YOUR iPHONE COMES loaded with handy hidden features and hacks that can make it much easier and more fun to use. In our opinion, it’s this plethora of little–known features that help make iPhones some of the best phones out there.
But do you know all of them? Well, there are so many that we’d be willing to bet you probably don’t. To help with that, we’ve rounded up 28 of our favorite iPhone hidden features that everyone should know, and how to use them, with step–by–step walkthroughs where a little more explanation is needed — hopefully at least one or two are new to you.
Just a quick note before we begin: most of these hidden features have been embedded within iOS for a while, so even people using older devices should be able to utilize at least some.
To ensure we’re all on the same page, though, make sure your device is up to date by going to Settings > General and tap Software Update. If an update is available, tap Download and Install. Once downloaded, tap Install Now. With that done, you’re good to discover more.
1 Customize the iOS Control Center
One iPhone hack that makes life easier is being able to customize Control Center. By adding your favorite and most–used widgets to Control Center, you can access them with a simple swipe down, even when your iPhone is locked. This is super handy when you need a feature immediately. We find Music Recognition the most useful — no more fumbling around Home Screen folders, desperately trying to find the Shazam app before the song ends. To customize your Control Center, go to Settings, then tap Control Center. Scroll down to More Controls and add any controls that’ll be handy at a moment’s notice.
2 Use Back Tap for extra iPhone controls
With Back Tap enabled, you can assign a range of different functions to both a double and a triple finger tap on the back of your phone, kind of like gestures on a trackpad. You could, for example, use Double Tap for your Flashlight and Triple Tap for your Camera — these are both incredibly useful when you’re using your phone at odd angles and can’t reach the Lock Screen icons or the Control Center pull down.
There’s a range of different time–saving and accessibility functions you can assign, and you can even combine the feature with Shortcuts for even more customization. To enable Back Tap, open the Settings app and tap Accessibility. Next, tap Touch, then tap Back Tap. Tap
