01 TAKE A PICTURE WITHOUT TOUCHING YOUR PHONE
An old but good iPhone hack is using the volume control buttons to capture a snapshot – thus saving your meaty paw blocking the screen as you try to hit the touchscreen controls. But what if you’d rather be further removed from the shutter controls of photo capture? Pressing the volume button on a pair of connected, compatible headphones will have the same effect.
2. SCRATCH SECONDS FROM YOUR SURVEYS
When it comes to figuring out football scores or proving a point, getting where you need to go on the internet is all about speed and accuracy – something that’s lacking when you’re forced to eliminate web addresses with too many types. So save time by holding down the period icon while typing an address to open a series of URL suffix shortcuts. From the classics (.com, .co.uk ) to the lesser-used (.edu, .ie), there are quick shortcuts for everyone.
3. FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT YOUR PHONE KNOWS ABOUT YOU
Somewhat ominously, your iPhone is always collecting data about you in the background – whether it’s the apps you use the most, how much data you’re messing with… or even, most alarmingly, where you are. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations to see what we mean. Not only can you see where you have been, but you can also see how much time you have spent there. The NSA is watching you closely.
4. REPLACE AN ESSENTIAL TOOLBOX
You probably archived the Compass app along with the Stocks and Find Friends apps in a folder titled ‘Shit, I can’t delete’. However, you should pull it back – as it has a second secret function that will help you with your DIY tasks. No: don’t use your iPhone to hammer nails (although you can – briefly – do that too). Instead, swiping left on the Compass app brings up a very useful spirit level – a digital spirit gauge that can check if the shelf is really level. (Spoiler: it’s not.)
5. LOCK YOUR CAMERA’S FOCAL POINT
We all know that tapping the screen while taking a photo sets the camera’s point of focus, right? Well. However, what’s annoying is that every time you move the camera after choosing a focal point, it disappears. Well, no more. Instead of just tapping the screen, press for a second or two until an ‘AF Locked’ box appears. Now you can rotate and rotate and rotate the thing without losing focus.
6. CREATE CUSTOM VIBRATIONS
Have you ever wondered who is calling just by the feel of the phone ringing in your leg? Now you can: Contacts , select your person of choice and press Edit . Here you will see a Vibration option. Selecting this will give you many options, including the Create New Vibration tool. Making your custom hum is as simple as tapping the screen at the rhythm of your choice.
7. CORRECT PRONUNCIATION OF SIRI
Siri is a bit of a smug know-it-all – so there’s nothing better than complaining. Like when he mispronounces people’s names like an ignorant Brit abroad. So if Siri says something wrong, just say it. Following an error saying ‘That’s not how you pronounce & hellip;’ you will see Siri prompt you for the correct pronunciation and then allow you to verify that everything is correct.
8. CLOSE THREE APPS AT ONCE
It’s not just images and web pages that support multi-finger gestures. You can also use additional digits to clear iPhone clutter. If you need to close multiple apps quickly – for honest reasons, totally innocent, without hiding anything – you can drag three fingers up on the multitasking menu to clear the clutter faster. Which means your phone should be more responsive and faster.
9. SET YOUR MUSIC ON A TIMER
Fancy listening to some relaxing background music while you fall asleep in the Land of Nod? So you’re probably familiar with waking up at 3am to some unwanted music. Unless, of course, you set the music to turn off the timer. In the Clock app, swipe to the Timer options. Here, under the ‘When Time Ends’ tag, you can change the alarm option to a ‘Stop Playing’ tag. This will turn off songs, whether through Apple Music or Spotify, when the timer reaches zero.
