Most iPhone users know basic features like activating Low Power Mode when the battery dips below 20%, switching to Dark Mode at night, or quickly snapping photos by pressing the volume button. These popular tips spread and become routine. Yet beyond these well-known tricks, Apple offers numerous lesser-known features embedded in Settings, Photos, and other system menus that many users rarely discover.
Apple provides some truly helpful Accessibility features. Even though they are designed for niche needs, many people find them useful. The company also includes hidden tools within apps such as Photos and the keyboard. Best of all, these features are not just for special models or beta versions; they come built into the iPhones most of us already own, often staying unnoticed for a long time.
These lesser-known iPhone features can streamline your daily tasks, secure certain apps, and customise your device to better serve you rather than disrupt your day. They are hidden in plain sight on millions of devices. Here are 5 key functions that most iPhone users are unaware their phone can perform, along with some additional features worth exploring.
1. Double‑Tap the Back of Your iPhone to Run Any Action
Every iPhone 8 or newer has a hidden button on the back. Tapping the rear glass twice or thrice can silently activate system functions or personal automations. Originally introduced as an accessibility feature in iOS 14 for users with difficulty performing standard gestures, it also benefits anyone seeking quicker access to daily tasks.
Back Tap lets you assign actions to double or triple taps on your iPhone. You can take screenshots, access Control Center, mute the device, lock the screen, or open the camera. Additionally, you can link any shortcut created in the Shortcuts app, enabling multi-step workflows such as logging coffee intake, initiating a commute routine, or activating Focus mode. This feature works on most iPhones running iOS 14 or later, starting with the iPhone 8.
To activate it, navigate to Settings, select Accessibility, then Touch, and scroll to Back Tap. Select either Double Tap or Triple Tap, then assign the desired action. This makes the back of your phone a handy physical shortcut. For example, you can set Double Tap to open the camera and Triple Tap to run a “Heading Home” shortcut that enables driving Focus, starts navigation, and sends a message to your partner. This way, you avoid searching for icons while managing bags at the door.
2. Turn Your Keyboard into a Trackpad (and Then into a Text Selector)
Accurately placing the cursor in text has always been a challenge on touchscreens. Your finger obstructs the view, and the tap targets are small. iOS addresses this with a hidden trackpad mode integrated into the keyboard, but many users are unaware of it.
This feature was introduced in iOS 12 and works on any iPhone running iOS 12 or later. It lets you use your keyboard as a trackpad for precise cursor movement. To activate it, open any app with a text field (such as Notes or Messages) and bring up the keyboard. Then press and hold the spacebar until the keys fade out. You can now drag your finger across the blank keyboard area to move the cursor with high precision.
Many people overlook a second layer of control. By holding the spacebar with one finger to move the cursor and then tapping anywhere on the keyboard with a second finger, the cursor enters text selection mode. This allows precise text highlighting by dragging, without struggling with selection handles.
For people who write emails, edit notes, or work in messaging apps, this turns text editing from a source of frustration into a fluid experience. You no longer need to tap multiple times, hoping the cursor lands in the right spot, or accidentally select entire paragraphs when you only wanted one sentence.
3. Lift Subjects Out of Photos and Turn Them into Stickers
The newest iPhone models can separate people, pets, and objects from their backgrounds in photos with just a long press. Apple refers to this feature as photo cutouts or subject isolation. It uses machine learning to identify the subject, outline it, and let you lift it from the image. This feature is available in Photos, Screenshots, Safari, and even on paused video frames on compatible devices.
To isolate a subject in a photo (like a person, animal, or object) within the Photos app, just tap and hold on it. A white outline will appear around the subject. When you lift your finger, a menu will appear with options to Copy, Add Sticker, or Share the isolated image. You can then paste this subject into apps such as Messages, Notes, or Mail, or drag it into another app by holding one finger on the subject while using another to navigate.
This feature is available on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, or newer models running iOS 16 or later. Apple introduced it quietly in 2022 and gradually expanded access through software updates. Publications such as MacRumors and Gadget Hacks recognise it as a prime example of on-device machine learning, often delivering results on par with or superior to third-party background-removal apps. It allows you to create custom stickers from pet photos, remove distracting backgrounds from product images, or isolate a person in a group shot for separate sharing. It is quicker than launching an editing app and more precise than manual selection tools.
4. Long‑Press App Icons to Access Hidden Shortcuts
Most users open an app by tapping its icon and then browsing within. Apple introduced a shortcut feature that shows up when you long-press any app icon on the Home Screen. These are known as Quick Actions or Haptic Touch menus. While all apps include a basic set of shortcuts, many also offer quick access to specific features or recent content.
Press and hold any app icon until a menu appears. In the Camera app, you can quickly select Take Selfie, Record Video, or Scan QR Code. When using Mail, you can begin a new message. In Calendar, you can add an event. For third-party applications like Instagram, remember to switch accounts before launching the app. With Amazon, you can check your recent orders. In PayPal, you have the ability to send money.
