Three Hidden iPhone and iPad Hacks You Don’t Know (But Should Know)

It’s virtually impossible to know all of iOS’s hidden features, as some of the options are tucked away pretty deep. With these hidden hacks for your iPhone and iPad, we’ll show you three helpful tips that you may not know (but are actually useful to know).

Three Hidden iPhone and iPad Hacks

The following three “hidden hacks” for iPhone and iPad are quite hidden in the corners of iOS. But don’t worry, because iPhoned show you step-by-step how they work. Which of these iPhone hacks did you not know?

1. With this iPhone hack you can eavesdrop with your AirPods

Did you know that it is possible to listen in on a conversation with a set of AirPods and an iPhone or iPad? Leave your iPhone ‘strategic’ somewhere in a room and with the connected AirPods you hear everything loud and clear from a distance. This trick works with all AirPods, from the original to the AirPods 3. You can set up spying with the AirPods and iPhone (or iPad) in the following way.

• Connect your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad;
• Open the ‘Settings > Control panel’;
• Tap the green plus sign next to ‘Hear’, you don’t have to do anything if the Hear icon is already in the top list;
• Open the Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner, on an older iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
• Tap the Hearing control, then tap Listen Live;
• You can now hear everything via the microphone on your iPhone or iPad.

You now only have to place your iPhone in a strategic place and you hear (remotely) everything that is said.

2. Don’t let your friends browse your photos (anymore)

This second tip from our hidden iPhone and iPad hacks solves a problem you’re probably familiar with. Do you ever give your iPhone (or iPad) to someone to show a photo? Then you find out that they are sifting through your entire photo library. There is a handy solution for that with this iPhone hack. From now on they can only view the photo that you show and nothing else.

• Go to ‘Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access’;
• Turn on the option ‘Guided access’ and set a passcode in ‘Passcode settings’;
• Also set the option at ‘Activation button’ to on;
• Then go to your camera roll and open the photo to show;
• Tap the photo to hide the rest of the information from the screen;
• Press the side button (or top button) three times quickly and choose Guided Access if necessary to lock the iPhone;
• Tap ‘Options’ and turn off all settings (except ‘Motion’) and tap ‘Start’.

When you want to use the iPhone again, press the side button three times in quick succession (or top button on the iPad mini 2021, for example). Then use the set access code (or Face ID) to unlock the device. Tap ‘Stop’ and your iPhone can be used again.

The next time you want to use the feature again, all you have to do is open the photo and press the side or top button three times.

3. This is how your iPhone or iPad tells you when it is going to charge

With the Assignments app you can do a lot, really a lot. A small, but fun iPhone hack is to have your device tell you when it is about to charge. You set this up in the following way.

• Open the ‘Assignments’ app and tap on ‘Automation’;
• If necessary, tap the plus sign and choose ‘Personal automation’;
• Scroll down and tap ‘Charger’;
• Choose ‘Is connected’ and tap ‘Next’;
• Tap ‘Add task’ and type ‘Speak text’ in the search box;
• Below it, tap Speak Text and tap the word Text;
• Type the phrase “iPhone is charging” and tap “Next”;
• Turn off the ‘Ask before run’ option and tap ‘Done’.

When you start charging the iPhone (or iPad) now, you will also hear this in a voice message. This way you can of course also use a voice message for other things.

More Helpful iPhone Tips

These were three hidden hacks for iPhone and iPad that are sure to come in handy sometime. Do you want more tips or are you looking for other interesting functions? Then check out our iOS 15 tips and tricks and 4 useful iPhone tips that everyone should know. Also sign up for our daily/weekly newsletter, download the free iPhoned app and keep an eye on our website. Then you are always informed.