for | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSE | Which engine Safari searches with, and when | People who switch engines by task or context | Rule setup; automation can override expectations |
| WebA11Y | How page text and controls are rendered | Readers with mild visual or reading difficulty | Generic restyling may clash with some site designs |
As a next step, decide from your actual annoyance: if you keep pasting queries into a second engine, start with CSE; if you keep zooming or squinting at buttons, start with WebA11Y. Both are documented on Cizzuk, where each has a "Learn more" page with its specific options.
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