iOS 15 hidden options that can change how you utilize your iPhone

Apple usually does an incredible job of showcasing its hottest options at any time when it drops a brand new iOS replace. With iOS 15, the tech large talked up its Do Not Disturb substitute, in addition to enhancements and additions to FaceTime and Maps — however there are hidden options that it both did not discuss a lot about, or actually even point out.

And generally, it is these hidden options that actually improve your expertise greater than among the greater and standard updates.

On this information, we’ll be going via a number of lesser-known options on iOS 15: together with easy methods to use your digital camera to live-scan textual content, transfer the tackle bar in Safari again to the place it was and drag-and-drop photographs and different information between apps.

Learn extra: All the pieces we learn about iOS 15.1 and the iOS 15.2 developer beta

Use your iPhone’s digital camera to scan any textual content

Have you ever ever wished you would level your iPhone’s digital camera at an indication or piece of paper and have it routinely determine after which copy the textual content into an e-mail or a doc? With iOS 15, it is doable and extremely cool. 

To make use of the iPhone’s new “scan textual content” device, long-press inside a textual content area as if you are going to use the copy-and-paste immediate. Solely, you may now see a Scan Textual content button. You might also see a button that makes use of simply the scan icon, which seems like a bit of paper with brackets round it. 

Faucet the button, which can exchange your keyboard together with your iPhone digital camera’s viewfinder. Level your digital camera at no matter you wish to scan, after which comply with the prompts on the display. As an illustration, in case you’re shifting the digital camera too quick, you may see a “Sluggish Down” message flash on the display. 

As you are lining up the digital camera and textual content excellent, you may see a dwell preview of the textual content your iPhone is figuring out and able to place in your doc. Faucet the Insert button whenever you’re prepared. 

This can be a neat and simple method to rapidly scan an e-mail tackle off a enterprise card, a telephone quantity on an indication or, as you possibly can see within the screenshots above, scan the again of a ebook and insert it as one large block of textual content. 

Transfer Safari’s tackle bar again to the highest of your display

Apple has made loads of modifications to Safari for the iPhone and iPad. One of many main modifications you may discover after putting in the replace in your iPhone is that the tackle bar with all of its included performance has been moved to the underside of the display. 

The concept is that by shifting the tackle bar to the underside it is simpler to get round Safari and browse the net as a result of the entire buttons are nearer to your thumb, however the change will not be excellent for everybody. And Apple is providing you with a selection within the matter by permitting you to maneuver the tackle bar again to the highest of the display. 

When utilizing Safari in your iPhone, faucet the Aa button on the tackle bar (do not long-press, only a faucet is ok). On the prime of the menu that exhibits up you may see a brand new possibility labeled Present High Deal with Bar. Faucet it to maneuver the tackle bar up prime.

Get real-time precipitation alerts from the iPhone’s climate app

When Apple purchased the favored climate app Darkish Sky, I instantly hoped that the official iPhone climate app would achieve the real-time rain and snow alerts I had come to depend on to maintain me dry. These alerts are making their debut in iOS 15, usually arriving a couple of minutes earlier than Darkish Sky’s alerts — which is A-OK with me. 

When you’re operating iOS 15, you possibly can activate the brand new precipitation alerts by opening the Climate app, then tapping the three-line icon within the backside proper nook of the display. Subsequent, faucet the circle icon with the three dots within the prime proper nook of the display adopted by Notifications. 

Slide the change subsequent to My Location to the On place after which faucet Completed. In case you have extra cities added to the Climate app, you possibly can activate alerts for every one. 

The subsequent time rain or snow is getting near you, your iPhone will provide you with a warning a couple of minutes earlier than it will begin. You will additionally obtain one other alert when the rain is sort of completed.

Drag-and-drop between apps involves the iPhone

The iPad has lengthy allow you to drag-and-drop paperwork, textual content or photos between apps. And now, it is the iPhone’s flip. Should you’re going forwards and backwards between Messages and Pictures to share photos from a latest evening out with associates, for instance, now you can drag them from the Pictures app to the Messages app. 

To check out the brand new function, open the Pictures app and think about your latest photographs. Do not faucet on an image to open it full-screen; as an alternative place a finger on the picture and begin to drag your finger throughout the display. With out lifting your finger when the thumbnail begins to drift over the remainder of the photographs, change again to the Messages app. 

You will see a inexperienced circle with a plus register it present up on the thumbnail indicating which you can carry your finger and the picture can be positioned within the textual content area, prepared so that you can ship. 

Fairly straightforward, proper? You need to use this similar approach to connect a doc from the Information app to an e-mail. 

Extra data is obtainable about your photographs 

I’ve at all times had to make use of a third-party app if I wished to view any of the finer particulars saved within the EXIF information a couple of picture I used to be despatched or took myself. Now everytime you’re viewing a photograph within the Pictures app, you possibly can swipe up on it to open an data view that can element the place you saved the picture from, in addition to the entire EXIF data resembling shutter velocity, location and the digital camera used. 

The added data is a welcome addition even in case you do not care about the entire finer particulars. On the very least, having the ability to see the place you saved the image from (together with who despatched it to you) is sufficient. 

Change the scale of textual content utilized in particular apps

At present, you possibly can change the systemwide font dimension to suit your desire. However with iOS 15, there is a new device that allows you to change the scale of the font on an app-by-app foundation. Which means for instance which you can have the Mail app and Twitter be in numerous font sizes.

To make use of the brand new function, open the Settings app, then go to Management Heart and scroll down till you discover the choice labeled Textual content Dimension by tapping on the inexperienced plus signal. 

The subsequent time you are in an app and also you wish to alter the scale of the textual content, open Management Heart (swipe down from the highest proper nook of the display on an iPhone that has Face ID, or up from the underside of the display on an iPhone with Contact ID) and faucet the Textual content Dimension button. Slide the button on the backside of the display to the left facet of the toggle to point that you just solely need your modifications utilized to the app you are at present utilizing, after which alter the font dimension up or down. 

If you have not but gotten your fingers on iOS 15, here is a easy information you possibly can comply with to obtain the newest cell working system in your iPhone. You too can take a look at our assessment on iOS 15, which covers most of the main new options. And in case you’re trying to improve to iOS 15 however have a a lot older telephone, learn our assessment on the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Professional and iPhone 13 Max.