Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS incorporates so many additions and tweaks that it is easy to overlook some helpful iPhone settings. Apple centered on synthetic intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024, however there’s rather a lot underneath the hood that provides to the regular stream of intriguing customizations and lesser-known options from the previous few years. A number of useful settings are turned off by default, and it isn’t instantly apparent the right way to swap off some annoying options. We’re right here that can assist you get probably the most out of your Apple cellphone.
After you have issues arrange the way in which you need, it’s a breeze to repeat all the things, together with settings, while you swap to a brand new iPhone. For extra ideas and suggestions, learn our associated guides—Finest iPhone, Finest iPhone 16 Circumstances, Finest MagSafe Equipment—and our explainers on The right way to Set Up a New iPhone, The right way to Again Up Your iPhone, and The right way to Repair Your iPhone.
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Customise the Management Middle
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Swipe down from the highest proper of the display screen to open the Management Middle, and also you’ll see it is extra customizable than ever. You possibly can faucet the plus icon on the prime left or faucet and maintain on an empty area to open the customization menu. Right here you may transfer icons and widgets round, take away something you don’t need, or faucet Add a Management on the backside for a searchable record of shortcut icons and widgets you may set up throughout a number of Management Middle screens. You can too customise your own home display screen with iOS 18 to alter the colour and measurement of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.
Change Your Lock Display screen Buttons
You understand these lock display screen controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digicam on the underside proper? You possibly can change them. Press and maintain on an empty area on the lock display screen and faucet Customise, then Lock Display screen. Faucet the minus icon to take away an present shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. You can too change the climate and date widgets, the font and coloration for the time, and choose a wallpaper.
Prolong Display screen Time-Out
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Whereas it’s good to have your display screen day trip for battery saving and safety functions, I discover it maddening when the display screen goes off whereas I’m doing one thing. The default display screen time-out is simply too brief for my part, however fortunately, you may modify it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You might have a number of choices, together with By no means, which suggests you’ll have to manually push the ability button to show the display screen off.
Flip Off Keyboard Sounds
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The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound while you sort is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even when you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood while you sort positive does. You possibly can flip it off in Settings, Sound & Haptics by tapping Keyboard Suggestions and toggling Sound off. I additionally advise toggling off the Lock Sound when you’re in Sound & Haptics.
Go Darkish
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Shield your self from eye-searing glare with darkish mode. Go to Settings, choose Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. You might want to toggle on Automated and have it change with the solar setting, however I want to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.
Change Your Battery Cost Degree
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When you’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as potential, contemplate altering the charging restrict. You possibly can maximize your smartphone’s battery well being when you keep away from charging it past 80 p.c. The iPhone’s default is now Optimized Battery Charging, which waits at 80 p.c after which goals to hit one hundred pc if you end up able to go within the morning. However there’s a slider you may set to a tough 80 p.c restrict in Settings, underneath Battery, and Charging.
Set Up the Motion Button
People with an iPhone 15 Professional mannequin or any machine within the iPhone 16 vary have an Motion Button as a substitute of the outdated mute swap. By default, it is going to silence your iPhone while you press and maintain it, however you may change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You possibly can swipe by means of numerous primary choices from Digital camera and Flashlight to Visible Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts if you need it to do one thing extra attention-grabbing. When you’re unfamiliar, take a look at our information on The right way to Use the Apple Shortcuts App.
Flip Off Apple Intelligence
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A lot vaunted however barely underwhelming, Apple Intelligence isn’t absolutely baked but, and we’re nonetheless ready for an improved Siri. When you want to decide out of sure options or decide out fully, go to Settings, Apple Intelligence & Siri, and faucet on it to toggle Apple Intelligence off. When you want to maintain choose options on, you will discover directions in our The right way to Flip off Apple Intelligence information.
Conceal Delicate Apps
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Whether or not you might be embarrassed by your Sweet Crush habit or risque images, or maybe you’ve been utilizing the Notes app to plan your accomplice’s birthday celebration, you may cover them from prying eyes. I am not right here to guage. To guard an app, you will have two choices: faucet and maintain on the icon and choose Require Face ID, then Require Face ID or Conceal and Require Face ID. The primary possibility leaves the app in place, however nobody can entry it with out a Face ID test. When you want to cover the app, select the second possibility after which Conceal App, and it is going to be obscured inside a Hidden folder on the backside of your App Library that requires a Face ID test to open.
