Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS incorporates so many additions and tweaks that it is simple to overlook some helpful iPhone settings. Apple centered on synthetic intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024, however there’s lots 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 is not instantly apparent tips on how to change off some annoying options. We’re right here that will help you get essentially the most out of your Apple cellphone.
After you have issues arrange the way in which you need, it’s a breeze to repeat every thing, together with settings, while you change to a brand new iPhone. For extra suggestions and proposals, learn our associated guides—Finest iPhone, Finest iPhone 16 Circumstances, Finest MagSafe Equipment—and our explainers on Tips on how to Set Up a New iPhone, Tips on how to Again Up Your iPhone, and Tips on how to Repair Your iPhone.
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Customise the Management Heart
Screenshots courtesy of Simon Hill
Swipe down from the highest proper of the display to open the Management Heart, and also you’ll see it is extra customizable than ever. You’ll be able to faucet the plus icon on the high 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 listing of shortcut icons and widgets you may set up throughout a number of Management Heart screens. You may as well customise your house display with iOS 18 to vary the colour and dimension of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.
Change Your Lock Display screen Buttons
You already know these lock display controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digicam on the underside proper? You’ll be able to change them. Press and maintain on an empty area on the lock display and faucet Customise, then Lock Display screen. Faucet the minus icon to take away an current shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. You may as well change the climate and date widgets, the font and colour for the time, and decide a wallpaper.
Prolong Display screen Time-Out
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Whereas it’s good to have your display day out for battery saving and safety functions, I discover it maddening when the display goes off whereas I’m doing one thing. The default display time-out is just too quick in my view, however fortunately, you may alter it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You’ve gotten a number of choices, together with By no means, which suggests you’ll have to manually push the ability button to show the display off.
Flip Off Keyboard Sounds
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The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound while you kind is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even in the event you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood while you kind positive does. You’ll be able to flip it off in Settings, Sound & Haptics by tapping Keyboard Suggestions and toggling Sound off. I additionally advise toggling off the Lock Sound whilst you’re in Sound & Haptics.
Go Darkish
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Shield your self from eye-searing glare with darkish mode. Go to Settings, decide Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. You could favor to toggle on Automated and have it change with the solar setting, however I favor to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.
Change Your Battery Cost Degree
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Should you’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as potential, contemplate altering the charging restrict. You’ll be able to maximize your smartphone’s battery well being in the event 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 find yourself 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
Of us with an iPhone 15 Professional mannequin or any system within the iPhone 16 vary have an Motion Button as an alternative of the previous mute change. By default, it can silence your iPhone while you press and maintain it, however you may change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You’ll be able to swipe by means of numerous primary choices from Digicam and Flashlight to Visible Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts in order for you it to do one thing extra fascinating. Should you’re unfamiliar, try our information on Tips on how to Use the Apple Shortcuts App.
Flip Off Apple Intelligence
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A lot vaunted however barely underwhelming, Apple Intelligence isn’t totally baked but, and we’re nonetheless ready for an improved Siri. Should you favor to choose out of sure options or choose out fully, go to Settings, Apple Intelligence & Siri, and faucet on it to toggle Apple Intelligence off. Should you favor to maintain choose options on, you will discover directions in our Tips on how to Flip off Apple Intelligence information.
Conceal Delicate Apps
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Whether or not you might be embarrassed by your Sweet Crush dependancy or risque photographs, or maybe you’ve been utilizing the Notes app to plan your associate’s birthday celebration, you may disguise them from prying eyes. I am not right here to evaluate. To guard an app, you could 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 and not using a Face ID verify. Should you favor to cover the app, select the second possibility after which Conceal App, and will probably be obscured inside a Hidden folder on the backside of your App Library that requires a Face ID verify to open.
Cease Movies Autoplaying or Looping
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Should you discover it irritating that movies routinely play as you scroll by means of the Photographs app, or it bugs you that they loop and repeat as an alternative of stopping on the finish, you may change that conduct. Faucet Settings, Apps, then Photographs, and scroll right down to toggle Auto-Play Movement and Loop Movies off.
Improve Speech in Motion pictures and TV Exhibits
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It may be robust to make out the dialog in some TV reveals and flicks, however Apple has a repair for muffled speech in your iPhone. If you’re taking part in a video, faucet the display to deliver up the menu and choose the audio icon. You’ll be able to 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, you must shut up your iPhone at night time so it doesn’t disturb your sleep, however Apple gives a variety of instruments to automate or schedule downtime that will help you focus. Go to Settings, Focus, and select Do Not Disturb to get began. You’ll be able to flip off notifications however arrange exceptions in order that particular contacts or apps will get by means of. You may as well 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’ll be able to change the default apps in your iPhone by going to Settings, Apps, and Default Apps. When you’ve got legitimate different apps put in for E-mail, Messaging, Browser, and some different classes, you may choose them as an alternative of Apple’s apps.
Preserve iCloud Recordsdata Native
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You’ll be able to select to maintain sure information that you’ve synced with iCloud saved domestically in your iPhone, which is useful if you wish to entry them when there’s no web accessible. Open the Recordsdata app, go to the Browse tab, and select iCloud Drive. You’ll be able to faucet and maintain on any folder or file and choose Preserve 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 a number of routes to do that, however Settings, then Privateness & Safety, may be the simplest. There’s lots right here, however I counsel Location Providers and eradicating or lowering permissions for apps you don’t suppose want them. You’ll be able to toggle off Exact Location for a lot of, since an approximate location is commonly sufficient for them to operate the way in which you need. Different apps to keep watch over are Contacts and Photographs, 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 knowledge and draining the battery while you aren’t utilizing them, go to Settings, Apps, and select any you don’t must refresh until you open them to toggle it off.
Change Siri’s Voice
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Apple gives 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 decide). Simply remember that in the event you select a brand new one, it might take some time to obtain.
Set a Shortcut for Your E-mail Handle
Overlook about typing out your complete e mail handle each time. Go to Settings, Normal, and select Keyboard. Faucet Textual content Alternative after which the plus icon on the high proper to arrange textual content shortcuts, resembling “eml” in your full e mail handle, or “addy” in your mailing handle. This could additionally work for some other textual content you kind out incessantly.
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 may be annoying. You’ll be able to change how this works by going to Settings, Notifications, and choosing Present Previews. It’s set to When Unlocked by default, however you may select All the time or By no means.
Make Some AI Artwork
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Should you resolve to provide AI an opportunity and fancy producing some artwork with AI help, open up the Playground app. You’ll be able to decide photographs, themes, costumes, equipment, locations, or kind prompts. Right here’s a full information on tips on how to use Apple’s Picture Playground. It is accessible on Apple units working iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2.
Cut back Automobile Illness
Do you get nauseous while you use your iPhone as a automobile passenger? Go to Settings, Accessibility, select Movement, then Present Car Movement Cues. You’ll be able to flip it on or off to show dots that assist cut back movement illness, however in the event you faucet Automated, it can activate when it detects you might be within the automobile.
