Jun 22, 2023
iPhone Tips & Tricks
Reading time: 7 minutes
You love your smartphone and, specifically your iPhone, but sometimes you’re unsure how smart it really is. Why can't it be easier to do things like increase the size of the text in the notes app, create custom ringtones or a custom lock screen, and install updates on your iOS device? Here PureTalk offers iPhone users iPhone tips and tricks and a look at hidden features that will make your life easier!
How to charge your iPhone battery faster
Isn’t it always at the most inconvenient times that you discover you’re about out of battery? Well, you can charge it faster and extend the battery life if you first put it in Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode turns off lots of features of your phone – like cellular and Wi-Fi – so there’s less for the battery to do so it charges faster. When you’re done, just turn Airplane Mode off.
To turn “Airplane Mode” on, open Settings, then toggle “Airplane Mode” to the “on” position.
How to increase the font size on your iPhone
No matter what iPhone model you have, you can make reading text messages easier by doing the following:
Under Settings, choose “Accessibility.” Look for and click on the words “Display & Text Size.” On the next screen, you have the option to turn on “Bold Text” and “Larger Text,” among others. Click on “Larger Text” and you can turn on what are called “Larger Accessibility Sizes.” The larger text won’t work on every app, but it will function on many, and that will make reading on your phone easier.
If you’d like to darken the text on multiple apps, turn on “Bold Text.” Again, the text won’t be bolded on every app, but it will be on many of them.
This is one of those iPhone tips and tricks that's really helpful for iPhone users of all ages!
How to be more frugal with data
If you're watching your data usage, it's a good idea to use a feature introduced in iOS 7: cellular data management. With this tool, you can decide which apps get to use cellular data, and which apps can load only over Wi-Fi. Head over to Settings > Cellular to disable cellular data usage for any installed apps.
How to create custom ringtones and vibrations
How great would it be to know who's calling, just by the way the iPhone is buzzing in your pocket? You can. In the Contacts app, select your person of choice and tap Edit. Select Ringtone and you'll see a Vibration option. Press that and you'll see several options – like Heartbeat, Rapid, and Staccato – including a Create New Vibration tool to customize your own buzz. This way, you can have a different ring for your partner, child, best friend, anyone you want!
How to master the calculator app
Sometimes, while using the iPhone's Calculator app, we enter a wrong digit causing your lengthy calculations to mess up and there's no choice but to tap the Clear [C] button that clears all the numbers altogether. Well, you might not know but there's a way to delete ONLY the last digit that you accidentally entered in the Calculator app. Just swipe your finger to the left or right of the numbers to clear the last digit. Each swipe will remove the last digit until the number becomes zero.
How to use your iPhone as an Apple TV remote
Talk about one of the great hidden features of iPhone! To launch your Apple TV via your iPhone, open the Control Center then tap the Apple TV Remote icon.
Master the AirDrop function
If you also have an iPad or Mac, then AirDrop is the fastest way to share files between all of your Apple devices — like photos and videos, documents, and more. It's a great feature for those who are heavily vested in the Apple ecosystem of hardware. To use this feature, just select AirDrop from the share sheet whenever you're sharing an item. You'll also want to make sure that your AirDrop settings are set correctly. You can adjust this by going to Settings > General > AirDrop
How to install updates on your iPhone
Open Settings, then click on “General” and then “Software Update” and turn “Automatic Updates” to the “on” position. On the next screen, turn on “Download iOS Updates” and “Install iOS Updates.” Now software updates will be made automatically after they have been downloaded. iPhone sends you a notification before updates are installed. All you need to do is make sure your iPhone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi to complete the update.
How to turn your iPhone into a hot spot
A hot spot enables you to work on your laptop when you’re away from home or in a place where there’s no public Wi-Fi. Using your iPhone in this manner allows you to remain productive and connected.
On an iPhone: Open the Settings app, then simply tap “Personal Hotspot,” then “Allow Others to Join.”
Once your hotspot is on, return to your laptop or other device and go to settings and into your Wi-Fi menu. Your iPhone should be there as an option. Select it and provide the password your iPhone gave you.
How to take photos with the volume feature on your iPhone
The following two tips and tricks are the kinds you can use to impress your kids or grandkids or even your spouse so, honestly? They’re worth knowing!
