20 Key iPhone Settings to Change (2025)

Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS incorporates so many additions and tweaks that it is easy to overlook some helpful iPhone settings. Apple centered on artificial intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024, however there’s lots beneath the hood that provides to the regular stream of intriguing customizations and lesser-known options from the previous few years. A number of useful settings are turned off by default, and it is not instantly apparent learn how to change off some annoying options. We’re right here that will help you get essentially the most out of your Apple cellphone.

After you have issues arrange the best way you need, it’s a breeze to repeat every thing, together with settings, while you switch to a new iPhone. For extra ideas and suggestions, learn our associated guides—Best iPhone, Best iPhone 16 Cases, Best MagSafe Accessories—and our explainers on How to Set Up a New iPhone, How to Back Up Your iPhone, and How to Fix Your iPhone.

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Customise the Management Middle

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Swipe down from the highest proper of the display to open the Management Middle, and also you’ll see it is extra customizable than ever. You’ll be able to faucet the plus icon on the high left or faucet and maintain on an empty area to open the customization menu. Right here you possibly can transfer icons and widgets round, take away something you don’t need, or faucet Add a Management on the backside for a searchable checklist of shortcut icons and widgets you possibly can set up throughout a number of Management Middle screens. It’s also possible to customize your home screen with iOS 18 to alter the colour and measurement of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.

Change Your Lock Display Buttons

You understand these lock display controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digicam on the underside proper? You’ll be able to change them. Press and maintain on an empty area on the lock display and faucet Customise, then Lock Display. Faucet the minus icon to take away an current shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. It’s also possible to change the climate and date widgets, the font and shade for the time, and decide a wallpaper.

Prolong Display Time-Out

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Whereas it’s good to have your display day trip for battery saving and safety functions, I discover it maddening when the display goes off whereas I’m doing one thing. The default display time-out is simply too quick in my view, however fortunately, you possibly can alter it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You might have a number of choices, together with By no means, which suggests you’ll have to manually push the ability button to show the display off.

Flip Off Keyboard Sounds

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The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound while you kind is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even for those who don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood while you kind positive does. You’ll be able to flip it off in Settings, Sound & Haptics by tapping Keyboard Suggestions and toggling Sound off. I additionally advise toggling off the Lock Sound when you’re in Sound & Haptics.

Go Darkish

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Shield your self from eye-searing glare with dark mode. Go to Settings, decide Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. You might choose to toggle on Automated and have it change with the solar setting, however I choose to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.

Change Your Battery Cost Stage

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In case you’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as potential, think about altering the charging restrict. You’ll be able to maximize your smartphone’s battery health for those who keep away from charging it past 80 %. The iPhone’s default is now Optimized Battery Charging, which waits at 80 % after which goals to hit 100% if you end up able to go within the morning. However there’s a slider you possibly can set to a tough 80 % restrict in Settings, beneath Battery, and Charging.

Set Up the Motion Button

Of us with an iPhone 15 Pro model or any system within the iPhone 16 range have an Motion Button as an alternative of the outdated mute change. By default, it can silence your iPhone while you press and maintain it, however you possibly can change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You’ll be able to swipe via varied primary choices from Digicam and Flashlight to Visual Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts if you would like it to do one thing extra attention-grabbing. In case you’re unfamiliar, try our information on How to Use the Apple Shortcuts App.

Flip Off Apple Intelligence

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A lot vaunted however barely underwhelming, Apple Intelligence isn’t fully baked yet, and we are still waiting for an improved Siri. In case you choose to choose out of sure options or choose out utterly, go to Settings, Apple Intelligence & Siri, and faucet on it to toggle Apple Intelligence off. In case you choose to maintain choose options on, you’ll find directions in our How to Turn off Apple Intelligence information.

Cover Delicate Apps

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Whether or not you’re embarrassed by your Sweet Crush dependancy or risque images, or maybe you’ve been utilizing the Notes app to plan your associate’s party, you possibly can cover them from prying eyes. I am not right here to guage. To guard an app, you’ve gotten two choices: faucet and maintain on the icon and choose Require Face ID, then Require Face ID or Cover and Require Face ID. The primary possibility leaves the app in place, however nobody can entry it with out a Face ID verify. In case you choose to cover the app, select the second possibility after which Cover App, and it will likely be obscured inside a Hidden folder on the backside of your App Library that requires a Face ID verify to open.

