Hidden iPhone Features Apple Doesn’t Show You

Overview

This video is a practical guide to built-in iPhone features, gestures, and settings that can improve convenience, accessibility, privacy, safety, and productivity. Availability varies by iPhone model, iOS version, carrier, and region.

Controls, Gestures, and Typing

• Hold the side button while speaking to Siri; double-click it to open Apple Pay.
• Assign an Accessibility Shortcut to a triple-click of the side button, such as Magnifier or Reduce White Point for a dimmer screen.
• To force-restart a frozen iPhone, press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
• Swipe along the Home indicator to switch between recent apps. Swipe down on it to bring the top of the screen within reach. On supported devices, double-tap it to type to Siri.
• Hold the space bar to move the cursor precisely. While holding it, use a second finger to select text. Double-tap a word or triple-tap a paragraph to select it.
• Undo typing with a three-finger swipe to the left, or set up Text Replacement shortcuts for frequently used phrases, such as an address.
• Drag two fingers down a list in apps such as Mail, Notes, or Files to select multiple items. Drag and drop can also move photos, text, contacts, or links between apps.
• The narrator advises against routinely force-closing apps, saying reopening them can use more battery than leaving them paused.

Messaging and Sharing

• Schedule messages in Messages for later delivery. Scheduled messages can be edited or deleted before they send.
• Enable RCS Messaging to improve texting with Android users, including support for higher-quality photos, typing indicators, and read receipts when supported by the carrier and recipient.
• Bring two unlocked iPhones close together to share a contact card, provided the relevant AirDrop setting is enabled.
• Before sharing a photo, use Options in the share sheet to remove location and other photo data.
• During a FaceTime call, screen sharing and remote-control features can help someone troubleshoot their iPhone. Both people need a recent iOS version.
• Messages’ Check In feature can notify a contact when you arrive. If you fail to arrive and do not respond, it can share information such as your location and battery level.

Privacy, Security, and Emergency Information

• Require Face ID to open an app, or hide the app and require Face ID to access it from the Hidden folder.
• Turn on Stolen Device Protection in Face ID & Passcode settings. The video says it can require Face ID for sensitive actions away from familiar locations and impose a security delay on some changes.
• Complete Medical ID in the Health app and enable access while locked so emergency responders can view key medical details and an emergency contact.

Travel, Translation, and Location Tools

• Use Live Text in the Camera app to translate printed text, and the Translate app’s conversation mode for spoken conversations. Download languages in advance for offline use; offline translations may be less accurate.
• Use Calculator’s conversion feature for currencies, temperatures, distances, and weights.
• Download an offline map in Apple Maps for navigation without a connection.
• Share an AirTag’s location with an airline through a link if checked baggage goes missing.
• Set location-based Reminders to trigger when arriving at or leaving a place. The video notes that the geofence may be roughly 100 metres wide.

Camera and Apple Intelligence Features

• On supported iPhones, the Photos Clean tool can remove unwanted people or objects from a picture.
• On iPhones with Camera Control, Visual Intelligence can identify or provide information about things in view, or search for similar images.
• Genmoji can create custom emoji from a text description.
• The video recommends changing the camera photo setting from 12 megapixels to 24 megapixels on supported models for more detail, at the cost of somewhat more storage.
• Screen recordings can include narration by enabling the microphone from Control Center.

Other Useful Settings

• Customize alarm snooze duration, from 1 to 15 minutes, in Clock settings.
• Set Haptic Touch to Quick for faster press-and-hold menus.
• Adjust Always-On Display to hide the wallpaper and notifications, or disable it.
• Use Safari’s Hide Distracting Items feature to remove selected page elements, such as obstructive ads.
• An iPhone with USB-C can provide power to compatible headphones or a watch through a cable.

Guide and Review Notes

This is a tutorial-style roundup, not a product review. The presenter also promotes a free guide covering 20 iPhone settings, with step-by-step instructions and settings paths.

Main Speaker and Source

A single narrator from the at home channel presents the tips and promotes the accompanying free settings guide.