7 Useful iPhone Tips You Might Not Know

So you've been using an iPhone for years now and think you have it all figured out? Don't be so sure. We've gathered up 7 tricks obscure enough that even the most seasoned ‌iPhone‌ user is likely to learn something new, so make sure to check out our latest YouTube video and read below for a little spoiler of all of the tips that are included.

  • Reopen Last Closed Safari Tab - In Safari, if you press on the "+" button at the bottom of the display, you can reopen tabs that you've recently closed.
  • Set a Music Timer - Like to listen to music when falling asleep but want it to turn off after a set time? In the Clock app, choose "Timer," scroll to the end, and select "Stop Playing" as an option. That'll stop your music when the timer runs out.
  • Move Multiple Apps - When you're moving apps on your Home screen, if you long press on one, drag it away a bit and then tap others while continuing to hold the first, you can group them all up and move them together.
  • 3D Touch for Folder Notifications - Have a bunch of apps in folders? If one of your folders has a little red badge, you can 3D press on the folder to see which app has a pending notification at a glance.
  • Simple Settings Access - In an app like Messages or Photos and want to get to the Settings quick? Just say "Settings" to Siri and it will open right up.
  • Siri Song History - In the iTunes Store app, you can find a list of all the songs you've ever asked ‌Siri‌ to identify. Just tap on the three line icon at the top of the display and then choose "‌Siri‌."
  • Passcode Lock Apps - Apple doesn't let you passcode individual apps, but there's a Screen Time workaround. In the Screen Time section of the Settings app, choose "App Limits," and set a 1 minute timer on "All Apps & Categories." Go to "Always Allowed," add apps you DON'T want to lock, and then the rest will require a Screen Time passcode to access.

Did you learn something new? Now it's your turn. Let us know your most obscure, hidden ‌iPhone‌ trick that MacRumors readers should know, and we might feature it in a future video.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
iOS 18 4 Ambient Music Control Center

How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center

Thursday March 27, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works. iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week. To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

'iPhone Fold' to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation

Thursday March 27, 2025 4:21 am PDT by
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device. According...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...

Top Rated Comments

Unity451 Avatar
81 months ago
Move multiple apps! Didn't know that, but that's awesome!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vicviper789 Avatar
81 months ago
I wonder how many other things are in iOS that are genuinely useful that I don’t know about because it isn’t obvious. There really needs to be an indicator of something is 3D pressable
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
708692 Avatar
81 months ago
Just recently found this -

Redial : simply press the green phone call button with no phone number entered to redial the last number called.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nabby Avatar
81 months ago
I like the move multiple apps as well, as that was one I didn't know.

The biggest feature surprise to me wasn't in this article. It's holding the space bar down to move the cursor in a text field. I find that WAY much easier to make sure I'm put my cursor at the correct location. I don't know when that functionality was added, but I think it came with iOS12.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
81 months ago
Nice tip regarding reopening the last closed Safari tab.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lunarworks Avatar
81 months ago
That music timer is really handy. Someone should make a shortcut for it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)