Best iPhone Tips for Beginners and Pros
Whether you’re brand new to the iPhone tips or have been using it for years, there’s always something new to discover. Apple continuously refines iOS with each update, adding fresh features and hiding clever tricks throughout the system. This comprehensive guide covers the best iPhone tips for beginners and pros alike, ensuring that everyone—from the casual user to the seasoned Apple enthusiast—can unlock the full potential of their device.
iPhone Shortcuts You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner
Getting Started: Essential Tips for Beginners
1. Master the Control Center
Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen (on iPhones with Face ID) or swipe up from the bottom (on iPhones with a Home button) to access the Control Center. From here, you can toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane Mode, and even access your flashlight or calculator. Customize it via Settings > Control Center to add quick access tools like Voice Memos or Low Power Mode.
2. Use Siri for Hands-Free Help
Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, is a great helper. You can activate it by saying “Hey Siri” or pressing and holding the side button. Ask it to send texts, set reminders, play music, or even translate languages. Beginners often overlook Siri, but it’s a powerful tool once you get used to it.
3. Take Advantage of Face ID or Touch ID
Setting up biometric security not only helps keep your device safe but also speeds up login and payments. Use Face ID or Touch ID with Apple Pay, App Store, and password autofill for seamless access across apps.
4. Organize Your Home Screen
Long-press any app icon to rearrange apps or remove them. Use folders to keep your home screen neat. You can also hide entire pages by tapping the dots above the dock when in “jiggle mode.” This way, you can keep only your most-used apps visible.
5. Learn Basic Gestures
Modern iPhones rely on gestures instead of a home button. Swipe up from the bottom to go home, swipe and hold to see recent apps, and swipe from the left or right edge to go back. These gestures become second nature quickly and make navigation smooth.
Intermediate Tips: Digging Deeper into iPhone Features
6. Use Focus Modes to Reduce Distractions
Introduced in iOS 15, Focus modes let you tailor notifications based on your activity. Whether you’re working, sleeping, or relaxing, you can control who and what gets through. Set it up via Settings > Focus and link it with your calendar or location for automatic activation.
7. Back Up Your iPhone Automatically
Ensure your data is always safe by enabling iCloud backups. Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup and toggle it on. Your iPhone will automatically back up when connected to Wi-Fi and power, so you never have to worry about losing your information.
8. Enable Find My iPhone
This is one of Apple’s most valuable features. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can track it, lock it, or erase it using Find My. Make sure it’s turned on under Settings > Your Name > Find My.
9. Customize Your Widgets
Swipe right on your home screen to view the Today View, where widgets live. Press and hold to enter edit mode. You can add widgets from your favorite apps to see calendar events, weather, battery life, or news headlines at a glance.
10. Use Live Text to Copy from Photos
Live Text lets you copy, look up, or translate text directly from your camera or saved photos. Open a photo with text, and you’ll see a small text icon. Tap it to interact with the text in the image—a handy trick for copying phone numbers, addresses, or quotes instantly.
Advanced iPhone Tips for Pros
11. Automate Tasks with Shortcuts
The Shortcuts app lets you create custom workflows. You can automate tasks like sending your ETA when you leave work or turning off Wi-Fi at a certain time. Explore the Gallery tab for pre-made shortcuts or build your own from scratch.
12. Use Back Tap for Quick Actions
Hidden in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, this feature lets you assign actions to double or triple taps on the back of your iPhone tips. Set it to take a screenshot, open an app, or activate a shortcut—all without touching the screen.
13. Enhance Your Privacy
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security to control what apps can access your camera, microphone, location, and more. You can also check the App Privacy Report to see which apps access your data most frequently.
14. Take Pro-Level Photos
The iPhone camera is powerful, especially on Pro models. Use Portrait Mode for depth-of-field effects, Night Mode in low light, and ProRAW (on supported models) for high-quality photo editing. For videos, experiment with Cinematic Mode for Hollywood-style focus transitions.
15. Secure Your Notes and Hidden Photos
You can lock notes in the Notes app by tapping the Share icon and selecting Lock Note. Similarly, hide photos in the Photos > Hidden album and lock that album with Face ID via Settings > Photos > Use Face ID. Great for keeping sensitive information safe.
