iPhone 6 with these 17 essential tricks

iPhone 6 with these 17 essential tricks and tips

 Life is hard enough without having to factor in modern technology. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are two of the most lauded and intuitive smartphones to ever hit the consumer market.

The phones are lined with an impressive set of hardware and integrated with Apple’s robust ecosystem of apps.

Nonetheless, the aptly-titled Tips app built into iOS 8 doesn’t cover all bases, especially considering just how vast and varied the innate features baked into Apple’s latest mobile can be. Most of us need a little extra help to get the most out of the $750 megaphone, whether you’re simply trying to traverse the device’s expanded real estate or capture slow-motion video of your dog drooling on the sofa. Below are 15 of our favorite tips and tricks for the iPhone 6.

How to reach the top of the screen using one hand

Apple has always wanted consumers to use the iPhone with a single hand hand — hence, the iPhone 6’s new Reachability feature. Simply double-touch the Home button to shift the screen down closer to your thumb, and once you make your selection, it will conveniently slide back up to its natural position. No second hand required.

How to opt out of group iMessages

Certainly a long-sought feature, iPhone 6 users can now opt out of iMessage threads. To do so, launch the Messages app as you would normally, and choose the group thread you’d like to opt out of. Afterward, tap Details in the upper-right corner, and select the Leave this conversation option at the bottom of the menu. It’s a really nice feature, but sadly, it only allows you to leave conversations when everyone included on the thread utilizes iMessage. If you’ve got a friend who texts via SMS — ahem, Android users — the feature won’t do you any good.

How to create a medical ID

When Apple issued iOS 8, the company added the highly-rumored Health app to its arsenal. The somewhat complicated app provides a quick means for charting various metrics regarding your health and physical activity, along with a way for others to to access a wealth of information vital to your health in case of an emergency. You can create a Medical ID that’s accessible via the Emergency function located on your device’s lock screen.

To create a Medical ID, launch the Health app as you would normally, and select the Medical ID tab in the lower-right corner. Afterward, enter any information you want accessible through the lock screen — i.e. allergies, medications, blood type, emergency contact numbers — and click Done in the upper-right corner before enabling the function at the top of the app window.

How to capture smoother video

The iPhone 6 has stellar video recording capabilities, especially when you enable 60 FPS. The feature essentially doubles the amount of frames per second when recording, taking iPhone 6 videos from 30 to 60 frames per second. To enable said feature, tap the Photos and Camera option within the main Settings, and toggle Record video at 60 FPS to on.

How to capture slow-motion video

Unlike previous iPhone models, the iPhone 6 is capable of capturing slow-motion videos, which are great for recording action videos. To enable the feature, launch the Camera app as you would normally, and select SLO-MO from the sliding wheel at the bottom of the screen. Then, choose between 120 and 240 frames per second.

How to capture photos using the volume keys

Snapping photos using the volume button is as easy as it sounds. With the Camera app open, simply press either the volume up or down button housed on the left-hand side of the smartphone. The process even works when using a pair of headphones featuring an inline remote and volume keys.

How to identify which apps are draining your battery

The iPhone 6 battery is certainly better than past models, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep an eye on which apps are draining your battery. To discover which are the most intensive, select General from within the main Settings panel. Afterward, select Usage followed by Battery Usage on the resulting page to see the list of culprits.

How to instantly send voice messages

Sending long-winded texts can be difficult, but fortunately, iOS allows you to send voice messages with ease. To record your message, tap and hold the microphone icon to the right of the text field when viewing a thread. Then, when finished recording, simply swipe up to send your message or slide right to cancel.

How to listen and respond to Audio messages like you would a phone call

Love sending audio messages, but hate listening to them alongside everyone in your vicinity? Enabling the Raise to Listen feature allows you to listen and reply to audio recordings like you would a normal phone call. To do so, select Messages within the main Settings panel, and toggle Raise to Listen to on.

How to look at another message when composing an email

Few people know you can quickly reference another message when composing a reply or an entirely new email. Simply swipe down on the title bar, directly between the Cancel and Send options, when composing your message to access your inbox or the email you’re replying to. Then, just tap New Message at the bottom of the screen to return to your message.

How to selectively clear your browsing history

If you use Safari and iOS 8, you can now clear selective items from your browsing history without a trace. To do so, launch the Safari app as you would normally, and tap the book icon located at the bottom of the window before selecting the History option. Afterward, swipe left to delete individual sites or tap Clear in the bottom-right corner to erase history within one of four resulting time frames.

How to enable DuckDuckGo to ensure privacy when browsing

Simply put, DuckDuckGo is a Web browser designed for safe broswing. Enabling the browser allows you to search the Web without having your IP address stored, thus preventing third-parties from collecting your information and giving you greater anonymity than what’s offered by default. To use the feature, select Safari within the main Settings panel, tap Search Engine at the top, and choose DuckDuckGo from the list of available search engines.

How to use multitasking

Multitasking is one of the iPhone’s flagship features — and why wouldn’t it be? The function allows apps to perform certain tasks in the background while you’re using other apps or not using your device. To cycle between various background apps, double-click the Home button and swipe left or right before tapping your desired app. Doing so will also bring a list of your most recent contacts, along with a list of those you’ve favorited. You can also close apps here.

How to identify a song

Thanks to Siri’s recent integration with Shazam, it’s become easier than ever to name a piece of music that’s playing around you. To identify the particular song playing in your vicinity — whether on the radio or in a TV advertisement, for instance — just ask Siri “what song is playing?” or “name that tune?” Siri will then name the song and artist after listening for a brief moment.

How to toggle predictive text on and off

Predictive text can be either a help or a hindrance depending on how you like to respond. To turn the pivotal feature on or off, begin by touching and holding the smiley face or globe button while viewing the keyboard. Afterward, just tap Predictive or swipe above the option to toggle it on or off.

How to share your location

Telling someone you’re by the large pine tree adjacent to the park only gets you so far. With iOS 8 and the iPhone 6, you can quickly share your exact location via iMessages. To do so, tap Details in the upper-right corner when viewing a message thread and select the Send My Current Location option from the resulting list of options. Once done, your recipient will receive a map with your GPS location conveniently pinpointed on it.

How to use Siri without pressing the Home button

Although iPhone users can’t talk to Siri hands-free all of the time, you can access voice commands without touching your phone whenever your device is charging. If you want to enable the feature, select General within the main Settings panel, tap Siri, and toggle Allow “Hey Siri” to on. Afterward, just say, “hey Siri,” when your device is charging to access the feature as usual.