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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• A new iPhone works best after a few settings changes.
• Some iOS features are annoying or battery-draining.
• Hidden iOS tools can make your iPhone better to use.

I have a love-hate relationship with getting a new iPhone. It’s shiny and new and oh-so scratch-free, and I want to set it up to run just perfectly. But that’s the kicker: Setting it up is such a chore. I have to remember all the different toggles I switch on or off, and that’s before choosing a new wallpaper and redesigning my home screen layouts. It’s a lot.

Also: 12+ iPhone settings you can change to noticeably improve its battery life (iOS 26 and older)

I actually recently made a list of all the little settings I change first, since I got a new iPad, which runs iPadOS, a tablet-optimized version of iOS, and I had to go through this tedious exercise again. Apple gives you a good device out of the box, but some defaults are noisy and waste battery, and there are several buried tools that unlock cool features.

What I change first on a new iPhone

My list strictly includes iOS settings and features I change, add, or disable first on a new phone. It’s not about customizing my home screen with color, widgets, and folders. I do start with Liquid Glass, though, since that affects your entire system and experience.

1. Make Liquid Glass less intense

Liquid Glass gives iOS a more translucent look. It’s pretty, but it can also make text and controls harder to see, in my opinion. To adjust it, I have a few options. First, I can go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass, then choose between Clear and Tinted. Next, I can go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and turn on Reduce Transparency.

Also: Don’t like Apple’s new Liquid Glass look? Here’s how to tone it down

For even more control, press and hold the home screen, tap Edit in the corner, then choose Customize. From there, I can adjust the Liquid Glass look, choose options such as Clear or Tinted, set it to Always or Auto, and change app icon size and brightness.

2. Customize Control Center

Control Center is the iPhone’s shortcut drawer. When I want fast access to Low Power Mode, Dark Mode, screen recording, flashlight, timer, calculator, VPN, or any other tool I use often, that’s where I go first. To add, remove, or rearrange controls, swipe down from the top-right corner, then press and hold an empty area. You can also go to Settings > Control Center.

Also: How to open Control Center on your iPhone without swiping from top: 4 easier ways

3. Add Lock Screen widgets and buttons

I’m a recent convert to Lock Screen widgets. I never really used my iPhone that way before, and I’m a creature of habit, so beyond the flashlight and camera buttons, what else would I need? Turns out, it’s handy to put my most-used apps right up front, before I even unlock my phone and get to the home screen, whether that’s TikTok, Snapchat, Google Search, or ChatGPT.

Also: 5 cool ways your iPhone’s lock screen just got more customizable

To add a widget, press and hold the Lock Screen, then tap Customize > Add Widgets, and choose up to four from the selection. (If you have several Lock Screens, you will be prompted to pick one first.) To change the corner buttons, while customizing the Lock Screen, tap the minus sign (-) on them, then tap the plus sign (+) to add a more useful shortcut, such as Ask Alexa. (That’s a joke.)

4. Change the Action Button

My iPhone has an Action Button, and my advice is to set it to something useful. It can launch the camera, turn on the flashlight, start a voice memo, enable a Focus mode, open Magnifier, run a Shortcut, and more. To change it, go to Settings > Action Button.

5. Put a button on the back

Back Tap is one iPhone feature I wish I remembered to use more often. It’s especially useful if you have an older iPhone without the newer Action Button because it lets you double-tap or triple-tap the back of your phone to trigger actions, like opening an app.

Also: Your iPhone has a secret button that’s seriously useful – here’s how to unlock it

To customize it, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then pick from a range of actions, such as taking a screenshot, opening Camera or Flashlight, or launching Control Center.

6. Turn on Dark Mode

During initial setup, you may be asked to choose Dark Mode. If you skip it, you can always turn it on later. You may prefer Dark Mode on all the time because it’s supposedly easier on the eyes and helps with battery life on OLED iPhones. Go to Settings > Display and Brightness, then choose Dark. Turn on Automatic if you want the phone to switch between light and dark based on the time of day.

7. Set up Night Shift

Night Shift shifts my display toward warmer tones in the evening, supposedly making the screen less harsh on my eyes at night. I enable it because, why not? Go to Settings > Display and Brightness > Night Shift. Turn on Scheduled, then choose Sunset to Sunrise or set your own hours. You can also adjust the color temperature slider.

8. Turn off keyboard sounds (and enable haptics)

I keep keyboard haptics on because I find the little vibrations satisfying when I’m using my iPhone, but I can’t with the keyboard clicks. Immediately, no. Go to Settings > Sounds and Haptics > Keyboard Feedback. Turn off Sound and turn on Haptic.

9. Enable call screening and filtering

Spam calls are the worst. Call screening and filtering makes them easier for me to deal with on a daily basis.

Also: iPhone full of unknown texts? 4 ways to filter them out

When an unknown number calls, my iPhone can answer for me, ask the caller what they want, show me a live transcription, and filter these attempts at contact into their own recents lists in the Phone app. This all helps me to decide whether it’s worth picking up. 

To turn on call screening, go to Settings > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers > and select Ask Reason for Calling. Under Call Filtering in Phone app settings, you can enable Unknown Callers and Spam to have those moved to their own lists.

10. Enable Live Voicemail

Live Voicemail lets me see a real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. That’s helpful when I need to decide whether a call is worth picking up right away. To turn it on, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Live Voicemail, if your device is supported.

