8 Less Known iPhone Features New Users Should Know About

Less tech-savvy people need more time to get the basics down, and once they do, they move on to the more advanced features.

Still, even with so many neat things available right away, an iPhone has a fair few neat tricks up its sleeve.

If you are past the point of being a basic user and want to explore what hidden features iPhones have, look no further. This article will cover them.

Picture 1 of 8 Less Known iPhone Features New Users Should Know About

1. Interactive Weather Map

The weather forecast doesn't require too many minutiae details to get the hang of what's going on or will happen.

However, looking at the weather widget, you might not get the latest information. For a larger picture, open the Weather app and tap your finger on the map icon. 

It will reveal an interactive iOS weather map that functions as your personal weather reporter, providing the latest weather news.

2. Track Flights via Messages

As far as obscure iPhone features go, tracking flight information via Messages is definitely up there.

If you or somebody else is flying and you want to check the status of the journey, the trick is simple. Find the flight number and send a text message with it. 

Once the flight number is sent, the recipient or sender can tap on the message and hold until a Preview Flight option pops up. Here, you can see the flight details.

3. Access the Clipboard

The iPhone does not offer an option to see the clipboard manually. Unlike on a computer, you need to be a bit more creative.

If you want to go to clipboard, the ways to circumvent the missing feature on the smartphone are:

1. Pasting the clipboards in the Notes application or another text editor app and keep them there;
2. Utilizing the Shortcuts app to create a dedicated keyboard shortcut to show the clipboard;
3. Finding a third-party app dedicated to using clipboards on the iPhone;

4. Enable Relaxing Background Noises

If you are fed up with your current environment and have no other means to escape, background sounds to ease the stress could be a decent solution.

The iPhone has an ambient sound library. Rainfalls, oceans, white noise, you name it. You don't even need an internet connection because it is not a feature that requires streaming.

Go to Settings, click Accessibility, then go to the Audio/Visual tab and tap on the Background Sounds section. From here, you can arrange the volume and pick one of the many available sound options.

5. Try Cool Things on Siri

Siri receives new commands with each major iOS update. In the age of artificial intelligence and digital voice assistants, it is no surprise that more and more people rely on Siri.

You can take advantage of different commands, such as asking Siri to take notes, make a call, text someone, tell a joke, google the weather, and so on.

Beyond that, Siri also lets you roll the dice or even cast spells from Harry Potter. You read it right.

6. Utilize Spotlight Search

Spotlight is available and used on Macs, as well as other Apple products. However, it seems like many people underutilize it on an iPhone.

Whenever you need to quickly look something up online, don't launch an internet browser app and Google. Instead, try Spotlight. Ever since the iOS 15 update, the app has been available directly from the home screen for extra convenience.

7. Scan Documents

An all-in-one printer is a thing of the past if you need to quickly scan the documents. As an iPhone user, you can create digital copies of documents directly on your device.

First, figure out where you want to scan the text. Messages or Notes applications are great for that. 

Tap and hold for a bit where you can add the text and release the finger. A scanner icon should pop up, prompting you with the 'Scan Text' message. From here, navigate the instructions and scan documents or other items via the iPhone's camera.

8. Customize the iOS Control Center

Most iPhone users are content with the default iOS Control Center setup. If the widgets are where you want them to be, there is no need to modify anything.

Yet, if you want to add new widgets or remove redundant widgets for additional clarity, you can do that.

Open the iPhone Settings menu and go to the Control Center. From here, scroll down a bit until you see More Controls. There is a green symbol next to each option that lets you enable it in the Control Center setup.

Lesley Montoya

Update 10 January 2024