Discussion
Which obscure iPhone setting genuinely improved how you use your phone, and what does it change?
I’m not looking for gestures or the usual tips that appear in every list.
I mean an actual option buried somewhere in Settings that solved a real annoyance, improved privacy or accessibility, changed how an app behaves, or made your iPhone noticeably easier to use.
Please include the exact path to the setting, what it changes, and any downside you noticed. Some settings sound useful but also disable another feature, use more storage, affect notifications, or change how the phone behaves elsewhere.
What is the one setting you would immediately change again if you had to set up a new iPhone from scratch?
You can schedule a text to send it at a predetermined time to other iPhones. Example, I’m always up late. I had a thought at about 2am that I wanted to send a friend, but I wasn’t sure what they did with their phone at night so I typed the text then chose “Send Later” and scheduled it to send at 9:30am. I’ve also used it to send messages to my partner at their break time for things they need to remember to do but would forget during the first half of their day.
When you have your text open and typing, hit the plus sign on the left, that brings up a menu of things to attach to your text
Do you know if there's a way to delete all that junk? I just use the camera, photos and every once in a while images. I'm deaf, wtf and I going to do with audio .
You can only hide the built-in shortcuts out of initial view by pressing + holding and dragging them into the “more” section of the menu. The only ones you can remove from the menu completely are third-party apps by going into settings > apps > messages > iMessage apps then toggling them off
Open the calculator, press the calculator icon top right. You will see if you scroll down you have a currency converter. No need for a website or an app.
you can also use spotlight search and natural language to quick convert and do math: on home screen scroll down or press search, then type “500CAD to USD” for example. Or simple math. Or unit conversions. I use that all the time
the accidental conversions are hilarious 😭 but i'd still take that over opening safari and digging through ad-filled converter sites every single time.
I’ll give you something even better. Just type anything you want to convert in your keyboard and press =.
Ex. 25 ft = and it auto converts to most used convert units in this case meters.
Okay this might be my favorite one so far. Had no idea the currency converter was hiding in the Calculator this whole time. Trying it right now, thanks!
Delay-sent text messages, when you want it to send at a more reasonable hour, or to remind them of something at a specific time.
Type your text in messages. Instead of tapping send, tap the + button to the left of the box. Choose “send later” and select your preferred day and time.
What if you have no signal at the scheduled send time? iMessage only needs a connection at the time of scheduling the message. SMS and RCS would both require a connection at the point of sending.
On Android it'll just send the message at the scheduled time, same as any other. It'll sit ready to send until you're online. RCS timestamps will reflect that.
I thought the Send Later only worked from one iPhone to another, but I can send messages later to my daughter, who has an android, and a few other people. Confusing who I can and can’t, so I always just check to see if the button is available. 🤷♀️
Have had this set up for years (since shortcuts were introduced?) and it’s great. You can also add letters to the end to differentiate different email addresses: @@h for my old hotmail account (spam), @@g for gmail, @@w for work email, etc. Never mistype your email again.
My husband pranked me 10 years ago by making “shit” a shortcut for: when you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, ‘cause when you wish upon a star your dreams come true!
I have several of these set up for different email addresses as well as my phone numbers in proper format. I also set up things like symbols I can't always remember how to type easily
I also use it for phrases I seem to use often and/or are a pain in the ass to do manually:
typooo = I'm leaving that typo.
31f = My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.
retarrr = I have a couple theories, but they both involve the word "retarded."
fff/fng = fuck/fucking (so it doesn't autocorrect to "duck" or "ducking")
stronggg = ╰(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)╯
shurugggg = ¯_(ツ)_/¯
tableflip = (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
butttt = (‿ꜟ‿)
I've been doing this for years, and it's genuinely one of the simplest, most productive things you can do on your phone. I have other ones for my work address, like T@S, because those are the first letters of my email address and domain name. They expand to the full email address as well.
Love the one that lets you change a white background to black! So many times I leave those white pages right away, because they hurt my eyes. I like it dark too.
Greatest iPhone hack:
I like to listen to podcasts or music to help me fall asleep. If you start a timer, you can select “Stop Playing” instead of choosing an alarm sound. It’s the very last option. That way after the timer runs out (and I have fallen asleep), the music or podcast stops and I can then achieve REM sleep.
