For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, we know what it’s like to go through your day without a mobile phone that connects you with the rest of the world in seconds; but for centennials this is definitely hard to imagine. They grew up with a device that contains everything they seek at their fingertips. Since its launch in 2007, iPhones have not had a bad year and have always been at the top of sales compared to their competitors. From how to save battery life to how to customize a shortcut menu, we want to share with you some of the best tricks that this phone offers so that you can make the most of it.
Speed Up Your iProcesssing
If you had your phone for a while now, and started noticing some slowness, it probably just needs a cleaning. Many times, cell phones slow down due to the amount of information they process, it’s possible that by clearing the RAM memory (Random Access Memory) your phone will speed up.
Don’t go out and buy a new phone without first trying the following steps:
1. Press down the wake/sleep button until you see the message “slide to power off” on your screen.
2. Stop holding the button and start pressing the “Home” button for a few moments.
3. You will see the screen flicker before it returns to the home screen.
Set a Timer for Your Audio
The main purpose of looking for some relaxing music or interesting podcasts from bed is precisely to loosen up before going to sleep. Many times, this unwind is cut short when you realize you need to turn off your phone when you’re done, otherwise it will keep playing for hours wasting battery.
Fortunately, your iPhone has a functionality that will allow you to configure an audio timer:
1. Within the Clock app, set the amount of time you want your phone’s audio to play.
2. Press “When Timer Ends,” and select the “Stop Playing” button.
3. Your phone will turn off the music by itself after the time you set.
The Character Count Feature
Even before twitter appeared in our lives with its famous character limit, text messages on cell phones used to have this limitation. At that time, we had to abbreviate the words to make better use of the message that we were trying to send.
With today’s technology this is not a problem anymore, but if for some reason you still need to count or limit the number of characters, the iPhone has an option that will let you do so:
1. Go to “Settings” and keep scrolling down to “Messages”.
2. One you’re there, turn on the “Character Count” option.
The Fastest Way to Dial an Extension
This tip could save you quite a bit of time. What this trick does is it dials an extension directly without having the necessity of going through any kind of auto attendant or answering machine. If you did not know this trick, here we explain how to do it.
You just need to follow these steps:
1. Dial the main phone number without the extension, just don’t hit the talk button yet.
2. Press down the star button (*) for a few seconds until a comma (,) appears after the phone number you typed out.
3. At this point, dial the extension and push the call button when you’re finished.
Playing Games, Ad Free
Who hasn’t utilized their phone to play some video games like Candy Crush or Homescapes when they have free time or are bored? Well, as we all know, one of the most annoying things about playing from your cell phone is the ads. These advertisements usually appear when you complete a level and they can last for several seconds. Fortunately, the “Airplane Mode” trick will get you out of this bind.
If the game does not require an internet connection, you can easily set your phone to Airplane Mode and continue playing without interruptions. And the best part is that this functionality is free!
The Panorama Right-to-Left Switch
Without a doubt, the power of the cameras included in contemporary cell phones has represented a total game change in the world of photography. Many of us who have not studied photography at all, can feel somewhat proud of taking some quality photos thanks to our smartphone’s cameras. An excellent function that exemplifies this is the “Panorama Mode”.
Usually everyone uses this mode from left to right, but did you know that just by touching the arrow that appears located in the center you can change the direction and capture the image from right to left? Try it the next time you have a nice landscape in front of you!
Swiping Left on Your Calculator
Having a calculator at hand often saves us when we need to make an account. However, it’s very common that from time to time, you hit the wrong number and need to start over. This can be especially frustrating if the mistake occurs at the end of a long calculation involving many numbers.
With this trick you won’t have to worry anymore, since the iPhone has a way to prevent you from having to restart all over. Simply tap the screen on the number you wish to delete and then slide to the side to remove it. It’s that easy and it’s sure to save you a lot of time!
A Real iSaving Lifesaver
Most smartphones today have the “emergency call” option even when there is no connection, signal, or credit to make the call. However, this iPhone functionality certainly takes emergency calling to another level. It turns out that the iPhone has a popular service that allows medical data to be displayed even when the screen is locked.
This feature will allow medical assistance to see data such as blood type and other useful information in an emergency.
1. Go to the “Summary” section in the Health app, once you’re there select your profile picture.
2. Under your profile picture, you’ll see the “Medical ID” tab.
3. Tap “Edit” in the upper-right corner, and make sure the “Show When Locked” option is enabled so that it appears on your locked screen.
Hidden Recent History Hack
It is true that some tasks are just easier to perform from a notebook than from a cell phone. This is the case when for example, you need to have many pages open at the same time in order to contrast information from one to another. When this happens, many times the page you were looking at closes by accident. the iPhone offers a solution for this called “Recent History”.
This option will allow you to reopen recently visited tabs. You just have to press the “+” symbol in the Safari application and the recently viewed pages will pop up right away.
Thinking Outside of the Mouse
Thanks to the Bluetooth connection option, many of us can take advantage of alternative devices and manage them through our phone. The most common use of a Bluetooth connection is to listen to music through speakers, making it easier to turn on the volume or switch songs. Although there are various additional applications, such as a mouse device.