Cease Movies Autoplaying or Looping
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When you discover it irritating that movies robotically play as you scroll by means of the Pictures app, or it bugs you that they loop and repeat as a substitute of stopping on the finish, you may change that conduct. Faucet Settings, Apps, then Pictures, and scroll right down to toggle Auto-Play Movement and Loop Movies off.
Improve Speech in Motion pictures and TV Reveals
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It may be powerful to make out the dialog in some TV exhibits and flicks, however Apple has a repair for muffled speech in your iPhone. If you’re taking part in a video, faucet the display screen to convey up the menu and choose the audio icon. You possibly can choose Improve Dialogue and select Improve or Improve Extra to make the voices louder and clearer.
Set Up Do Not Disturb
At an absolute minimal, it is best to shut up your iPhone at evening so it doesn’t disturb your sleep, however Apple affords a variety of instruments to automate or schedule downtime that can assist you focus. Go to Settings, Focus, and select Do Not Disturb to get began. You possibly can flip off notifications however arrange exceptions in order that particular contacts or apps will get by means of. You can too go to Display screen Time and Downtime to set a selected schedule for every day.
Change Your Default Apps
You don’t have to make use of Safari as your browser or Apple’s Mail app for emails. You possibly can change the default apps in your iPhone by going to Settings, Apps, and Default Apps. You probably have legitimate different apps put in for E-mail, Messaging, Browser, and some different classes, you may choose them as a substitute of Apple’s apps.
Maintain iCloud Information Native
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You possibly can select to maintain sure information that you’ve synced with iCloud saved domestically in your iPhone, which is helpful if you wish to entry them when there’s no web accessible. Open the Information app, go to the Browse tab, and select iCloud Drive. You possibly can faucet and maintain on any folder or file and choose Maintain Downloaded to make a copy in your iPhone.
Restrict App Permissions
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It’s value reviewing your app permissions and limiting them. There are just a few routes to do that, however Settings, then Privateness & Safety, is likely to be the simplest. There’s rather a lot right here, however I counsel Location Providers and eradicating or decreasing permissions for apps you don’t assume want them. You possibly can toggle off Exact Location for a lot of, since an approximate location is usually sufficient for them to operate the way in which you need. Different apps to control are Contacts and Pictures, as each now provide the possibility to permit restricted entry.
By the way in which, if you wish to flip off Background App Refresh to cease apps sucking down information and draining the battery while you aren’t utilizing them, go to Settings, Apps, and select any you don’t must refresh except you open them to toggle it off.
Change Siri’s Voice
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Apple affords a complete vary of voices for Siri now. Go to Settings, select Apple Intelligence & Siri, and faucet Voice to see a listing of variations (American, Australian, British, Indian, Irish, South African) and voices (Irish Voice 2 is my choose). Simply bear in mind that when you select a brand new one, it could take some time to obtain.
Set a Shortcut for Your E-mail Deal with
Overlook about typing out your entire e-mail handle each time. Go to Settings, Common, and select Keyboard. Faucet Textual content Substitute after which the plus icon on the prime proper to arrange textual content shortcuts, equivalent to “eml” in your full e-mail handle, or “addy” in your mailing handle. This will additionally work for another textual content you sort out regularly.
Present Notifications on Lock Display screen
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Apple is all about privateness, however having to unlock your iPhone to see the content material of an incoming message could be annoying. You possibly can change how this works by going to Settings, Notifications, and deciding on Present Previews. It’s set to When Unlocked by default, however you may select At all times or By no means.
Make Some AI Artwork
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When you resolve to provide AI an opportunity and fancy producing some artwork with AI help, open up the Playground app. You possibly can choose images, themes, costumes, equipment, locations, or sort prompts. Right here’s a full information on the right way to use Apple’s Picture Playground. It is accessible on Apple gadgets operating iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2.
Cut back Automotive Illness
Do you get nauseous while you use your iPhone as a automotive passenger? Go to Settings, Accessibility, select Movement, then Present Automobile Movement Cues. You possibly can flip it on or off to show dots that assist cut back movement illness, however when you faucet Automated, it is going to activate when it detects you might be within the automotive.