10 iOS tips and techniques to make your iPhone more useful

 With each new iteration, Apple's operating system becomes more full, safe, and configurable, from the App Tracking Transparency feature to the Live Text function. To help you get the most out of your iPhone, we produced an iOS user guide that includes the most important tips and techniques published by our staff.

Among the recommendations are user interface customization choices, lifehacks, and sophisticated capabilities that have recently been added to Apple's software. Remember that the most recent version is iOS 16, which is currently in public beta. The customisable Lock Screen, notification improvements, voice input methods, and enhanced security choices are among the new features.

Some of the most popular iOS tutorials among NextPit community members are listed below.

Create unique icons and more using shortcuts.

In the vast realm of smartphone user interfaces, iOS is not the most customised. However, it is clearly becoming more configurable, much to the dismay of many enthusiasts.

If you want a unique user interface, the Shortcuts app lets you effortlessly alter programme icons on the iPhone home screen, create unique colour combinations, and much more. Of course, you may use a third-party app for this, but the Shortcut tool provides a variety of alternatives that adhere to Apple's stringent design requirements and, moreover, can be used to automate iOS routines and other shortcuts.

Learn how to build custom icons and other tips for making your iPhone home screen genuinely distinctive.

Convert your iPhone's keyboard to a trackpad.

Turning your iPhone keyboard into a touchpad is by far the most helpful iOS tip, and I like using it virtually every day. It's actually a fairly easy trick that most iOS users are unaware of, possibly even less so than the mechanism to lower the iPhone's flashlight.

Simply long press the space bar and wait for the letters to vanish to rapidly set the Apple standard keyboard cursor in a strategic spot. After that, you may move the cursor as you wish and edit text "like a pro" without taking your finger from the display!

Check out our comprehensive guide on converting your phone's keyboard to a touchpad.

Using the Back Tap function, you may unlock shortcuts and other tasks.

This advice is as old as enabling Dark Mode on the iPhone, yet most people ignore it. Beyond merely snapping screenshots, the Back Tap function provides a plethora of capabilities and shortcut choices with two or three touches on the iPhone's back.

The amazing thing about this functionality is that it works with iPhone models dating back to the iPhone 8, and it also serves as a shortcut to essential system software, such as the camera and—in my case—Shazam.

Follow these steps to enable the Back Tap function on your iPhone:

Back Tap may be found under Settings > Accessibility > Touch.

Choose an action by tapping Double Tap or Triple Tap.

Done! Simply double or triple press the back of your iPhone to initiate the action.

How to Use YouTube's Picture-in-Picture Mode

Since iOS 15, Apple has included an enhanced option for viewing YouTube in a floating window. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) is a feature that allows you to minimise YouTube videos on the iPhone screen. To use YouTube's Picture-in-Picture mode on the iPhone, however, a Premium subscription to Google's streaming app is required.

If you're like me, you have a YouTube Premium subscription. You must first join up as a trial user before the function will be available on your iPhone. If you wish to avoid YouTube, our recommendation is to download the PiPifier app straight from the App Store.

In this video, we teach you how to enable Picture-in-Picture mode on YouTube in detail.

Texts, images, and files may be dragged and dropped across apps.

Although Apple's universal control has not yet come on the iPhone, you can still drag and drop messages, files, and photographs across apps on the system. This is not a widely used iOS function, yet it is an excellent multitasking tool. See how easy it is to copy text from the notes app and paste it into the body of an email.

The most intriguing element of this function, however, appeared only with iOS 16 and the "lift topic from backdrop" option. We may isolate a certain object in an image using drag-and-drop, for example, deleting the backdrop or even text passages.

Photos, Quick Look, and Safari are among the programmes that allow you to remove the background from photographs. For the time being, the capability is only available on iPhones running the beta version of iOS 16, but it will soon be available on all iPhones compatible with Apple's new operating system.

How to Cast an iPhone to a Television

The AirPlay function allows you to stream the content of your iPhone's screen to your television. This technology, like Miracast, allows you to mirror your iPhone screen on compatible TVs or devices connected to the Apple TV streaming device. To do so, go to the iPhone control panel and enable the AirPlay shortcut, then follow these steps:

Launch Control Center.

Select the Screen Mirroring icon.

Choose your Apple TV, AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV, or Mac from the drop-down menu. (If an AirPlay passcode shows on your TV screen or Mac, input it on your iOS device.)

To stop mirroring on your iOS device, visit Control Center, select Screen Mirroring, and then select Stop Mirroring.

It's worth noting that the list of TVs compatible with AirPlay 2 is currently modest, comprising devices produced in 2018 from LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, and Vizio. The revised list is available on Apple's website and includes several gadgets that work with Amazon Fire TV and Roku systems.

It's important to realise that, in the case of both AirPlay and Miracast, some applications may block material from being sent to the TV for technical or certification reasons. Check out this lesson on how to connect your iPhone to your TV to learn more about the subject.

Take advantage of the finest of Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles.

Finally, beginning with the iPhone 13 series, Apple now includes Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles. Because these functionalities are hardware-dependent, only iPhone 13 series users will be able to fully utilise these functions.

In this unique post on Cinematic Mode hints, we show you how the video function works and how to edit footage both during and after filming. If you have a suitable device, you may learn how to shoot video with a blurred backdrop and how to modify the foreground item or person in a photo automatically.

When it comes to Photographic Styles, Apple's current generation smartphone camera allows you to apply the same adjustments in colour, temperature, and saturation as traditional filters, but it uses the iPhone's technology to produce a different outcome than previous techniques. Here's how to make the most of your iPhone's Photographic Styles.

How to Enable Apple Pay

Setting up Apple Pay on your iPhone or Apple Watch will allow you to maximise the capabilities of your devices. Apple's contactless payment technology integrates with Apple Wallet and provides a variety of possibilities. Apple Wallet may be highly useful for everything from payment card integration to ID card storage.

With your credit or debit card set up, you may quickly make purchases in shops using just your iPhone and Apple Pay. So, whether you've just purchased a new iPhone or are adding a new debit or credit card to the Wallet app, it's simple to set up Apple Pay from your iPhone and enjoy the convenience of making payments with just your phone. Follow our instructions on how to set up Apple Pay.

Remotely control Apple Music from your iPhone

Apple has superb product integration, and while the iPhone is not among the devices that use the Universal Control function, you can control your Apple Music on your PC or Mac from your iPhone—and even from your iPad—via an app produced by Apple. This is a terrific suggestion for individuals who wish to change playlists or albums without getting up from the sofa!

You can simply control Apple Music from your iPhone with the iTunes Remote app. The software is available for free on the Apple Store and provides many more options. Here's how to use your iPhone to control Apple Music on your PC or Mac.

All media should have a sleep timer.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can watch your favourite shows on Netflix or Apple TV+ without having to worry about draining the battery because you fell asleep in the midst of an episode. This is because Apple includes a sleep timer with every media playback. The best feature is that you can use it for any app that plays media material on your Apple device—for example, it may be set for children's watch time on iPads.

To use the function, simply navigate to the Clock app. Learn more in our detailed explanation on how to apply a sleep timer to any media on iOS.

So, for the time being, these are some of the greatest iOS functionality and iPhone usage suggestions. What are your thoughts on the features shown here? What is your greatest tip for making the most of your iPhone? Which feature do you like to see included in this iOS usage guide? Leave your opinions in the comments section below.