1. Force Quit
Have you ever been using an app and it’s become completely frozen? You can actually apply a force quit on it by pressing the Home button for at least six seconds.
If that doesn't work, turn iPhone off and turn it on again. Press and hold the "Sleep/Wake" button for a few seconds until a red slider appears, and then slide the slider. Then press and hold the "Sleep/Wake" button until the Apple logo appears.
If the entire iPhone locks up - it can happen - press and hold both the "Home" button and the "Sleep/Wake" switch for eight seconds. You’ll see the screen go black, and then the Apple logo appears as the iPhone reboots.
2. Pause App download
In the recent update to the iPhone firmware Apple has given us the ability to pause an application downloading from the App Store. This is great in case you’re downloading a very big app and must go somewhere that doesn’t have Wi-Fi.
To do this simply taps on the application icon while it’s downloading and you’ll see the text change to "Paused". When you’re ready to resume this download touch the icon again and you’ll see the text revert back.
3. DFU Mode
The most popular way to fix a "bricked" iPhone or iPod Touch is by putting it into DFU mode. This is tricky, but it will solve that pesky stuck Apple logo on boot.
To do this you need to turn your device off. When it is completely off, push and hold the power button. Count to 5 and then push and hold the home button (keeping the power button pressed down still). Count to 10 and then let go of the power button (keeping the home button pressed down). Count to 30 and you should hear some notification that the device has been put into DFU mode. Now you can restore it in iTunes.
4. Take Screen Shot
Hold the Home button, then hit the "Power/Sleep" button, the screen will momentarily flash, and the iPhone’s current screen contents will be saved to the Camera Roll.
5. Scroll to Top
After reading an article (or email) I hate having to scroll back up to the top. Just to read another. Thankfully Apple has solved this issue for us (in most applications).
It’s easy too. Simply touch the "Status Bar" at the very top of the screen (this is where the time is). When you’re in MobileSafari and the Mail application you will automatically scroll back up to the top of the page (or email).
This even works in some 3rd party applications from the App Store. So if you ever catch yourself scrolling back up. Try this little tip.
6. Set content restriction
You can set restrictions for iPod content for the use of some applications on iPhone. For example, parents can restrict explicit music from being seen on playlists, or turn off YouTube access entirely.
Just go to "General -> Restrictions" then tap Enable Restrictions and enter a four-digit passcode to restrict your content.
7. Stop incoming calls
To stop an incoming call from ringing, press the "Sleep/Wake" button. To send the call immediately to VoiceMail, press the "Sleep/Wake" button twice.
8. Hide SMS preview
With Show SMS Preview disabled you will only get a generic "New Text Message".
Go to "General -> Passcode Lock" and enter a 4-digit passcode. After that disable "Show SMS Preview".
9. Access the Scientific Calculator
Not many people know that you can get advanced features with your calculator simply by turning it sideways.
You can turn it either way (left or right) and you’ll see the calculator go into landscape mode where you see your extra features/buttons.
10. URls Sharing
Since there’s no ability to cut and paste, Apple has integrated email, Safari, and the iPhone, virtually eliminating the need for a clipboard. When I wanted to send the link of my blog to my wife, for example, a small Share button popped up in Safari, which created a new email and pasted the link into the body. Just hit the address bar to find it.
11. Scrolling Safari
If you’re scrolling through Safari, the address bar comes with you, disappearing after the first few swipes. But no matter how far down you’ve scrolled, tapping the top of the screen (where the network and wireless icons are) will instantly rocket you back to the address bar.
If you haven’t been to a site with a drop-down search field (like the country chooser on Apple.com), go do so. Apple has even found a way to make that enjoyable.
12. Select other domain name endings
When you type a website URL in the address bar, you can now hold down the ".com" button to get a selection of other domain name endings and tap on any of the endings to insert them in the address bar.
13. Train your iPhone to learn new words
You can train your phone to "remember" words if you type them repeatedly, but this tutorial will teach you a better way to train your iPhone to learn new words on the fly.
14. Surfing Internet while talking
You can get on the internet DURING a call! You can only do this if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network (it won’t work via edge), just hit the "Home" key and click on Safari. Now you’re surfing while talking! The person on the other end can’t hear the keyboard clicks either!
15. How to make full screen contact pictures
Browse to the contact and tap edit.
Tap on the photo.
Tap edit photo.
After it opens in fullscreen, tap set photo and save the contact.
16. Customize the iPod buttons
The iPod module on the iPhone starts out with buttons along the bottom for summoning four lists: Playlists, Artists, Songs, and Videos.
What about Albums, Genres and Composers?
They’re there, all right, but hidden; you have to tap "More" to see them.
But what if you use those lists more often than Artists or Songs? No problem: you can replace one of those starter buttons with a list of your own.