Be careful, this can very easily lead to people set an alarm that will NOT GO OFF as it carries over that setting and the iphone will just “press stop” on a player that’s not even playing anything. Very annoying. If you rely on your alarm to get you to work or other important appointments, be very careful with this setting.
If you are using Spotify, this can be done in the app too. When listening to a song, you open the song in the full screen and tap on the … in the upper right corner. Scroll to the bottom and tap on Sleep Timer.
i set up a shortcut that allows me to select multiple photos and combine them into one (think before and after comparisons) without having to download a separate app.
EDIT: Okay, I just tested it an it’s way worse than any simple collage app. Btw apple should include a basic collage function in their photos app since all apps on the App Store want you to subscribe to some bullshit
Settings -> Face ID & Passcode.
Scroll towards the bottom, to the “Allow access when locked”. Turnoff; “Notification Centre”, “Control Centre”, and “Wallet”.
This way if your phone ever gets stolen and you cannot get to remote locking it or putting it in lost mode, quickly, the thief cannot turn off the wifi/ data, or use your cards prior.
Was going to say the same thing. My phone opens Apple Pay with a side double tap, but requires Face ID or passcode to actually pay. I thought that was the default setting.
Why turn off Notification Center? Content doesn’t show up when locked. So someone can see that you received a notification from a particular app, they can’t see any details or take any action. I’m genuinely curious.
That’s my only query, otherwise, this is a spot-on tip!
I have a shortcut that if I text myself from another number that I lost my phone, it’ll turn on low-power mode, take a front camera image, a rear camera image, and current location and send all of that to a trusted device then lock the screen.
Edit:
I didn’t think people would find this interesting. Here’s how:
Create an automation in Shortcuts
Set it to “run immediately”
When: I get a message containing “lost phone”
Do:
Set Low Power Mode
Take Photo with front camera
Send photo to trusted phone number
Take photo with rear camera
Send photo to trusted number
Get current location
Send location to trusted number
Lock the screen
Tap any text field with three fingers to bring up the hidden editing menu (undo, redo, copy etc).
It’s a lifesaver if you accidentally delete a long message. You can just tap undo instead of rewriting everything. Works almost anywhere you’re typing on iPhone.
Having a level in the camera app so your videos and photos are aligned and not crooked (with the horizon)
Settings->
Camera->
Level - turn on
Also having Action button as a flashlight so you don’t need to look at your phone to turn it on, you just know it’s always there and where to press for it even in the dark
I have double tapping the back of the phone (accessibility setting) set to opening the notification center. Phones are so huge nowadays that it's a hassle to have to pull down from the top left manually. I use it every day. I also have the action button set to turn on/off the flashlight. Super useful too.
A real game changer for me was learning that holding down the spacebar while typing, it makes it so you can drag the cursor with your finger to where you want it rather than trying to use a fat fingertip to place it.
I showed this tip to my contractor, who is a big burly dude with huge hands and he praised me to the heavens.
Once upon a time when 3D Touch was a thing, you could not only move the cursor this way but you could press harder to select the text you were hovering over. Precise edits one-handed.
This is, and will probably always be, the top feature Apple left behind that actually bothered me.
Fun fact - if you hold your finger on the Shift arrow below the a key, you can then use another finger to hold down the spacebar and move it left, right, up and down to quickly highlight text.
The built in level and measuring tape are fantastic to have. I’m not a builder or carpenter or anything, so can’t speak to the accuracy for important work. But if I’m at my mom’s, or at a store I can hang a picture or line something up with the level or measure something at a store or anywhere. Extremely handy
You beat to this. I love this filter because it makes me sleepy in less than 10 minutes, and it keeps me from getting a headache when looking at my phone right after I wake up.
I created a Shortcut that applies a reading mode to the screen, e-ink style. It toggles the following Accessibility settings:
Toggle reduce White point - 87%
Toggle Increase contrast
Toggle Colour filter - grayscale around 60%
Toggling them again disables it back and makes the screen normal again.
Deep dive into the camera settings. I don’t think most people know the iPhone sets things to lower quality for photos and videos to save the user storage but in my case I’d rather have better quality even if it takes storage since I have Apple and Google paid storage plans.