This feature works on all modern iPhones with iOS 13 or later. Haptic Touch replaced the older 3D Touch system and works through a long press rather than pressure sensitivity. You can also adjust how quickly the menu appears by going to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and Haptic Touch. Setting it to Fast makes the gesture feel instant.
By developing the habit of long-pressing before opening an app, you streamline many daily interactions. For example, you can record video without opening the Camera app and switching modes, or compose an email without opening Mail first. These actions can be performed directly from the Home Screen.
5. Build Custom Focus Modes That Reshape Your Phone’s Behaviour
Do Not Disturb was originally just a mute switch. iOS evolved it into Focus modes, allowing users to design personalized profiles for various scenarios, like work, relaxation, sleep, or workouts. Each Focus setting controls who can contact you and which apps can, which Home Screen pages appear, the Lock Screen display, and when it automatically turns on.
Open Settings and select Focus. Tap the plus icon to add a new mode. Choose a template or select Custom. Enter a name, then choose a colour and icon. Configure allowed contacts and apps as needed. You can also set Focus Filters to manage app behavior when the mode is active. For instance, hide work email accounts during Personal Focus or display only certain calendar groups during Work Focus.
Apple’s official documentation and productivity communities highlight Focus as one of the most underutilised features in modern iOS. You can set schedules for different modes based on time, location, or when opening specific apps. Recent iOS versions also allow each Focus to be linked to a dedicated Lock Screen with custom widgets and wallpapers. For example, you could create a Deep Work Focus that allows only calls from family, hides social media apps from your Home Screen, and displays a minimalist Lock Screen with a timer widget. Alternatively, a Gym Focus can automatically activate when you arrive at your local gym, mute non-urgent notifications, and open your workout playlist. Once set up, these modes help reduce the mental effort of manually managing notifications.
Additional Feature: Scan Text Directly from Your Camera into Notes
Live Text is not limited to existing photos. In apps like Notes, Mail, and Messages, you can directly scan printed text into the text field with the camera. This skips the photo library and maintains your workflow clean.
Open a note and tap the location where you want to add text. When the keyboard appears, locate the small icon resembling a viewfinder with lines, and tap it to activate the inline camera. Aim the camera at a document, whiteboard, or printed label. The app highlights any detected text. Tap Insert to insert the text directly into your note.
Apple’s Live Text feature was introduced in iOS 15 and has been extended in subsequent versions. While tech guides mention that this inline scanning mode is less recognized than the photo-based version, it is frequently more practical for daily activities such as retrieving serial numbers from equipment, recording notes from whiteboards during meetings, or extracting lengthy reference codes from forms. This is faster than typing and more accurate than voice dictation in noisy environments, and it does not leave you with a camera roll full of forgotten document photos.
Additional Feature: Use the Measure App as an AR Tape Measure
The built-in Measure app utilizes augmented reality to measure lengths and sizes using the camera. It was first introduced in iOS 12 and has seen notable improvements on devices with LiDAR sensors, such as the iPhone 12 Pro and newer models.
Open Measure and move your iPhone around to let it map the space. Tap to set a starting point on an object, move to another edge, and tap again. Measure draws a line and displays the distance. For rectangular objects, it automatically detects the shape and returns the width and height. On Pro models, it can also estimate a person’s height.
According to Apple Support and sources such as Mashable, Measure is considered more of an estimation tool than a professional-grade device. Nevertheless, it provides sufficient accuracy for tasks such as furniture shopping, checking luggage sizes, or quick home projects. It eliminates the need to find a physical tape measure in most scenarios. For casual measuring and space planning, Measure makes tasks easier that previously required an extra tool.
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The iPhone You Already Own Is More Capable Than You Assume
None of these features requires a new iPhone. Back Tap was introduced in iOS 14 and is available on devices as old as the iPhone 8. The spacebar trackpad works on any iPhone running iOS 12 or later. Photo cutouts require an iPhone XS or newer, but those models launched in 2018. Focus modes, Control Center customisation, and Type to Siri are software features that are one or two menus deep.
Apple often introduces powerful features quietly, sometimes hiding them within Accessibility or advanced settings. Users who do not look beyond the default interface may overlook tools that could make daily tasks easier. Simple tweaks include double-tapping the back of the phone, using a two-finger gesture to select text accurately, enabling Focus mode to customise notifications for work, creating a personalised Control Centre, and long-pressing to access specific app features. Collectively, these small changes progressively transform the phone from a device that demands attention into one that adapts seamlessly to the user’s needs.
The device in your pocket is already more powerful than the computers that sent humanity to the moon. It can enhance your life or boost productivity by helping you explore its hidden features. These five core features, along with additional tools, deliver a real upgrade to your iPhone experience at no extra cost or hardware requirement.
If your iPhone feels cluttered, distracting, or underused, try exploring a few lesser-known features. Assign a Back Tap gesture to a daily task, create a Focus mode for focused work, or use the spacebar trackpad during editing. Long-press your favorite apps to reveal shortcuts. Over time, these hidden tools will feel more natural, making your phone work the way it should have from the start. Your iPhone has much more potential than you realise; it just takes knowing where to look.
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