You will be able to link the mouse to your phone using the “Accessibility” option in “Settings” by selecting the “Touch” button. This allows you to personalize what your mouse buttons do, for example, by hitting the left mouse button, you can go directly to the home screen.
A Google Maps Trick
GPS navigation has become an essential component of our daily lives. It is true that without this program, some of us would not know how to get to the shop. The GPS has made it much easier for us to move around the city, but it has also become our eyes when we are traveling in places that are little known or that we visit for the first time.
If you ever find yourself in a remote place or with a poor internet connection, this trick will help you a lot; you just have to open the Google Maps application and type “ok maps” in the search engine, an option to download the offline map will appear immediately.
The Secret of *3001#12345#*
Probably this trick is one of the least known by iPhone users. We are talking about the “Field Test Mode”. It is an option that will allow you to know more precisely the signal of your phone at a certain time. This option will come in handy when you need to ensure the type and strength of the signal as well as other technical data of the SIM.
In order to access this mode, switch to the Keypad in the Phone app, just as you would when dialing a phone number. Press the Call button after dialing *3001#12345#*. All you have to do to exit the application is close the tab on the page.
Low Light Mode
The Low Light Mode option is very useful when we are somewhere dark. Usually most of us use it in dimly lit rooms or before going to sleep after turning off all the lights. This is because the brightness from the phone screen would otherwise injure our eyes.
While we all use this option to lower the bright to the minimum, there is a way to lower that level even more:
1. Select the following options: “Settings”, “Accessibility”, “Zoom”, “Zoom Region”, “Full Screen Zoom”.
2. Go back to the main “Zoom” menu and press “Zoom Filter”, after that select “Low Light”.
3. Finally, return to the main “Zoom” menu again, and turn on the “Zoom On” option.
From Dusk ‘Til Dawn Dark Mode
The “Dark Mode” option is a great ally for several reasons. On the one hand, it will allow you to preserve battery energy, on the other, it will make the brightness levels change automatically depending on the light in the environment in which you find yourself.
Best of all, this will do it even if you’re not using airplane mode. Follow these steps to have this mode activated on your cell phone without having to adjust it every time:
1. Under “Settings”, choose the “Display & Brightness” option.
2. Turn on “Automatic” and then press “Options”.
3. Choose the Dark Mode to turn on between Sunset to Sunrise, or Custom Schedule preferably.
It’s Time to iSign
With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic and social distancing, administrative procedures needed to be adapted. While the world has long been leaning towards more sustainable digital options that don’t involve paper, there are still some limitations when it comes to signing contracts.
Fortunately, your smartphone will allow you to sign your documents without the need to print or scan them. When you download a PDF click on the pen icon in the lower right corner, sign normally and then select “Done”. The best part is that it will give the option to share it via email with your contacts.
Visual vs. Aural Notifications
Almost all of us use some type of sound or ringtone to identify notifications when receiving messages or calls. Sometimes we even assign a special sound depending on the person. But as we all know, sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we cannot have the volume high, and it is necessary to leave the cell phone in vibration mode. In these cases, notifications with light flashes will be a great ally.
Go to the Settings option of your phone, there choose “Accessibility” and then “Audio/Visual”, here it will allow you to select “LED Flash for Alerts”. Your phone Will start flashing lights to let you know you’re trying to be reached.
Enhancing E-mailed Documents
We’ve already talked about the pen icon that appears in the lower right corner of your digital documents in a previous position in this ranking. It turns out that this function not only allows you to sign your papers online, but also provides other valuable editing options. This functionality allows you to modify the color, point with arrows, and even magnify the text in specific paragraphs.
The advantage of this is that you may personalize the paper so that whoever receives it pays attention only to the portions that interest you without having to read it all the way through.
Customize Your iMessage Word Bank
Communication through our phones and via text messages in applications has evolved over time, and this has been accelerated by the development of social media. Both teenagers and adults now use abbreviations or acronyms to speed up conversations or to adapt to how their friends or kids communicate.
Fortunately, you will find an option on your iPhone that will let you set up shortcuts for phrases or words that you frequently use:
1. Under “Settings” go to the “General” option and tap on “Keyboard”.
2. Select the “Text Replacement” option and then press the “+” to add a new entry.
Convenience with Currency Exchange
Knowing the official exchange rate for our country’s currency is very useful on certain occasions. It is possible that you are looking to change some money due to a trip that you are planning and for that it will be necessary to know the value of the currency of the country that you are about to visit.
To achieve this, simply follow these steps on your phone:
1. First, swipe right on your home screen.
2. Type in the search bar the currency amount and conversion you’re looking for (ex. “100 USD to AUD”), you’ll see the answer on your screen in a blink of an eye!
Customize a Shortcut Menu
As technology evolves, the new functions on our smartphones make our lives simpler and more comfortable. Being able to customize the Shortcut Menu is a good example of this. Next time you want to access your favorite social media after pressing one single button, just ask Siri to take you to the “Accessibility Settings” option and once there press the “Assistive Touch” button.