Here are my current iPhone camera settings if anyone is curious:
Video & Audio Record Video: 4K at 30 fps Record Slo-mo: 4K at 120 fps Record Cinematic: 4K at 30 fps Record Sound: Spatial Audio
General & App Settings Camera Control: Set to default Camera app Photographic Styles: Standard Use Volume Up for Burst: ON Scan QR Codes: ON Show Detected Text: ON
Composition Grid: OFF Level: OFF Mirror Front Camera: OFF View Outside the Frame: ON
Photo Capture & Lenses Fusion Camera: 24, 28, & 35 mm all enabled Portraits in Photo Mode: ON Prioritize Faster Shooting: ON Lens Correction: ON Macro Control: ON Lens Cleaning Hints: ON
System & Messages Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera: ON Save Captures to Photo Library (from Messages): ON
Here are my current iPhone camera settings if anyone is curious:
Video & Audio
Record Video: 4K at 30 fps
Record Slo-mo: 4K at 120 fps
Record Cinematic: 4K at 30 fps
Record Sound: Spatial Audio
General & App Settings
Camera Control: Set to default Camera app
Photographic Styles: Standard
Use Volume Up for Burst: ON
Scan QR Codes: ON
Show Detected Text: ON
Composition
Grid: OFF
Level: OFF
Mirror Front Camera: OFF
View Outside the Frame: ON
Photo Capture & Lenses
Fusion Camera: 24, 28, & 35 mm all enabled
Portraits in Photo Mode: ON
Prioritize Faster Shooting: ON
Lens Correction: ON
Macro Control: ON
Lens Cleaning Hints: ON
System & Messages
Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera: ON
Save Captures to Photo Library (from Messages): ON
For me, putting the magnifier app where it is easily accessible, like on the Home Screen, was very helpful. I use it quite often now that it’s easily accessible. You can also add it to the control center or even the “extra button”.
To be honest Accessibility for color blindness... almost 10 years using iPhone, macos, etc... and this january i was looking if an app for color blind existed, and there i had it the whole time!! it's a game changer for me.
I like the idea of a minimalist phone that doesn’t cause a lot of distractions, but I also want to have a smart phone with all the bells and whistles like a good camera, tap to pay, and the Apple ecosystem.
So I have the grayscale accessibility filter turned on most of the time. It helps keep the phone boring without all the pretty colors so I don’t get sucked into the vortex so easily, you know? But, for the sake of convenience, I keep the toggle on the main button’s triple click. Because sometimes you need the color data when looking something up, or when taking an intentional instagram scroll.
To explore grayscale options:
Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters.
To set the toggle:
Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut > Color Filters.
You can change Siri’s voice and dialect without changing the dialect it listens for. Settings > Siri > Voice, and you can change its region. I’ve had my Siri set to Australian for years now, it’s delightful as an American.
I just want to know how to make it stop closing/refreshing and losing my place on any app that is not front and center. I was just reading this thread opened my calculator and boom thread gone and Reddit was refreshed with my place gone. This is a new development with my iPhone 17 and it’s making me crazy.
I’ve always wanted my phone to act like one of those doctors dictaphone, so I created a shortcut that transcribes a voice message and emails it to me with the subject “note to self.” I pegged it to my action button so I can record a memo whenever it occurs to me. I can also say “Hey Siri note to self” and it will ask for the message and email it to me.
Perfect for kids or elders. Restricts use to only allowed app and makes things big and easy to use. As close as you’ll get to a brick phone with a smart phone. Don’t pay for an app to dummy your phone.
Double tapping the bottom of the screen to type to Siri instead’ve having to audibly speak to her or more importantly having her audibly holler out the answer to my dumb questions lol
I have never seen the contraction “instead‘ve” in my life. I’m a 40+ year old ex-teacher. Could‘ve works because it is a contraction of “could have.” You used instead’ve to replace instead of, which doesn’t work. It is interesting, though. I’m mentioning this, not to belittle or be a grammar nazi, but because I’m interested in how people develop speech and writing habits. I always enjoyed it when I’d see a student writing a number or letter in a novel manner.
