Sep 19, 2022
Smartphone Tips & Tricks
You love your smartphone and, specifically your iPhone, but sometimes you’re unsure how smart it really is. Why can't it be easier to do things like increase the size of the text in the notes app, create custom ringtones or a custom lock screen, and install updates on your iOS device? Here we offer iPhone users iPhone tips and tricks and a look at hidden features that will make your life easier!
How to charge your iPhone battery faster
Isn’t it always at the most inconvenient times that you discover you’re about out of battery? Well, you can charge it faster and extend the battery life if you first put it in Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode turns off lots of features of your phone – like cellular and Wi-Fi – so there’s less for the battery to do so it charges faster. When you’re done, just turn Airplane Mode off.
To turn “Airplane Mode” on, open Settings, then toggle “Airplane Mode” to the “on” position.
How to increase the font size on your iPhone
No matter what iPhone model you have, you can make reading text messages easier by doing the following:
Under Settings, choose “Accessibility.” Look for and click on the words “Display & Text Size.” On the next screen, you have the option to turn on “Bold Text” and “Larger Text,” among others. Click on “Larger Text” and you can turn on what are called “Larger Accessibility Sizes.” The larger text won’t work on every app, but it will function on many, and that will make reading on your phone easier.
If you’d like to darken the text on multiple apps, turn on “Bold Text.” Again, the text won’t be bolded on every app, but it will be on many of them.
This is one of those iPhone tips and tricks that's really helpful for iPhone users of all ages!
How to be more frugal with data
If you're watching your data usage, it's a good idea to use a feature introduced in iOS 7: cellular data management. With this tool, you can decide which apps get to use cellular data, and which apps can load only over Wi-Fi. Head over to Settings > Cellular to disable cellular data usage for any installed apps.
How to create custom ringtones and vibrations
How great would it be to know who's calling, just by the way the iPhone is buzzing in your pocket? You can. In the Contacts app, select your person of choice and tap Edit. Select Ringtone and you'll see a Vibration option. Press that and you'll see several options – like Heartbeat, Rapid, and Staccato – including a Create New Vibration tool to customize your own buzz. This way, you can have a different ring for your partner, child, best friend, anyone you want!
How to master the calculator app
Sometimes, while using the iPhone's Calculator app, we enter a wrong digit causing your lengthy calculations to mess up and there's no choice but to tap the Clear [C] button that clears all the numbers altogether. Well, you might not know but there's a way to delete ONLY the last digit that you accidentally entered in the Calculator app. Just swipe your finger to the left or right of the numbers to clear the last digit. Each swipe will remove the last digit until the number becomes zero.
How to use your iPhone as an Apple TV remote
Talk about one of the great hidden features of iPhone! To launch your Apple TV via your iPhone, open the Control Center then tap the Apple TV Remote icon.
Master the AirDrop function
If you also have an iPad or Mac, then AirDrop is the fastest way to share files between all of your Apple devices — like photos and videos, documents, and more. It's a great feature for those who are heavily vested in the Apple ecosystem of hardware. To use this feature, just select AirDrop from the share sheet whenever you're sharing an item. You'll also want to make sure that your AirDrop settings are set correctly. You can adjust this by going to Settings > General > AirDrop
How to install updates on your iPhone
Open Settings, then click on “General” and then “Software Update” and turn “Automatic Updates” to the “on” position. On the next screen, turn on “Download iOS Updates” and “Install iOS Updates.” Now software updates will be made automatically after they have been downloaded. iPhone sends you a notification before updates are installed. All you need to do is make sure your iPhone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi to complete the update.
How to turn your iPhone into a hot spot
A hot spot enables you to work on your laptop when you’re away from home or in a place where there’s no public Wi-Fi. Using your iPhone in this manner allows you to remain productive and connected.
On an iPhone: Open the Settings app, then simply tap “Personal Hotspot,” then “Allow Others to Join.”
Once your hotspot is on, return to your laptop or other device and go to settings and into your Wi-Fi menu. Your iPhone should be there as an option. Select it and provide the password your iPhone gave you.
How to take photos with the volume feature on your iPhone
The following two tips and tricks are the kinds you can use to impress your kids or grandkids or even your spouse so, honestly? They’re worth knowing!
Ready? You don’t need to use the photos app to take photos. Nope. You can simply long press on the volume “up” or “down” feature on the side of your iPhone. All you need to do is open the camera app, aim, and click the volume button up or down and ta da! Your iPhone snaps a photo, even multiple photos!
How to get use Siri to take photos for you
Activate Siri by holding down the “home” or “side” button. Now say "hey Siri" and ask her to take a photo. In a second, the camera will open and all you need to do is tap the button.
You can also say "hey Siri" and ask her to take a square or panoramic photo (you can say “picture” too), a video, a time-lapse video, or even a selfie.
When you like the image you see, tap the camera button!
Note: This works on all iPhone models, but the selfie feature requires iOS 10 and up.
How to “shake off” unwanted text
You’re typing a text or a note and decide you it doesn’t read properly so you want to get rid of it. Forget the back button. Enable this trick and all you’ll need to do is shake your iPhone.
Open Settings and tap “Accessibility.” Tap “Touch” and then “Shake to Undo” and toggle it “on.”
Now, when you’ve typed something you’d like to delete, simply shake your phone and when the pop-up window pops up, tap Undo.
How to extend the battery life of your iPhone
Over time, the battery in your phone won’t last as long as it once did. But there are things you can do to extend your battery life. Here are a few tips :and tricks:
Remove animated or live wallpaper
If you have animated or live wallpaper on your home screen, delete it. It’s fun and it looks nice, but it drains the battery. Put something simple on your home screen instead.
