As an iPhone user, you may think you know all the ins and outs of your device. But did you know that there are hidden tips and tricks that can enhance your iPhone experience even further? In this article, I will share with you over 12 hidden iPhone tips and tricks that you should try. From customizing your app icons to managing your messages with a two-finger gesture, these tips will help you make the most out of your iPhone.
Use Custom App Icons
One of the best ways to personalize your iPhone is by using custom app icons. With the introduction of iOS 14, you can now change the look of your app icons to match your style or mood. There are various apps available on the App Store that allow you to create custom icons and apply them to your favorite apps. Simply download one of these apps, choose the icons you like, and replace the default icons on your home screen. This simple trick can give your iPhone a whole new look and feel.
Change Wallpaper Automatically
Tired of looking at the same old wallpaper on your iPhone? Why not change it automatically? With the Wallpaper settings in iOS 14, you can set your iPhone to automatically change the wallpaper at regular intervals. This feature is not only a great way to keep your home screen fresh and exciting but also allows you to showcase your favorite photos or artworks. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose a New Wallpaper > Dynamic or Stills. From there, you can select a category or choose your own photos. Once you’ve made your selection, tap on “Set” and choose whether you want the wallpaper to change on the lock screen, home screen, or both.
Launch Your Favorite App Using Back Tap Gesture
Do you have a favorite app that you use frequently? With the Back Tap gesture in iOS 14, you can launch that app with just a double or triple tap on the back of your iPhone. This gesture works on iPhone 8 and later models. To enable the Back Tap gesture, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. From there, you can choose whether you want a double tap or a triple tap to perform an action. Scroll down and select the action “Launch App.” Then, choose the app you want to launch when you perform the Back Tap gesture. Now, whenever you double or triple tap on the back of your iPhone, your favorite app will open instantly.
Listen for Hey Siri Even When iPhone is Facing Down or Covered
If you find it inconvenient to lift your iPhone or remove it from your pocket every time you want to use Siri, here’s a hidden trick for you. With the “Listen for Hey Siri” feature, you can activate Siri even when your iPhone is facing down or covered. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Listen for “Hey Siri.” Toggle on the switch next to “Listen for ‘Hey Siri.'” Now, you can simply say “Hey Siri” without having to lift or uncover your iPhone. This can be especially useful when you’re busy or your hands are occupied.
Set Custom Charging Animation on iPhone
Charging your iPhone is a daily routine, so why not make it more fun? With the new Memoji charging animation in iOS 14, you can customize the animation that appears when you plug in your iPhone to charge. To set a custom charging animation, go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Charger Animations. From there, you can choose from a variety of Memoji characters and animations. Select the one you like, and the next time you charge your iPhone, you’ll be greeted with a personalized charging animation. It’s a small touch that adds a touch of personality to your charging routine.
Hide Specific Image from Photo Widget
The new Photo widget in iOS 14 allows you to showcase your favorite photos on your home screen. However, there may be some photos that you don’t want to appear in the widget. To hide specific images from the Photo widget, follow these steps:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
- Find the photo you want to hide.
- Tap on the Share button at the bottom left corner of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap on “Hide.”
- Confirm by tapping on “Hide Photo.”
Hide Apps on Your iPhone
Sometimes, you may want to hide certain apps on your iPhone, either for privacy reasons or to declutter your home screen. Fortunately, iOS 14 allows you to hide apps without deleting them. To hide an app, simply long-press on any app icon until the icons start to jiggle. Then, tap on the “X” button that appears on the top left corner of the app you want to hide. A pop-up will appear asking if you want to delete the app. Instead of deleting it, select “Remove from Home Screen.” The app will be hidden from your home screen, but you can still access it by swiping down on your home screen and searching for the app.
Hide the Hidden Album
By default, the Photos app on your iPhone has a hidden album called “Hidden.” This album is where photos and videos that you choose to hide are stored. However, if you want to completely hide the hidden album and remove it from the Photos app, you can do so with a simple trick. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to Photos. Scroll down and toggle off the switch next to “Hidden Album.” Now, the hidden album will no longer appear in the Photos app, and any hidden photos or videos will be stored in the “Recently Deleted” album instead.
Disable Safari Auto-Play Videos
Auto-playing videos can be annoying, especially when you’re browsing the web on your iPhone. To disable auto-play videos in Safari, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Safari.
- Scroll down to the “Settings for Websites” section.
- Tap on “Auto-Play” under the “Media” category.
- Select “Never Auto-Play.”
Turn off/on Bedtime/Sleep Reminders
If you have trouble maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, the Bedtime feature in the Clock app can help you establish a healthy sleep routine. The Bedtime feature reminds you when it’s time to go to bed and wakes you up with a gentle alarm in the morning. To set up Bedtime reminders, open the Clock app and tap on the “Bedtime” tab at the bottom of the screen. From there, you can set your desired bedtime and wake-up time. You can also customize the days of the week that you want the reminders to be active. If you want to turn off the Bedtime reminders temporarily, simply toggle off the switch next to “Bedtime” in the Clock app.
Disable iMessage Auto-Play Effects
When someone sends you a message with special effects, such as confetti or fireworks, it can be distracting or even annoying. To disable iMessage auto-play effects, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Messages.
- Scroll down to the “Message Effects” section.