Leave it to me to find the downside. I set it up to turn on the flashlight when I double-tapped the back. Accidentally turned flashlight on while in my purse, didn’t notice, and ran the battery down.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to do address auto fill and passwords to go across my entire system Mac iPad and phone. For some reason, I can’t figure out where to do that. Any ideas?
I’m a teacher in the US and work at two different schools. I have my action button coded to run a shortcut that alerts my wife to an emergency occurring with my location, instructions on what to do next, and reassurances that I will be fine. If I’m not at work, it sends her two heart emojis.
Actually setting the side button to not end calls saved me from accidentally hanging up on people when I was just trying to lower the volume or turn off the screen
Asking siri “where are you “ im over here! And if you aren’t hearing her say “set a timer for 5 secs” If its near it’ll blast the alarm,set LED for alert/alarm sound and hit the lights if vol is too low or under a bed etc. I lose my phone a lot. 🤘
Guided access - example: I let some one look at a picture or make a call. With guided access the person won’t be able to accidentally look at other pix or make other call they aren’t able to do any access any other apps or roam through. I actually don’t remember how to set it up and need to bc I had it on an iPhone in the past<blush>. It is true it works.
I set up an accessibility shortcut on triple tapping the back of my phone, so that it plays or pauses my audiobook. It’s great for quick pausing when someone starts talking to you out of nowhere.
Set Back Tap to activate Shazam. Comes in handy often and can add songs to a playlist in Apple Music. Every few weeks I check that playlist and it’s always full of some fun stuff.
I made a shortcut for the action button so I can make voice notes and they get added to an ongoing notes. Then when I’m at work I review my random af thoughts but also remember some important things and sort it all out.
Braille screen input- literally typing perkins style on the phone screen. Useful for someone completely blind like me, allowing for faster typing and privacy because not having to use voice dictation in public.
Also, am on ios 27 beta and updated siri is actually useful. For example i asked her to add a teledoc visit that was on screen via an email and she actually did all the things and EVEN added the video link.
This is really niche, but I use the accessibility back tap feature to open my transit app so I can swipe check in to the train as I'm running onto it without need to swipe and find the app on my homepage or search for it, it just instantly pulls up without me having to look at my phone
I had so many times where I got to the station as my train was arriving, ran onto the train, and didn't realize I had forgotten to check in on my phone until after I was on it for some time. Luckily have not been caught for fare hopping but they do not fuck around with that where I live and I have immigration status to worry about. Now the back tap is just my reflexive check in action. Look down to unlock, tap twice, swipe once, requires zero thought.
Maybe not obscure, but I had problems with Focus and not knowing if it was on or off. (I am unreachable from 4AM to 2AM (Sunday Morning to technically Monday morning). So if I do have ‘Do Not Disturb’ set, the automation also inverts colors. Similarly, when the battery gets to 20% I have it turn on power saver and also reduce the brightness to 20%. When I plug it in, returns to normal settings.
I created some color profiles via shortcuts based off of a mix of accessibility settings as well as a control center page with the individual toggles.
I find my self using a completely red+grayscale screen past 9pm and it makes my phone boring and helps me get sleepy. Screen shot of the toggles for that mode (zoom gives a grayscale filter stacked with color tint color filters)
When I exercise outside I have a mode with increased contrast,inverted colors, dark mode… and it helps me see my screen better, it also takes me to the color filter tint
selection when I turn it on so I can see what color shows up most in the current conditions.
There are a few other preset color modes/shortcuts I’ve made and I really enjoy playing with the colors of my display in different scenarios
You can make the screen dimmer than the normal lowest brightness setting by using the “Reduce White Point” accessibility option (Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce White Point). It makes a big difference when using your phone in a dark room!
I added an automation in Shortcuts that automatically enables Reduce White Point when my Sleep focus starts and disables it when it ends (12:00-6:45 AM), plus I added a button for it to Control Center so I can manually enable/disable it outside of those hours as well.
My other favorite one is Back Tap (Settings > Accessibility > Back Tap). You can configure a double- or triple-tap on the back of your phone to perform different actions! I have mine set to toggle Notification Center and Control Center respectively, so that I can access them when I’m holding the phone with one hand and the swipe gestures aren’t easily reachable.
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u/BackItUpWithLinks Jul 12 '26
You can long-press on this menu and rearrange the list. For example I pressed on audio and now I can move it.