The Best Hidden Features in Your Smartphone You Never Knew Existed

Here’s a deep dive into some of the most useful but hidden capabilities in iPhones and Android smartphones that you might not know about. These can make your cellphone even more practical and exciting to use.

iPhone Hidden Features

Back Tap Gestures

Feature: Tap the again of your iPhone to trigger custom movements (like screenshots or opening apps).

How to Enable: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, and select among double-faucet and triple-faucet moves.

Customized Focus Modes for Notifications

Feature: Limit or customize notifications primarily based on your pastime (e.g., Work, Sleep, Personal).

How to Enable: Open Settings > Focus, and create custom-designed modes to filter out notifications primarily based on your modern undertaking.

Visual Lookup

Feature: Identify gadgets in photographs (like landmarks, plants, or animals).

How to Use: Open the Photos app, pick an image, and faucet the “i” data icon. If available, a “Look Up” choice will appear for greater information.

Built-in Document Scanner

Feature: Easily test documents with the Notes app, that could save files as PDFs.

How to Use: Open the Notes app, create a brand new word, tap the Digicam icon, and select “Scan Documents.”

Precise Location Sharing

Feature: Share your genuine vicinity quickly with pals or a circle of relatives.

How to Enable: Go to Contacts > Share My Location in iMessage and pick “Share for One Hour” or “Until End of Day” for privacy.

Siri Shortcut Automation

Feature: Set up automatic moves prompted with the aid of specific situations (e.g., turning on Do Not Disturb whilst you reach the office).

How to Enable: Go to Shortcuts > Automation and create personalized workflows.

Hidden Album in Photos

Feature: Keep personal pictures from your primary albums by hiding them.

How to Enable: Open Photos, pick out the pictures, tap Share > Hide, and examine them later within the Hidden Album beneath Photos > Albums.

Swipe Typing at the Keyboard

Feature: Swipe to type for faster texting.

How to Use: Enable this selection in Settings > General > Keyboards > Slide to Type.

Sound Recognition for Alerts

Feature: Your iPhone can warn you of sure sounds (like alarms or doorbells) if you have difficulty listening to them.

How to Enable: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Recognition and permit precise sounds you need to be alerted to.

Android Hidden Features

Google Assistant Voice Typing

Feature: Use Google Assistant to dictate texts palms-unfastened, beneficial for lengthy notes or whilst multitasking.

How to Enable: Open Settings > System > Languages and enter > Google Voice Typing and activate Assistant dictation.

One-Handed Mode

Feature: Shrink the screen for less complicated one-exceeded use on larger phones.

How to Enable: Go to Settings > Advanced capabilities > One-passed mode on Samsung devices, or on Pixel, Settings > Gestures > One-handed mode.

Screen Pinning for App Security

Feature: Lock the display screen to a selected app earlier than handing it to a person, to get the right of entry to anything else.

How to Enable: Go to Settings > Security > Screen Pinning, and then pin an app from the Recent Apps display.

Split-Screen Multitasking

Feature: Use apps aspect-with the aid of-aspect, best for observe-taking even as looking at films or messaging.

How to Use: Open Recent Apps, then faucet the icon at the top of an app’s window and choose “Split display.”

Quick Access Camera and Flashlight Gestures

Feature: Turn at the flashlight or digital camera with a quick bodily gesture.

How to Enable: On Motorola, double chop to toggle the flashlight or twist two times to open the camera. Find similar gestures in Settings > Gestures on other manufacturers.

Digital Wellbeing and Focus Mode

Feature: Limit app usage and get insights into screen time to stay mindful.

How to Enable: Go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls and set app limits or activate Focus Mode.

Notification History

Feature: See dismissed notifications you may have accidentally swiped away.

How to Enable: Open Settings > Notifications > Notification history and enable it to access past alerts.

Wi-Fi QR Codes for Easy Sharing

Feature: Share Wi-Fi with others using a QR code instead of a password.

How to Use: Open Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi on Pixel devices, tap on your Wi-Fi network, and choose “Share.”

Customize Quick Settings Menu

Feature: Tailor your Quick Settings tray with essential features, like screen recording or Do Not Disturb.

How to Customize: Swipe down from the top, tap the pencil icon, and drag to rearrange your Quick Settings icons.

Guest Mode

Feature: Switch to a guest profile to keep personal data private when sharing your phone.

How to Enable: Go to Settings > System > Multiple Users > Guest, giving the guest a fresh interface without your apps or data.

These hidden capabilities can liberate new approaches to apply your cellphone more correctly, from automation and privacy controls to improved accessibility and productiveness alternatives. Dive into these alternatives to make the most of what your tool has to provide!