diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index 2945298..c54c8ca 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ uuid = "47edcb42-4c32-4615-8424-f2b9edc5f35b"
 authors = [
     "Vaibhav Dixit <vaibhavyashdixit@gmail.com>, Guillaume Dalle and contributors",
 ]
-version = "1.3.0"
+version = "1.4.0"
 
 [deps]
 ChainRulesCore = "d360d2e6-b24c-11e9-a2a3-2a2ae2dbcce4"
diff --git a/docs/src/index.md b/docs/src/index.md
index 5154899..9640a33 100644
--- a/docs/src/index.md
+++ b/docs/src/index.md
@@ -92,3 +92,9 @@ ADTypes.ForwardOrReverseMode
 ADTypes.ReverseMode
 ADTypes.SymbolicMode
 ```
+
+## Miscellaneous
+
+```@docs
+ADTypes.Auto
+```
diff --git a/src/ADTypes.jl b/src/ADTypes.jl
index 7fefb2b..56ebaae 100644
--- a/src/ADTypes.jl
+++ b/src/ADTypes.jl
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ include("mode.jl")
 include("dense.jl")
 include("sparse.jl")
 include("legacy.jl")
+include("symbols.jl")
 
 if !isdefined(Base, :get_extension)
     include("../ext/ADTypesChainRulesCoreExt.jl")
diff --git a/src/symbols.jl b/src/symbols.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f349e84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/symbols.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""
+    ADTypes.Auto(package::Symbol)
+
+A shortcut that converts an AD package name into an instance of [`AbstractADType`](@ref), with all parameters set to their default values.
+
+!!! warning
+
+    This function is type-unstable by design and might lead to suboptimal performance.
+    In most cases, you should never need it: use the individual backend types directly.
+
+# Example
+
+```jldoctest
+import ADTypes
+backend = ADTypes.Auto(:Zygote)
+
+# output
+
+ADTypes.AutoZygote()
+```
+"""
+Auto(package::Symbol, args...; kws...) = Auto(Val(package), args...; kws...)
+
+for backend in (:ChainRules, :Diffractor, :Enzyme, :FastDifferentiation,
+                :FiniteDiff, :FiniteDifferences, :ForwardDiff, :PolyesterForwardDiff,
+                :ReverseDiff, :Symbolics, :Tapir, :Tracker, :Zygote)
+    @eval Auto(::Val{$(QuoteNode(backend))}, args...; kws...) = $(Symbol(:Auto, backend))(args...; kws...)
+end
+
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 23d0d96..e7d72f9 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ end
     @testset "Sparse" begin
         include("sparse.jl")
     end
+    @testset "Symbols" begin
+        include("symbols.jl")
+    end
     @testset "Legacy" begin
         include("legacy.jl")
     end
diff --git a/test/symbols.jl b/test/symbols.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc39c7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/symbols.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+using ADTypes
+using Test
+
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:ChainRules, 1) isa AutoChainRules{Int64}
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:Diffractor) isa AutoDiffractor
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:Enzyme) isa AutoEnzyme
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:FastDifferentiation) isa AutoFastDifferentiation
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:FiniteDiff) isa AutoFiniteDiff
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:FiniteDifferences, 1.0) isa AutoFiniteDifferences{Float64}
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:ForwardDiff) isa AutoForwardDiff
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:PolyesterForwardDiff) isa AutoPolyesterForwardDiff
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:ReverseDiff) isa AutoReverseDiff
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:Symbolics) isa AutoSymbolics
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:Tapir) isa AutoTapir
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:Tracker) isa AutoTracker
+@test ADTypes.Auto(:Zygote) isa AutoZygote
+
+@test_throws MethodError ADTypes.Auto(:ThisPackageDoesNotExist)
+@test_throws UndefKeywordError ADTypes.Auto(:ChainRules)
+@test_throws UndefKeywordError ADTypes.Auto(:FiniteDifferences)