Top iPhone Tips: CNETs Mobile Experts Demo Our Go-To …
There are lots of things to customize on your iPhone, including your home screen, widgets and alert center … however thats simply the start. Including a brand new wallpaper to your lock screen is cool, but making your iPhone work better for you is cooler, and you can do by tinkering with your settings.Your iPhone has numerous settings to set up, which most likely sounds frustrating. You can do whatever from arrange your signals to tweak how much data youre utilizing on a 5G connection, and if you do not understand where to begin, weve got you covered.Well have a look at 20 settings deep within iOS 15, so you can make your iPhone better for you.And if you want to take a preview into the future, you need to have a look at what Apple has prepared for iOS 16 in the fall, including all the brand-new major functions that will be offered on iOS 16 and which devices will be compatible with iOS 16. You can likewise get your hands on a beta variation of iOS 16 right now.This incoming call alert isnt ideal for everybody..
Jason Cipriani/CNET.
Now playing:.
Enjoy this:.
13:01.
1. Revive full-screen inbound call alertsPrior to Apples iOS 14 update, the incoming call screen would take control of your entire screen when your iPhone was opened and being used. It was disruptive, sure, but it also got the job done. Beginning with iOS 14, however, Apple changed the inbound call trigger to look more like a typical alert. That is, now its a small alert that reveals up near the top of the screen when youre utilizing your phone. Due to the fact that I dismissed the alert as yet another frustrating alert that didnt immediately need my attention, on more than one event Ive nearly missed out on a call. To get the more attention-grabbing full-screen notifies back, go to Settings >> Phone >> Incoming Calls and tap Full Screen.
2. When iOS 14.5 debuted last year, Change Siris voiceSiri got 2 new voices. And Siri no longer defaults to a womans voice. Rather, when you established a new gadget youll be asked which Siri voice you want to utilize. When you make your selection, Apple will change Siris voice throughout all of the gadgets linked to your Apple ID. Its quite slick. You can check out the voice alternatives by going to Settings >> Siri & & Search > Siri Voice. To discover more, have a look at our total guide to changing Siris sound. Apple is also included a gender-neutral Siri voice choice for English speakers in iOS 15.4. 5G is nice, if you have access to it, but it can also be a battery hog..
Patrick Holland/CNET.
Turn off 5G protection you dont have or want Apple promotes a Smart Data feature thats particular to its 5G phones (the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lines) that will instantly change in between 4G LTE and 5G networks– without you having to understand or do a thing– based on how youre using your device. If you desire your iPhone to specifically utilize a 5G connection when available, you can select 5G On. You can unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch if Face ID isnt working.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET.
Open your phone while wearing a face mask One of the discouraging elements of using a face covering in public while using an iPhone that has Apples Face ID tech built in has been the failure to open the phone. If you have an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 that runs iOS 15.4 or later, you can open your iPhone while using a mask and without an Apple Watch, too. Put the address bar in Safari back on topApple moved the address bar in Safari to the bottom of the screen by default in iOS 15.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET.
8. Include features that can be utilized when your iPhone is lockedThere are times when you might require to have certain details helpful even when your phone is locked.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET.
Make your preferred e-mail app or web internet browser the defaultIt was a long time coming, however 2020s iOS 14 update finally brought the ability to choose your own default apps– at least for email and web browsing. You should then see a button that says Default Mail App or Default Browser App. By default, all iPhones with Apples Face ID tech will hide the content of an alert till you pick up your phone and unlock it by looking at it.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET.
Turn off (or on) HDR video for sharing videosPhones in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups can record HDR, or high dynamic range, video with Dolby Vision. When you send the video to another iPhone user, Apple will find if their iPhone, iPad or Mac is suitable with HDR Dolby Vision. If its not, Apple will convert the video automatically.If you leave HDR Video on and need to modify your video, you can utilize Apples iMovie app or the Photos app thats developed into your iPhone.
Patrick Holland/CNET.
12. Get rid of mess on your home screenSince the release of iOS 14 in 2020, iPhone users have had more alternatives and control over what their house screen looks like than ever before. The App Library, for example, serves as an app drawer, permitting you to eliminate apps from your home screen without erasing them. Heck, you can even fully personalize your phones look with various app icons and widgets– its really Android-like, and theres nothing incorrect with that. If you like the very little appearance, then youll wish to make sure that recently set up apps arent instantly placed on your house screen each time you download an app. Or, on the other side, if you do not desire brand-new apps to go straight to the App Library where youre sure to forget about their presence after a day or more, go to Settings > > Home Screen and choose either Add to Home Screen or App Library Only. On an iPhone with 3D Touch, you can use a third-party app to play longer-duration “Live” pictures on your lock screen.