This option will allow you to choose which buttons or commands to use for certain applications. This is certainly a great idea when you want quick access to the apps you use most without going through multiple screens.
Never Miss a Captured Moment with This Trick
The “Burst Mode” on iPhone’s is commonly known as “Continuous Shooting Mode” by photographers and experts. What this technique does is take photos continuously for as long as you hold down the shutter button. This method comes in handy when you want to capture people or animals that are in motion, since every few seconds you can take their movements from different angles.
Another very good use of this trick is for those moments where the person being photographed is a little nervous or does not know how to pose, that is where with several captures you can have some more natural shots.
Scan Things Without a Printer or Apps
As crazy as it may sound for some people, in the past, cell phones were only used to make phone calls. If you wanted to take a picture you had to take a camera with you. It was many years later that these two devices converged into one, until today where you have several devices included, such as a clock and a calculator.
Scanners are not an exception; you can find one by following these simple steps:
1. Search for the “Notes app” in your phone and create a new entry.
2. Locate the “+” on the bottom of your screen, tap it and then select “Scan Document”.
3. Take a picture of your document and crop after if needed.
The Hidden Desktop View
Most of the time having all applications right within a click is great, but with the desktop site view you will be able to see all hidden menus and options on the desktop. Have you noticed the “AA” situated at the top of the Internet search bar on your phone? Well, if you press on that you’ll find an option called “Request Desktop Site”. By choosing this option you will be able to transition from Mobile View to Desktop View.
This option will even allow you to have applications running in the background without having to switch from one to another.
Your iPhone Has a Magnifying Glass
It’s one thing to zoom in on your screen while reading a text. But using your phone as a magnifying glass for actual items really takes it to the next level.
Just follow these simple steps:
1. Choose the “Customize Control” option under the “Control Center” in “Settings”.
2. Hold the “+” located next to the magnifier option and swipe up from the bottom of your screen.
3. Select the “Customize Control” and tap on the “+” sign next to the magnifier option.
4. Swipe up on your screen from the bottom and open the control center again.
5. Finally, tap on the magnifier button, and now your screen can zoom in on anything you want.
Siri Saves the Day
As we all know, Siri is an intelligent virtual assistant that comes with every iPhone. It is true that Apple has made Siri very useful to help you with making calls, sending messages, or even finding information using only your voice. But did you know that Siri can also help you be protected from after losing or misplacing your phone?
It turns out that if you ever find an iPhone you just have to ask the question “Siri, whose phone is this?” and this assistant will reply with the name of the owner. Pretty cool for a virtual assistant don’t you think?
Netflix & Text
We can all agree that technology keeps us connected 24 hours a day, and with the new discoveries the possibilities become limitless. For iPhone users the art of multitasking has become an easy habit to manage. This is because the iPhone operating system allows you to reply to a text while still watching a video.
All you need to do is tap on the notification when you see it, and swipe down. This will cause a small window to appear with space for you to type your answer. All this will happen while the video continues to play in the background.
The Secret Photo Album
Privacy has definitely become a scarce resource when it comes to technology. The fact that with just one click your photos can be shared and reach the hands of anyone can become really scary at times. Fortunately, your phone has a “Secret Album” option that you can use to save the images you prefer there.
Follow these steps to get it:
1. In your photo gallery, select the images you want to move to the hidden album, and tap the “Share” icon.
2. Choose “Hide” on the pop-up menu, and that’s it!
3. If you want to find your hidden photos, open up “Utilities” and choose “Hidden Album”.
Teach Siri Your Family Tree
Another fun yet useful trick your iPhone provides is the possibility to assign nicknames to your contacts. Instead of referring to the person by their full name you can type the nickname and your phone will know exactly who you are referring to.
You can even extend this functionality furthermore, by teaching Siri the relationship between you and your contact. For example, mom, dad, sister, best friend or even your boss! To assign a relationship to a contact, simply go to “add related name” when changing their contact card and it will appear there along with the rest of that person’s information.
Capturing the Bigger Picture
Having the ability to take screenshots has to be one of the best inventions included in smartphones in recent times. It’s like capturing an idea or evidence in seconds. But we all know how annoying it can be when the thing you’re trying to capture doesn’t fit on the screen.
When this happens, your iPhone will provide you with an amazing tip. You won’t have to zoom out, instead, when taking a screenshot in Mail or Safari, tap on the thumbnail as soon as you snap the picture. Then, by selecting “Full Page,” you’ll be able to capture the entire page.
Limiting Screen and Talk Time
As we have mentioned before, technology has allowed us to enjoy a much more comfortable and easy life. Yet even the most impressive technological advances come at a cost. In the case of cell phones, we could say that they can be highly addictive at times. If you ever find yourself forced to put a brake on the time you or your children spend in front of the screen, the iPhone has a great trick for these cases.
Simply scroll down and touch “Screen Time,” then “Communication Limits,” and set your desired time limit in your phone’s settings. For those Chatty Kathys out there, you can also limit your daily chat time.