With its sleek style and easy navigation it’s no wonder Apple’s iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones out there. With all the features it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But, there are some not-so-obvious features that you can benefit from on a daily basis. You can customize your smartphone with the features that best fit your needs.
Here are some ways to customize your iPhone for easier viewing:
- Accessibility
Do you have to squint to read the font of your text messages? There is a feature that allows you to enlarge text on your iPhone. To do this, go to Settings → General→ Accessibility→ Larger Text. You can also enlarge the text by going to Settings → Display & Brightness→ Text Size.
- LED Flash Alerts
Tired of the vibrate setting shaking the table every time you get a new text? Use the Flash for alerts instead. To turn it on, go to Settings→ General→ Accessibility→ LED Flash for Alerts. The flash will now blink every time you receive a text, allowing you to see the alert even if you are across the room.
- Rotating the Phone
When viewing your calendar, by default you see the day view. If you want to see the week view, simply turn the phone to the side. This also works to enlarge your keyboard. In all standard apps you can use a bigger keyboard if you turn your phone sideways.
Time saving tips:
- Texting Tips
Maybe you don’t have time to type that text message, or maybe your fingers are too large for the teensy keyboard. These are times when the voice text feature comes in handy. Within the texting app, you will see a microphone icon at the bottom of the screen by the space bar. Touch the microphone and the phone will type what you say and send it in a text message. But, be careful to check that the voice text feature accurately captured what you intended to say! Please also note, just like when you use Siri, what you dictate will be recorded and sent to Apple to convert and it may send Apple other information too.
Make sure to check your “Read Receipt” settings, too. When this setting is on it will allow the people you text to see the time you read their response texts. Many users dislike this feature because people can see that you have seen a text and not yet responded. You can turn this off by going to Settings→ Messages→ Send Read Receipts off.
- Email
To quickly insert a photo or video into an email, hold down on the screen in a blank area of the email. You can then enter a picture or video quickly by either pasting a copied image or inserting media directly from your iPhone Gallery.
When reading an email, if you are looking for the definition of a word, you can hold your finger over the text and select “define.” It will give you the definition of the word right on the spot.
New features you may not be aware of:
- Wi-Fi Assist
Some end users are in an uproar regarding the new Wi-Fi Assist feature. This feature, when turned on, automatically uses cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor. This can lead to high cellular usage and sometimes, higher bills. Unless you benefit from a grandfathered unlimited data plan, turning off this feature can be the way to go. Do this by going to “Settings Cellular” and scroll down until you see Wi-Fi assist is turned off.
- Low Power Mode
Finally, a way to conserve power when your battery is dwindling down! When your battery reaches 20%, your iPhone now asks if you want to go into low power mode. In this mode, some apps and services are reduced or turned off to save battery power.
With any new technology it is a good idea to take the time to learn about your device. See what features best fit your needs and program it to serve you. Customization is the key to using your device to the fullest. The features of the iPhone are endless. Most features were created to make your life easier and allow you to be more efficient with your time. Make your device work for you!
*Please note these steps were done in iOS version 9.0. With older versions of iOS the location of settings may be different. While these are suggestions of changes you can make to your iPhone always consult your IT professional or refer to your company’s technology polices before making any changes.