22 Essential iOS Settings to Boost Your iPhone's Performance - CNET

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This communicative is portion of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's postulation of news, tips and proposal astir Apple's astir fashionable product.

You should ever tinker with your iPhone's settings. As overmuch arsenic immoderate telephone is acceptable to usage retired of the box, there's ever thing you tin toggle connected oregon disconnected to marque it enactment amended for you. If you're burning done battery, you mightiness always crook connected low-power mode. If you bask moving out, you might set up a shortcut to automatically crook connected your workout playlist erstwhile you locomotion into the gym.

If you dive into the Settings app, you tin find immoderate chill customization options -- immoderate that you cognize and others that you mightiness person ne'er heard of. Want to declutter your location screen? Use your artillery a small less throughout the day? You tin bash each of that and much with these 22 iOS settings.

And if you privation to instrumentality a look astatine immoderate hidden iOS features, cheque retired how to unlock your iPhone's hidden trackpad and the champion hidden features connected iOS 16.

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1. Stop apps from tracking your nonstop location

Apps similar Doordash, Postmates, Google Maps and Waze each necessitate your nonstop determination to present nutrient to the close determination oregon nonstop you to wherever you privation to go. But not each apps request to cognize precisely wherever you are astatine each moment.

You tin easy forestall immoderate app from tracking your nonstop location. In the Settings app, take an exertion (like Instagram, for example), pat Location and past toggle disconnected Precise Location. Any app with Precise Location disconnected volition lone cognize your approximate location, wrong a fewer miles.

2. Turn the backmost of your iPhone into a button

The backmost of your iPhone tin beryllium utilized arsenic a concealed fastener to activate definite actions, similar instrumentality a screenshot oregon alteration debased powerfulness mode, and tally shortcuts that tin automatically play euphony erstwhile you get astatine the gym oregon crook connected your astute lights erstwhile you get home. However, the enactment is hidden heavy successful your settings -- here's however to find it.

In the Settings app, spell to Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and take 1 of the 2 tapping options (double oregon triple tap). You should spot a database of actions you tin tally by tapping the backmost of your iPhone, similar opening your camera, turning connected the flashlight, scrolling up and down and more. Tap connected on enactment oregon shortcut to acceptable it for treble oregon triple tap.

3. Bring backmost full-screen incoming telephone alerts

If your iPhone is unlocked and you person a telephone call, a banner-style notification volition look astatine the apical of your screen, with a photograph and sanction of the idiosyncratic calling, and the options to prime up oregon contradict the call. But this banner wasn't ever there.

Before iOS 14, the incoming telephone surface would instrumentality implicit your full show erstwhile your iPhone was unlocked and successful use. It was disruptive, sure, but it besides got the occupation done.

When the banner appeared, it was a invited alteration for many, due to the fact that it's much discreet and allows you to inactive usage your telephone portion receiving a call. However, if for immoderate crushed you're not a large instrumentality of the banner and privation to revert to the much attention-grabbing full-screen alert, spell to Settings > Phone > Incoming Calls and tap Full Screen.

A telephone showing a notification barroom astatine the apical of the screen, propped up connected a array successful beforehand of assorted toys

4. Turn disconnected 5G sum you don't privation oregon have

Apple touts a Smart Data diagnostic that's circumstantial to its 5G phones (iPhone 12 and iPhone 13) that volition automatically power betwixt 4G LTE and 5G networks based connected however you're utilizing your device.

However, you whitethorn find that your iPhone's artillery drains faster than it did before. If you don't privation to sacrifice artillery beingness for faster 5G speeds, unopen it down. You tin ever crook 5G backmost connected erstwhile you privation it, oregon erstwhile work successful your country improves.

To turn disconnected 5G connected your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, forcing it to ever usage 4G LTE adjacent if you person 5G coverage, unfastened the Settings app, past spell to Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data and pat LTE.

Alternatively, if you privation your iPhone to exclusively usage a 5G transportation erstwhile available, you tin prime 5G On.

5. Fine-tune however overmuch information is utilized by a 5G transportation

If you're blessed with your 5G performance, here's a network-related mounting you should cheque out. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Mode, wherever you'll find 3 antithetic options: Allow much information connected 5G, Standard and Low Data Mode.

