*Update 6/2012: this no longer works with the OS5.1 upgrade.

*Update: the connection killing link can be sent via email and/or twitter by converting to a URL. Proof of concept: http://tinyurl.com/phoneOffGoOutside

A few hours ago I came across a trick that is making the rounds on the interwebs – create iOS homescreen shortcuts to various settings (thanks @crafty184).

The link structure is super simple: prefs:root=”SETTINGSMENU”&”OPTIONALPATH”

This structure is so simple that I guessed that it would be possible to append another parameter to the string and force changes to the settings. Turns out, it is possible.

I’ve only been guessing for about 5 minutes, but I have figured out that you can force an iOS 5 device into airplane mode by adding “&ON=0” to the end of the prefs:root=AIRPLANE_MODE path.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING LINK WILL OPEN YOUR IOS SETTINGS AND SWITCH YOUR PHONE TO AIRPLANE MODE.

Switch phone to airplane mode now

There are probably a lot of other shortcuts that can be created – here is a list of iOS settings paths from holgr.com for people to experiment with:

prefs:root=General&path=About
prefs:root=General&path=ACCESSIBILITY
prefs:root=AIRPLANE_MODE
prefs:root=General&path=AUTOLOCK
prefs:root=General&path=USAGE/CELLULAR_USAGE
prefs:root=Brightness
prefs:root=General&path=Bluetooth
prefs:root=General&path=DATE_AND_TIME
prefs:root=FACETIME
prefs:root=General
prefs:root=General&path=Keyboard
prefs:root=CASTLE
prefs:root=CASTLE&path=STORAGE_AND_BACKUP
prefs:root=General&path=INTERNATIONAL
prefs:root=LOCATION_SERVICES
prefs:root=ACCOUNT_SETTINGS
prefs:root=MUSIC
prefs:root=MUSIC&path=EQ
prefs:root=MUSIC&path=VolumeLimit
prefs:root=General&path=Network
prefs:root=NIKE_PLUS_IPOD
prefs:root=NOTES
prefs:root=NOTIFICATIONS_ID
prefs:root=Phone
prefs:root=Photos
prefs:root=General&path=ManagedConfigurationList
prefs:root=General&path=Reset
prefs:root=Sounds&path=Ringtone
prefs:root=Safari
prefs:root=General&path=Assistant
prefs:root=Sounds
prefs:root=General&path=SOFTWARE_UPDATE_LINK
prefs:root=STORE
prefs:root=TWITTER
prefs:root=General&path=USAGE
prefs:root=VIDEO
prefs:root=General&path=Network/VPN
prefs:root=Wallpaper
prefs:root=WIFI
prefs:root=INTERNET_TETHERING