Let’s be honest: we spend a huge chunk of our lives staring at our iPhones. We use them for everything from ordering coffee to navigating foreign cities, and yet, most of us are only scratching the surface of what these devices can actually do. Apple packs iOS with hundreds of incredible features, but for the sake of a clean interface, many of the best ones are tucked away in sub-menus or hidden behind gestures you might never discover by accident.
If you have ever felt like you’re fumbling through menus or wishing there was a faster way to do things, you are in the right place. We have dug deep into the settings to find the most practical, time-saving, and downright cool features that will change how you use your phone. Here are 10 secret iPhone features you probably didn't know existed.
1. Typing and Productivity Hacks
Typing on a glass screen can be frustrating, especially when you spot a typo three sentences back. Trying to tap exactly where the cursor needs to go usually results in highlighting the wrong word. However, Apple solved this with a feature that essentially turns your keyboard into a laptop-grade trackpad.
The Hidden Trackpad
Instead of tapping the screen to move your cursor, try this:
- Press and hold the Spacebar on your keyboard.
- Wait a split second until the keys go blank.
- Without lifting your finger, slide it around the keyboard area. You will see the cursor on your text move in perfect sync with your finger.
- Drop the cursor exactly where you need to fix that typo.
Pro Tip: If you use two fingers to tap on the keyboard area while in trackpad mode, you can select text. Tap once to select a word, twice for a sentence, and three times for a paragraph.
Text Replacement Shortcuts
Do you find yourself typing your email address, your home address, or a specific hashtag over and over again? You can create custom shortcuts that automatically expand into long phrases. For example, you could set it up so that typing "@@" automatically turns into your full email address.
To set this up:
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
- Tap Text Replacement.
- Tap the + sign in the top right corner.
- In the "Phrase" field, type the long text (e.g., your email).
- In the "Shortcut" field, type the code you want to use (e.g., "eml").
2. Visual Magic and Camera Tricks
Your iPhone camera is incredibly powerful, but the software analyzing your photos is even more impressive. Recent iOS updates have introduced "Visual Look Up" features that feel like magic tricks.
Lift Subjects from Backgrounds
Want to turn your dog into a sticker, or remove a messy background from a portrait of your friend? You don't need Photoshop for this anymore.
- Open the Photos app and select an image.
- Press and hold directly on the subject of the photo (the person, pet, or object).
- You will see a glowing line trace the outline of the subject.
- Tap Copy to paste it into a text message or note, or drag and drop it directly into another app.
Identify Plants, Pets, and Landmarks
Have you ever snapped a photo of a beautiful flower in a garden and wondered what it was? Your iPhone knows. If there is a recognized object in your photo, a small sparkle icon will appear over the "i" (info) button at the bottom of the screen.
Simply tap the Info (i) button, and then tap Look Up Plant (or Dog, or Landmark). It will give you the species, breed, or historical facts about what is in your picture.
3. Hidden Utilities You’ll Use Daily
Some of the best features are the ones that eliminate the need for third-party apps. Apple has built-in tools for scanning, measuring, and generating noise that many users completely overlook.
The Built-in Document Scanner
Stop taking blurry photos of documents to email to your boss. Your iPhone has a professional-grade scanner built right into the Notes app.
- Open the Notes app and create a new note.
- Tap the Camera icon above the keyboard.
- Select Scan Documents.
- Point your camera at the paper. It will automatically detect the edges, snap the picture, and correct the perspective so it looks like a flat scan.
Did you know? You can also sign these documents immediately. After scanning, tap the Share button, select "Markup," and use the signature tool to add your actual signature.
Background Sounds for Focus
If you struggle to concentrate in a noisy coffee shop or can't fall asleep without white noise, you might be paying for an app that does what your iPhone does for free. Apple includes a high-quality background noise generator to help you focus or relax.
To access this:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
- Tap Background Sounds.
- Toggle it on and choose from sounds like Rain, Ocean, Stream, or White Noise.
The best part? These sounds can play underneath your music or podcasts, creating a layered audio environment.
4. Accessibility Features That Feel Like Superpowers
The Accessibility menu is a goldmine. While these features are designed to help people with different needs, many of them are incredibly useful for everyone.
Back Tap: The Secret Button
The Apple logo on the back of your phone isn't a button, but your phone can treat the entire back glass like one. You can program your phone to perform an action when you double-tap or triple-tap the back of the device.
Imagine turning on your flashlight, taking a screenshot, or launching the camera just by tapping the back of your phone while it's in your hand.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Back Tap.
- Assign actions to Double Tap and Triple Tap.
Live Listen: Super Hearing
This feature was designed for hearing aids, but it works with AirPods to act as a remote microphone. If you are in a crowded restaurant and can't hear your friend across the table, you can put your phone near them and listen through your AirPods.
- Add the "Hearing" icon to your Control Center (Settings > Control Center).
- Put your AirPods in.
- Open Control Center and tap the Ear icon.
- Turn on Live Listen.
5. Privacy and "Kid Mode"
Finally, there is a feature that is an absolute lifesaver for parents or anyone lending their phone to a friend to look at "just one photo."
Guided Access
Guided Access allows you to lock your iPhone to a single app. If you hand your phone to a toddler to play a game, or to a friend to check a map, they cannot swipe up, leave the app, or look through your texts.
To set it up:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and turn it on.
- Set a passcode (different from your unlock code if you wish).
- Open the app you want to lock.
- Triple-click the side power button.
- Tap Start.
Now the phone is locked to that app. To exit, triple-click the power button again and enter your passcode.
Your iPhone is capable of so much more than just scrolling through social media. By taking a few minutes to set up these "secret" features, you can save time, improve your photos, and make your daily interactions with your device much smoother. Go ahead and try the "Back Tap" right now—it’s a game changer!