No messing –a roundup of the best secret features hidden away in iOS 15!

01 Control apps with your voice

I f you use apps that involve gestures, such as swiping up in TikTok, head to Settings>Accessibility> Voice Control, turn ‘Voice Control’ on, and then tap Customise Commands>Custom>Create New Command. You can then enter a command, draw the action and then assign it to your preferred app.

02 Change your default browser

If you have a third-party web browser installed, such as Chrome, head to Settings>Chrome (or whatever third-party browser you have installed) and then you’ll see the ‘Default Browser App’ option. Tap this and select your preferred app. This also works with third-party email apps.

03 Make calls over Wi-Fi

If you’re finding it hard to get a decent cellular connection but there is Wi-Fi available, then you can use Wi-Fi to make calls. Head to Settings>Phone>Wi-Fi Calling and then enable and confirm the option. You will then be able to enable Wi-Fi Calling for other devices logged into the same iCloud account.

04 Pin contacts in Messages

If you want to keep your favourite conversations close to hand in Messages, such as those with family members, tap ‘Edit’ in the top-left corner of the Messages app and then tap ‘Edit Pins’. You can then tap on the yellow pin icon next to a conversation thread to pin it to the top of the screen.

05 Set up a masked Face ID

If a face mask prevents you from unlocking your iPhone, then a solution is now available. Update to iOS 15.4 and go to Settings>Face ID & Passcode and you’ll see the new ‘Face ID with a Mask’ option. Turn this on and then go through the calibration process. Once done you can also tap ‘Add Glasses’.

06 Send cool emoji bombs

Create a new message in the Messages app and then tap the emoji button. You’re now aiming to pick three emojis to comprise your ‘bomb’, but make sure you place them a line or two apart in the message. Now press and hold the blue ‘send’ arrow, select the ‘Screen’ option at the top and then send it.

07 Protect your hearing

If you’ve worried that your headphones could be so loud that they damage your hearing, go to Settings>Sounds & Haptics>Headphone Safety and turn on the ‘Reduce Loud Sounds’ option. You will then be able to set the desired decibel level.

08 Screen record with sound

When you use the Screen Recording function in Control Centre, your recordings won’t have sound. But if you wish to add it, longpress on the icon within the Control Centre and then tap on the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen.

09 Stop Playing music timer

If you like to go to sleep listening to music or a podcast, then you can make it automatically stop after a specified period (eg: 20 minutes) so that you aren’t wasting power. Launch Clock and tap ‘Timer’, then tap ‘When Timer Ends’ and set it to ‘Stop Playing’.

10 Rename your devices

You can rename your Bluetooth devices and change them to whatever you want by going to Settings>Bluetooth. As long as you are connected to a device, tap on the ‘i’ icon and you can tap on the ‘Name’ option to change it.

11 Add a fun icon

Personalise your Home Screen by adding a fun Focus icon. Go to Settings>Focus, tap ‘+’ and then choose ‘Custom’. Pick an emoji, give it a name, and then allow all of your contacts and apps (this isn’t a real Focus). Once it has been set up, turn it on to display the icon.

12 Drag and drop between apps

I t is possible to drag and drop content between apps, such as a photo into an email. Long-press on an image in Photos and use your other hand to close the app. The photo should now be hovering on your Home Screen. Open Mail, create a new email and drag the image in to it.