Absolutely—modern smartphones hide a surprising number of useful features. Here are some that work on many iPhones and Android phones (exact steps can vary by model and software version):
-
Scan documents without a scanner: Use the Notes app on iPhone or Google Drive/your camera’s document-scanning feature on many Android phones.
-
Copy text from photos: On iPhone, Live Text can select text in photos; many Android phones offer the same through Google Lens.
-
Turn your phone into a level: Search for or open the built-in Measure app on supported phones.
-
Identify a song instantly: Use Siri/Shazam on iPhone or Google’s song-search feature on Android.
-
Share your Wi-Fi password easily: iPhones can offer nearby Apple devices the saved password; Android phones commonly provide a QR code for the network.
-
Use your phone as a magnifying glass: Accessibility settings can turn the camera into a powerful digital magnifier.
-
Find a lost phone: Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device can locate, lock, or otherwise manage a lost device.
-
Extract an object from a photo: On supported iPhones and Android phones, you can often press and hold a subject to isolate it from the background.
-
Translate text with the camera: Google Lens and Apple’s translation features can recognize and translate photographed text.
-
Use the back of an iPhone as a shortcut: On supported iPhones, Back Tap can trigger actions with a double- or triple-tap.
-
Split-screen apps on Android: Many Android phones let you run two compatible apps simultaneously.
-
Quickly search anything on your screen: Android’s Circle to Search (on supported devices) lets you circle an object or text without leaving the current app.
-
Make your phone easier to use at night: Dark mode, reduced white point/extra dim, and bedtime modes can reduce screen brightness substantially.
If you tell me whether you have an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or another Android, I can give you 20 lesser-known tricks specifically for your phone, with the exact steps.
