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Saturday, December 9, 2023
10 Hidden iOS 14 Features You Didn't Know About
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Many new features immediately appeared on the iPhone when Apple released iOS 14 in September 2020. However, even after using it for a while, there were still some less obvious features to discover.
iOS 14 Hidden Features
Here's a roundup of some of the most useful hidden iOS 14 features you might have missed.
Here's a roundup of some of the most useful hidden iOS 14 features you might have missed.
1. Emoji Search
Apple has finally delivered what users have been asking for years: adding a Search Emoji feature to the emoji keyboard on iOS 14.
Apple has finally delivered what users have been asking for years: adding a Search Emoji feature to the emoji keyboard on iOS 14.
To enable the emoji keyboard, go to Settings > General > Keyboards > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Emoji. Once active, find the emoji by tapping Search Emoji above the emoji keyboard and entering your search.
Now you can easily search for your favorite emoji from an ever-growing selection of options.
2. Pin Your Favorite Conversations in Messages
Now you can keep track of your favorite messages by pinning up to nine of them at the top of the Messages app.
Now you can keep track of your favorite messages by pinning up to nine of them at the top of the Messages app.
To pin a message, follow these steps:
Open the messaging application.
Swipe left on the conversation you want to pin.
Tap the yellow pin icon.
Open the messaging application.
Swipe left on the conversation you want to pin.
Tap the yellow pin icon.
Once you pin a conversation in Messages, it disappears from the message list below. To unpin a message, simply long press the large contact circle and select Unpin / Unpin.
3. Back Tap for Shortcut
With iOS 14, Apple turned the entire back of your iPhone into buttons that you can customize to perform certain actions. Double or triple tapping the back of your iPhone allows you to launch system actions like shutting down or taking a screenshot, as well as popular accessibility features like Zoom and Voice Control.
With iOS 14, Apple turned the entire back of your iPhone into buttons that you can customize to perform certain actions. Double or triple tapping the back of your iPhone allows you to launch system actions like shutting down or taking a screenshot, as well as popular accessibility features like Zoom and Voice Control.
Follow these steps to customize Back Tap on your iPhone 8 or later:
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap.
Select Double Tap or Triple Tap.
Select the action you want to trigger.
Double or triple tap the back of your iPhone to trigger that action.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap.
Select Double Tap or Triple Tap.
Select the action you want to trigger.
Double or triple tap the back of your iPhone to trigger that action.
4. Detect Easy to Guess Passwords
By default, iCloud already syncs your passwords across all your Apple devices. In iOS 14, a new Security Recommendations feature has been added. This will let you know if one of your passwords is too easy to guess, or if it has been leaked in a known data breach.
By default, iCloud already syncs your passwords across all your Apple devices. In iOS 14, a new Security Recommendations feature has been added. This will let you know if one of your passwords is too easy to guess, or if it has been leaked in a known data breach.
To find your problematic password, go to Settings > Passwords and tap Security Recommendations. Make sure Detect Compromised Passwords is enabled so iOS can continuously monitor your passwords.
5. Privatize Your Wi-Fi Address
iOS 14's new Wi-Fi privatization address lets you reduce tracking across Wi-Fi networks. This works by using a different MAC address for each network you connect to.
iOS 14's new Wi-Fi privatization address lets you reduce tracking across Wi-Fi networks. This works by using a different MAC address for each network you connect to.
This doesn't affect how you join the network, so it remains smooth. Follow these steps to enable Private Address:
Open the Settings app and select Wi-Fi.
Tap the âiâ button information next to the Wi-Fi network.
Enable Private Address.
Sometimes, networks do not allow devices with private addresses to join. When this happens, you can simply disable the Private Address setting for that network.
Tap the âiâ button information next to the Wi-Fi network.
Enable Private Address.
Sometimes, networks do not allow devices with private addresses to join. When this happens, you can simply disable the Private Address setting for that network.
6. Enjoy Youtube 4K
YouTube channels have been uploading 4K videos for some time now. With iOS 14, you can finally watch YouTube content in 4K when available.
YouTube channels have been uploading 4K videos for some time now. With iOS 14, you can finally watch YouTube content in 4K when available.
To take advantage of this feature, simply tap the three-dot button at the top right of the video. In the menu that appears, select Quality and choose from the list of options.
7. Use Voice Recognition for Accessibility Purposes
For iPhone users who are deaf or hard of hearing, your iPhone can now continuously listen for certain sounds to remind you of them. This option is found in the iOS Accessibility settings.
For iPhone users who are deaf or hard of hearing, your iPhone can now continuously listen for certain sounds to remind you of them. This option is found in the iOS Accessibility settings.
To enable Voice Recognition, go to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Recognition, then enable Voice Recognition.
When enabled, you can select the sounds you need to recognize and your iPhone will immediately send you a notification when it detects one of them. Options include fire alarm, dog barking, doorbell ringing, and more.
8. Mirror Your Selfie
In the past, your iPhone would automatically flip your selfie snap so that any letters in the photo wouldn't be upside down. iOS 14 has made it possible to save your selfie photo as you see it on the screen (your mirror image).
In the past, your iPhone would automatically flip your selfie snap so that any letters in the photo wouldn't be upside down. iOS 14 has made it possible to save your selfie photo as you see it on the screen (your mirror image).
To enable this feature, visit Settings > Camera and enable Mirror Front Camera.
9. Stream Video Continuously Using Picture-In-Picture Mode
If you've ever wanted to watch a video on your iPhone while using another app at the same time, the new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode lets you do just that. While in PiP mode, you can pinch to resize and swipe to move the thumbnail wherever you need. Tapping the preview also lets you pause and skip 15 seconds forward or back.
If you've ever wanted to watch a video on your iPhone while using another app at the same time, the new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode lets you do just that. While in PiP mode, you can pinch to resize and swipe to move the thumbnail wherever you need. Tapping the preview also lets you pause and skip 15 seconds forward or back.
Since PiP mode is a recent addition to iOS, there is limited support from third-party apps at the time of writing. However, most major streaming services have integrated PiP support into their applications.
You can enable PiP mode in Settings > General > Picture in Picture. To use PiP while streaming video, play the video in full screen and tap the PiP mode symbol while the video is playing.
10. Fake Eye Contact on FaceTime
Although the iOS 13 beta’s “FaceTime Auto Correction” feature was initially dropped, Apple has reintroduced this controversial feature in iOS 14. If you have an iPhone XS or later, you can go to Settings > FaceTime and enable the Eye Contact setting. After doing this, your iPhone will make it appear as if you are looking at your camera even when your attention is focused elsewhere.
Although the iOS 13 beta’s “FaceTime Auto Correction” feature was initially dropped, Apple has reintroduced this controversial feature in iOS 14. If you have an iPhone XS or later, you can go to Settings > FaceTime and enable the Eye Contact setting. After doing this, your iPhone will make it appear as if you are looking at your camera even when your attention is focused elsewhere.
While there is a natural alternative to the Eye Contact setting (actually looking at your camera while using FaceTime), you may already be using this feature without realizing it. Apparently, this feature is active by default in iOS 14.