Patrick Holland/CNET.
Personalize your house screen with elegant wallpaperAnother home screen modify you need to make involves your wallpaper or background. Make sure the switch identified “Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper,” which youll see listed below the 2 thumbnail previews of your wallpaper, is turned on. You can likewise set live wallpapers as your background if youre not sold on dark and light mode.
Jason Cipriani/CNET.
14. Turn on dark mode to conserve your batterySpeaking of dark mode, if you dont wish to need to consistently adjust your screens brightness, you can use your phones dedicated dark mode. Dark mode transforms all of the white backgrounds in apps to, typically, a black background. In turn, your phone is able to conserve battery power thanks to the darker colors. Turn it on by going to Settings > > Display & & Brightness and choosing the Dark choice at the top of the screen. Apples apps will immediately change to a dark color design and most third-party apps have likewise adopted the function. Apple has actually put all of its privacy controls in one location..
Jason Cipriani/CNET.
15. Handle your notifications with Focus ModeWe get a great deal of alerts every day, but not all of them are pertinent all the time. With iOS 15, Apple introduced a feature to address this called Focus Mode. Consider it as a sort of customized Do Not Disturb, but tailored to particular scenarios. This enables notifications from important people and apps to come through so that you do not miss anything, while obstructing out less pertinent informs. You can establish different kinds of Focus modes for specific scenarios. Apple currently uses choices for Do Not Disturb, individual, sleep, work, driving, fitness, mindfulness, reading and gaming, but you can likewise develop your own custom-made mode. You can arrange Focus modes so that they turn on immediately when needed, and show a status in apps so that others know when you have actually alerts silenced. To get started, open the Settings menu, tap Focus and pick one of the available options to establish your notice preferences. Tap the plus (+) sign in the leading right corner to add a new Focus. 16. Control the size of screen textWith a couple of taps on your iPhones screen, you can adjust the font size to make it easier to read. Open Settings and go to Display & & Brightness > Text Size where you can use the slider until youre pleased with the typeface size. For a little added zest, you can switch on Bold Text (its just below the Text Size button). Face ID does not always get it right..
Óscar Gutiérrez/ CNET.
17. Add an alternate appearance to Face ID Apples facial acknowledgment function, Face ID, constantly learns and relearns various elements of your face with each scan. If youre having a hard time to get Face ID to consistently recognize you, attempt the Alternate Appearance option. Go to Settings > > Face ID & & Passcode > enter your PIN > > Set Up An Alternate Appearance and go through the process of registering your face once again. Keep your screen dim to save battery life..
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET.
Disable vehicle brightness for longer battery chargeYour iPhones screen brightness level can have a huge impact on battery life. By default, iOS will immediately change the display screens brightness based on how much light the ambient sensing unit spots. Triage your privacy settings The first time you set up a phone and all of your apps, youre bombarded with triggers asking for consents to gain access to personal info varying from tracking your place to your Apple Health information or your video camera roll.
Jason Cipriani/CNET.
20. Put apps a tap or swipe away with Control CenterControl Center is a hassle-free spot to quickly alter tunes, switch on aircraft mode, connect to Wi-Fi or begin a timer, however theres a lot more to it than that. You can quickly turn your flashlight on, examine on a timer or start recording your screen with a quick swipe and tap. Customize which apps and functions are offered in Control Center by opening Settings > > Control. Get rid of an option with a tap on the red minus button or include a choice by picking the green addition button. Drag functions up or down using the three-line icon on the ideal side of the screen. Personally, I like having quick access to the Wallet app and toggles for low-power mode and dark mode. As a suggestion, if you have an iPhone with a house button, like the 2020 iPhone SE, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, like an iPhone X ($ 300 at Amazon), XS or 13, youll need to swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen where the battery icon is. For more, heres how to establish your brand-new iPhone and how to move your information from your old iPhone. Plus, this iOS 15 trick gives you more iCloud storage for totally free.
Including a brand name new wallpaper to your lock screen is cool, however making your iPhone work better for you is cooler, and you can do by tinkering with your settings.Your iPhone has hundreds of settings to set up, which probably sounds frustrating. Turn off 5G protection you do not have or want Apple promotes a Smart Data function thats specific to its 5G phones (the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lines) that will instantly change between 4G LTE and 5G networks– without you having to do a thing or know– based on how youre using your gadget. If you have an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 that runs iOS 15.4 or later on, you can unlock your iPhone while using a mask and without an Apple Watch, too. When you send out the video to another iPhone user, Apple will detect if their iPhone, iPad or Mac is compatible with HDR Dolby Vision. As a reminder, if you have an iPhone with a home button, like the 2020 iPhone SE, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control.