Most iPhone owners don’t know about three secret apps hidden on your phone
YOUR iPhone has several hidden apps – and you may have missed them.
We’ve picked out three that are more secret than the average app, but still useful.
1
Signal test
There’s a handy Field Test trick to help you find the best mobile signal.
You can uncover the hidden menu by opening the iPhone call option.
From there, call *3001#12345#* and press the call button.
Press the call button and a special dashboard will appear, with lots of technical information.
But the one you want to take a look at is called LTE RSRP, which stands for Reference Signal Received Power.
This shows your exact signal strength.
The closer the number is to zero, the better.
This is actually the data used to determine the signal line.
So it makes it much easier to find where you should stand to make that important phone call.
Code scanner
Buried in your iPhone is a secret app that can only be found by searching for it.
It doesn’t appear on your home screen, nor is it in your app library.
It’s very strange because the Apple App Library is designed to house all your apps.
The app is called Code Scanner, and is seriously well hidden.
To find it, swipe down from the top of the screen.
This will unlock the search feature on your iPhone.
Then type in “code scanner”, or even just “code” or “scanner”.
An icon will appear under the Apps tab that says Code Scanner.
The symbol is a gray square with rounded corners, with a QR code and a scan icon in the middle.
The app’s main function is to scan QR codes – which you can see around in the real world.
Restaurants can use them for menus, or a hospital can use it to give you some quick information.
Simply hold the Code Scanner viewer up to a QR code and scan away.
For iPhone power users, it is possible to add the code scanner to your control center through the settings as well.
That means you don’t have to apply every time.
Note that this will only work if you’re using iOS 14 or later.
You probably are, but to check: go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Without a doubt, the app is somewhat redundant.
That’s because the default iPhone camera app has a QR code scanner built in.
However, there are some minor differences.
The code scanner codes are displayed in a specific app browser, and not your regular Safari app.
This also means that you lose access to the page when you close the app.
But there is an easy way to scan QR codes without clogging up your Safari history.
Magnifying glass
Your iPhone has a hidden camera app that you may never have used.
The app is very handy – and you can find it in several different ways.
It’s called Magnifier, and it provides a significant zoom so you can read small text.
You can also examine small objects using the smart iPhone notch.
And it even has special color filters to make certain things easier to see.
One way to find it is to simply search for it.
Swipe down from the top of the home screen and then type Magnifier.
It may be worth placing the app in a prominent place on the home screen for future reference.
You can also use the side button to open the magnifying glass.
Go to Settings and then type Accessibility and look for Accessibility Shortcuts.
Then enable Magnifier for the “Triple-click the side button” setting.
Now when you triple click the side button, the Magnifier app will open.
But potentially even better is using the Back Tap feature.
To turn on the feature, make sure you’ve updated to iOS 14 or later. To do so, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Then go to Settings.
Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility” and then tap on “Touch”.
Then scroll down to “Press Back”.
You have the choice of turning on “Double Tap” or “Triple Tap”.
Whatever you choose gives you the same options.
Click to see which features you can now control with either a double or triple tap on the back of your iPhone.
They include taking screenshots, turning the volume up or down, zooming, scrolling and more.
Select Magnifying Glass for one of them, and then you’ll be able to launch the app by tapping on the back of your iPhone.
Best Phone and Gadget Tips and Hacks
Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find the secret features of social media apps? We’ve got you covered…
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