You use your iPhone every day. You text, take photos, record video, and scroll.
But your iPhone has powerful hidden features that most people never discover. Some of them have been around for years. Others are newer additions in iOS 18.
Here are several hidden iPhone tricks that can save time, improve your videos, and make everyday tasks easier.
1. Secret Keyboard Symbols Hiding in Plain Sight
If you’ve ever searched for a special character like the degree symbol and couldn’t find it, the solution is simple.
Just press and hold certain keys on the keyboard.
How to reveal hidden keyboard symbols on iPhone:
- Press and hold 0 to reveal the degree symbol
- Press and hold letters like E, A, O to see accented versions
- Press and hold the $ key to reveal other currency symbols
- Press and hold punctuation keys for more options
Most people don’t realize these extra characters are hidden right under their fingertips.
2. Faster Way to Type Numbers Without Switching Keyboards
Switching back and forth between letters and numbers slows down typing.
There’s a quicker way.
How to type numbers faster on iPhone:
- Press and hold the 123 key
- Slide your finger to the number or symbol you want
- Release
The keyboard automatically switches back to letters.
It’s a small trick that makes typing much smoother.
3. Turn On the Flashlight or Shazam With Back Tap
Your iPhone has a hidden button on the back.
It’s called Back Tap, and it allows you to trigger actions by double tapping or triple tapping the back of your phone.
How to turn on Back Tap:
- Open Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Tap Touch
- Scroll down and select Back Tap
- Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap
- Assign an action
You can set Back Tap to:
- Turn on the flashlight
- Take a screenshot
- Open the camera
- Activate Shazam to identify music
For example, assign Shazam to a triple tap. When music is playing nearby, just tap the back of your phone and it identifies the song instantly.
No unlocking required.
4. Pause While Recording Video on iPhone
With iOS 18, Apple added something many users have wanted for years: the ability to pause while recording video.
Before this update, stopping a recording created a new clip. Now you can pause and resume within the same video file.
How to pause video recording on iPhone:
- Open the Camera app
- Switch to Video mode
- Start recording
- Tap the Pause button
- Tap Record again to resume
This makes your videos look cleaner and reduces the need for editing multiple clips later.
5. Turn Your Keyboard Into a Trackpad
Editing text on an iPhone can be frustrating when you’re trying to move the cursor precisely.
There’s an easier way.
How to use hidden trackpad mode:
- Press and hold the space bar
- The keyboard turns into a trackpad
- Slide your finger to move the cursor exactly where you want
It’s much more accurate than tapping the screen repeatedly.
6. Scan Documents Without a Scanner App
You don’t need a separate scanning app.
Your iPhone can scan documents using the built in Notes app.
How to scan documents on iPhone:
- Open the Notes app
- Tap the Camera icon
- Choose Scan Documents
- Position the document in view
- Save
Your iPhone automatically crops and straightens the document. You can save it as a PDF or share it instantly.
7. Measure Objects Using Your Camera
Your iPhone includes a built in Measure app that uses augmented reality.
How to measure objects with your iPhone:
- Open the Measure app
- Point your camera at the object
- Mark the start and end points
It’s surprisingly accurate for quick measurements around the house.
The Bottom Line
These hidden iPhone features have been sitting on your device for years.
Most people never use them because they don’t know they exist.
Before downloading another app or assuming your phone can’t do something, try exploring the features already built in.
Your iPhone may be smarter than you think.
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