Even though determination are little descriptions beneath the 3 antithetic settings, they don't overgarment a implicit representation for the archetypal option. According to an Apple enactment document, allowing much information connected 5G volition springiness you high-quality video and FaceTime calls. It besides enables your telephone to download bundle updates and watercourse high-definition Apple TV and Apple Music content, and it allows third-party developers to besides amended their respective apps.

The default mounting connected this leafage volition beryllium connected your bearer and your information plan, truthful it's a bully thought to check your iPhone and marque definite it's correctly acceptable to your preference.

6. Stop apps from cluttering up your location screen

The App Library is simply a spot wherever you tin rapidly find and entree each of your applications. And portion apps are housed here, each recently downloaded apps besides look connected your location screen. This whitethorn not beryllium a occupation if you download apps sparingly, but if you're installing caller apps connected a accordant basis, they tin rapidly clutter up your location screen.

To halt downloaded apps from appearing connected your location screen, spell to Settings > Home Screen and select App Library Only. If you privation to find the app, you'll person to swipe near connected your location surface until you scope the App Library.

7. Unlock your telephone portion wearing a look mask

One of the frustrating aspects of wearing a look covering has been the inability to unlock an iPhone with Apple's Face ID technology. Because fractional of your look is covered, Face ID conscionable doesn't work. And portion entering your passcode to unlock your telephone works, it's not arsenic convenient.

With iOS, you present person the enactment to crook connected a face unlock feature that makes it casual to unlock your iPhone erstwhile you're wearing a look mask. Before the update, you could lone unlock your iPhone if you owned an Apple Watch.

To unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch, unfastened the Settings app connected your iPhone and past unfastened the Face ID & Passcode option. Scroll down until you find the Unlock with Apple Watch conception (you indispensable beryllium connected to an Apple Watch for the mounting to appear), wherever you tin crook connected the diagnostic for immoderate watches linked to your iPhone.

If you person an iPhone 12 oregon iPhone 13 that runs iOS 15.4 oregon later, you tin unlock your iPhone portion wearing a disguise without an Apple Watch. Go to the Settings app and unfastened Face ID & Passcode. From there, you tin toggle Face ID With a Mask and take the Face ID With a Mask option. It's beauteous awesome.

Apple Watch Series 7 with a geometric face

8. Put the code barroom successful Safari backmost connected top

The code successful Safari migrated to the bottommost of the surface with the instauration of iOS 15 -- a invited summation for those with smaller hands who had trouble reaching it with 1 manus astatine the top. While this determination mightiness consciousness much natural, since it's person to the keyboard and wherever you typically spot your thumbs, it tin beryllium off-putting since galore radical are utilized to seeing the URL barroom adjacent the apical of the screen.

If you privation to enactment the code barroom backmost astatine the apical of the screen, spell to Settings, tap Safari and take the Single Tab enactment nether the Tabs subheading.

9. Add features that tin beryllium utilized erstwhile your iPhone is locked

There are times erstwhile you mightiness privation to person definite info useful adjacent erstwhile your telephone is locked. That's wherefore Apple allows you to alteration immoderate features without having to unlock your device, specified arsenic the notification center, Control Center, the quality to reply to messages and the Wallet app.

To customize the features you'd similar to entree connected the fastener screen, motorboat the Settings menu, pat Face ID & Passcode and participate your passcode erstwhile prompted. Scroll down until you spot the Allow Access When Locked section, and toggle the sliders based connected your preferences.

Allow Access When Locked settings with astir of them enabled

10. Make your favourite email app oregon web browser your default

It was a agelong clip coming, but 2020's iOS 14 update yet brought the quality to take your ain default apps -- astatine slightest for email and web browsing. That means that erstwhile you pat a nexus oregon an email nonstop button, your iPhone volition automatically motorboat the web browser oregon email supplier of your choosing alternatively than Safari oregon Mail.

To get started, unfastened the Settings paper and prime the app you'd similar to acceptable arsenic a default (such arsenic Google Chrome oregon Outlook). You should past spot a fastener that says Default Mail App oregon Default Browser App. Tap that enactment and prime the app of your choosing alternatively of Safari oregon Mail.

Chrome settings surface with the default browser acceptable to Safari

11. Get afloat notifications connected your fastener surface

The archetypal clip you acquisition Apple's Face ID tech, you'll announcement that you can't spot the contented of caller alerts and notifications connected the fastener screen. For example, alternatively of seeing who sent you a substance connection and what it says, you'll lone spot a generic Messages alert.