Ready? You don’t need to use the photos app to take photos. Nope. You can simply long press on the volume “up” or “down” feature on the side of your iPhone. All you need to do is open the camera app, aim, and click the volume button up or down and ta da! Your iPhone snaps a photo, even multiple photos!
How to get use Siri to take photos for you
Activate Siri by holding down the “home” or “side” button. Now say "hey Siri" and ask her to take a photo. In a second, the camera will open and all you need to do is tap the button.
You can also say "hey Siri" and ask her to take a square or panoramic photo (you can say “picture” too), a video, a time-lapse video, or even a selfie.
When you like the image you see, tap the camera button!
Note: This works on all iPhone models, but the selfie feature requires iOS 10 and up.
How to “shake off” unwanted text
You’re typing a text or a note and decide you it doesn’t read properly so you want to get rid of it. Forget the back button. Enable this trick and all you’ll need to do is shake your iPhone.
Open Settings and tap “Accessibility.” Tap “Touch” and then “Shake to Undo” and toggle it “on.”
Now, when you’ve typed something you’d like to delete, simply shake your phone and when the pop-up window pops up, tap Undo.
How to extend the battery life of your iPhone
Over time, the battery in your phone won’t last as long as it once did. But there are things you can do to extend your battery life. Here are a few tips :and tricks:
Remove animated or live wallpaper
If you have animated or live wallpaper on your home screen, delete it. It’s fun and it looks nice, but it drains the battery. Put something simple on your home screen instead.
Watch all your apps
Certain apps, like Uber and Grubhub, track your location. If they’re tracking it all the time, it will drain your battery. On your iPhone, open apps like Google Maps or Uber or Grubhub, etc., and make sure that the “Location” setting is switched to “While Using” otherwise these apps will continue to hog your battery.
Adjust the brightness of your iPhone screen
If your iPhone screen is very bright, which you might have needed it to be before enlarging the font size, it will drain your battery. To dim your iPhone screen, under iPhone Settings click on “Display & Brightness,” then use the slider to adjust the brightness down a notch. Starting in Settings, follow the same steps to do this on your Android device.
Turn Bluetooth off
Using Bluetooth to transmit data requires an enormous amount of battery power. Enable it when necessary, and shut it off when you don’t need it.
On your iPhone screen, go to iPhone Settings and click on “Bluetooth.” Move the slider to the left to turn it off.
Adjust email retrieval
The more frequently your iPhone looks for new data, the more it drains your battery. To adjust the frequency, on your iPhone open the Settings app, then click on “Mail” and then “Accounts.” On the “Accounts” screen, click “Fetch New Data” and then how often your phone should check for email. The longer you go between checks, the better for the life of your battery.
Don’t worry – even though you’ve adjusted the frequency with which your phone will check for email, you can still check your email manually by opening up Gmail, etc.
For more helpful iPhone tips visit the experts at iPhone!
How to know when it’s time for a new iPhone
Most people upgrade to a new iPhone every year or two, but you really can go three years or more. If you’re considering getting a new iPhone, here are a few reasons, according to CBS News, to take the plunge:
“You should opt for a new device if your current phone: Has major damage, such as hardware damage or a severely cracked screen, which can be pricy without insurance; Isn't charging like it used to or has other issues with its battery; and most importantly, can no longer get software updates.”
Now that you’re the smartest iPhone user you know, make another smart move:
Switch to PureTalk!
Now that you know lots of iPhone tips and tricks for your iOS device, it's time to discover PureTalk's budget-friendly individual and family plans and our great coverage that costs half of the pricey wireless companies. Plus, with PureTalk, you can bring your iOS device and keep your phone number or choose from our large selection of the latest iPhones and Androids.
PureTalk saves you money
At PureTalk we’re proud to offer you phone plans starting as low as $20 a month for unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data, and tablet plans starting at just $10 a month with 2GB of data. Beyond that, PureTalk is on America’s most reliable 5G network – which delivers the best cell coverage of any network before it – but at half the cost of those overpriced wireless companies. And our customers reap the savings. In fact, families of four who switch to PureTalk Family Plans save $75 a month for an average of $900 a year. Plus, you can keep your phone and your phone number if you like.
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When you choose PureTalk, you’re choosing to support a company whose values align with your own. You’re choosing to support a company whose CEO is a U.S. Veteran and a company that supports our Veterans. You’re also choosing to support American jobs: 100% of our customer service is based right here in the United States. Even more importantly, PureTalk offers a...
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Posted 10 months ago