11. Turn on RCS

Text a lot of Android users? Try turning on RCS. It enables typing indicators, read receipts, better media sharing, and, in general, a more modern experience than old SMS and MMS. To enable it, go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. Carrier support may be required, and some features depend on the person being messaged. Also, no: It won’t turn Android chats blue.

Also: How to send RCS messages from your iPhone to your Android user friends

12. Enable Wi-Fi calling

Wi-Fi calling is essential for me. I live and work in an area with weak or nonexistent cellular coverage, so instead of relying only on my carrier’s signal, I prefer to have my iPhone place and receive calls over Wi-Fi. To turn it on, go to Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Calling, then enable Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone. You may need to confirm availability with your carrier.

Also: How to use Wi-Fi calling on your phone (and the ideal time to switch from LTE)

13. Use battery charge limit (and turn on optimized charging)

If an iPhone supports a charge limit, set it up early.

Also: I ignored Apple’s battery tips and charged my iPhone in all the wrong ways

I do because I want my battery to age as slowly as possible. It lets me cap charging below 100%, which I’m told helps preserve long-term health since lithium-ion batteries can wear faster when they sit fully charged for long stretches. Go to Settings > Battery > Charging, or Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, then choose a limit such as 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95%.

As for optimized charging, it’s one of those settings I turn on and then forget. It learns my charging routine, like when I charge overnight, and waits to finish charging past 80% until closer to when I’d typically need my iPhone, like in the morning. Apple says it can help reduce battery aging over time. To turn it on, go to Settings > Battery > Charging, then enable Optimized Battery Charging.

14. Turn on Adaptive Power Mode

Adaptive Power is so honestly useful. I find it really does help my iPhone stretch its battery life, especially when my usage is heavier than usual. It can make small performance and display adjustments on my behalf and turn on Low Power Mode automatically when the battery gets low. To turn on Adaptive Power (if your iPhone supports it), go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode.

15. Turn on battery percentage

The battery icon alone is not enough information. I want the number — the exact percentage of battery life I have left. Go to Settings > Battery and turn on Battery Percentage. The number appears inside or near the battery icon, depending on the iPhone model.

16. Turn off Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence can be useful, but sometimes I have AI fatigue and just want a more classic iPhone experience without AI features showing up across the system. If you feel the same way, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri, then turn off Apple Intelligence.

17. Turn off Siri, or limit it

Does anyone even use Siri? I find it never understands me, but I have a Canadian-leaning accent and hearing difficulties, so it may not all be on Apple’s AI. Still, if you rarely use Siri, too, you can limit it. Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri. Under Talk and Type to Siri, choose Off for voice activation. You can also turn off Type to Siri and side-button activation.

18. Change default apps

Some people may like Safari and Mail, but I don’t. If you prefer Chrome, Gmail, Outlook, DuckDuckGo, Firefox, or another supported app, set it as the default instead of being stuck with Apple’s apps forever. To change the default browser or mail app, for instance, go to Settings > Apps, choose the app you want, look for the default app option, and select it as the preferred app.

19. Hide sensitive apps

I have a kid who likes to grab my phone, and some apps do not need to sit out in plain view for her to access.

Also: This hidden iPhone feature keeps your private apps completely out of sight – how I use it

Nothing bad. I’m just talking about social apps, banking apps, medical apps, password managers, and messaging apps. On newer iPhones, these can be locked or hidden. Press and hold the app icon, then choose Require Face ID or Hide and Require Face ID, if available. Hidden apps move to the Hidden folder in the App Library and require authentication to open.

20. Hide notification previews

The Lock Screen is handy until it starts showing bits of my messages, emails, security codes, and calendar alerts to anyone who glances at my phone. I usually hide previews permanently. Go to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews. You can choose “When Unlocked,” “Never” (for maximum privacy, like I do), or “Always” (if you prefer to see everything right away).

21. Turn off badges and alerts

I loathe notifications. Red badge numbers are supposed to be helpful, but in reality, they’re anxiety-inducing little bubbles. And those banner alerts that pop up for every little thing? What version of hell is this? Go to Settings > Notifications, choose an app, then turn off Badges, Sounds, Banners, or Allow Notifications entirely. I wish there were a switch-off-for-all-apps button, but alas, there is not.

22. Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track

I turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track” because I don’t need every app asking for permission to follow me across other apps and websites for targeted ads. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, then turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track. Apps that already asked should be blocked from tracking, and new apps won’t be able to bother me with the pop-up in the first place.

23. Enable Camera grid

This is a simple one, but I like to enable it on all my new iPhones. The grid adds lines to the camera viewfinder, making it easier to keep horizons straight and frame shots using the rule of thirds. It’s one of the easiest tricks I use to make iPhone photos look better. Go to Settings > Camera and turn on Grid. While there, I can also change formats, video resolution, and preserve settings.

Bonus: Enhance speech in movies and shows

This isn’t specific to setting up a new iPhone, but it’s one of those features I check any time I’m using my phone to watch video.

I’m hard of hearing, so I love it and use it. But it’s also for anyone who has ever watched a movie and wondered why the dialogue sounds like it was recorded under a blanket. While watching video in Apple’s TV app or in another supported app, open the audio options and look for Enhance Dialogue or Enhance Speech. Unfortunately, availability depends on the app, content, and device.