10 cool hidden features on Android and iOS

Have you ever thought that you have mastered your smartphone? The truth might be far from it. Whether you use an iPhone or an Android smartphone, our smartphones have seen so many incremental updates over the years that some features often become hidden. With software playing such a critical role in our phones, these hidden Android & iOS features can change the way we use our devices.

Smartphone makers don’t necessarily intend to hide these features but they release so many new features that some don’t get the limelight they deserve and these hidden features could significantly boost your productivity and daily smartphone use. Whether you are an Android or an iOS user, here are 10 cool hidden features that you should try right now.

Android hidden settings you should know about

The most popular hidden smartphone feature or easter egg has to be tapping the Android version line multiple times to reveal the logo of the Android version running on your device and playing the secret game. Similarly, tapping the build number seven times enabled developer mode. While these features are no longer hidden per se, here are other Android hidden features to try right now:

Smart Lock for automatic unlocking

One of the easiest ways to avoid constantly unlocking your phone when you are in a safe place like home is by using the Smart Lock feature. Once enabled, it automatically unlocks your device based on location, trusted devices, or voice. To enable it, go to Settings >> Security >> Smart Lock and configure it to your preference.

ALSO READ: How to unlock Android smartphone password without formatting

One-handed mode

The ugly truth about smartphones is that they have not only gotten bigger but also unwieldy and difficult to use with one hand. Luckily, there is a solution and it’s called one-handed mode. Most large-screen phones have this feature and Android users can enable it to shrink the display to a navigable experience. You can enable it on your Android device by swiping diagonally from the bottom corner. Alternatively, you can enable it by going to Settings >> Accessibility >> One-Handed mode.

Guest mode

One hidden Android feature that is actually useful is guest mode. This mode makes it easier to lend your phone to someone without giving them access to your personal apps or information. When enabled, Guest mode creates a separate profile on your Android phone with limited access and you can get started by going to Settings >> System >> Multiple Users >> Add Guest.

App or screen pinning

Android has a clever hidden feature called app pinning (previously known as screen pinning) that allows users to lock their devices to a single app. Once enabled, the pinned app will not allow the user to open any other app on the device or change any settings. Available since Android 5.0 Lollipop and later, you can enable it from Security and go to recent apps to pin your favourite app.

Live captions

On Android, you can enable real-time captions for any media playing on your smartphone. In order to enable this feature on Google Pixel, press the volume up or volume down button and tap the live caption button below the volume slider. For Samsung, you can enable this feature from Settings >> Accessibility >> Hearing Enhancements > Live Caption.

Hidden settings on iOS you should know about

While Android remains the platform to go looking for cool hidden features, iOS does have its fair share too. If you are an iPhone user then here are the hidden features that you need to try right now.

Back tap for quick actions

While Apple has added an Action button and Camera Control with new models, it does offer more options for quick actions. On your iPhone, you can assign actions to a double or triple tap on the back of your device to do things like launch an app, open the camera, or take a screenshot. You can enable this feature from Settings >> Accessibility >> Touch >> Back Tap.

Measure objects

If you are in need of a ruler, your iPhone can become a virtual ruler for measuring objects. To use this feature, open the Measure app on your iPhone and move your phone to detect surfaces and start measuring. While it isn’t the most accurate, it does work well and can also be used to align objects using the level feature.

ALSO READ: 18 cool iOS 18 tips to help you get the most out of your iPhone

Scan documents with the Notes app

Notes is arguably one of the best note-taking apps and one of the best from Apple and its great utility is the ability to scan documents. To use this feature, open the Notes app and from within an existing note or new notes, click the attachment icon and tap Scan Documents.

Hide photos

This hidden feature is all about hiding your private photos from the main photos gallery. To hide your images, go to the Photos app, tap and hold the photo or video you want to hide, select hide and confirm. You can find the hidden images by opening the Photos app and scrolling down to find the hidden album under utilities.

Realtime translate

While Siri may not be the best voice assistant yet, it does have a very useful feature that is also hidden. Instead of using a translation app, you can summon Siri to instantly translate words and phrases for you. All you need to do is say “Hey Siri, translate [words/phrases] to [language]” and Siri will instantly provide the translation. Next time while travelling, try using Siri instead of Google Translate and you will be surprised with the result.

From using your camera lens as a magnifier, sharing Wi-Fi passwords, and storing emergency information to using NFC tags, there are many hidden Android & iOS features that are powerful and convenient. All you need to do is see how useful they are to your routine and some might become a part of the way you interact with your device.