You’ve had your iPhone for years. You think you know it inside out—until you stumble on some weird little trick that makes you go, “Wait, it can do THAT?!”
I’ve been there. After a decade of iPhones, I’m still finding random features that save time or just make life easier. Here are 10 of the most useful hidden gems you’ve probably missed.
1. The Hidden Trackpad
Ever tried editing text and felt like you’re wrestling with a toddler? Hold down the spacebar—your keyboard turns into a trackpad. Slide your finger to move the cursor precisely.
Why it’s awesome: No more fat-fingering typos when fixing messages.
2. Undo Typing by Shaking Your Phone
Deleted a whole paragraph by accident? Shake your iPhone like you’re mad at it. A pop-up asks if you want to undo.
Bonus: Works for accidentally deleted photos, too.
3. Tap the Back of Your Phone to Do Stuff
Under Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, you can set a double or triple tap to:
- Take screenshots
- Open the camera
- Turn on flashlight
Why I love it: No more fumbling for buttons in the dark.
4. Scan Documents Like a 1990s Office Clerk
Need to scan a receipt? Open Notes, tap the camera icon, and hit Scan Documents. It auto-crops and saves as a PDF.
Real-world use: I’ve used this for parking tickets, contracts, and even my grandma’s cookie recipe.
5. Measure Anything with Your Camera
The Measure app (preinstalled) turns your iPhone into a tape measure. Point it at a table, and it gives you dimensions.
Does it work? Shockingly well—I measured my couch before buying legs online.
6. Drag and Drop Between Apps
Found a photo you want to text? Press and hold it, then drag it to the Messages icon without letting go. Works with text, links, files—almost anything.
Game changer: Moving files between apps without the “Save, switch, upload” dance.
7. Silence Unknown Callers
Tired of spam calls? Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers. Your phone will only ring for people in your contacts.
Downside: Your pizza delivery guy might get silenced too.
8. Hidden Magnifying Glass
Triple-press the side button (set it up in Settings > Accessibility > Shortcuts) to turn your camera into a magnifier.
When it saved me: Reading tiny expiration dates on medicine bottles.
9. Quickly Delete Calculator Mistakes
Typed the wrong number in Calculator? Swipe left or right on the display to erase digits one by one.
No more: Starting entire calculations over because of one typo.
10. Emergency SOS with Just Buttons
Press and hold the side button + volume button to trigger Emergency SOS (or rapidly click the side button 5 times). It calls 911 and texts your emergency contacts.
Hope you never need it: But if you do, it’s there.
Final Thought
Apple packs these phones with little surprises, but they’re terrible at explaining them. The best features are buried where nobody looks.
Which one blew your mind? Did I miss your favorite hidden trick? Let me know—I’m always hunting for more.
P.S. Share this with that friend who still double-taps the home button to multitask. 😏
