Your iPhone contains dozens of useful features that are easy to miss because they are hidden behind gestures, accessibility settings, or menus most people rarely open.

Some social-media posts describe these as “secret features Apple never told you about,” but that is not quite true. Apple documents many of them—they are simply not features everyone discovers during everyday use.

A few can genuinely save time: turning the keyboard into a trackpad, assigning an action to taps on the back of your phone, scanning paperwork without another app, separating a photo subject from its background, reducing background noise during calls, and even making important medical information available in an emergency.

Here are 10 iPhone tricks worth learning, along with the correct way to use them.

1. Turn Your Keyboard Into a Trackpad

Trying to place the text cursor between two tiny letters can be frustrating.

Instead of repeatedly tapping the sentence, turn the keyboard into a temporary trackpad.

How to Do It

While the keyboard is visible:

1. Touch and hold the space bar.
2. Wait until the keyboard letters disappear or fade.
3. Keep your finger on the screen.
4. Slide your finger left, right, up, or down.
5. The text cursor moves with your finger.
6. Release when the cursor reaches the exact position you want.

This is especially useful when editing:

• Long messages
• Emails
• Notes
• Captions
• Documents

It is more accurate than repeatedly tapping a tiny point between letters.

You Can Select Text Too

Once the keyboard is in trackpad mode, text selection can also be controlled with additional touch gestures on supported versions of iOS.

The important shortcut to remember is simply:

Hold the space bar = precise cursor control.

Once you become accustomed to it, editing text on an iPhone becomes noticeably easier.

2. Set Up Back Tap

Your iPhone can respond when you tap the back of the device two or three times.

The feature is called Back Tap.

You can assign different actions to:

Double Tap

and

Triple Tap

How to Turn It On

Go to:

Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap

Choose:

Double Tap

or:

Triple Tap

Then select an action.

Possible choices can include things such as:

• Screenshot
• Control Center
• Notification Center
• Accessibility features
• Shortcuts
• Other system actions

One particularly convenient setup is:

Double Tap → Screenshot

Then you can take a screenshot by quickly tapping the back of the phone twice instead of pressing two physical buttons.

Back Tap Can Run Shortcuts Too

Back Tap becomes even more powerful when paired with Apple’s Shortcuts app.

You can create a shortcut and assign it to a double or triple tap.

That opens the possibility of launching frequently used actions without searching through apps.

Back Tap may take a little practice. A protective case can sometimes change how easily taps are recognized, although the feature can still work through many cases.

3. Lift a Person, Pet, or Object Out of a Photo

You do not necessarily need photo-editing software to separate a subject from its background.

The Photos app can isolate subjects automatically.

How to Use It

Open a photo.

Touch and hold the main subject.

If the iPhone recognizes it, a glowing outline appears around the subject.

You can then choose options such as:

• Copy
• Share
• Add Sticker
• Look Up

Tap Copy, move to Messages, Notes, Mail, or another compatible app, and paste.

The background stays behind.

It Works With More Than People

Depending on the image, iPhone can isolate subjects such as:

• People
• Dogs
• Cats
• Objects
• Plants
• Food
• Other clearly defined subjects

You can also pause a compatible video frame and attempt to lift a subject from it.

Make Stickers From Photos

Another useful option is Add Sticker.

Touch and hold a subject, choose Add Sticker, and you can save the isolated subject for use later.

It is one of the easiest ways to make personal stickers without installing another editing app.

4. Use Visual Look Up to Identify Things in Photos

Your photo library can sometimes tell you what you photographed.

Apple calls the feature Visual Look Up.

Depending on the image, it can provide information about things such as:

• Plants
• Pets
• Landmarks
• Statues
• Artwork
• Books
• Food
• Other recognizable subjects

How to Try It

Open a picture in Photos.

Look for the information button.

When Visual Look Up information is available, that button may show a small special symbol.

Tap it and choose the available Look Up result.

You may then see information about the detected subject.

For example, you could photograph an unfamiliar plant and see whether your iPhone can identify it.

Do Not Treat It as an Expert

Visual identification is useful, but it can make mistakes.

That matters particularly with:

• Wild mushrooms
• Toxic plants
• Medical concerns
• Animal safety

Do not eat or use an unknown plant simply because a phone identified it.

Treat Visual Look Up as a convenient identification aid rather than unquestionable expertise.

The feature can also vary by region, language, device, and software version.

5. Scan Documents Without Downloading a Scanner App

Your iPhone already has a document scanner.

You can use it to turn physical pages into clean digital scans.

Scan With Notes

Open Notes.

Create a new note or open an existing one.

Tap the attachment button.

Choose:

Scan Documents

Position the paper in front of the camera.

The iPhone can automatically detect the page edges and capture it.

You can then:

• Adjust the crop
• Apply a filter
• Add another page
• Save the scan

Multiple pages can be combined into one document.

Files Can Scan Documents Too

You can also scan directly from Apple’s Files app.

This is useful when you want the finished document saved as a file rather than attached to a note.

On current versions of iOS, Apple also provides document-scanning options through additional built-in tools such as Preview.

About the “Long-Press Notes” Shortcut

Some viral posts tell you to hold down the Notes icon on the Home Screen to jump directly to scanning.

Quick actions can vary with software versions and configuration.

The dependable method is:

Notes → Attachment → Scan Documents

No third-party scanner app is necessary.

6. Make Your Voice Clearer During Noisy Calls

If you are taking a call somewhere noisy, try Voice Isolation.

It is designed to prioritize your voice while reducing ambient sounds picked up by the microphone.

That can help in situations involving:

• Traffic
• Fans
• Cafés
• Wind
• Household noise
• Other people speaking nearby

How to Use Voice Isolation

During a supported call:

1. Open Control Center.
2. Tap the controls for the call or app.
3. Find the microphone or audio mode.
4. Select Voice Isolation.