Cease Movies Autoplaying or Looping

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In case you discover it irritating that movies mechanically play as you scroll via the Pictures app, or it bugs you that they loop and repeat as an alternative of stopping on the finish, you possibly can change that habits. Faucet Settings, Apps, then Pictures, and scroll all the way down to toggle Auto-Play Movement and Loop Movies off.

Improve Speech in Films and TV Reveals

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It may be robust to make out the dialog in some TV reveals and films, however Apple has a repair for muffled speech in your iPhone. Once you’re taking part in a video, faucet the display to deliver up the menu and choose the audio icon. You’ll be able to choose Improve Dialogue and select Improve or Improve Extra to make the voices louder and clearer.

Set Up Do Not Disturb

At an absolute minimal, you need to shut up your iPhone at night so it doesn’t disturb your sleep, however Apple gives a variety of instruments to automate or schedule downtime that will help you focus. Go to Settings, Focus, and select Do Not Disturb to get began. You’ll be able to flip off notifications however arrange exceptions in order that particular contacts or apps will get via. It’s also possible to go to Display Time and Downtime to set a particular schedule for every day.

Change Your Default Apps

You don’t have to make use of Safari as your browser or Apple’s Mail app for emails. You’ll be able to change the default apps in your iPhone by going to Settings, Apps, and Default Apps. You probably have legitimate various apps put in for Electronic mail, Messaging, Browser, and some different classes, you possibly can choose them as an alternative of Apple’s apps.

Maintain iCloud Recordsdata Native

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You’ll be able to select to maintain sure information that you’ve got synced with iCloud saved regionally in your iPhone, which is useful if you wish to entry them when there’s no web accessible. Open the Recordsdata app, go to the Browse tab, and select iCloud Drive. You’ll be able to faucet and maintain on any folder or file and choose Maintain Downloaded to make a copy in your iPhone.

Restrict App Permissions

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It’s value reviewing your app permissions and limiting them. There are a couple of routes to do that, however Settings, then Privateness & Safety, is perhaps the simplest. There’s lots right here, however I counsel taking a look at Location Providers and eradicating or lowering permissions for apps you don’t suppose want them. You’ll be able to toggle off Exact Location for a lot of, since an approximate location is usually sufficient for them to operate the best way you need. Different apps to control are Contacts and Pictures, as each now provide the possibility to permit restricted entry.

By the best way, if you wish to flip off Background App Refresh to cease apps sucking down knowledge and draining the battery while you aren’t utilizing them, go to Settings, Apps, and select any you don’t have to refresh except you open them to toggle it off.

Change Siri’s Voice

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Apple gives a complete vary of voices for Siri now. Go to Settings, select Apple Intelligence & Siri, and faucet Voice to see an inventory of variations (American, Australian, British, Indian, Irish, South African) and voices (Irish Voice 2 is my decide). Simply bear in mind that for those who select a brand new one, it might take some time to obtain.

Set a Shortcut for Your Electronic mail Deal with

Overlook about typing out your complete e mail deal with each time. Go to Settings, Normal, and select Keyboard. Faucet Textual content Substitute after which the plus icon on the high proper to arrange textual content shortcuts, comparable to “eml” on your full e mail deal with, or “addy” on your mailing deal with. This may additionally work for every other textual content you kind out incessantly.

Present Notifications on Lock Display

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Apple is all about privateness, however having to unlock your iPhone to see the content material of an incoming message may be annoying. You’ll be able to change how this works by going to Settings, Notifications, and choosing Present Previews. It’s set to When Unlocked by default, however you possibly can select All the time or By no means.

Make Some AI Artwork

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In case you resolve to provide AI an opportunity and fancy producing some artwork with AI help, open up the Playground app. You’ll be able to decide images, themes, costumes, equipment, locations, or kind prompts. Right here’s a full information on how to use Apple’s Image Playground. It is accessible on Apple gadgets working iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2.

Scale back Automobile Illness

Do you get nauseous while you use your iPhone as a automotive passenger? Go to Settings, Accessibility, select Movement, then Present Car Movement Cues. You’ll be able to flip it on or off to show dots that assist scale back movement illness, however for those who faucet Automated, it can activate when it detects you’re within the automotive.