20 Key iPhone Settings to Change (2025) Leave a comment

Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS comprises so many additions and tweaks that it is easy to overlook some helpful iPhone settings. Apple centered on synthetic intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024 and adopted it with Liquid Glass in iOS 26 (the title is now tied to the next yr), however many intriguing customizations and lesser-known options lurk beneath the floor. A number of useful settings are turned off by default, and it isn’t instantly apparent how one can swap off some annoying options. We’re right here that can assist you get essentially the most out of your Apple telephone.

Upon getting issues arrange the way in which you need, it’s a breeze to repeat every little thing, together with settings, whenever you swap to a brand new iPhone. For extra suggestions and suggestions, learn our associated Apple guides—just like the Finest iPhone, Finest iPhone 16 Instances, Finest MagSafe Equipment—and our explainers on The best way to Set Up a New iPhone, The best way to Again Up Your iPhone, and The best way to Repair Your iPhone.

Up to date September 2025: We’ve added a couple of new iPhone suggestions and up to date this information for iOS 26.

Allow Name Screening

Apple through Simon Hill

Make cold-calling pests a factor of the previous with Apple’s new Name Screening function. Go to Settings, Apps, and choose Telephone, then scroll right down to Display Unknown Callers and choose Ask Cause for Calling. Now, your iPhone will mechanically reply calls from unknown callers within the background with out alerting you. After the caller provides a motive for his or her name, your telephone will ring, and you’ll see the response onscreen so you possibly can resolve whether or not to reply. You must also ensure that Maintain Help Detection is toggled on, so your iPhone detects if you end up positioned on maintain, permitting you to step away, then alerting you when the decision has been picked up by a human.

Activate RCS

The texting expertise with Android homeowners (inexperienced bubbles) obtained severely upgraded final yr when Apple determined to lastly help the RCS messaging normal (wealthy communication companies). RCS has been round for a number of years on Android, and permits for a modernized texting expertise with options like typing indicators, higher-quality pictures and movies, and browse receipts. Group chats should be wonky, however they’re nonetheless a major enchancment. Nonetheless, on a brand new iPhone, RCS is disabled by default (naturally).

Be sure you flip it on for the very best messaging expertise. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle it on.

Customise the Management Middle

Apple through Simon Hill

Swipe down from the highest proper of the display screen to open the Management Middle, and also you’ll see it is extra customizable than ever. You possibly can faucet the plus icon on the high left or faucet and maintain on an empty house 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 record of shortcut icons and widgets you possibly can arrange throughout a number of Management Middle screens. You may as well customise your own home display screen to alter the colour and dimension of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.

Change Your Lock Display Buttons

You understand these lock display screen controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digital camera on the underside proper? You possibly can change them. Press and maintain on an empty house on the lock display screen and faucet Customise. Faucet the minus icon to take away an current shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. You may as well change the climate and date widgets, the font and colour for the time, and decide a wallpaper. One of many clocks will even stretch to adapt to your wallpaper.

Lengthen Display Time-Out

Apple through Simon Hill

Whereas it’s good to have your display screen timeout for battery saving and safety functions, I discover it maddening when the display screen goes off whereas I’m doing one thing. The default display screen timeout is simply too quick in my view, however fortunately, you possibly can regulate it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You will 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 screen off.

Flip Off Keyboard Sounds

Apple through Simon Hill

The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound whenever you sort is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even in the event you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood whenever you sort positive does. You possibly can flip it off in Settings, Sounds & 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

Apple through Simon Hill

Shield your self from eye-searing glare with darkish mode. Go to Settings, decide Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. Chances are you’ll desire to toggle on Computerized and have it change with the solar setting, however I desire to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.

Change Your Battery Cost Degree

Apple through Simon Hill

If you happen to’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as attainable, contemplate altering the charging restrict. You possibly can maximize your smartphone’s battery well being in the event you keep away from charging it past 80 p.c. The iPhone’s default is now Optimized Battery Charging, which waits at 80 p.c 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 p.c restrict in Settings, underneath Battery, and Charging. If it bugs you, that is additionally the place you possibly can flip Optimized Battery Charging off.

Flip On Adaptive Energy Mode

Apple through Simon Hill

If you happen to get nervous about operating out of battery, go to Settings, Battery, and scroll down to pick Energy Mode, the place you possibly can toggle on Adaptive Energy. This mode will detect if you end up utilizing extra battery life than regular and make little tweaks, like decreasing show brightness or limiting efficiency, to try to get you thru to the top of the day.

Set Up the Motion Button

Of us with an iPhone 15 Professional mannequin, any iPhone 16 mannequin, or any iPhone 17 have an Motion Button as an alternative of the previous mute swap. By default, it’ll silence your iPhone whenever you press and maintain it, however you possibly can change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You possibly can swipe via varied fundamental choices from Digital camera and Flashlight to Visible Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts if you need it to do one thing extra fascinating. If you happen to’re unfamiliar, try our information on The best way to Use the Apple Shortcuts App.

Customise Digital camera Management

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

The iPhone 16 collection debuted Digital camera Management, a bodily button that sits beneath the ability button and triggers the digital camera with a single press. Once you’re within the digital camera app, urgent it’ll seize a photograph, and a long-press will file a video. Urgent and holding Digital camera Management exterior of the digital camera app triggers Apple’s Visible Intelligence function (kind of like Google Lens). However what I discover most annoying is Digital camera Management’s second layer of controls: swiping. You possibly can swipe on the button within the digital camera app to slip between images types, zoom ranges, or lenses. It is neat in idea, however method too delicate.