20 Hidden iPhone Tricks Apple Doesn't Tell You

1. Back Tap - Turn Your iPhone into a Magic Wand

Double or triple-tap the back of your iPhone to trigger custom actions:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap
2. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap
3. Select actions like:
   • Take a screenshot
   • Open Control Center
   • Turn on flashlight
   • Activate Siri
   • Launch any app

2. Secret Trackpad Mode

Turn your keyboard into a trackpad for precise cursor control:

• 3D Touch iPhones: Press firmly on the keyboard
• iPhone XR and later: Long-press the spacebar
• Move your finger to precisely position the cursor
• Press harder (3D Touch) or tap again to select text

3. Measure Things with Your Camera

Your iPhone has a built-in measuring tape:

1. Open the Measure app
2. Point camera at object you want to measure
3. Tap the + button at the start point
4. Move to the end point and tap + again
5. Get surprisingly accurate measurements!

4. Scan Documents Like a Pro

Built-in document scanner in the Notes app:

1. Open Notes app and create a new note
2. Tap the camera icon
3. Select Scan Documents
4. iPhone automatically detects document edges
5. Adjust corners if needed and tap Keep Scan
6. Create multi-page PDFs

5. Quick Level Tool

Access the level tool instantly:

• Swipe down from top-right for Control Center
• Long-press the Flashlight icon
• Tap Level (if added to Control Center)
• Or open Measure app and swipe left to Level tab

6. Shake to Undo

Made a mistake while typing? Just shake your iPhone:

• Physically shake your iPhone side to side
• Tap Undo in the popup
• Shake again to Redo if needed
• Works in any app with text input

7. One-Handed Keyboard

Make typing easier on large iPhones:

1. Long-press the 🌐 or 😀 button on keyboard
2. Select left or right-handed keyboard
3. Keyboard shrinks and moves to one side
4. Tap the arrow to expand back to full size

8. Custom Control Center

Add your most-used features to Control Center:

1. Go to Settings → Control Center
2. Tap + next to features you want to add:
   • Screen Recording
   • Notes
   • Voice Memos
   • Calculator
   • Magnifier
   • Apple TV Remote
3. Drag to reorder items

9. Quick App Switching

Switch between apps without going to home screen:

• iPhone X and later: Swipe left/right on the bottom edge
• iPhone 8 and earlier: Double-tap home button and swipe
• Or use 3D Touch on left edge of screen (older iPhones)

10. Screenshot Markup Magic

Edit screenshots immediately after taking them:

1. Take screenshot (Volume Up + Side button)
2. Tap the preview thumbnail in bottom-left
3. Use markup tools to:
   • Draw and write
   • Add text boxes
   • Highlight important parts
   • Add your signature
   • Crop and adjust

11. Secret Search in Settings

Find any setting instantly:

1. Open Settings app
2. Pull down to reveal search bar
3. Type what you're looking for (e.g., "battery," "wifi," "notifications")
4. Jump directly to that setting

12. Morse Code with Flashlight

Make your LED flash in morse code for accessibility:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual
2. Turn on LED Flash for Alerts
3. Your iPhone will flash for notifications
4. Customize flash patterns for different alerts

13. Magnifier Tool

Turn your iPhone into a powerful magnifying glass:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Magnifier
2. Turn on Magnifier
3. Triple-click side button to activate
4. Use camera to zoom up to 15x
5. Freeze images, adjust brightness, and apply filters

14. Guided Access for Focus

Lock your iPhone to a single app:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access
2. Turn it on and set a passcode
3. Open any app and triple-click side button
4. Circle areas to disable or set time limits
5. Perfect for kids or staying focused

15. Type by Sliding (QuickPath)

Swipe to type faster than tapping:

• On the keyboard, slide your finger from letter to letter
• Lift finger at the end of each word
• iPhone predicts words based on your swiping pattern
• Much faster than tapping once you get used to it

16. Emergency SOS

Quickly call for help and alert emergency contacts:

1. Press and hold Side button + Volume button
2. Or rapidly press Side button 5 times
3. Slide Emergency SOS to call 911
4. Automatically sends location to emergency contacts
5. Temporarily disables Face ID/Touch ID for privacy

17. Voice Control Everything

Control your iPhone entirely with voice commands:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Voice Control
2. Turn on Voice Control
3. Say commands like:
   • "Open Settings"
   • "Tap Battery"
   • "Scroll down"
   • "Go home"
   • "Show numbers" (adds numbers to all clickable items)

18. Custom Vibrations

Create unique vibration patterns for different contacts:

1. Go to Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Ringtone → Vibration
2. Tap Create New Vibration
3. Tap and hold to create custom patterns
4. Save and assign to specific contacts
5. Know who's calling without looking!

19. Reachability for Large iPhones

Bring the top of the screen within thumb reach:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Reachability
2. Turn on Reachability
3. Swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen
4. Top half slides down for easy one-handed use
5. Tap top area or wait to return to normal

20. AssistiveTouch Virtual Button

Add a virtual home button and shortcuts to your screen:

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch
2. Turn on AssistiveTouch
3. Customize the menu to include:
   • Home button function
   • Volume controls
   • Screenshot
   • Lock screen
   • Control Center
4. Perfect if your physical buttons are broken

Share These Tricks!

Now that you know these secret iPhone features, you're officially an iPhone power user! Share your favorite tricks with friends and family - they'll be amazed at what their iPhone can really do.

Want to learn even more? Check out our complete iOS Shortcuts guide and discover how to fully customize your Control Center.