Tap "More", and then tap the "Edit" button (upper-left corner). You arrive at the Configure screen. Here’s the complete list of music-and-video sorting lists: Albums, Podcasts, Audiobooks, Genres, Composers, Compilations, Playlists, Artists, Songs, and Videos.
To replace one of the four starter icons, use a finger to drag an icon from the top half of the screen downward, directly onto the existing icon you want to replace. It lights up to show the success of your drag.
When you release your finger, you’ll see that the new icon has replaced the old one. Tap "Done" in the upper-right corner.
17. Save images in safari and mail
Just touch and hold an image in Safari or Mail, an action sheet will be presented to enable you to save the image. The image will get stored in the "Saved Photos" library of the Photos app.
18. Access iPod controls or phone favorites instantly
Go to "Settings -> General -> Home Button". Double taping the home button goes to "Home", "Phone Favorites" or "iPod Controls".
19. Forward/rewind music & video
Press and hold the skip forward/back arrows to fast forward or rewind rather than skip tracks. Also, press on the album art to manually FF/rewind.
20. Use iPhone as a Modem (Only for iPhone 3G or later, Mac OS version 10.5.7 or later)
You can use iPhone 3G or later as a modem to connect, or tether, your computer to the Internet. You can connect iPhone to your computer using the Dock Connector to USB Cable, or via Bluetooth.
In Settings, choose "General -> Network -> Internet Tethering".
Slide the Internet Tethering switch to On.
Connect iPhone to your computer:
USB: Connect your computer to iPhone, using the Dock Connector to USB Cable. In your computer’s Network services settings, choose iPhone.
On a Mac, a pop-up window appears the first time you connect, saying "A new network interface has been detected". Click Network Preferences, configure the network settings for iPhone, then click Apply. On a PC, use the Network Control Panel to configure the iPhone connection.
Bluetooth: On iPhone, choose "Settings -> General -> Bluetooth" and turn on Bluetooth. Then refer to the documentation that came with your computer system software to pair and connect iPhone with your computer.
When you’re connected, a blue band appears at the top of the screen. Tethering remains on when you connect with USB, even when you aren’t actively using the Internet connection.
Monitor your cellular data network usage:
In Settings, choose "General -> Usage".
21. How to maximize iPhone battery life?
a. Turn down the LCD. The new iPhone’s screen is brighter. You may save your battery power by changing "Settings -> Brightness". I keep mine at 10% brightness.
b. Turn off Vibrate in Games. Playing a game with vibrate happening frequently is an unnecessary battery suck. If you can turn it off.
c. Limit use of A-GPS tracking. GPS tracking is still pretty useless after you've gained your bearings, since there isn't a turn by turn navigation mode for driving. I exit out of maps once I've got the directions in my mind, and if I lose myself again, I just start maps up once more.
d. Turn off Wi-Fi new network scanning or Wi-Fi.
e. Toggle off 3G till ready.
f. Buy Apps and Songs in iTunes at your computer not over Wi-Fi or Apps over 3G.
g. Set the Autolock to 1 or 2-minutes. It can be set under "Settings -> General -> Autolock".
h. Use programs with 3D less often. Not surprisingly, I've noticed that when I play games rendering 3D, battery life drops. Using the graphics chips more intensely will crank up power usage, but maybe the drain is also because of the nature of gaming: Unlike email or browsing, gaming is a full-time, full attention endeavor that also keeps the CPU, GPU and LCD going full-time. (I'd like to think this is a more useful tip than "don't use your iPhone" but maybe it's not something you can avoid if you're a gaming addict.)
I. Set Push to Off, and Set Fetch Time. Push email isn't that useful for me because I know I'm getting emails all day long and that I have to be checking all the time. Push does use more juice than the fetch mode, which checks for calendar, contact and email syncing at set intervals of 15 minutes to an hour. I set mine to 1 hour unless I'm out of the office. If you seldom update your contacts and calendars, you might even be better off syncing by cable to iTunes, while you pick up a charge.
J. Stay Juiced. If you're at computer or in a car, you should try to use a cigarette adapter or USB cable to pick up a few minutes of charge.
22. Keyboard Speedups
Don’t bother using the Shift key to capitalize a new sentence. The iPhone does that capitalizing automatically.
Don’t put apostrophes in contractions, either; the iPhone will put those in for you, too.
23. Control iPod when locked
If your iPhone/iPod touch is locked but you need to change the volume, pause or skip tracks, double-tap Home and you can control the iPod app and see what track is playing.
24. Make calls from Safari
Phone numbers in Safari display as links. If you press and hold on the number for a couple of seconds, it will display in a pop-up window. This also works with web links.
25. Quick delete button
You can delete items by swiping your finger across the right side of emails, SMS conversations or podcasts when in List view. Videos are marked and erased at the next sync.