25 iPhone 17 Tips and Tricks You Need to Know

 25 iPhone 17 Tips and Tricks You Need to Know

You finally got your hands on the iPhone 17. Shiny, sleek, and probably the most expensive thing in your pocket right now (unless you’re carrying rent money). But here’s the thing: most people only use about 40% of what their iPhone can actually do. The rest? Hidden behind settings, gestures, and little hacks that Apple doesn’t exactly shout about.

So in this post, I’m going to share 25 iPhone 17 tips and tricks that will make you say, “Wait… I didn’t know it could do that!”

Some are game-changers, some are just plain fun, and some will save you those daily little annoyances. Let’s dive in.

1. Turn Your Back Tap Into a Secret Button

Remember when you thought double-tapping the back of your phone was just accidental fidgeting? Nope. In Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap, you can assign a double or triple tap to actions like:

Taking a screenshot

Launching the camera

Turning on the flashlight

Even opening apps!

It feels like having a hidden button only you know about.

2. Mag Safe Battery Widget

The iPhone 17 finally gives more accurate Mag Safe battery tracking. Add the Mag Safe widget to your home screen, and you’ll know exactly how much juice your phone and Mag Safe accessories have. No more guessing if your charger is actually working.

3. Customize Your Lock Screen Like a Pro

Sure, customizing lock screens started a few generations ago, but on the iPhone 17 it’s smoother. You can:

Add widgets like calendar, battery, or even fitness rings.

Swipe through multiple lock screens depending on your mood (or outfit).

Match lock screen wallpapers with Focus modes so when you’re at work, it looks professional, and when you’re off, it screams “weekend vibes.”

4. Use “Visual Lookup” for Instant Info

Take a picture of a plant, dog, landmark, or even food, and the iPhone will try to identify it. Ever snapped a random flower and thought, “Is this edible or poisonous?” Well, now you’ll know (don’t sue me if you still eat it).

5. Enable One-Handed Mode (Reachability)

These phones keep getting bigger. Unless you have basketball player hands, sometimes the top of the screen feels like it’s on another planet. Swipe down gently on the bottom edge of the screen, and boom the whole interface slides down within reach.

6. Silence Unknown Callers

Sick of spam calls? Go to Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from strangers get sent straight to voicemail. Your friends will thank you for no longer ranting about extended car warranties.

7. Turn Text Into Live Stickers

With iOS 18 on iPhone 17, you can cut out objects from photos and turn them into animated stickers. Drop them into iMessage conversations and watch your friends wonder how you suddenly became a pro meme-maker.

8. Record Your Screen With Sound

Screen recording is handy, but did you know you can record your voice commentary too? Press and hold the screen-recording button in Control Center, then toggle on microphone audio. Perfect for tutorials… or roasting someone’s Instagram story.

9. Hidden Trackpad in the Keyboard

Ever try to fix a typo and end up deleting half the word? Hold your finger down on the space bar, and the keyboard turns into a trackpad. You can move the cursor exactly where you want like magic.

10. Scan Real-World Text Into Notes

Open Notes, tap the camera icon, and choose Scan Text. Point at a book, receipt, or handwritten mess, and boom the text drops into your note, editable and searchable.

11. Measure Anything With the Built-In App

Need to check if that IKEA shelf will actually fit? The Measure app turns your iPhone 17 into a digital tape measure. It’s shockingly accurate great for DIY projects or proving that yes, your suitcase is definitely carry on size.

12. Hide Your Email (but Still Get Emails)

Apple’s Hide My Email feature creates random email addresses that forward to your main inbox. Use it when signing up for sketchy websites. Spam stays out, your inbox stays clean, and you look like a genius.

13. Siri Shortcuts for Daily Routines

Set Siri to do multiple actions with one phrase. Example: Say, “Hey Siri, good night,” and it can:

Turn on Do Not Disturb

Dim your lights (if you’ve got smart bulbs)

Play white noise

It’s like training your phone to become your butler.

14. Identify Songs Without Shazam

Don’t bother downloading Shazam anymore. Swipe down for Control Center and hit the little music recognition button. The iPhone identifies songs instantly even ones playing through your headphones.

15. Lock Notes With Face ID

Got private notes? (Passwords, diary entries, your secret crush’s name…) Swipe left on a note and tap the lock icon. Face ID becomes the key. No one snooping through your phone will get in.

16. Share Wi-Fi With Just a Tap

Instead of yelling the 15-digit Wi-Fi password to your friends, just tap Share Password when they’re nearby and trying to connect. Easy. You’ll look like a tech wizard.

17. Translate Text Live With the Camera

Point your camera at signs, menus, or books in another language, and tap the little translation bubble. It’s a lifesaver while traveling or when trying to figure out what your imported snacks actually are.

18. Set Up “Focus Filters”

Beyond Do Not Disturb, Focus filters let you control what apps show you. For example, in “Work Focus,” your Messages app only shows work contacts. No distractions from group chats plotting weekend plans.

19. Edit Sent Messages (Finally)

We’ve all sent the embarrassing typo. Now you can edit an iMessage for up to 15 minutes after sending. Hold down the bubble, hit Edit, and pretend the mistake never happened.

20. Use FaceTime Hand Gestures

On iPhone 17, FaceTime recognizes gestures like throwing up a peace sign to make balloons float across the screen. Is it necessary? No. Is it fun? Absolutely.

21. Fitness plus Without an Apple Watch

Did you know you don’t need an Apple Watch anymore to use Apple Fitness? Your iPhone 17 can track workouts directly. Great for anyone who doesn’t want more gadgets strapped to their wrist.

22. Create “Photo Cutouts”

Press and hold on any subject in a photo your dog, a car, your friend and iOS will cut it out from the background. You can paste it anywhere, like in a message, presentation, or meme template.

23. Emergency SOS Satellite Feature

This one’s serious. If you’re out of cell range, you can use Emergency SOS via Satellite. It helps you connect with emergency services by pointing your phone toward a satellite. Lifesaving tech in your pocket.

24. Safari’s Tab Groups

If your browser looks like a tab graveyard, Tab Groups are your savior. Organize tabs into groups like “Work,” “Shopping,” or “Vacation Planning.” Easy to switch between, and no more scrolling through chaos.

25. Optimize Battery Charging

In Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging, toggle on Optimized Charging. Your iPhone learns your routine and charges to 80%, then finishes right before you usually unplug. That way, your battery lives longer.

Wrapping It Up

The iPhone 17 isn’t just a phone it’s basically a Swiss Army knife that also happens to make calls. And the fun part? Half its power is hidden in plain sight.

Now, you don’t have to memorize all 25 tricks right away. Try two or three that excite you most. Maybe it’s Back Tap, maybe it’s the hidden trackpad, maybe it’s live text scanning. Slowly, these little hacks will weave into your daily routine until your phone feels like a super customized assistant.

And hey if you discover one I didn’t mention? Drop it in the comments. After all, part of the fun of owning an iPhone is stumbling on these “aha!” moments that make you feel just a little smarter than yesterday.