Whether or not you simply obtained a brand new iPhone otherwise you’re holding on to an older mannequin, you’ll be able to benefit from it by tweaking a couple of settings. Need to enhance your battery life or improve your privateness? Among the choices are buried fairly deep within the settings or they don’t seem to be so intuitive. We’ll present you some hacks and fast fixes that may end up in a way more satisfying iPhone expertise.
Perhaps you are already arrange however uncover you are burning by way of battery life too rapidly, otherwise you wish to save a while and arrange a shortcut to show in your favourite exercise playlist as quickly as you stroll into the health club. We have you lined.
You are sure to seek out some cool customization choices, together with some that and others that you simply may need by no means heard of. Need to declutter your own home display screen? Use your battery rather less all through the day. You are able to do all that and extra with these 23 iOS settings to optimize your telephone’s efficiency.
If you need to check out different iOS options, try the best way to unlock your iPhone’s hidden trackpad together with the remainder of our iOS 17 suggestions and methods.
Take a Nearer Take a look at the iOS Settings You Ought to Change Proper Now
See all pictures
1. Cease apps from monitoring your precise location
Apps like Doordash and Postmates require your precise location to ship meals to the correct location or on to you. That does not imply each utility in your iPhone must know exactly the place you might be at each second. That is why you’ve gotten the flexibility to stop an app from monitoring your precise location.
Within the Settings app, select an utility (like Instagram, for instance), faucet Location after which toggle off Exact Location. Any app with Exact Location off will solely know your approximate location, inside a couple of miles.
Do not toggle this function off for apps that require precise location, like meals supply and navigation companies.
2. Flip the again of your iPhone right into a button
The again of your iPhone can be utilized as a secret button to activate sure actions reminiscent of taking a screenshot, enabling low energy mode or working a shortcut that may routinely play music while you arrive on the health club. The Motion Button on the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max, iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max fashions do the identical, however you probably have an older mannequin, the again of your iPhone works.
The choice is hidden deep in your settings; this is the best way to discover it.
Within the Settings app, go to Accessibility > Contact > Again Faucet and select considered one of two choices: double faucet or triple faucet. You need to see a listing of actions you’ll be able to run by tapping the again of your iPhone, like opening your digital camera, turning on the flashlight and scrolling up and down. Faucet an motion or shortcut to allow it with Again Faucet.
Faucet on the again of your telephone to do every kind of fancy methods.
3. Allow Reside Voicemail to get real-time voicemail transcriptions
You get a name and do not wish to essentially decide up except it is necessary. Sadly, the one approach you may know is in the event you hearken to a voicemail left after the decision. With iOS 17, you’ll be able to learn a real-time transcription of any voicemail being left. That is proper: If somebody is leaving you a voicemail, you’ll be able to learn it in your telephone and select to select up the decision, connecting you with the individual leaving the voicemail.
The Reside Voicemail function is not on by default, so go to Settings > Cellphone > Reside Voicemail and switch it on. That is it.
4. Carry again full-screen incoming name alerts
In case your iPhone is unlocked and also you obtain a telephone name, a banner-style notification seems on the high of your display screen, with a small photograph and identify or variety of the individual calling, and the choices to select up or deny the decision.
This wasn’t all the time the default possibility. Up to now, incoming calls would take over your whole show when your iPhone was unlocked. It was disruptive, positive, but it surely additionally obtained the job finished. The banner could also be a welcome change for a lot of as a result of it is extra discreet and means that you can use your telephone whereas receiving a name.
If for any motive you are not a giant fan of the banner and wish to revert to the extra attention-grabbing full-screen alert, go to Settings > Cellphone > Incoming Calls and faucet Full Display.
This incoming name alert is not superb for everybody.
5. Flip off 5G protection you don’t need or have
Apple touts a Good Information function that is particular to its 5G telephones that can routinely swap between 4G LTE and 5G networks based mostly on the way you’re utilizing your machine. You could discover that your iPhone’s battery drains sooner than it did earlier than. If you happen to do not wish to sacrifice battery life for sooner 5G speeds, shut it down. You may all the time flip 5G again on while you need it, or when service in your space improves.