Battery, Performance, and Storage Tips
16. Optimize Battery Usage
Check your battery health and usage in Settings > Battery. You’ll see what apps consume the most power. Enable Low Power Mode to stretch battery life, especially when you’re traveling or away from a charger.
17. Free Up Storage Space
Head to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see what’s eating up space. Offload unused apps, delete old messages, and clear Safari cache. You can also enable iCloud Photos to move full-resolution images to the cloud while keeping thumbnails locally.
18. Restart Regularly for Smooth Performance
While iPhone tips are built to run smoothly for long periods, restarting your device occasionally can help resolve glitches and free up system memory.
19. Clear RAM on Your iPhone
You can quickly clear your iPhone’s RAM without restarting. For Face ID models, enable AssistiveTouch, then press and hold the side button until you see the power slider. Tap the AssistiveTouch Home button and release. This refreshes your system memory.
20. Close Background Apps (with Caution)
You don’t need to constantly close apps—iOS manages them well. But if an app freezes, swipe up and hold, then swipe up on the app card to force close it.
Messaging, Calling, and Connectivity Tips
21. Pin Important Messages
In the Messages app, swipe right on a conversation to pin it to the top. This keeps important chats—like with family or work—easily accessible.
22. Share Wi-Fi Password Easily
When someone with an iPhone tries to join your Wi-Fi, you’ll get a pop-up asking if you want to share the password. Tap Share Password—no need to spell out long codes.
23. Use Wi-Fi Calling
If you’re in an area with poor cell coverage but strong Wi-Fi, enable Wi-Fi Calling in Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Calling. It lets you make and receive calls over the internet, often with better clarity.
24. Customize Caller ID Labels
If you receive frequent spam calls, you can silence unknown callers via Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers. iOS also supports third-party spam filters like Truecaller to label calls.
25. Use iMessage Effects
Make your messages more expressive with effects like balloons, confetti, or screen shakers. Type a message, hold the send button, and choose between bubble or screen effects to add some flair.
Accessibility Features That Benefit Everyone
26. Enable Voice Control
You can control your iPhone entirely with your voice. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control to set it up. It’s great not just for accessibility, but also for hands-free productivity.
27. Use Magnifier
The Magnifier app turns your iPhone tips into a digital magnifying glass, useful for reading small print or inspecting details. You can add it as a shortcut in the Control Center for quick access.
28. Customize Display and Text Size
If your eyes tire easily, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size to increase contrast, reduce motion, or enable bold text.
29. Turn on Sound Recognition
Your iPhone can listen for specific sounds—like a doorbell or baby crying—and alert you. Enable this under Settings > Accessibility > Sound Recognition and select the sounds you want monitored.
30. Use Haptic Feedback for Better Touch Experience
Enable System Haptics under Settings > Sounds & Haptics to get subtle vibration feedback when interacting with the screen. It adds a tactile feel to virtual actions.
Hidden Features and Pro Hacks
31. Scan Documents with Notes
Open the Notes app, tap the camera icon, and select Scan Documents. You can scan multiple pages, adjust cropping, and save it as a PDF—all without needing a third-party app.
32. Tap and Drag to Select Multiple Items
In apps like Mail or Files, tap with two fingers and drag down to quickly select multiple items. It’s much faster than selecting each one manually.
33. Rename Bluetooth Devices
Tired of “Device 01” showing up? Go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the info icon next to the connected device, and rename it to something memorable.
34. Use Apple Maps Offline
In newer iOS versions, you can download offline maps in Apple Maps. Just search a location, tap “Download,” and you can navigate without needing data.
35. Hide Your Email with iCloud+
If you’re an iCloud+ subscriber, use Hide My Email to create unique, disposable email addresses for signing up for newsletters or services. All emails get forwarded to your main inbox—keeping your real address private.
Final Thoughts: Make the Most of Your iPhone
The iPhone tips is more than just a phone—it’s a powerful tool, a camera, a wallet, a health tracker, and a mini-computer in your pocket. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve used every iPhone since the original, these iPhone tips will help you use your device more efficiently and creatively.
Keep exploring, try new settings, and stay updated with the latest iOS versions—Apple is constantly adding new features that enhance your experience. With these iPhone tips in your pocket, you’re well on your way to becoming an iPhone pro.
