With every update, Apple introduces numerous features and settings that can greatly enhance the user experience. These hidden gems may not be widely known, but they can make a significant difference in your daily routine. Here are 15 features and settings that every iPhone owner should be aware of:
For a detailed demonstration of these features, watch our informative video below:
1. Blur faces, license plates, and more in the Photos app
Apple’s Clean Up feature in the Photos app, introduced in iOS 18, not only allows you to remove unwanted elements from images but also enables you to blur or pixelate sensitive information like faces, license plates, and credit card numbers. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Photos app and select an image
- Tap Edit
- Choose Cleanup
- Circle the area you want to blur
- Tap Done to save
2. Change how incoming calls appear
You now have the option to customize how incoming calls are displayed on your iPhone. Instead of the intrusive full-screen view, you can choose a less obtrusive banner notification. To make this change:
- Open Settings
- Go to Apps → Phone
- Tap Incoming Calls
- Select Banner or Full Screen
This simple adjustment can greatly improve your multitasking experience.
3. Stop volume buttons from changing ringer volume
If you find it annoying that the physical volume buttons control both media and ringer volume by default, you can easily change this setting. Follow these steps to make the volume buttons adjust media volume only:
- Open Settings
- Go to Sounds & Haptics
- Toggle Change with Buttons off
- Your volume buttons will now control media volume exclusively
Say goodbye to accidentally changing your ringer volume!
4. Take manual control of Macro Mode
Do you enjoy using the Macro camera on your iPhone but dislike when it switches to Macro mode automatically? You can prevent this by manually controlling the Macro mode setting:
- Open Settings
- Go to Camera
- Toggle Macro Control on for manual control
- Toggle it off for automatic handling by iOS
Now you can capture those perfect close-up shots without unwanted mode switches.
5. Share a podcast from the exact moment you are listening
In the Podcasts app, you can now share specific moments from an episode with friends. Follow these steps to share a podcast snippet:
- Open the Podcasts app
- Play an episode
- Tap the captions button
- Long-press on a line of the transcript
- Tap Share to send the moment to someone
Enhance your podcast sharing experience with this feature!
Final thoughts
Apple continually adds valuable iOS features, many of which go unnoticed. By highlighting some of these features, we aim to help users fully utilize their iPhones. These features are just the tip of the iceberg, so explore further to discover all that your device can do.
Let us know your thoughts on these features and if you plan to try any of them. For a comprehensive overview, watch our video showcasing these features and more!
Best Apple deals

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.