By default, each iPhones with Apple's Face ID tech volition fell the contented of an alert until you prime up your telephone and unlock it. It's a privateness diagnostic that I alternatively enjoy, but I besides recognize however it could beryllium annoying (I've heard a fewer complaints from readers and household members alike).

You tin alteration however notifications look connected your fastener surface by going to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and selecting Always. Conversely, you tin prime Never if you privation to support the contented of your notifications ever hidden from the fastener screen.

12. Turn disconnected (or on) HDR video for sharing videos

Phones successful the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups tin grounds precocious dynamic scope (HDR) video with Dolby Vision. That means your videos volition beryllium brighter with much close colors and improved contrast. Sounds awesome, right? It is. But there's a occupation -- not each app oregon work volition enactment with HDR video.

Developers volition request to update their apps successful bid to judge HDR video, but adjacent then, the idiosyncratic viewing the video volition request a susceptible instrumentality to spot the quality successful quality. For Apple devices, those see the iPhone 8 oregon newer, the 2020 iPad Air, the second-generation iPad Pro and some Macs.

So, what tin you bash to stock videos universally? Well, you person a fewer options:

You tin crook disconnected HDR video by going to Settings > Camera > Record video and turning the power adjacent to HDR Video to the Off position. Going forward, each videos volition beryllium captured successful modular dynamic range, and you shouldn't person immoderate issues sharing oregon editing it.
Leave HDR Video turned on, but erstwhile you privation to stock the video, with Facebook for example, usage the Photos app alternatively of going into the Facebook app and uploading it. When you usage the Photos app, your iPhone volition automatically person the video to SDR and upload it. When you nonstop the video to different iPhone user, Apple volition observe if their iPhone, iPad oregon Mac is compatible with HDR Dolby Vision. If it's not, Apple volition person the video automatically.
If you leave HDR Video on and request to edit your video, you tin usage Apple's iMovie app oregon the Photos app that's built into your iPhone. You tin adjacent usage iMovie to export the video arsenic SDR if needed.

iPhone 12 settings with arrows pointing to what to prime to get HDR video

13. Customize your location surface with fancy wallpaper

Another location surface tweak you should marque involves your wallpaper oregon background. Apple has added immoderate caller wallpapers of its own, with a beauteous chill twist.

Open the Settings app connected your iPhone and select Wallpaper from the list. Make definite the power labeled "Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper," which you'll spot beneath the 2 thumbnail previews of your wallpaper, is turned on. Now, tap Choose a caller wallpaper and prime either Stills oregon Live. See the ellipse adjacent the bottommost of each wallpaper? It's fractional black, fractional white.

That ellipse means that the wallpaper has some airy and acheronian mode versions and volition alteration automatically based connected the strategy presumption of your phone.

You tin besides set unrecorded wallpapers arsenic your background if you're not sold connected acheronian and airy mode.

On an iPhone with 3D Touch, you tin usage a third-party app to play longer-duration "Live" photos connected your fastener screen.

Patrick Holland/CNET

14. Turn connected acheronian mode to prevention your battery

Speaking of acheronian mode, if you don't privation to person to repeatedly set your screen's brightness, you tin usage your phone's dedicated acheronian mode. Dark mode converts each of the achromatic backgrounds successful apps to, much often than not, a achromatic background. In turn, your telephone is capable to prevention artillery powerfulness acknowledgment to the darker colors.

Turn it connected by going to Settings > Display & Brightness and selecting the Dark enactment astatine the apical of the screen.

Apple's apps volition automatically power to a acheronian colour scheme, and astir third-party apps person besides adopted the feature.

15. Manage your notifications with Focus Mode

We get a batch of notifications each day, but not each of them are applicable each the time. With iOS 15, Apple introduced a diagnostic called Focus Mode. Think of it arsenic a customized Do Not Disturb diagnostic that's tailored to circumstantial circumstances.

Focus Mode blocks little applicable alerts, portion allowing notifications from important radical and apps to travel done truthful that you don't miss anything. You tin acceptable up antithetic types of Focus Modes for circumstantial circumstances.

Apple presently offers options for Do Not Disturb, personal, sleep, work, driving, fitness, gaming, mindfulness and reading, but you tin besides make your ain customized mode. You tin docket Focus Modes truthful that they crook connected automatically erstwhile needed, and show your presumption successful apps truthful that others cognize you person notifications silenced.

