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 centered on artificial intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024 and adopted it with Liquid Glass in iOS 26 (the title 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 swap off some annoying options. We’re right here that will help you get essentially the most out of your Apple telephone.
After you have issues arrange the best way you need, it’s a breeze to repeat the whole lot, together with settings, once you switch to a new iPhone. For extra ideas and proposals, learn our associated Apple guides—just like the Best iPhone, Best iPhone 16 Cases, Best MagSafe Accessories—and our explainers on How to Set Up a New iPhone, How to Back Up Your iPhone, and How to Fix Your iPhone.
Find out how to Preserve Your iPhone Up to date
These settings are based mostly on the newest model of iOS 26 and ought to be relevant for many recent iPhones. Some settings might not be accessible on older units, or they could have completely different pathways relying on the mannequin and the software program model. Apple gives glorious software program help for a few years, so all the time be certain your machine is up-to-date by heading to Settings > Basic > Software program replace. You will discover the Settings app on your house display screen.
Up to date September 2025: We’ve added a number of new iPhone ideas and up to date this information for iOS 26.
Desk of Contents
Allow Name Screening
Apple by way of Simon Hill
Make cold-calling pests a factor of the previous with Apple’s new Call Screening feature. Go to Settings, Apps, and choose Cellphone, then scroll all the way down to Display screen Unknown Callers and choose Ask Purpose for Calling. Now, your iPhone will routinely reply calls from unknown callers within the background with out alerting you. After the caller offers a purpose for his or her name, your telephone will ring, and you’ll see the response onscreen so you’ll be able to resolve whether or not to reply. You also needs to be certain Maintain Help Detection is toggled on, so your iPhone detects when you’re 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) received severely upgraded final yr when Apple decided to finally support the RCS messaging normal (wealthy communication companies). 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 browse receipts. Group chats should still be wonky, however they’re nonetheless a major enchancment. Nevertheless, on a brand new iPhone, RCS is disabled by default (naturally).
Be sure you flip it on for the very best messaging expertise. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle it on.
Customise the Management Heart
Apple by way of Simon Hill
Swipe down from the highest proper of the display screen to open the Management Heart, and also you’ll see it is extra customizable than ever. You may faucet the plus icon on the prime left or faucet and maintain on an empty house to open the customization menu. Right here you’ll be able to transfer icons and widgets round, take away something you don’t need, or faucet Add a Management on the backside for a searchable listing of shortcut icons and widgets you’ll be able to arrange throughout a number of Management Heart screens. You too can customize your home screen to alter the colour and dimension of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.
Change Your Lock Display screen Buttons
You understand these lock display screen controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digicam on the underside proper? You may change them. Press and maintain on an empty house on the lock display screen and faucet Customise. Faucet the minus icon to take away an present shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. You too can change the climate and date widgets, the font and coloration for the time, and choose a wallpaper. One of many clocks will even stretch to adapt to your wallpaper.
Lengthen Display screen 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 just too brief for my part, however fortunately, you’ll be able to modify it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You’ve a number of choices, together with By no means, which implies you’ll have to manually push the ability button to show the display screen off.
Flip Off Keyboard Sounds
Apple by way of Simon Hill
The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound once you sort is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even when you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood once you sort positive does. You may flip it off in Settings, Sounds & Haptics by tapping Keyboard Suggestions and toggling Sound off. I additionally advise toggling off the Lock Sound when you’re in Sound & Haptics.
Go Darkish
Apple by way of Simon Hill
Defend your self from eye-searing glare with dark mode. Go to Settings, choose Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. It’s possible you’ll favor to toggle on Computerized and have it change with the solar setting, however I favor to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.
Change Your Battery Cost Degree
Apple by way of Simon Hill
In the event you’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as potential, contemplate altering the charging restrict. You may maximize your smartphone’s battery health when 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 100% when you’re able to go within the morning. However there’s a slider you’ll be able to set to a tough 80 p.c restrict in Settings, beneath Battery, and Charging. If it bugs you, that is additionally the place you’ll be able to flip Optimized Battery Charging off.
Flip On Adaptive Energy Mode
Apple by way of Simon Hill
In the event you get frightened about working out of battery, go to Settings, Battery, and scroll down to pick out Energy Mode, the place you’ll be able to toggle on Adaptive Energy. This mode will detect when you’re 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 Pro model, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPhone 17 have an Motion Button as a substitute of the previous mute swap. By default, it’ll silence your iPhone once you press and maintain it, however you’ll be able to change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You may swipe by numerous fundamental choices from Digital camera and Flashlight to Visual Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts if you’d like it to do one thing extra fascinating. In the event you’re unfamiliar, try our information on 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 ability button and triggers the digicam with a single press. While you’re within the digicam app, urgent it’ll seize a photograph, and a long-press will document a video. Urgent and holding Digital camera Management exterior of the digicam app triggers Apple’s Visible Intelligence characteristic (kind of like Google Lens). However what I discover most annoying is Digital camera Management’s second layer of controls: swiping. You may swipe on the button within the digicam app to slip between pictures types, zoom ranges, or lenses. It is neat in principle, however approach too delicate.
