25 Forgotten iPhone Tips and Tricks to Enhance Your User Experience
In today's digital age, we often find ourselves glued to our smartphones, especially iPhones, which are packed with countless features. However, amidst the myriad of functions, some incredibly useful tips and tricks tend to slip our minds. Fear not! Here's a detailed guide to 25 iPhone tips and tricks that you might have forgotten, which can enhance your user experience and make your life a lot easier.
1. Screenshot and Share Easily
Imagine you're scrolling through Instagram and stumble upon a hilarious picture you want to share. Instead of saving it and then opening another app, simply take a screenshot, tap and hold on it, swipe up to open WhatsApp, and drop it directly into your chat. This feature works with multiple photos from your photo app too. It's a quick and efficient way to share content without going through multiple steps.
2. Quick Navigation in Apps
While navigating through your apps, if you want to go back to a previous section, just tap and hold the back button. A secret menu will appear, allowing you to jump back to any previously visited folder. This trick is particularly useful in apps like Chrome and Safari, where you might navigate through many layers of pages and want to return to a specific one without repeatedly tapping the back button.
3. Instant Scroll to Top
If you're at the bottom of a long page, instead of scrolling back up, just tap the status bar at the top of your screen. This will instantly take you back to the top in any app, including YouTube, Spotify, and Safari. It's a small but highly effective feature that saves time and effort, especially when dealing with lengthy content.
4. Shake to Undo
If you make a mistake while typing a message or editing a photo, just shake your phone and select 'Undo.' This feature can also reset your home screen layout if you accidentally move an icon. It’s a nifty little tool that can save you from manual corrections and is compatible with a variety of apps.
5. Pinch to Copy and Paste
Want to share a picture or text quickly? Pinch in with three fingers to copy and pinch out with three fingers to paste it into another app like WhatsApp. This method is much faster than using the share sheet. It’s a convenient and lesser-known gesture that can make copying and pasting content a breeze.
6. Advanced Keyboard Tricks
- Move Your Cursor: Hold down the space bar to move the cursor precisely.
- Select Text: Tap and hold anywhere on the keyboard while moving the cursor to start selecting text.
- Quick Characters: Press and hold the character key for special characters, then let go to insert.
- Word Selection: Double-tap a word to select it, or triple-tap to select a paragraph.
- Special Characters: Tap and hold letters to access special characters and currency symbols.
These keyboard tricks can significantly enhance your typing efficiency and make text editing smoother.
7. Shape Perfection in Markup
When drawing shapes in the Notes app or Photos, pause at the end of the shape to automatically correct it. This trick works across any app with the markup tool, ensuring your drawings are neat and precise. Whether you’re annotating a photo or sketching a quick diagram, this feature can be a real game-changer.
8. Quick Calculations
Use the search bar for quick calculations. Just type an equation like "25 - 7" and get the answer instantly. This is perfect for on-the-go calculations without needing to open the Calculator app. It’s a simple but effective way to perform quick math without any hassle.
9. Stack and Move Apps
Instead of moving apps one by one, stack them by tapping on a few, then move them together. If you don’t like the new layout, shake your phone to undo the changes. This feature makes home screen organization much more efficient and less time-consuming.
10. Control with Voice
Enable Voice Control in accessibility settings to control your iPhone with voice commands. Triple-click the side button to activate it and navigate hands-free. Voice Control allows you to perform a variety of tasks using simple voice commands, making it a powerful tool for accessibility and convenience.
11. Rapid Burst Photos
Turn on 'Use Volume Up for Burst' in camera settings to take multiple photos rapidly by holding the volume up button. Select your favorite shots later from the Photos app. This is especially useful for capturing fast-moving subjects or ensuring you get the perfect shot in a series.
12. Block Spam Calls
Reduce spam calls by using a service like Incog, which removes your personal information from the internet. This service crawls the web daily to find and delete your information, preventing it from being sold to spammers. It’s an excellent way to protect your privacy and minimize unwanted calls.
13. Magical Siri Commands
Use Siri to perform magical tricks:
- "Lumos" to turn on the flashlight.
- "Nox" to turn it off.
- "Hey Siri, open [app name]" to quickly open any app.
These commands add a touch of magic to your everyday tasks and make using your iPhone more fun and interactive.
14. Use the Measure App
Your iPhone's Measure app not only measures objects but also has a leveling tool to help hang pictures or install shelves accurately. It’s like having a virtual toolbox at your fingertips, perfect for small home improvement tasks.
15. Weather App Insights
Tap the map icon in the Weather app to see real-time interactive maps showing wind speeds, temperature, and rainfall across the globe. This feature provides a comprehensive view of weather conditions, helping you plan your day better.
16. Recipe Finder
In the Photos app, swipe up on a picture of food and use the visual lookup icon to find recipes for that dish. It’s a handy tool for food enthusiasts who want to try making dishes they see online or in restaurants.
17. Sleep Timer for Media
Set a timer in the Clock app and select 'Stop Playing' to automatically stop music or videos when the timer ends. This is perfect for those who like to fall asleep to music or podcasts, ensuring your phone doesn’t play all night.
18. Quick Timer Settings
Press and hold the timer icon in the Control Center to set a timer faster. This shortcut makes setting timers for cooking, workouts, or any timed activities quicker and easier.
19. Background Sounds
Enhance focus or sleep better by enabling background sounds from the Control Center's ear icon. Choose from various sounds designed to improve concentration or relaxation. It’s a great way to create a calming environment or drown out distractions.
20. Back Tap
Enable back tap in accessibility settings to perform actions like taking a screenshot or locking your screen with a double or triple tap on the back of your phone. This feature is highly customizable and can be set up for various tasks, making it a versatile tool.
21. Custom Ringtones and Vibrations
Set custom ringtones and vibration patterns for your contacts to easily identify callers, even when your phone is on silent. Creating unique vibration patterns ensures you can recognize important calls without looking at your phone.
22. Full-Page Screenshots
In Safari or Chrome, take a screenshot and select 'Full Page' to capture the entire webpage. Save it in the Files app to copy text later. This is useful for saving long articles, recipes, or any web content you want to revisit in full.
23. Extract Text from Videos
Pause a video in the Photos app, tap and hold on any text in the video to copy it. This is useful for extracting information from documents or presentations captured on video. It’s a handy feature for students and professionals alike.
24. Multi-App Closing
Close multiple apps simultaneously by swiping up with three fingers in the app switcher. This saves time and effort, especially when you have many apps open and want to clear them quickly.
25. Hidden iOS 18 Features
If you're using iOS 18, stay tuned for more updates and features. Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with the latest tips and tricks.