To flip off 5G in your iPhone, forcing it to all the time use 4G LTE (even you probably have 5G protection), open the Settings app, then go to Mobile > Main > Voice & Information and faucet LTE. Alternatively, if you need your iPhone to solely use a 5G connection when accessible, you’ll be able to choose 5G On.
5G is good you probably have entry, but it surely can be a battery hog.
6. Wonderful-tune how a lot knowledge is utilized by a 5G connection
If you happen to’re pleased together with your 5G efficiency, this is a network-related setting you must try. Go to Settings > Mobile > Main > Information Mode, the place you may discover three choices: Enable Extra Information on 5G, Customary and Low Information Mode.
Regardless that you’ll be able to learn transient descriptions beneath the three settings, they do not paint a whole image of the primary possibility. In accordance with an Apple help doc, permitting extra knowledge on 5G will provide you with high-quality video and FaceTime calls. It additionally lets your telephone obtain software program updates and stream high-definition Apple TV and Apple Music content material, and it permits third-party builders to enhance their respective apps.
The default setting on this web page will rely in your provider and knowledge plan, so it is a good suggestion to examine your iPhone and ensure it is accurately set to your choice.
7. Cease apps from cluttering up your own home display screen
The App Library is a spot the place you’ll be able to rapidly discover and entry your entire functions. And whereas apps are housed right here, all newly downloaded apps additionally seem on your own home display screen. This is probably not an issue in the event you obtain apps sparingly, however in the event you’re putting in new apps on a constant foundation, they’ll rapidly muddle up your own home display screen.
To cease downloaded apps from showing on your own home display screen, go to Settings > Dwelling Display & App Library and choose App Library Solely. If you wish to discover the app, you may need to swipe left on your own home display screen till you attain the App Library.
This setting will forestall your own home display screen from getting too messy.
8. Unlock your telephone whereas carrying a face masks
If you happen to put on a masks in public, unlocking your iPhone with Apple’s Face ID expertise may be irritating. As a result of half of your face is roofed, Face ID simply would not work. And whereas getting into your passcode to unlock your telephone works, it isn’t as handy.
With iOS, you’ve gotten the choice to activate a face unlock function that makes it straightforward to unlock your iPhone while you’re carrying a face masks. Earlier than the replace, you can solely unlock your iPhone if you owned an Apple Watch.
To unlock your iPhone together with your Apple Watch, open the Settings app in your iPhone after which open the Face ID & Passcode possibility. Scroll down till you discover the Unlock with Apple Watch part (you have to be related to an Apple Look ahead to the setting to look), the place you’ll be able to activate the function for any watches linked to your iPhone.
When you have an iPhone working iOS 15.4 or later, you’ll be able to unlock your iPhone whereas carrying a masks with out an Apple Watch. Go to the Settings app and open Face ID & Passcode. From there, you’ll be able to toggle on the Face ID With a Masks possibility. It is fairly superior.
You may unlock your iPhone together with your Apple Watch if Face ID is not working.
9. Put the tackle bar in Safari again on high
The tackle in Safari migrated to the underside of the display screen a couple of years again; welcome for these with smaller palms who had issue reaching it with one hand on the high. Whereas this transfer may really feel extra pure, because it’s nearer to the keyboard and the place you usually place your thumbs, it may be off-putting since some individuals are used to seeing the URL bar close to the highest of the display screen.
If you wish to put the tackle bar again on the high of the display screen, go to Settings, faucet Safari and select the Single Tab possibility beneath the Tabs subheading.
10. Add options that can be utilized when your iPhone is locked
There are occasions while you may wish to have sure information helpful even when your telephone is locked. That is why Apple means that you can allow some options with out having to unlock your units, such because the notification middle, Management Middle, the flexibility to answer to messages and the Pockets app.
To customise the options you’d prefer to entry on the lock display screen, launch the Settings menu, faucet Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode when prompted. Scroll down till you see the Enable Entry When Locked part, and toggle the sliders based mostly in your preferences.
You may determine which options you wish to entry when your telephone is locked.
11. Make your favourite e mail app or internet browser your default
It is not all about Safari. In your iPhone, you’ve gotten the flexibility to decide on your personal default apps, at the very least for e mail and internet shopping. That implies that while you faucet a hyperlink or an e mail ship button, your iPhone will routinely launch the net browser or e mail supplier of your selecting quite than Safari or Mail.
