There are more uses for your iPhone than just social networking and messaging. By using the appropriate settings, you may, among other things, change the size of the text on your screen, prolong the life of your battery, and automatically adjust the brightness on your screen to meet lighting conditions. However, if you are unaware of these settings, you cannot benefit from them.
A few easy adjustments may make a big difference, whether your goal is to make your iPhone seem more like your own, clear up your home screen, or turn off pointless notifications. You may get more out of your device with less work if you follow these 24 iOS settings.
1. Prevent applications from pinpointing your precise location
For apps like DoorDash and Postmates to deliver meals to the correct place or straight to you, they need to know your precise position. This does not imply that every app on your iPhone must always be aware of your exact location. You can stop an app from recording your precise position because of this.
Select an app (such as Instagram) in the Settings app, hit Location, and then turn off Precise Location. Any app that disables precise location will only be able to determine your position within a few miles.
2. Make your iPhone’s back become a button.
To do certain functions, like taking a screenshot, turning on low battery mode, or launching a shortcut that will start playing music as soon as you go to the gym, you may utilize the back of your iPhone as a hidden button. The rear of your iPhone functions if you have an earlier model, but the Action Button on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models all accomplish the same thing.
Here’s how to locate the option, which is buried deep in your settings.
Go to Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap in the Settings app, then choose between double tapping and triple tapping. Tapping the back of your iPhone should display a list of tasks that you may do, such as scrolling up and down, turning on the flashlight, and opening your camera. Back Tap may be used to activate a shortcut or function by tapping on it.
3. Increase the battery’s longevity
Go to Settings > Battery > Charging on the iPhone 15 and later, then slide the Charge Limit slider. You have a range of options from 80% to 100%. The default is this. After charging to within a few percentage points of the selected amount, your iPhone will shut off.)
Why do this? Lithium-ion batteries have a longer lifetime since they don’t have to be completely charged for as long. See how well the 95% option suits you during the day by giving it a try. You may experiment with some of the lower percentage point possibilities if that is more than adequate battery life.
4. Turn on Live Voicemail to get transcriptions of voicemails in real time.
You don’t want to answer the phone unless it’s an urgent call. Regretfully, the only way to find out is to listen to the voicemail that was left after the call. You may see a real-time transcription of any voicemail left with iOS 17. Yes, you have the option to check voicemails on your phone and decide to answer the call, which will put you in contact with the person who left them.
Turn on Live Voicemail by going to Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail. This function isn’t enabled by default. That’s all.
5. Restore full-screen notifications for incoming calls
A banner-style notice with a tiny picture, the name or number of the caller, and the choices to accept or reject the call will show up at the top of your screen if your iPhone is unlocked and you get a call.
The default setting wasn’t always this. Previously, when your iPhone was unlocked, incoming calls would fill the screen. Yes, it was disruptive, but it accomplished the task. Because it’s more covert and lets you use your phone while on the phone, the banner could be a pleasant adjustment for many.
Go to Settings > Phone > Incoming Calls and choose Full Screen if you’d like the more visually striking full-screen alert instead of the banner for any reason.
6. Disable any 5G coverage you don’t need or want.
Apple claims that its 5G phones include a Smart Data function that will seamlessly transition between 4G LTE and 5G networks according to your device’s use. The battery on your iPhone could be depleting more quickly than it used to. Turn it off if you don’t want to give up battery life for 5G speeds. When you choose to or when local service improves, you can easily switch 5G back on.
To force your iPhone to always utilize 4G LTE (even if you have 5G service), switch off 5G by opening the Settings app, selecting Cellular > Primary > Voice & Data, and then tapping LTE. As an alternative, you may choose 5G On if you want your iPhone to only utilize a 5G connection when it is available.
7. Adjust the amount of data that a 5G connection uses
Check out this network-related parameter whether you’re satisfied with your 5G performance. Three choices are available when you go to Settings > Cellular > Primary > Data Mode: Allow More Data on 5G, Standard, and Low Data Mode.
Brief explanations of the first choice are provided underneath the three options, but they don’t provide a full picture. An Apple support page claims that enabling additional data on 5G would enable FaceTime conversations and high-quality video. Additionally, it enables third-party developers to enhance their applications and lets your phone download and stream high-definition Apple TV and Apple Music material.
Your carrier and data plan will determine the default option on this page, so it’s a good idea to check your iPhone to make sure it’s set to your preferred setting.
8. Prevent applications from overcrowding your home screen.
You can easily locate and access all of your apps in the App Library. Additionally, all recently downloaded applications show up on your home screen even if they are stored here. If you download applications seldom, this may not be an issue, but if you install new apps often, they might soon take up too much space on your home screen.
Choose App Library Only under Settings > Home Screen & App Library to prevent downloaded applications from showing up on your home screen. You must swipe left on your home screen until you get to the App Library in order to locate the app.
9. Put on your face mask and unlock your phone.
It might be annoying to unlock your iPhone using Apple’s Face ID technology if you wear a mask in public. Face ID just doesn’t function since half of your face is hidden. Additionally, unlocking your phone by entering your password is not as handy even if it does function.
You may choose to activate iOS’s face unlock function, which makes it simple to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask. Prior to the upgrade, you needed an Apple Watch in order to unlock your iPhone.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone, then choose the Face ID & Passcode option to unlock your iPhone using your Apple Watch. You may activate the functionality for all watches connected to your iPhone by scrolling down to the “Unlock with Apple Watch” section (you must be wearing an Apple Watch in order for the setting to show).
Without an Apple Watch, you may unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask if it’s running iOS 15.4 or later. Open Face ID & Passcode in the Settings app. The Face ID With a Mask option may then be toggled on. It’s very fantastic.
10. Reposition Safari’s address bar at the top.
For users with smaller hands who had trouble reaching the address at the top with one hand, Safari moved the address to the bottom of the screen a few years ago. Some individuals may find this adjustment off-putting since they are used to having the URL bar toward the top of the screen, but it may seem more natural because it is closer to the keyboard and where you usually position your thumbs.
To restore the address bar to the top of the screen, choose the Single Tab option under the Tabs subsection in Settings after tapping Safari.