Depending on your software and app, the wording can vary slightly.

Voice Isolation is supported for regular phone calls on compatible iPhones and iOS versions, as well as FaceTime and certain third-party apps.

It Does Not Create Complete Silence

A common viral claim says Voice Isolation will “completely block” traffic, wind, or other noise.

That overstates what the feature does.

It can substantially reduce unwanted ambient sounds and prioritize your voice, but no microphone-processing system can guarantee that every background sound will disappear.

Still, it can make a surprisingly big difference in difficult calling environments.

7. Use Search as a Quick Calculator

You do not always need to hunt for the Calculator app when you want a quick answer.

From the Home Screen, swipe downward to open Search.

Enter a simple calculation.

For example:

45 × 17

or:

1200 / 8

iPhone search has long supported quick calculations and conversions.

Depending on your current version of iOS, Search capabilities and presentation may vary.

This can be useful when:

• Dividing a restaurant bill
• Checking a percentage
• Calculating a price
• Working out measurements
• Doing quick arithmetic

For more complex calculations, the full Calculator app remains easier.

The useful habit is remembering that the Search field can do more than find apps.

8. Turn On Built-In Background Sounds

You do not need to install an app just to play continuous rain, ocean, or other ambient sounds.

iPhone has a feature called Background Sounds.

Find It Here

Go to:

Settings → Accessibility → Audio & Visual → Background Sounds

Turn it on.

Depending on your version, you can select from several ambient sounds.

You can also adjust:

• Volume
• Sound choice
• Balance
• How it behaves while other media plays
• Whether it stops when the phone locks
• Timer options on supported versions

Background Sounds can be useful when you want gentle audio while:

• Reading
• Working
• Studying
• Relaxing
• Resting

It Is Not Guaranteed to Improve “Deep Sleep”

Some viral graphics describe Background Sounds as a feature “for deep sleep.”

Apple describes the sounds as useful for focus or rest, but that does not mean playing rain sounds guarantees deeper or medically better sleep.

Think of it as an ambient-sound tool rather than a sleep treatment.

9. Shake Your iPhone to Undo Typing

Typed an entire sentence and accidentally deleted it?

Your iPhone still supports Shake to Undo when the feature is enabled.

After an editing mistake, shake the phone and an Undo option may appear.

Check the Setting

Go to:

Settings → Accessibility → Touch

Look for:

Shake to Undo

You can turn it on or off.

Some people disable the feature because they accidentally trigger it while moving the phone.

There Is Another Undo Gesture

You can also undo text edits using a three-finger gesture.

A three-finger swipe left can undo an edit in supported situations.

That is particularly convenient when shaking the entire phone feels awkward.

So remember:

Shake = Undo

or:

Three fingers left = Undo

depending on what feels more comfortable.

10. Set Up Medical ID Before You Need It

This may be the most important feature on the list.

The Health app includes Medical ID, which can store emergency information such as:

• Medical conditions
• Medications
• Allergies
• Blood type
• Emergency contacts
• Other health information you choose to include

How to Set It Up

Open the Health app.

Tap your profile picture or initials.

Find:

Medical ID

Then add the information you want available.

Review it occasionally, especially when your:

• Medication changes
• Emergency contact changes
• Medical information changes

Emergency Access

Medical ID can be configured so important information is available to emergency responders even while your iPhone is locked.

That means someone helping you during an emergency may be able to see information you deliberately made available without knowing your passcode.

Because this information can be sensitive, review exactly what you choose to display.

This is one iPhone setting worth configuring before there is ever an emergency.

Bonus: Your iPhone Has More Accessibility Features Than You May Realize

Several of the most useful “hidden tricks” are actually accessibility features.

That includes:

• Back Tap
• Background Sounds
• Touch adjustments
• Voice Control
• AssistiveTouch
• Accessibility shortcuts

Do not assume Accessibility settings are useful only for people with disabilities.

Many of them can simply make everyday iPhone use faster or more comfortable.

Spend a few minutes browsing:

Settings → Accessibility

You may discover controls you never knew your phone had.

Which Viral iPhone Claims Are Actually Correct?

Here is the quick verdict:

Spacebar Mouse: REAL
It is more accurately called keyboard trackpad mode.

Back Tap Screenshot: REAL
Assign Screenshot to double or triple Back Tap.

Copy Subject From a Photo: REAL
Touch and hold a recognized subject.

Visual Look Up: REAL
It can identify various subjects, although availability and accuracy vary.

Built-In Document Scanner: REAL
Notes, Files, and other current built-in Apple tools can scan documents.

Voice Isolation: REAL
But “completely eliminates all background noise” is an exaggeration.

Search Calculator: REAL
Search can handle quick calculations, though features can vary by software version.

Built-In White Noise: REAL
The actual feature is called Background Sounds.

Shake to Undo: REAL
It can also be disabled if you do not like it.

Medical ID: REAL
Emergency information can be made available from the locked phone when configured appropriately.

The Bigger Lesson: Explore the Settings You Usually Ignore

Many genuinely useful iPhone features remain undiscovered because most of us learn only what we need.

We open Messages.

We take photos.

We browse the web.

We install apps.

And years can pass without exploring Accessibility, Health, Notes, Search, or the deeper Photos tools.

You do not need to memorize every feature.

Start with the ones that solve a real annoyance.

If positioning the cursor drives you crazy, learn the space-bar trackpad.

If you take screenshots constantly, configure Back Tap.

If you photograph paperwork, use the built-in scanner.

If your calls happen in noisy places, try Voice Isolation.

And if you have not configured Medical ID yet, take a few minutes to review it.

The most useful “secret” iPhone features are not really secrets.

They are simply features that become valuable the moment you know where to find them.