To get began, open the Settings menu and choose the app you’d prefer to set as a default (reminiscent of Google Chrome or Outlook). You need to then see a button that claims Default Mail App or Default Browser App. Faucet that possibility and choose the app of your selecting as an alternative of Safari or Mail.
You not have to make use of Safari or Mail as default apps.
12. Get full notifications in your lock display screen
The primary time you expertise Apple’s Face ID tech, you may discover you could’t see the content material of recent alerts and notifications on the lock display screen. For instance, as an alternative of seeing who despatched you a textual content message and what it says, you may solely see a generic Messages alert.
By default, all iPhones with Apple’s Face ID tech will conceal the content material of an alert till you decide up your telephone and unlock it. It is a privateness function that I quite take pleasure in, however I additionally perceive the way it could possibly be annoying (I’ve heard a couple of complaints from readers and relations alike).
You may change how notifications seem in your lock display screen by going to Settings > Notifications > Present Previews and choosing At all times. Conversely, you’ll be able to choose By no means if you wish to hold the content material of your notifications all the time hidden from the lock display screen.
13. Flip off (or on) HDR video for sharing movies
The iPhone can file excessive dynamic vary (HDR) video with Dolby Imaginative and prescient. Which means your movies are usually brighter, with extra correct colours and improved distinction. That could be superb for some, but when you don’t need movies which can be routinely adjusted since you wish to do it by yourself, there’s a technique to disable the function.
You may flip off HDR video by going to Settings > Digital camera > File Video and turning the swap subsequent to HDR Video to the Off place. Going ahead, all movies shall be captured in the usual dynamic vary.
HDR video seems to be nice, but it surely would not work all over the place but.
14. Customise your own home display screen with fancy wallpaper
One other house display screen tweak you must make entails your wallpaper or background. Apple has many wallpapers of its personal, with a reasonably cool twist.
Open the Settings app in your iPhone and choose Wallpaper from the listing. Make certain the swap labeled “Darkish Look Dims Wallpaper,” which you may see beneath the 2 thumbnail previews of your wallpaper, is turned on. Now, faucet Select a brand new wallpaper and choose both Stills or Reside. Search for the circle close to the underside of every wallpaper. It is half black, half white.
That circle implies that the wallpaper has each gentle and darkish mode variations and can change routinely based mostly on the system standing of your telephone.
It’s also possible to set reside wallpapers as your background in the event you’re not offered on darkish and lightweight mode.
On an iPhone with 3D Contact, you should use a third-party app to play longer-duration “Reside” pictures in your lock display screen.
15. Activate darkish mode to save lots of your battery
Talking of darkish mode, in the event you do not wish to need to repeatedly modify your display screen’s brightness, you should use your telephone’s devoted darkish mode. Darkish mode converts all the white backgrounds in apps to, as a rule, a black background. In flip, your telephone is ready to save battery energy due to the darker colours.
Flip it on by going to Settings > Show & Brightness and choosing the Darkish possibility on the high of the display screen. It’s also possible to simply swipe down from the top-right of your iPhone and faucet the Darkish mode icon within the Management Middle.
Apple’s apps will routinely swap to a darkish shade scheme, and most third-party apps have additionally adopted the function.
Darkish Mode on the iPhone positive seems to be good.
16. Handle your notifications with Focus Mode
We get quite a lot of notifications each day, however not all of them are related on a regular basis. That is why Apple launched a function known as Focus Mode. Consider it as a customized Do Not Disturb function that is tailor-made to particular circumstances.
Focus Mode blocks much less related alerts whereas permitting notifications from necessary individuals and apps to come back by way of in order that you do not miss something. You may arrange various kinds of Focus Modes for particular circumstances.
Apple at the moment gives choices for Do Not Disturb, private, sleep, work, driving, health, gaming, mindfulness and studying, however you may as well create your personal customized mode. You may schedule Focus Modes in order that they activate routinely when wanted and show your standing in apps in order that others know you’ve gotten notifications silenced.
To get began, open the Settings menu, faucet Focus and select one of many accessible choices to arrange your notification preferences. Faucet the plus (+) image within the high proper nook so as to add a brand new Focus.
