While major Apple updates are always well-known, there are also numerous iPhone features that go hidden under the radar. Here are 15 lesser-known iPhone features and how to access them! Each of these has various benefits whether it’s improving accessibility or just making tasks easier to complete.
1. Quick access to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth list in the Control Center
Open the Control Center to access the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings by expanding the toggle widget, and then holding down either the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth button to get access to the list.
2. Quick removal of numbers in the Calculator app
Did you know you could easily backspace a number if you make a mistake, instead of deleting the whole number and starting over? To do this, just swipe your finger to the left and it will erase the number at the end. If you want to erase more than one number, just repeat this process until you get the desired result.
3. Quick selection of elements using two fingers
For apps that have list sections, such as your list of notes, email inbox, or your iMessages, you can swipe down with two fingers to enter selection mode and select several items at once. This makes it easier to delete multiple items or complete other tasks.
4. Quick video recording using the volume buttons
When you’re on the Camera app, you can record a quick video by simply pressing and holding one of the volume buttons while in “Photo” mode. You can also press and hold the white circle while in “Photo” mode to record a video.
5. Open a recently closed tab in Safari
To do this, go to Safari and select the icon with two squares at the bottom right of the screen. This will show you all your open tabs. Next, hold down the “+” button and it will show you your recently closed tabs.
6. Find a song by typing its lyrics in the Music app
You can find a song in the Music app by typing some of the lyrics into the search bar. The Music app will then find and display any songs matching that lyric description.
7. Take screenshots of a full web page
Did you know you could take a screenshot of a full web page in Safari? Open up any web page in Safari and take a screenshot by pressing the power and volume buttons simultaneously. After taking a screenshot, select the “Whole Page” tab in the pop-up that appears. Here, you can adjust the screenshot as needed. When you’re done, select the Share button at the top right of the screen and you can choose to save the screenshot as a PDF.
8. Remove location data from photos
You can delete location data from your photos by opening the photo in the Photos app, clicking the Share button, and then clicking the Options button on top. On the next screen, toggle off the Location option.
9. Instant currency conversion
To convert an amount in one currency to another, you can type this request in the Spotlight search, which opens by swiping down the main screen. For example, to find out the current Euro exchange rate, just enter “€1” in the search bar and you should see the current Euro exchange rate. You can do the same with units of measurements by typing, for example, “1 inch in cm”.
10. Complete actions by tapping the back of your iPhone
Another new feature for Apple iPhones is the Back Tap feature. It’s only available for those using the iPhone 8 and later models. If you tap on the back of your iPhone 2-3 times, you can take a screenshot, lock the screen, turn off the sound, and much more. In order to enable this feature: Open Settings > “Universal Access” > “Touch” > “Back Panel Touch” > “Double/ Triple Touch”. After that, select which action you want to take when activating this feature.
11. Accelerated typing of symbols and numbers
If you want to type something that contains mostly letters and only a few numbers or symbols, then there’s a trick that will make it faster. You don’t need to waste time and switch to a layout with symbols every time. In order to quickly type the desired symbol or number, just hold down the “123” button and, without taking your finger off the screen, select the symbol you want to insert. Then, remove your finger from the “123” button and the layout will return to normal.
12. Return to the top in any application
If you’re scrolling for a long time through any application like Safari, for example, you don’t need to manually scroll all the way up again. Just touch the top of your device where it displays the time, battery, and network settings, and you will automatically return to the top of the application.
13. Search for photos by subject
In the search bar in the Photo application, you can enter the name of an item, and the application will select and display all photos that have this item. For example, enter the word “bicycle”, and you will see all the photos from your gallery that have a bicycle.
14. Precise volume control
You can adjust the volume on your iPhone with more precision by clicking the volume button once and then selecting the desired volume level by swiping your finger along the volume bar on the screen.
15. Add frequently visited websites to your Home Screen
If you have certain sites that you visit often, you can just save them to your Home Screen instead of bookmarking them. To do so, open Safari, go to the desired site, click the Share button and select “Add to Home Screen”.
