Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS incorporates so many additions and tweaks that it is simple to overlook some helpful iPhone settings. Apple targeted 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 is not instantly apparent find out how to change off some annoying options. We’re right here that can assist you get probably the most out of your Apple cellphone.
Upon getting issues arrange the way in which you need, it’s a breeze to repeat all the pieces, together with settings, while 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.
The right way to Hold Your iPhone Up to date
These settings are based mostly on the newest model of iOS 26 and must be relevant for many recent iPhones. Some settings is probably not obtainable on older units, or they could have completely different pathways relying on the mannequin and the software program model. Apple affords glorious software program assist for a few years, so at all times be sure your gadget is up-to-date by heading to Settings > Normal > Software program replace. Yow will discover the Settings app on your own home display screen.
Up to date September 2025: We’ve added just a few new iPhone ideas and up to date this information for iOS 26.
Desk of Contents
Allow Name Screening
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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 right down to Display screen Unknown Callers and choose Ask Cause for Calling. Now, your iPhone will routinely reply calls from unknown callers within the background with out alerting you. After the caller provides a purpose for his or her name, your cellphone will ring, and you can see the response onscreen so you may resolve whether or not to reply. You must also be sure 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) bought severely upgraded final yr when Apple decided to finally support the RCS messaging commonplace (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 images and movies, and skim receipts. Group chats should be wonky, however they’re nonetheless a major enchancment. Nonetheless, on a brand new iPhone, RCS is disabled by default (naturally).
Be sure you flip it on for the perfect messaging expertise. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle it on.
Customise the Management Heart
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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’ll be able to faucet the plus icon on the prime left or faucet and maintain on an empty house to open the customization menu. Right here you may transfer icons and widgets round, take away something you don’t need, or faucet Add a Management on the backside for a searchable record of shortcut icons and widgets you may arrange throughout a number of Management Heart screens. You can too customize your home screen to alter the colour and dimension of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.
Change Your Lock Display screen Buttons
You recognize these lock display screen controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digital camera on the underside proper? You’ll be able to 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 can too change the climate and date widgets, the font and coloration for the time, and decide 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 quick in my view, however fortunately, you may modify it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You may have a number of choices, together with By no means, which suggests you’ll have to manually push the facility button to show the display screen off.
Flip Off Keyboard Sounds
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The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound while you sort is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even in the event you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood while you sort positive does. You’ll be able to 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
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Shield your self from eye-searing glare with dark mode. Go to Settings, decide Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. Chances are you’ll favor to toggle on Automated and have it change with the solar setting, however I favor to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.
Change Your Battery Cost Stage
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If you happen to’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as potential, think about altering the charging restrict. You’ll be able to maximize your smartphone’s battery health in the event 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 one hundred pc when you’re able to go within the morning. However there’s a slider you may set to a tough 80 p.c restrict in Settings, beneath Battery, and Charging. If it bugs you, that is additionally the place you may flip Optimized Battery Charging off.
Flip On Adaptive Energy Mode
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If you happen to get anxious about operating out of battery, go to Settings, Battery, and scroll down to pick out Energy Mode, the place you may toggle on Adaptive Energy. This mode will detect when you’re utilizing extra battery life than regular and make little tweaks, like decreasing show brightness or limiting efficiency, to try to get you thru to the top 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 outdated mute change. By default, it would silence your iPhone while you press and maintain it, however you may change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You’ll be able to swipe by numerous fundamental choices from Digital camera and Flashlight to Visual Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts in order for you it to do one thing extra fascinating. If you happen to’re unfamiliar, take a look at 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 under the facility button and triggers the digital camera with a single press. While you’re within the digital camera app, urgent it would seize a photograph, and a long-press will document a video. Urgent and holding Digital camera Management exterior of the digital camera app triggers Apple’s Visible Intelligence function (form of like Google Lens). However what I discover most annoying is Digital camera Management’s second layer of controls: swiping. You’ll be able to swipe on the button within the digital camera app to slip between images types, zoom ranges, or lenses. It is neat in principle, however means too delicate.
