Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS comprises 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 lots beneath the hood that provides to the regular stream of intriguing customizations and lesser-known options from the previous couple of years. A number of useful settings are turned off by default, and it is not instantly apparent the way to change off some annoying options. We’re right here that will help you get essentially the most out of your Apple cellphone.
Upon getting issues arrange the best way you need, it’s a breeze to repeat the whole lot, together with settings, whenever you change to a brand new iPhone. For extra suggestions and proposals, learn our associated guides—Greatest iPhone, Greatest iPhone 16 Circumstances, Greatest MagSafe Equipment—and our explainers on How one can Set Up a New iPhone, How one can Again Up Your iPhone, and How one can Repair Your iPhone.
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Customise the Management Heart
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Swipe down from the highest proper of the display screen 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 prime left or faucet and maintain on an empty house 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 manage throughout a number of Management Heart screens. You too can customise your property display screen 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 screen 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 house on the lock display screen 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 too can 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 out 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 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 will have a number of choices, together with By no means, which implies 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 whenever you kind is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even if you happen to don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood whenever you kind certain 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 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. Chances are you’ll desire to toggle on Automated and have it change with the solar setting, however I desire 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 doable, take into account altering the charging restrict. You’ll be able to maximize your smartphone’s battery well being if you happen to 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 100% when 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, beneath Battery, and Charging.
Set Up the Motion Button
Of us with an iPhone 15 Professional mannequin or any gadget within the iPhone 16 vary have an Motion Button as an alternative of the outdated mute change. By default, it’s going to silence your iPhone whenever 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 way of numerous primary choices from Digital camera and Flashlight to Visible Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts in order for you it to do one thing extra attention-grabbing. Should you’re unfamiliar, try our information on How one can 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 desire to choose out of sure options or choose out utterly, go to Settings, Apple Intelligence & Siri, and faucet on it to toggle Apple Intelligence off. Should you desire to maintain choose options on, you will discover directions in our How one can 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 accomplice’s birthday celebration, you may cover them from prying eyes. I am not right here to evaluate. To guard an app, you’ve gotten 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 no Face ID examine. Should you desire 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 examine to open.
Cease Movies Autoplaying or Looping
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Should you discover it irritating that movies mechanically play as you scroll by way of the Pictures app, or it bugs you that they loop and repeat as an alternative of stopping on the finish, you may change that habits. Faucet Settings, Apps, then Pictures, and scroll all the way down to toggle Auto-Play Movement and Loop Movies off.
Improve Speech in Films and TV Exhibits
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It may be robust to make out the dialog in some TV reveals and films, however Apple has a repair for muffled speech in your iPhone. If you’re enjoying a video, faucet the display screen 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, it is best to 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 way of. You too can go to Display screen Time and Downtime to set a particular 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. You probably have 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.
Maintain iCloud Recordsdata Native
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You’ll be able to select to maintain sure information that you’ve got synced with iCloud saved domestically in your iPhone, which is helpful if you wish to entry them when there’s no web obtainable. 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 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 best. There’s lots right here, however I counsel taking a look at Location Providers and eradicating or decreasing 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 usually sufficient for them to perform the best way you need. Different apps to regulate are Contacts and Pictures, as each now provide the possibility to permit restricted entry.
By the best way, if you wish to flip off Background App Refresh to cease apps sucking down information and draining the battery whenever you aren’t utilizing them, go to Settings, Apps, and select any you don’t have to refresh except 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 choose). Simply remember that if you happen to select a brand new one, it could take some time to obtain.
Set a Shortcut for Your E mail Tackle
Overlook about typing out your entire e mail deal with each time. Go to Settings, Basic, and select Keyboard. Faucet Textual content Alternative after which the plus icon on the prime proper to arrange textual content shortcuts, similar to “eml” to your full e mail deal with, or “addy” to your mailing deal with. This may additionally work for every other textual content you kind out steadily.
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 might be annoying. You’ll be able to 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 All the time or By no means.
Make Some AI Artwork
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Should you determine to offer AI an opportunity and fancy producing some artwork with AI help, open up the Playground app. You’ll be able to choose photographs, themes, costumes, equipment, locations, or kind prompts. Right here’s a full information on the way to use Apple’s Picture Playground. It is obtainable on Apple units operating iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2.
Cut back Automobile Illness
Do you get nauseous whenever you use your iPhone as a automobile passenger? Go to Settings, Accessibility, select Movement, then Present Automobile Movement Cues. You’ll be able to flip it on or off to show dots that assist scale back movement illness, however if you happen to faucet Automated, it’s going to activate when it detects you might be within the automobile.