Hidden Features of iPhone You Didn’t Know

Known for its sleek design, smooth performance, and user-friendly interface, the iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones in the world. But even if you’ve been using an iPhone for years, there’s a good chance you’re not using it to its full potential. Beyond the obvious features and apps, there are many hidden gems tucked away in iOS that can boost your productivity, enhance security, and make everyday tasks a lot easier.

Here’s a dive into some of the iPhone features that are least utilized or underutilized even by many seasoned users.

1. Back Tap: Quick Actions

One of the most awesome secret iPhone features available on iOS 14 and above is “Back Tap.” It makes you able to do activities such as taking a screenshot, open Control Center, or open certain apps by double or triple clicking on the back of your iPhone. Not only is it handy but also great for accessibility.

It’s practically a shortcut master in your hands, and you can even learn what the double and triple taps do.

2. Stealthy Trackpad inside the Keyboard

It is inconvenient to type away lengthy messages or make text corrections on a tiny screen. But your iPhone keyboard has a stealthy trackpad which makes so much less effort to navigate the cursor.

To use it, hold down and click the spacebar of the keyboard. The letters will be gone, and you will have a trackpad. You can move your finger to place the cursor wherever you desire. The feature saves a lot of time and stress, particularly when working with long text.

3. Measure App – Your Built-In Ruler

Your iPhone has a very good measuring feature just within the system. The Measure app is based on augmented reality (AR) and assists you in measuring the size of something or even the height of a person.

It’s a wonderful tool for making quick measurements when you don’t have a tape measure available. It even has a built-in level feature to assist you in getting things perfectly level.

4. Custom Vibrations for Contacts

Want to see who’s calling or texting without even looking at your phone or hearing a ringtone? iPhones let you set up customized vibration patterns for specific callers.

You can designate a unique vibration for your husband, wife, boss, or best friend. This way, if your phone is set to silent mode and vibrates in your pocket, you’ll know who’s calling or texting you.

5. Text Replacement Shortcuts

Do you find yourself repeatedly typing the same phrases again and again? The iPhone has a function called “Text Replacement” wherein you can define your own keyboard shortcuts. For instance, you can just type “omw” and it gets replaced by “On my way!”

This function can really save you a lot of time and is particularly helpful for anyone who uses their phone professionally.

6. Silence Unknown Callers

Are you sick of having your day interrupted by spam or robocalls? iPhones now have a feature that automatically silences calls from numbers not in your contacts, recent calls, or Siri suggestions.

When activated, these calls go straight to voicemail without ringing your phone. You’ll still see them in your recent calls list, but your day won’t be disrupted.

7. Scan Documents with the Notes App

You no longer need a third-party app to scan papers. The iPhone features a built-in scanner in the Notes app that works really well.

Just compose a new note, tap the camera icon, and choose “Scan Documents.” It detects the edges of the document automatically and outputs high-quality scans that you can save or share right away.

8. Sound Recognition Alerts

iPhones can detect some sounds—a doorbell, a wailing baby, or smoke alarm—and will notify you if they detect them. It was created for the hearing impaired but can be useful for anyone in a noisy place or with headphones on.

You can turn it on and select what sounds your iPhone will detect. It’s a brilliant and considerate safety feature that can literally be a lifesaver.

9. Pin Conversations in Messages

If there are numbers you text frequently, you can pin their chats to the top of your Messages app for easy access.

Just swipe to the right on a chat and press the pin icon. Their message thread will now always be at the top of the list even if new messages arrive from other people.

10. Secret Photo Album for Private Images

You have a secret photo album on your iPhone, too, that lets you send images you don’t want other people to look at. You can do this by opening the Photos app, tapping on a picture, and pressing “Hide.”

They are stored in a secret album that you can then secure with Face ID or a code, whichever you prefer. It is a simple way of keeping private images out of your whole camera roll.

11. Sleep Timer for Music and Videos

Don’t want to listen to music or a podcast at bedtime but don’t want it to continue playing the entire night long? It is hidden under the Clock app, but the iPhone does include a sleep timer.

Navigate to the Timer, input the time, and in “When Timer Ends,” choose “Stop Playing.” Your iPhone will then shut down playback sound when the timer has run out—perfect to listen to in bed.

12. Emergency SOS Shortcut

Your iPhone can dial emergency services directly with the press of a button. Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons at the same time, or rapidly press the side button five times (your area might be different).

This will start a countdown and then call emergency services automatically. It’s a vital safety feature that should be well known to everyone.

13. Hearing Aid Mode and Live Listen

If you have an AirPods or some hearing aids, you can activate “Live Listen” so your iPhone will work like a directional mic. Hold the phone close to the speaker and it will pipe their voice directly into your earbuds.

It’s such an amazing gizmo when you’re sitting in a crowded place or a conference where you’ll want to catch every word just perfectly.

14. Make Custom Home Screen Icons

If you prefer to customize your iPhone and give it a little pizzazz, you can use the Shortcuts app to set up customized icons for your apps and fully customize your home screen.

It takes a little effort to set up, but the payoff is a phone that’s as unique as you are with theme icons and a minimalist, clean-looking design.

15. Find Anything with Spotlight

More people utilize Spotlight Search to find apps, but it can do so much more. It can be utilized to search the web, find documents, find out weather forecasts, exchange rates, and even do calculations.

Simply swipe from the home screen downward and enter what you need to search for—you’re faster than opening a set of single standalone apps and actually can speed up your productivity.

16. Quick Notes on iPad and iPhone

Since iOS 15, you can take a Quick Note by swiping from the edge of the screen (again, more specifically on iPad, although also available on iPhone in some cases). It provides real-time note taking without apps having to be opened.

It is helpful to use to jot down ideas in locations other than home without having to access menus.

17. Face ID with Mask

Face ID has been improved by Apple to function even when you’re wearing a mask, which is particularly helpful during and after a pandemic. As long as your eyes are visible, your phone can still unlock securely without needing to remove your mask.

This works on newer models and is a thoughtful feature that makes unlocking your phone more convenient in public settings.

Conclusion

The iPhone will be doing a whole lot more than anyone even knows. People are fine with its clearly obvious things—such as making calls, texting, opening apps, and taking photos—but there’s a whole treasure trove full of lesser-known features that make life simpler, get things done quicker, and bring more fun.

From utilizing the phone’s back-of-camera facility for enabling functions, such underutilized tools help you optimize your phone. If you take some time to familiarize yourself with iPhone settings and functions, you’ll see that your iPhone is just full of smart features that can learn things about you—most of which just wait patiently.