You bought an iPhone. You take pictures, scroll through Instagram, send WhatsApp messages, make calls and occasionally ask Siri a question. But what if I told you that your iPhone can do so much more than you’ve been using it for?
Apple has packed some seriously useful features into your iPhone, but many people never discover them because nobody shows them where to look.
The interesting part is you don’t need to be a tech expert to use these features. You just need to know where to find them.
At The Phonepreneur, Your Trusted Tech Plug, we’re showing you 10 hidden iPhone features that can make your everyday life easier, save you time and help you get more value from the phone you already own.
Let’s get into it!
1. Triple-Tap the Back of Your iPhone to Take a Screenshot
Did you know that the back of your iPhone can work like an extra button?
Yes, the BACK!
Apple has a feature called Back Tap, which lets you perform certain actions by tapping the back of your phone two or three times.
You can set it to take screenshots, open your camera, turn on your flashlight, activate Siri or perform other supported actions.
How to Turn On Back Tap
Open Settings.
Tap Accessibility.
Select Touch.
Scroll down and tap Back Tap.
Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap.
Select the action you want.
Now tap the back of your phone three times and watch what happens!
Back Tap works on iPhone 8 and later with iOS 14 or newer.
2. Bring Two iPhones Together to Share Your Contact Details
Remember when exchanging phone numbers meant calling out your digits while someone typed them?
“Zero eight zero… wait, is that six or nine?”
Well, your iPhone has a better way!
With Apple’s NameDrop feature, you can exchange contact information simply by bringing the top of your iPhone close to the top of another compatible iPhone.
No typing. No calling out numbers. No unnecessary stress.
How to Use NameDrop
Make sure both iPhones are running iOS 17.1 or later.
Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Ensure Bring Devices Together is enabled under Settings → General → AirDrop.
Bring the tops of both iPhones close together.
Wait for the NameDrop screen to appear.
Choose whether to share your contact details or receive the other person’s information.
And there you have it!
This is particularly useful when meeting new clients, business partners or friends.
Is NameDrop safe on iPhone? Yes, sharing isn’t automatic. You choose whether to share your information, and you can select which contact details to send.
3. Copy Just ONE Line From a Long Message on Your iPhone
Someone sends you a long WhatsApp message containing an account number, address or important instruction.
You only need one line.
But when you try to copy it, your phone selects the whole gbo gbo message! 😩
Before you start deleting everything you don’t need, try this iPhone trick.
Apple’s Live Text feature allows you to select and copy text from screenshots and photographs.
How to Copy Specific Text From an iPhone Screenshot
Take a screenshot of the message.
Open the screenshot in Photos.
Press and hold the particular text you want.
Adjust the selection handles.
Tap Copy.
Now paste the exact information wherever you need it.
No more copying an entire essay because you need one account number!
Live Text also works with many photographs, flyers and images containing readable text.
For example, you can photograph a business flyer and copy the phone number directly from the picture instead of typing it manually.
Live Text requires an iPhone XS, XR or later running iOS 15 or newer.
4. Turn Your iPhone Keyboard Into a Trackpad
Have you ever typed a long message and discovered one tiny spelling mistake somewhere in the middle?
You try to place the cursor exactly where the mistake is, but it keeps landing everywhere except the correct spot.
Your iPhone has a solution!
Simply press and hold the spacebar on your keyboard.
The letters will disappear, and your keyboard will become a trackpad.
Move your finger around to position the cursor exactly where you want it.
That’s it!
This little iPhone keyboard trick makes editing messages, emails and documents much easier.
5. Scan Documents With Your iPhone Without Downloading Another App
You need to send a scanned copy of your certificate, ID card, receipt or business document.
Your first instinct?
“Let me download a scanner app.”
Hold on!
Your iPhone already has a built-in document scanner.
You can use the Notes app to scan documents and save them as PDFs.
How to Scan Documents on Your iPhone
Open the Notes app.
Create a new note.
Tap the attachment icon.
Select Scan Documents.
Position your camera over the document.
Capture and adjust the scan.
Save or share the document.
You can even scan multiple pages into one document.
For students, business owners and professionals who regularly send documents, this feature is especially useful.
Why fill your phone with unnecessary apps when your iPhone can already do the job?
6. Use Your iPhone to Identify Any Song Playing Around You
You’re sitting in a restaurant, watching a video or riding in a car when a beautiful song starts playing.
You love it!
But what’s the title?
Before you start typing random lyrics into Google, try your iPhone’s built-in Music Recognition feature.
Powered by Shazam, it can identify many songs playing around you.
How to Identify Songs With Your iPhone
Open Control Center and add Music Recognition if it isn’t already there.
Whenever you hear a song you want to identify, tap the Music Recognition button.
Your iPhone will listen and display the song title and artist when it finds a match.
You can also ask Siri:
“Hey Siri, what song is this?”
Your personal music detective has been sitting in your pocket all along!
7. Use Your iPhone as a Measuring Tape
You want to buy a table, hang a picture or check whether a piece of furniture will fit into a particular space.