To get started, unfastened the Settings menu, pat Focus and take 1 of the disposable options to acceptable up your notification preferences. Tap the plus (+) awesome in the apical close country to adhd a caller Focus.

16. Make your surface substance bigger oregon smaller

With a mates of taps connected your iPhone's screen, you tin set the font size to marque it easier to read. Open Settings and spell to Display & Brightness > Text Size wherever you tin usage the slider until you're blessed with the font size.

For a small added oomph, you tin crook connected Bold Text (it's conscionable beneath the Text Size button).

17. Add an alternate quality to Face ID

Apple's facial designation diagnostic -- Face ID -- perpetually learns antithetic aspects of your look with each scan. If you're struggling to get Face ID to consistently admit you, effort the Alternate Appearance option.

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > participate your PIN > Set Up An Alternate Appearance and spell done the process of enrolling your look again.

A pistillate successful sunglasses smiling astatine an iPhone

18. Disable car brightness for longer artillery charge

Your iPhone's surface brightness level tin person a large interaction connected artillery life. By default, iOS volition automatically set the display's brightness based connected however overmuch airy its ambient sensor detects. But if you privation to instrumentality implicit control, you tin disable auto-brightness, meaning the brightness level volition enactment wherever you acceptable it until you set it again.

Open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and astatine the bottommost of the page, you'll find a power to crook disconnected Auto-Brightness.

Now, whenever you privation to set your screen, you tin bash truthful by opening Control Center with a swipe up from the bottommost of the surface connected a instrumentality with a location button, oregon a swipe down from the top-right country connected newer iPhones.

Accessibility settings with arrows showing wherever to alteration Auto Brightness

19. Triage your privateness settings

The archetypal clip you acceptable up an iPhone with each of your apps, you're bombarded with prompts asking for permissions to entree idiosyncratic accusation ranging from tracking your determination to your Apple Health accusation oregon your camera roll.

It's acold excessively casual to get successful the wont of approving everything conscionable truthful you tin usage the app, but instrumentality a fewer minutes and spell done your privateness settings to tailor what each app tin and can't see. We locomotion you done the full privateness process successful 2 speedy steps.

iPhone showing iOS 13 privateness settings

20. Use Control Center to entree apps with a swipe oregon tap

The iPhone's Control Center is simply a convenient spot to rapidly alteration songs, crook connected airplane mode, link to Wi-Fi oregon commencement a timer, but there's truthful overmuch much to it than that. You tin rapidly crook your flashlight on, cheque connected a timer oregon commencement signaling your surface with a speedy swipe and tap.

Customize which apps and features are disposable successful Control Center by opening Settings > Control Center. Remove an enactment with a pat connected the reddish minus fastener oregon adhd an enactment by selecting the greenish summation button. Drag features up oregon down utilizing the three-line icon connected the close broadside of the screen.

Personally, I similar having speedy entree to the Wallet app and toggles for low-power mode and acheronian mode.

As a reminder, if you person an iPhone with a location button, similar the iPhone SE, you tin swipe up from the bottommost of the surface to unfastened Control Center. If you person an iPhone with Face ID, you'll request to swipe down from the top-right country of the surface wherever the artillery icon is.

Control Center has a batch of potential; you conscionable request to customize it.

Jason Cipriani/CNET

21. Organize alerts with Notification Summary

Apple wants to assistance you negociate your notifications successful iOS, starting with the Notification Summary feature. Rather than letting notifications heap up connected your location screen, you tin docket alerts that aren't urgent to get successful a bundle astatine a circumstantial clip of day.

Important notifications similar calls, nonstop messages and different time-sensitive alerts (like the presumption of your Uber oregon Lyft ride, for example) volition inactive look immediately.

To effort this out, open Settings, press Notifications and tap Scheduled Summary.

22. Change Siri's voice

If you've precocious acceptable up a caller iPhone, you whitethorn person noticed that Siri nary longer defaults to a pistillate voice. Instead, you'll beryllium asked which Siri dependable you privation to use, including respective much caller options. Once you've made your selection, Apple volition alteration Siri's dependable crossed each of the devices linked to your Apple ID.

You tin cheque retired the dependable options by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice. To larn more, cheque retired our complete usher to changing Siri's sound.

Apple also added a gender-neutral Siri dependable option for English speakers.

For more, here's how to acceptable up your caller iPhone and how to transportation your information from your aged iPhone. Plus, this iOS instrumentality gives you much iCloud retention for free.

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