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Still using your £1,000 pocket supercomputer as a glorified alarm clock or an endless scroll machine? It’s time to find out what your phone is really capable of.
Welcome to PhoneMaxxing. Modern smartphones are packed with clever, time‑saving features tucked away in settings menus that most of us never touch. Whether you’re juggling uni deadlines, battling notification burnout, or just trying to survive the group chat, these hidden gems will help you level up your phone habits.
5 iPhone tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner.
1. The secret button on the back of your iPhone.
That Apple logo isn’t just for looks, it’s also a button. Head to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and assign actions to a double or triple tap.
You could use it to:
- Open your camera instantly so you never miss a moment
- Turn on the torch when your keys vanish in the dark
- Take screenshots without finger gymnastics
2. Scan documents stress and cost free.
You don’t need a big, fancy contraption to scan your documents. The Notes app has a built‑in scanner that’s perfect for coursework, invoices and contracts. Just open a note, tap the camera icon, and scan away.
It automatically straightens pages, boosts clarity, and saves everything as a neat PDF ready to email. It’s definitely a tip worth noting!
3. Turn literally anything into a sticker.
Your group chats will never be the same again. Choose a photo, then tap and hold the part you want immortalised, and iOS will lift it perfectly from the background. Drop it straight into WhatsApp or iMessage as a custom sticker, ready to use when your friends least expect.
iOS can also identify plants, landmarks and even dog breeds from your camera roll, so you can search for the exact photo you need.
4. Copy text from anywhere.
Great news – you don’t have to type out long, complicated Wi-Fi passwords anymore. With Live Text, just point your camera at text and copy it straight to your clipboard. It works on menus, signs, lecture slides and even handwritten notes. Great if typing’s not your type.
5. Protect your time with focus modes.
Overcome notification fatigue with Focus Modes. Set up custom modes like Work, Sleep or Gym to silence specific apps and contacts at certain times. You can even link them to your lock screen, so your phone automatically changes layouts and wallpapers depending on the time of day. That way you can set your digital boundaries and avoid burnout.
5 Android tricks you’ll actually use.
1. Recover “Oops” notifications.
Swiped away a notification before you got to read it? There’s no need to panic, Android’s Notification History logs every alert. Turn it on via Settings > Notifications > Notification History, and check the chronological list of every alert for the one that nearly got away.
2. App pinning keeps things private.
You hand your phone to a friend to show one photo, and suddenly your entire gallery is being swiped through. App Pinning locks your phone to a single app until a PIN or fingerprint is entered. No more prying eyes or awkward explanations.
3. Multitask like a pro.
Modern Android screens are made for multitasking. Use Split Screen or Pop‑up View to run two apps at once. So you can watch YouTube on top while your browse below. The simpler alternative to spinning plates.
4. Remove photobombers with magic eraser.
You don’t have to wait all day to get the perfect pic. Pixel and Galaxy phones include AI‑powered object removers in their photo editors. One tap deletes unwanted people or objects in seconds, so you’ll have Instagram-ready images every time.
5. Share files across iPhone and Android.
Quick Share now works with AirDrop on select newer Android models (like Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 series). As long as the iPhone is set to AirDrop: Everyone, you can send high‑quality photos and videos instantly, without WhatsApp compressing the quality.
Simplify your sole trader taxes for free with Sage and iD Perks.
While you are discovering new ways to make your phone work harder for you, why not let it take the stress out of your business admin too? We have spotted a fantastic deal on iD Perks for non-VAT registered sole traders. Right now, you can get Sage Individual Free completely free of charge, with no billing and no hidden costs.
It is the ideal way to simplify manual record keeping and taxes. You can manage your income and expenses, get an Income tax Self Assessment summary (SA103S), and create and send up to five sales invoices per month. Plus, with their free mobile app for tasks on the go, you can enter and record receipts manually right from your smartphone. It is even Making Tax Digital ready!
Simply head to the iD Mobile app, 'tap iD Perks' and browse the live offers. Pick the perks that suit you, check the terms and tap ‘Get offer now’ to redeem. You can even save deals to use later by emailing them to yourself – handy, right?. Best of all, you don't have to pick just one. You can redeem as many offers as you like with iD Perks. There’s no limit, so whether you choose to redeem none, one, or ten offers, it’s entirely up to you!
Try it for yourself!
From iPhone’s Back Tap and Live Text to Android’s Notification History and Magic Eraser, these features are already sitting on your phone, ready to use. Which feature will you try first?
