Your iPhone comes with a range of settings that allow you to customize its functionality, but not all of them are easy to find. Apple has hidden several features that can improve your experience, boost performance, and enhance privacy—if you know where to look. Here are 10 hidden iPhone settings that you probably didn’t know existed, but will definitely want to try.
1. Back Tap for Quick Actions
Did you know that you can trigger actions just by tapping the back of your iPhone? This lesser-known accessibility feature allows you to double-tap or triple-tap the back of your phone to perform tasks like taking a screenshot, launching an app, or even activating Siri.
To enable it:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, and choose your preferred actions.
2. Customize Control Center
The Control Center gives you quick access to commonly used settings, but did you know that you can customize it to fit your needs? You can add shortcuts for things like screen recording, low power mode, or your favorite apps.
To customize it:
- Go to Settings > Control Center, then tap the green “+” next to the features you want to add.
3. Optimized Battery Charging
If you’re tired of your battery life degrading over time, this setting can help. Optimized Battery Charging slows down the rate at which your phone charges after it reaches 80%, reducing wear on your battery and extending its lifespan.
To enable it:
- Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and toggle on Optimized Battery Charging.
4. Hide Apps Without Deleting Them
Sometimes you want to declutter your home screen without actually deleting apps. With iOS, you can hide apps from view but keep them installed for future use.
To do this:
- Press and hold the app icon until a menu appears, then choose Remove App. Select Remove from Home Screen to hide the app without uninstalling it.
5. Limit Ad Tracking
For those who value privacy, limiting ad tracking ensures that advertisers can’t track your activity across apps and websites. This setting minimizes the amount of data advertisers collect, improving your overall privacy.
To enable it:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, then toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track.
6. Measure Distance with Your iPhone
Your iPhone comes with a hidden “Measure” app that uses augmented reality (AR) to measure distances, heights, and even dimensions of objects around you. This tool is perfect for quick measurements when you don’t have a tape measure handy.
To use it:
- Open the Measure app from your Utilities folder, and follow the on-screen instructions to measure anything in your environment.
7. Customize Your Focus Mode
Focus Mode helps you minimize distractions by filtering notifications, calls, and apps based on what you’re currently doing. You can customize different Focus modes for activities like work, sleep, or personal time, tailoring what interruptions are allowed.
To customize it:
- Go to Settings > Focus, choose a pre-made mode or create a new one, then decide which people and apps are allowed to notify you during that mode.
8. Set Custom Vibration Alerts
Custom vibrations are a great way to know who’s calling or texting without looking at your phone. You can set unique vibration patterns for specific contacts, making it easier to identify important messages.
To set custom vibrations:
- Go to Contacts, choose the person you want to customize, tap Edit, then tap Ringtone or Text Tone and select Vibration to create your own pattern.
9. Reduce Motion for a Smoother Experience
If your iPhone feels sluggish or you simply prefer a less animated interface, you can reduce the motion of UI elements like screen transitions and app animations. This can also help save battery life.
To enable it:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion, and turn on Reduce Motion.
10. Automatically Close Safari Tabs
Tired of accumulating dozens of open Safari tabs? There’s a hidden setting that allows you to automatically close tabs after a set period, keeping your browsing tidy and fast.