Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS incorporates so many additions and tweaks that it is easy to overlook some helpful iPhone settings. Apple targeted on synthetic intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024 and adopted it with Liquid Glass in iOS 26 (the identify is now tied to the next yr), however many intriguing customizations and lesser-known options lurk beneath the floor. A number of useful settings are turned off by default, and it isn’t instantly apparent how one can change off some annoying options. We’re right here that will help you get essentially the most out of your Apple telephone.
Upon getting issues arrange the best way you need, it’s a breeze to repeat every thing, together with settings, once you change to a brand new iPhone. For extra suggestions and proposals, learn our associated Apple guides—just like the Finest iPhone, Finest iPhone 16 Circumstances, Finest MagSafe Equipment—and our explainers on Learn how to Set Up a New iPhone, Learn how to Again Up Your iPhone, and Learn how to Repair Your iPhone.
Learn how to Preserve Your iPhone Up to date
These settings are primarily based on the newest model of iOS 26 and needs to be relevant for many current iPhones. Some settings will not be accessible on older gadgets, or they could have completely different pathways relying on the mannequin and the software program model. Apple affords wonderful software program help for a few years, so at all times ensure your system is up-to-date by heading to Settings > Normal > Software program replace. You’ll find the Settings app on your property display screen.
Up to date September 2025: We’ve added just a few new iPhone suggestions and up to date this information for iOS 26.
Desk of Contents
Allow Name Screening
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Make cold-calling pests a factor of the previous with Apple’s new Name Screening function. Go to Settings, Apps, and choose Telephone, then scroll right down to Display Unknown Callers and choose Ask Purpose for Calling. Now, your iPhone will robotically reply calls from unknown callers within the background with out alerting you. After the caller provides a cause for his or her name, your telephone will ring, and you can see the response onscreen so you may resolve whether or not to reply. You also needs to ensure Maintain Help Detection is toggled on, so your iPhone detects when you find yourself positioned on maintain, permitting you to step away, then alerting you when the decision has been picked up by a human.
Activate RCS
The texting expertise with Android homeowners (inexperienced bubbles) obtained significantly upgraded final yr when Apple determined to lastly help the RCS messaging commonplace (wealthy communication providers). RCS has been round for a number of years on Android, and permits for a modernized texting expertise with options like typing indicators, higher-quality pictures and movies, and skim receipts. Group chats should be wonky, however they’re nonetheless a major enchancment. Nevertheless, on a brand new iPhone, RCS is disabled by default (naturally).
Be sure to flip it on for the perfect messaging expertise. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle it on.
Customise the Management Middle
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Swipe down from the highest proper of the display screen to open the Management Middle, 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 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 record of shortcut icons and widgets you may manage throughout a number of Management Middle screens. It’s also possible to customise your property display screen to alter the colour and dimension of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.
Change Your Lock Display Buttons
You realize 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 area on the lock display screen and faucet Customise. Faucet the minus icon to take away an current shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. It’s also possible to change the climate and date widgets, the font and colour for the time, and decide a wallpaper. One of many clocks will even stretch to adapt to your wallpaper.
Prolong Display Time-Out
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Whereas it’s good to have your display screen timeout 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 timeout is simply too quick for my part, however fortunately, you may regulate it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You could have a number of choices, together with By no means, which suggests you’ll have to manually push the facility button to show the display screen off.
Flip Off Keyboard Sounds
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The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound once you kind is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even should you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood once you kind positive does. You’ll be able to flip it off in Settings, Sounds & 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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Defend your self from eye-searing glare with darkish mode. Go to Settings, decide Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. Chances are you’ll desire to toggle on Computerized and have it change with the solar setting, however I desire to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.
Change Your Battery Cost Stage
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If you happen to’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 should 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 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, below Battery, and Charging. If it bugs you, that is additionally the place you may flip Optimized Battery Charging off.
Flip On Adaptive Energy Mode
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If you happen to get anxious about working out of battery, go to Settings, Battery, and scroll down to pick out Energy Mode, the place you may toggle on Adaptive Energy. This mode will detect when you find yourself utilizing extra battery life than regular and make little tweaks, like reducing show brightness or limiting efficiency, to attempt to get you thru to the tip of the day.
Set Up the Motion Button
People with an iPhone 15 Professional mannequin, any iPhone 16 mannequin, or any iPhone 17 have an Motion Button as a substitute of the outdated mute change. By default, it would silence your iPhone once 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 numerous fundamental choices from Digital camera and Flashlight to Visible Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts if you would like it to do one thing extra fascinating. If you happen to’re unfamiliar, take a look at our information on Learn how to Use the Apple Shortcuts App.
Customise Digital camera Management
{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
The iPhone 16 sequence debuted Digital camera Management, a bodily button that sits beneath the facility button and triggers the digicam with a single press. While you’re within the digicam app, urgent it would seize a photograph, and a long-press will file a video. Urgent and holding Digital camera Management outdoors of the digicam app triggers Apple’s Visible Intelligence function (kind of like Google Lens). However what I discover most annoying is Digital camera Management’s second layer of controls: swiping. You’ll be able to swipe on the button within the digicam app to slip between images kinds, zoom ranges, or lenses. It is neat in principle, however approach too delicate.
