Amazing Things You Might Not Realize Your Phone Can Do
Reddit user napjerks asked: 'What do most people not know their phones can do?'
In this day and age, we all have cell phones, and we know that they are pocket-sized computers that we can control in the palm of our hand.
But there are many incredibly cool features that most of us don't even know are there, but which would make our experience with our phones that much better.
Redditor napjerks asked:
"What do most people not know their phones can do?"
White Noise
"iPhone has a hidden white noise generator. Technically it's an accessibility feature. It can do Balanced noise, Bright noise, Dark noise, Ocean, Rain, and Stream."
"Go to Go to Settings, then Accessibility, then Audio/Visual (under Hearing), and finally Background Sounds."
"It's awesome. I use it all the time! Works great with AirPods with noise cancellation enabled. Really helps me focus in a chaotic environment."
"(Bonus: Your Mac has the same white noise generator too.)"
- trammeloratreasure
Translated Visuals
"You can use the translate app with your camera to translate printed text in real-time."
- ptear
Parked Car Location
"I have my iPhone set so that when it disconnects from my car's Bluetooth, it remembers that location in Apple Maps as 'Parked Location.' When I'm going back to the car, I just search for 'Parked Location' in Maps and it takes me directly to where the car is."
- TotallyNotHank
Easy 9-1-1 Dialing
"You can repeatedly click the side button like eight times or so to dial 911. I didn’t know that until I did it by accident."
- lazlobutts
Easy Photo Search
"In the photos app you can search a phrase like 'cat' or 'green car' or certain texts or anything really and it will bring up every photo related. It’s not perfect but it’s saved me tons of time searching for old photos."
"I’ve showed this to dozens of people and nobody has ever said I already knew that… Hope I can help someone else!"
- J-Uchila-S
Ability to Eavesdrop
"On iPhone, when you have air pods connected, tap the top right menu like you would to see the regular options, and at the bottom, there is an ear. When you click that, you get to turn off background sounds and live listen."
"If you turn live listen on, it is almost a super hearing aid. You can leave your phone when you leave a room and you will hear everything around your phone."
- DullResolve4348
Metal Detection
"Metal detection."
"About five years ago, a coworker and I knew a hallway in our building had a pipe cleanout that we needed to access, buried under the concrete floor. We didn't know where exactly. He downloaded a metal detector app, it flagged a spot, we dug, and it was right there."
- HatsAreEssential
Text Cursor Accessibility
"Tap and hold the space bar to move your text cursor tool back and forth with precision."
"Every time I do it in front of someone, they've been like, 'Wait, do that again,' and they act like I just made their lives way better."
- GregoryGoose
Print to Save PDF
"'Print' a document to get a pdf! I help people with this so much in my job where people need to send me documents. Often they're expecting to see a 'Save' or 'Save as PDF' option, and that may just not be there."
"They're surprised when you suggest trying to 'print' without access to a printer, and pleased when they see that it works."
- PinkNGreenFluoride
Similar Photo Recognition
"If you take a picture of a flower, you can hold it down and click 'info,' and it will search for what it is."
- Forward-Mirror5621
Zooming In and Out Abilites
"In any app with a map (Apple Maps, Google Maps, Lyft, Yelp, etc.), if you double tap and HOLD on the second tap, you can zoom in AND out of the map by moving your thumb up and down."
"Really great if you’re one-handing a phone when your other hand is preoccupied with a watermelon or a baby."
- lord_florbo
Light Intensity Control
"On an iPhone, if you hold the flashlight button, it gives you a dimmer."
- CoffeePorters
Brightness Control
"If you feel like your brightness is still too high, you can actually reduce the white point further in settings."
- chunkylover53aaolcom
Physical Protection
"It can be used as a weapon. I'm serious."
"Once when I was about 15, a guy came over to me and put his arms on each side of me. He was a lot older than me and I remember him saying I needed to be quiet. He then said something I don't feel comfortable sharing online but before he could do anything,I took the corner of my phone and smashed it into his collar bone."
"I was nowhere near 'strong,' but it made him fall back and I had enough time to run and get help."
"Use your phone as a weapon, especially Motorola, those things are sturdy."
- LooseGur7348
Volume Etiquette
"When headphones are not available the speaker does not have to be used and in general the volume can be turned down."
- darybrain
"But then how will the rest of the airplane know what I’m listening to? Or the bus know what I'm arguing about?"
- TheSummonersTail
These are all great examples of how we can take our technological access to the next step and use our devices to their full potential.