20 Key iPhone Settings to Change (2025)

Apple’s software program design strives to be intuitive, however every iteration of iOS incorporates so many additions and tweaks that it is simple 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 you can change off some annoying options. We’re right here that can assist you get probably the most out of your Apple telephone.

After getting issues arrange the best way you need, it’s a breeze to repeat the whole lot, together with settings, whenever you change to a brand new iPhone. For extra ideas and suggestions, learn our associated Apple guides—just like the Finest iPhone, Finest iPhone 16 Circumstances, Finest MagSafe Equipment—and our explainers on How you can Set Up a New iPhone, How you can Again Up Your iPhone, and How you can Repair Your iPhone.

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

Allow Name Screening

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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 all the way down to Display screen Unknown Callers and choose Ask Purpose for Calling. Now, your iPhone will robotically reply calls from unknown callers within the background with out alerting you. After the caller provides a purpose for his or her name, your telephone will ring, and you can see the response onscreen so you’ll be able to determine whether or not to reply. You also needs to be certain 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 house owners (inexperienced bubbles) acquired severely upgraded final yr when Apple determined to lastly help the RCS messaging customary (wealthy communication providers). 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 still be wonky, however they’re nonetheless a big enchancment. Nevertheless, on a brand new iPhone, RCS is disabled by default (naturally).

Ensure you flip it on for the most effective messaging expertise. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle it on.

Customise the Management Middle

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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’ll be able to faucet the plus icon on the high left or faucet and maintain on an empty area to open the customization menu. Right here you’ll be able to transfer icons and widgets round, take away something you don’t need, or faucet Add a Management on the backside for a searchable listing of shortcut icons and widgets you’ll be able to arrange throughout a number of Management Middle screens. It’s also possible to customise your private home display screen to vary the colour and dimension of app icons, rearrange them, and extra.

Change Your Lock Display screen Buttons

You understand these lock display screen controls that default to flashlight on the underside left and digicam on the underside proper? You’ll be able to change them. Press and maintain on an empty area on the lock display screen and faucet Customise. Faucet the minus icon to take away an present shortcut, and faucet the plus icon so as to add a brand new one. It’s also possible to change the climate and date widgets, the font and shade for the time, and choose a wallpaper. One of many clocks will even stretch to adapt to your wallpaper.

Lengthen Display screen Time-Out

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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 brief in my view, however fortunately, you’ll be able to alter it. Head into Settings, Show & Brightness, and choose Auto-Lock to increase it. You’ve got a number of choices, together with By no means, which implies you’ll have to manually push the facility button to show the display screen off.

Flip Off Keyboard Sounds

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The iPhone’s keyboard clicking sound whenever you kind is extraordinarily aggravating. Belief me, even when you don’t hate it, everybody in your neighborhood whenever you kind certain does. You’ll be able to 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

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Defend your self from eye-searing glare with darkish mode. Go to Settings, choose Show & Brightness, and faucet Darkish. It’s possible you’ll favor to toggle on Automated and have it change with the solar setting, however I favor to be in Darkish mode on a regular basis.

Change Your Battery Cost Degree

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In the event you’re decided to squeeze as a few years out of your iPhone battery as attainable, take into account altering the charging restrict. You’ll be able to maximize your smartphone’s battery well being when 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’ll be able to set to a tough 80 p.c restrict in Settings, underneath Battery, and Charging. If it bugs you, that is additionally the place you’ll be able to flip Optimized Battery Charging off.

Flip On Adaptive Energy Mode

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In the event you get frightened about operating out of battery, go to Settings, Battery, and scroll down to pick out Energy Mode, the place you’ll be able to toggle on Adaptive Energy. This mode will detect if you end up utilizing extra battery life than regular and make little tweaks, like reducing show brightness or limiting efficiency, to try to get you thru to the tip of the day.

Set Up the Motion Button

People 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 change. By default, it can silence your iPhone whenever you press and maintain it, however you’ll be able to change what it does by going to Settings, then Motion Button. You’ll be able to swipe via numerous primary choices from Digicam and Flashlight to Visible Intelligence, however choose Shortcuts if you’d like it to do one thing extra attention-grabbing. In the event you’re unfamiliar, take a look at our information on How you can Use the Apple Shortcuts App.

Customise Digicam Management

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

The iPhone 16 collection debuted Digicam Management, a bodily button that sits beneath the facility button and triggers the digicam with a single press. Once you’re within the digicam app, urgent it can seize a photograph, and a long-press will document a video. Urgent and holding Digicam Management outdoors of the digicam app triggers Apple’s Visible Intelligence function (kind of like Google Lens). However what I discover most annoying is Digicam Management’s second layer of controls: swiping. You’ll be able to swipe on the button within the digicam app to slip between pictures types, zoom ranges, or lenses. It is neat in concept, however manner too delicate.