You really don’t want to miss these 7 hidden functions

The following tips for iPhone are short, sweet and secretly quite useful. Read on quickly, because we’re (almost) sure you don’t know all these hidden features yet!

The 7 best iPhone tips: short and sweet

Also this week we have prepared the best iPhone tips for you. From wacky effects in Messages to sorting apps, there’s something for everyone! And do you always want to stay up to date with the latest iPhone tips? Then sign up for our newsletter, so that you discover new functions every week.

1. Quickly forward a website with Siri

Open a website in Safari and tell Siri ‘Forward this page to [Naam]† Top up [Naam] enter the name of one of your contacts. Siri will then forward a link to the website via Messages, without you having to bother with sharing links.

2. Get Notifications From Contact During Do Not Disturb

Sometimes it’s nice to put your iPhone on silent with the button on the side. But for your parents, for example, it is useful every now and then that you can always be reached and that you can hear the sound (of the ringtone). You do that in the following way:

• Tap the phone icon and contacts;
• Choose the contact you always want to receive notifications from;
• Tap Edit in the top right and tap Ringtone;
• Turn on the ‘Always on for emergencies’ slider and tap ‘Done’.

3. Messages with special effects

Sending a message is nice, but with special effects it becomes much more fun. With the next trick of these iPhone tips and the Messages app, you can make it really fun.

• Open the Messages app and tap the contact you want to message;
• Type the message in the text box at the bottom;
• Then hold your finger briefly on the button with the arrow;
• Tap the ‘Screen’ button at the top;
• Swipe left to cycle through the different effects until you’ve chosen the one you want;
• Tap the ball with the arrow to send the message.

Sending with effects only works between iPhone users. Is this how you send a message to someone with an Android device? Then the person will see the bare text message with the addition ‘(sent with echo)’.

4. Turn off review requests for apps

Do you also find it annoying when an app asks if you want to leave a review? No problem, because this option is easy to turn off. Tap Settings > App Store. Scroll down and then turn off the option under ‘Ratings and reviews’.

5. Don’t open control panel with apps

The Control Panel is brought out by swiping down from the top right corner. On older iPhones with a home button, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.

This Control Panel also appears when you are in an app. With some games and apps that is annoying, because you sometimes accidentally open the panel. You can turn it off with the following setting.

Go to ‘Settings > Control panel’. Then turn off the option at ‘Access from apps’.

6. Tips for Automatically Sorting Apps on Your iPhone

Sometimes your iPhone’s home screen is a real mess. Wouldn’t it be useful if you could sort the apps alphabetically? You can do that manually by moving them, but there is an easier way. It can also be done automatically.

• Open the ‘Settings’ and tap on ‘General’;
• Scroll down and choose ‘Transfer or reset iPhone’;
• Tap Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout.

There is one thing to keep in mind though: all default apps (think Mail, Safari) will be reset to their default location.

7. Enlarging parts in PDF files

When you have a PDF file in ‘Files’ or in ‘Books’, you can use a magnifying glass to highlight important information even more. You can read how to do that below.

• For example, open a PDF in the Books app;
• Tap the pen icon at the top;
• Then tap the plus sign at the bottom and choose ‘Magnifying glass’;
• By dragging the blue ball you make the magnifying glass larger, with the green ball you zoom in further;
• Move the magnifying glass by dragging it to the place you want to magnify.

More tips and tricks for iPhone and iPad

These were our tips for the iPhone (and iPad) this week. Want even more handy tricks? Then check these 6 iPhone tips hardly anyone knows and the functions that are (secretly) turned on in iOS 15 and you should turn off immediately. Also keep an eye on iPhoned regularly!