Watch all your apps
Certain apps, like Uber and Grubhub, track your location. If they’re tracking it all the time, it will drain your battery. On your iPhone, open apps like Google Maps or Uber or Grubhub, etc., and make sure that the “Location” setting is switched to “While Using” otherwise these apps will continue to hog your battery.
Adjust the brightness of your iPhone screen
If your iPhone screen is very bright, which you might have needed it to be before enlarging the font size, it will drain your battery. To dim your iPhone screen, under iPhone Settings click on “Display & Brightness,” then use the slider to adjust the brightness down a notch. Starting in Settings, follow the same steps to do this on your Android device.
Turn Bluetooth off
Using Bluetooth to transmit data requires an enormous amount of battery power. Enable it when necessary, and shut it off when you don’t need it.
On your iPhone screen, go to iPhone Settings and click on “Bluetooth.” Move the slider to the left to turn it off.
Adjust email retrieval
The more frequently your iPhone looks for new data, the more it drains your battery. To adjust the frequency, on your iPhone open the Settings app, then click on “Mail” and then “Accounts.” On the “Accounts” screen, click “Fetch New Data” and then how often your phone should check for email. The longer you go between checks, the better for the life of your battery.
Don’t worry – even though you’ve adjusted the frequency with which your phone will check for email, you can still check your email manually by opening up Gmail, etc.
How to know when it’s time for a new iPhone
Most people upgrade to a new iPhone every year or two, but you really can go three years or more. If you’re considering getting a new iPhone, here are a few reasons to take the plunge:
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To get the latest updates. If your current iPhone has reached the point where it simply can’t support them, it’s time for a new iPhone and its fresh operating system.
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If despite trying all the suggestions provided above for saving your iPhone’s battery your phone holds a charge for only a half day or less, it’s time for a new phone.
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And if, even though you made the font size larger and maybe even bolder you’re still having trouble reading what’s on the screen, watching YouTube videos, or seeing a FaceTime call clearly, it’s time for a bigger screen. Like, a screen that’s attached to a new device!
Now that you’re the smartest iPhone user you know, make another smart move:
Get FREE wireless with Life Wireless
Now that you know many of the tricks and tips to get more out of your smartphone, why not make another smart decision. Let’s get you going with free cellular service from Life Wireless.
It sounds too good to be true, but it’s 100% real.
Life Wireless offers government subsidized free cellular service through the Affordable Connectivity Program to qualifying individuals and families. And, if you’re unemployed or participate in a government benefit program such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, or WIC, you already qualify for this Federally funded free cellular service. As a participant, you receive the following, free, each month: Unlimited talk, text and data, and a free smartphone or you can bring your own.
Even if you’re paying just $20 a month for cell service, wouldn’t you rather have that $240 to spend on groceries, gas, or paying down debts? Of course you would. All it takes is just a few minutes to complete the application. Do so now, and you could be cutting your monthly cell phone bill to nothing in no time.
Plus, if you’re approved for Life Wireless/Lifeline Assistance Program and sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), you get two sources of free talk, text, and unlimited data that you can split between two phones. That means free cell service for you and free cell service for someone you love. If your child has been asking for a cell phone, this is a terrific opportunity to provide him or her with talk, text, unlimited data and the ability to stay in touch with you!
Of course you don’t have to split the service between two phones, you can keep it all on one. But it’s a wonderful option if your spouse, child or relative needs a phone – and who doesn’t? – but has been unable to get one due to the expense.
Whichever option you choose – to keep the data on one phone or split it between two – Life Wireless will make sure you receive the free talk, text, and unlimited data to help you stay connected.
Option 1: Combine Your Data
Activate Lifeline and ACP on the same device and receive unlimited talk, text, and data, plus 5GB of mobile hotspot.
Option 2: Split Your Data
Split your data between two phones or supported devices and you’ll have one device with ACP’s free talk, text, and 6GB of data and a second device with Lifeline’s talk, text, and 4.5GB of data (6GB of data in California).
Fast facts about Life Wireless
Yes, you can add more minutes and data!
You can purchase additional minutes or data one of the following ways:
- Go to www.LifeWireless.com and click "Add Minutes/Data"
- If you have a smart phone, go to your MyLifeWireless app and click "Add Minutes".
- Call Customer Service at 1-888-543-3620, or by dialing 611 on your Life Wireless phone.
- You can also go to any Moneygram location and use Receive Code: 7924
Yes, you can track your minutes!
Your minutes replenish each month on your anniversary date before end of the day. For example if you signed up and received your minutes on the 12th of the month, your minutes will replenish every month on the 12th of the month.
You can check your account balance the following ways:
- Go to www.LifeWireless.com and click "My Account"
- Go to your MyLifeWireless app on your phone, and click "Check Balance"
- Call Customer Service at 1-888-543-3620, or by dialing 611 on your Life Wireless phone.
Yes, you can keep your current phone number!
If your application is approved, you have the option to keep your current phone number.
Once you receive your Life Wireless phone in the mail, call Life Wireless Customer Service at 1-888-543-3620 and a representative will assist you in keeping your current number. Make sure that you don't call from your Lifeline phone and have your account number and password from your previous carrier handy.
What our customers are saying:
"Life Wireless has been great. I have used it so many times for appointments and finding the proper care providers for my needs as well as for my family's needs. Thank you so much Life Wireless!"
Rebecca L., KY
“Without this phone I would be lost. It has helped me stay in contact with my daughter’s specialist. I schedule her appointments and they can call back if there are any complications with her results. Thank you, Life Wireless.” Amanda Z., PA
“I've been looking for apartments, doctor’s offices, and school phone numbers, and my data provided has been a tremendous help in gaining access to this information. I'm very grateful for this service.” Maria R. AZ
Don’t wait. Get FREE wireless service now!
Posted 1 year ago