17. Make your display screen textual content greater or smaller
With a few faucets in your iPhone’s display screen, you’ll be able to modify the font measurement to make it simpler to learn. Open Settings and go to Show & Brightness > Textual content Measurement the place you should use the slider till you are pleased with the font measurement. For just a little added oomph, you’ll be able to activate Daring Textual content (it is just under the Textual content Measurement button).
18. Add an alternate look to Face ID
Apple’s facial recognition function, Face ID, consistently learns totally different facets of your face with every scan. If you happen to’re struggling to get Face ID to persistently acknowledge you, attempt the Alternate Look possibility.
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > enter your PIN > Set Up An Alternate Look and undergo the method of enrolling your face once more.
Face ID would not all the time get it proper.
19. Disable auto-brightness for longer battery cost
Your iPhone’s display screen brightness degree can have a huge impact on battery life. By default, iOS will routinely modify the show’s brightness based mostly on how a lot gentle its ambient sensor detects. If you wish to take full management, you’ll be able to disable auto brightness, that means the brightness degree will keep the place you set it till you modify it once more.
Open Settings > Accessibility > Show & Textual content Measurement and on the backside of the web page, you may discover a swap to show off Auto-Brightness.
Now, everytime you wish to modify your display screen, you are able to do so by opening Management Middle with a swipe up from the underside of the display screen on a tool with a house button, or a swipe down from the top-right nook on newer iPhones.
Preserve your display screen dim to save lots of battery life.
20. Triage your privateness settings
The primary time you arrange an iPhone with your entire apps, you are bombarded with prompts asking for permission to entry private info starting from monitoring your location to your Apple Well being info or your digital camera roll.
It’s miles too straightforward to get within the behavior of approving every part simply so you should use the app, however take a couple of minutes and undergo your privateness settings to tailor what every app can and may’t see. We stroll you thru the entire privateness course of in two fast steps.
Apple has put all of its privateness controls in a single place.
21. Use the Management Middle to entry apps with a swipe or faucet
The iPhone’s Management Middle is a handy spot to rapidly change songs, activate airplane mode, hook up with Wi-Fi or begin a timer, however there’s a lot extra to it than that. You may rapidly flip in your flashlight, examine on a timer or begin recording your display screen with a fast swipe and faucet.
Customise which apps and options can be found in Management Middle by opening Settings > Management Middle. Take away an possibility with a faucet on the purple minus button or add an possibility by choosing the inexperienced addition button. Drag options up or down utilizing the three-line icon on the correct aspect of the display screen.
Personally, I like having fast entry to the Pockets app and toggles for low-power mode and darkish mode.
As a reminder, you probably have an iPhone with a house button, just like the iPhone SE, you’ll be able to swipe up from the underside of the display screen to open Management Middle. When you have an iPhone with Face ID, you may must swipe down from the top-right nook of the display screen the place the battery icon is.
Management Middle has quite a lot of potential; you simply must customise it.
22. Manage alerts with Notification Abstract
Apple desires that can assist you handle your notifications in iOS, beginning with the Notification Abstract function. Quite than letting notifications pile up on your own home display screen, you’ll be able to schedule alerts that are not pressing to reach in a bundle at a selected time of day.
Necessary notifications like calls, direct messages and different time-sensitive alerts (just like the standing of your Uber or Lyft trip, for instance) will nonetheless seem instantly.
To do that out, open Settings, press Notifications and faucet Scheduled Abstract.
23. Change Siri’s voice
If you happen to’ve lately arrange a brand new iPhone, you might have seen that Siri not defaults to a feminine voice. As a substitute, you may be requested which Siri voice you wish to use, together with a number of more moderen choices. As soon as you’ve got made your choice, Apple will change Siri’s voice throughout all the units linked to your Apple ID.
You may try the voice choices by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice. To study extra, try our full information to altering Siri’s sound. Apple additionally added a gender-neutral Siri voice possibility for English audio system.
Regardless of what number of settings you toggle on and off, battery life will all the time be a difficulty, particularly in the event you’re touring and do not all the time have entry to your quick charger. If you happen to’re consistently on the go and wish some juice, take into account getting this inexpensive and slim MagSafe charger that may cost your iPhone from zero to 50% in simply half-hour.
Particulars
For extra, listed here are 17 hidden options on our iPhone you must learn about and annoying iPhone options you are able to do one thing about.
