With the release of iOS 17, Apple's newest operating system, iPhone users have been buzzing about new features and settings. But what about the lesser-known tweaks that could drastically improve your smartphone experience? Here’s a breakdown of 25 settings you need to change to maximize your iPhone's capabilities. These range from speeding up your haptic touch to customizing Siri’s voice and even securing your browsing. Let’s get started!
Turbocharge Your Haptic Touch
The first thing you should do is go to `Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Haptic Touch`. You’ll find a new “Fast” option which makes your haptic feedback respond quicker. It’s a small thing, but you’ll notice how snappy your phone feels.
Make Music More Dynamic with Crossfade
Head over to `Settings > Music > Crossfade`. This allows your songs to smoothly transition into one another, creating a seamless audio experience. You can adjust the crossfade timing from 1-12 seconds, depending on your preference.
Level Up Your Photography Game
A new leveling feature is now available in the camera settings. This tool helps you keep your camera level when taking photos. Activate it under `Settings > Camera > Grid > Level`.
Keep Your Offline Maps Updated
Go to `Settings > Maps > Offline Maps > Automatic Updates`. This ensures your offline maps are always updated. No more panicking over outdated road information!
Be Efficient with Name Drop
Name Drop is a convenient way to share contacts or files by simply bringing two iPhones close together. To activate, go to `Settings > General > Airdrop > Start Sharing by Bringing Devices Together`.
Save Eye Strain with Night Mode
The standby mode now has a “Night Mode” feature that tints your screen red during nighttime hours. Enable it under `Settings > Standby > Night Mode`.
Secure Your Private Tabs
If you use Safari for private browsing, iOS 17 allows you to lock your private tabs with Face ID. Just go to `Settings > Safari > Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing`.
Prevent Online Tracking
Go to `Settings > Safari > Advanced > Advanced Tracking and Fingerprint Protection`. Turn this on to protect your browsing habits from being tracked across different websites.
Never Miss a Voicemail Again
Activate live voicemail under `Settings > Phone > Voicemail > Live Voicemail`. This allows you to see a transcription of incoming voicemails in real-time.
Customize Siri's Speaking Rate
You can now control how fast or slow Siri speaks. This setting is available under `Settings > Accessibility > Siri > Speaking Rate`.
Optimize Your Siri Commands
In addition to controlling the speaking rate, you can customize how you activate Siri. The options are under `Settings > Siri & Search > Listen For`.
Access Siri from Lock Screen
Under `Settings > Siri & Search > Allow Siri When Locked`, you can now use Siri even when your iPhone is locked, making it even more accessible.
Tell Siri to Hang Up
A handy feature for those who multitask. Tell Siri to hang up your calls under `Settings > Siri & Search > Call Hang Up`.
Tweak the Haptics
Go to `Settings > Sound & Haptics > Haptics`. This feature allows you to customize when you want your phone to vibrate.
Filter Your Mail with Focus Mode
You can now add a mail filter to your focus modes, providing a more organized inbox. This is available under `Settings > Focus > Add Filter > Mail`.
Manage iMessage Apps
Avoid iMessage clutter by going to `Settings > iMessage > Messages Apps` and disable any unnecessary apps.
Ping Your Apple Watch
Lost your Apple Watch? Add a ping feature to your control center under `Settings > Control Center > Ping My Watch`.
Control Screen Distance
Although useful for eye health, this feature can be annoying. You can disable it under `Settings > Screen Time > Screen Distance`.
Enable Communication Safety
Turn this feature on under `Settings > Screen Time > Communication Safety` for safer photo and video exchanges.
Silence Notifications When You Want
Go to `Settings > Focus > Allow Notifications > Options`. Here, you can choose when to silence notifications, either always or only when the iPhone is locked.
Sort iPhone Storage
You can sort apps by name or last use under `Settings > General > iPhone Storage`.
Auto-Delete One-Time Codes
Activate this under `Settings > Passwords > Cleanup Automatically` to auto-delete one-time codes after you’ve used them.
Auto-Play GIFs or Not
Under `Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Play Animated Images`, you can decide if GIFs auto-play in Safari.
These small yet impactful changes can add up to a smoother, more secure, and personalized iPhone experience. So, why not take a few minutes to go through these settings? Your future self will thank you!
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