But where is the measuring tape?
Before you start searching the whole house, check your iPhone.
Apple’s built-in Measure app uses augmented reality to estimate the dimensions of real-world objects.
How to Measure Objects With Your iPhone
Open the Measure app.
Point your camera at the object.
Move your phone as instructed.
Mark the starting and ending points.
Check the approximate measurement displayed on your screen.
It’s useful for quick estimates when shopping for furniture, decorating your home or checking dimensions.
Just remember that the measurements are approximate. For work requiring high precision, use a physical measuring tape.
8. Type Three Letters and Let Your iPhone Complete an Entire Message
Business owners, this one is for you!
How many times do you type the same message every day?
“Hello, thank you for contacting us.”
“Please find our payment details below.”
“Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to serving you again.”
What if you could type just three letters and have your iPhone complete the entire message?
That’s exactly what Text Replacement does!
How to Set Up Text Replacement on Your iPhone
Open Settings.
Go to General.
Select Keyboard.
Tap Text Replacement.
Tap the + button.
Enter your full message under Phrase.
Enter your abbreviation under Shortcut.
For example:
Shortcut | Full message |
|---|---|
typ | Thank you for your patronage! |
addr | Your complete business address |
brb | I’ll get back to you shortly. |
welcome | Hello! Thank you for contacting us. How may we help you today? |
Now, when you type the shortcut in a supported text field, your iPhone can suggest the complete message.
Imagine how much time this could save you when responding to customers!
For entrepreneurs who manage their businesses from their phones, this is one iPhone productivity feature worth setting up immediately.
9. Find a Particular Photo on Your Phone Without Endless Scrolling
You took a beautiful picture six months ago.
Now you need it.
But your gallery contains 15,000 photos, 3,000 screenshots and enough WhatsApp images to open a museum. Haha
Where do you even begin?
Your iPhone’s Photos app has a search feature that can recognize many objects, places, dates and categories in your pictures.
Instead of scrolling endlessly, use the search function.
Try searching for words like:
Beach
Birthday
Dog
Food
Receipts
Depending on your device and iOS version, you may also be able to search for text appearing inside your photographs.
For example, if you took a picture of a receipt, searching for a word on that receipt may help you locate it.
It’s one of those simple iPhone features that becomes incredibly useful when you need something urgently.
10. Make Your iPhone Read Articles Aloud to You
You have a long article to read, but you’re cooking, cleaning or doing something else that requires your hands.
Why not let your iPhone read it to you?
Apple’s accessibility reading features allow your phone to speak selected text or read supported screen content aloud.
How to Make it Read Text Aloud
Open Settings.
Go to Accessibility.
Find Spoken Content or Read & Speak, depending on your iOS version.
Enable Speak Screen.
Open the article or text you want to hear.
Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen.
Your iPhone will begin reading supported content aloud.
You can also adjust the speaking rate and choose from available voices.
This feature is useful for listening to articles, study materials and other lengthy content while doing something else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions people ask about iPhone tips and tricks.
What Are the Most Useful Hidden iPhone Features?
Some useful hidden iPhone features include Back Tap, NameDrop, Live Text, Text Replacement, Music Recognition, the Measure app and the built-in document scanner. These features can help you save time and perform everyday tasks more conveniently.
Can I Take a Screenshot by Tapping the Back of My iPhone?
Yes. On iPhone 8 and later running iOS 14 or newer, you can enable Back Tap under Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap. Assign Screenshot to Double Tap or Triple Tap.
How Do I Share My Contact by Touching Two iPhones Together?
Use Apple’s NameDrop feature. Bring the tops of two compatible iPhones close together and follow the on-screen instructions to exchange contact details. Both devices need iOS 17.1 or later.
Can I Copy Text From a Picture on My iPhone?
Yes. Apple’s Live Text feature lets you select and copy recognizable text from supported photos and screenshots. Open the image in Photos, press and hold the text, adjust your selection and tap Copy.
Do All iPhones Have These Hidden Features?
No. Some features require newer iPhone models or specific iOS versions. For example, Back Tap requires iPhone 8 or later, while Live Text requires iPhone XS, XR or later. NameDrop requires compatible devices running iOS 17.1 or newer.
Before You Buy Another iPhone, Discover What Yours Can Do!
Here’s the interesting thing about all these hidden iPhone features: you don’t necessarily need a new phone to enjoy them.
Sometimes, the upgrade you need isn’t another iPhone.
It’s learning how to use the one you already have!
Your iPhone is more than a device for taking pictures, scrolling through social media and making calls. With the right knowledge, it can become a powerful tool for communication, productivity, business and everyday convenience.
And that’s why we’re here.
At The Phonepreneur, we don’t just talk about phones. We help you understand technology, make informed buying decisions and get more value from your devices.
Which of these iPhone tricks did you know before today, and which one are you trying first?
Tell us in the comments!
And don’t keep these tips to yourself. Share this article with that friend who owns an iPhone but still uses it like a Nokia torchlight! 😩
The Phonepreneur, Your Trusted Tech Plug!
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