- Toggle off the switch next to “Auto-Play Message Effects.”
Hide Alerts from Specific Chat
If you’re part of a group chat that’s constantly buzzing with notifications, you may want to hide alerts for that chat to avoid distractions. To hide alerts from a specific chat in the Messages app, follow these steps:
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Swipe left on the chat you want to hide alerts from.
- Tap on “Hide Alerts.”
- A crescent moon icon will appear next to the chat, indicating that alerts are muted.
- To unmute the chat, simply swipe left on the chat again and tap on “Show Alerts.”
Automatically Close Safari Tabs
Do you often find yourself with too many Safari tabs open? You can set your iPhone to automatically close tabs after a certain period of time to keep your browsing experience clutter-free. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Safari > Close Tabs. From there, you can choose to close tabs after one day, one week, or one month. This way, you won’t have to worry about manually closing tabs and can focus on the content that matters to you.
Disable HomePod mini Proximity Notifications and Vibrations
If you have a HomePod mini and an iPhone, you may have noticed that your iPhone vibrates and displays notifications when you bring it close to the HomePod mini. While this feature can be useful in some situations, it can also be annoying if you frequently move your iPhone near the HomePod mini. To disable proximity notifications and vibrations, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on HomePod.
- Toggle off the switch next to “Proximity Notifications.”
Enable Type to Siri
If you prefer typing over speaking, you can enable the Type to Siri feature on your iPhone. With Type to Siri, you can interact with Siri by typing your queries instead of using your voice. To enable Type to Siri, go to Settings > Accessibility > Siri > Type to Siri. Toggle on the switch next to “Type to Siri.” Now, whenever you activate Siri, you’ll be able to type your queries instead of speaking them. This feature can be especially useful in noisy environments or when you prefer not to use your voice.
Manage Messages Using Super Handy Two-Finger Gesture
Managing messages on your iPhone can sometimes be a hassle, especially when you have a long thread with multiple replies. But did you know that there’s a super handy two-finger gesture that allows you to easily manage your messages? Here’s how it works:
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Swipe left on a message to reveal the options menu.
- Instead of tapping on the options, use two fingers to swipe left on the message.
- This action will instantly reveal the options menu, allowing you to reply, forward, or delete the message with ease.
Use New Siri Voices
With the release of iOS 14.5, Apple introduced new Siri voices that sound more natural and diverse. If you’re tired of the default Siri voice or simply want to try something new, you can change Siri’s voice by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
- Tap on “Siri Voice.”
- Choose the voice that you prefer from the list of available options. You can listen to a preview of each voice by tapping on the Play button next to the voice name. Once you’ve made your selection, Siri will start using the new voice.
Remove Specific/All Contact Suggestions from Share Sheet
When you share something from an app on your iPhone, the Share sheet displays a list of suggested contacts based on your recent interactions. If you want to remove specific or all contact suggestions from the Share sheet, follow these steps:
- Open the Share sheet in any app.
- Scroll down to the contact suggestions section.
- Swipe left on a contact to reveal the “Hide” button, or tap on “Show Less” to hide all contact suggestions.
- If you want to undo the action and show the hidden contacts, scroll down to the bottom of the Share sheet and tap on “Edit Actions.” From there, you can manage your contact suggestions and show the hidden contacts again.
Show Real-Time Transcription of Your Speech
If you’re in a situation where you need to communicate silently or in a noisy environment, you can use the real-time transcription feature on your iPhone. This feature transcribes your speech into text in real-time, allowing you to have a conversation without speaking. To enable real-time transcription, follow these steps:
- Open the Control Center on your iPhone by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen (iPhone X and later) or swiping up from the bottom of the screen (iPhone 8 and earlier).
- Tap on the Microphone icon to enable speech-to-text transcription.
- Start speaking, and your words will be transcribed in real-time on the screen. You can adjust the size of the transcription text by tapping on the “Aa” icon.
Cut, Copy, and Paste Using Three Finger Gesture
Copying and pasting text on your iPhone can be a bit cumbersome, especially if you’re working with a large amount of text. However, there’s a hidden three finger gesture that allows you to cut, copy, and paste text with ease. Here’s how it works:
- Place three fingers on the screen and pinch inwards to copy the selected text.
- To cut the text, place three fingers on the screen and pinch inwards twice quickly.
- To paste the text, place three fingers on the screen and spread them apart.
Get the Most Out of One-Handed Keyboard
If you have a large iPhone and find it difficult to type with one hand, you can enable the one-handed keyboard feature to make typing easier. To enable the one-handed keyboard, follow these steps:
- Open any app that requires typing, such as Messages or Notes.
- Touch and hold the Globe/Emoji icon on the keyboard.
- From the pop-up menu, select the left or right-handed keyboard icon.
- The keyboard will shift to one side of the screen, making it easier for you to reach all the keys with one hand. To switch back to the regular keyboard, simply touch and hold the Globe/Emoji icon again and select the center keyboard icon.
Now that you’re armed with over 40 hidden iPhone tips and tricks, it’s time to put them into action and take your iPhone experience to the next level. From customizing your app icons to managing your messages with a two-finger gesture, these hidden gems will surely enhance your productivity and make your iPhone even more enjoyable to use. So go ahead, try out these tips and tricks, and discover the full potential of your iPhone. Happy exploring!
