Our iPhones have some pretty cool hidden features in them.  I say hidden, because I do not know a single person who has read their iPhone owners manual…I am sure this stuff in is there somewhere.  Anyway, I did not find these tips from my manual…I never read it, I found them out by word of mouth or because a friend showed me.  If you find these tips helpful Google iPhone Tips and see what the world wide web has to offer!  In the mean time check these out.

Here are 5 helpful shortcuts I use almost every day:

1. Adding a Spelling Shortcut
Settings>General>Keyboard>Add New Shortcut…
I am using my email address and other phrases repeatedly while on my iPhone and iPad.  This tip allows your devise to finish a specific word, email, phrase, etc by typing an abbreviation.  For example, if my email address was “brandon27.earthmail@justmyemiladdress.com” I can set that to auto type every time I type “br.” Apple set one up for you in advance…type “omw” and see what pops up.

2. Back to the Top
Did you know if you are scrolling down in most any app (email, news reader, etc) or on a webpage in mobile Safari and you want to get back to the top of the page all you need to do is tap the clock at the top center of your screen?

3. Volume, Lock, and Airplay
When you double tap the home button (the only button on the face of you phone) you will see your active apps.  If you swipe from right to left you can see more open apps (if you have more than 4 open).  But if you swipe left to right you gain instant access to audio controls and a secret lock button, one more swipe and you get your volume control and if you have an airplay device running on the same network you will see a square and triangle, that’s the airplay control.

4. Reminders
If you have an iPhone 4s with Siri you have access to my favorite feature…GPS reminders.  Usually a reminder tells you to do something at a certain time, but the GPS reminder will tell you to do something when you leave or arrive at a specific location.  I told my wife I would call her after my staff lunch so I told Siri, “Reminding me to call my wife when I leave here.”  Siri set the reminder based on my GPS location and when my car left the parking lot my phone buzzed and reminded me to call Keri. If you set your home and work locations in your phone you can tell Siri things like; “remind me to buy cookies for a team snack when I leave home” or “remind me to turn in my lunch receipt when I get to work.” Best feature for me by far!

5. Ringtones
I do not use this often, but having it beats paying for ringtones.  Check out Ringtone Maker, as it’s name leads you to believe, it lets you take a clip from your favorite songs and make ringtones out of them in seconds. I turned the song, “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred into my wife’s personal ringtone.  This was funny until she called me during an elder meeting…seriously.

Share your favorite iPhone tip in the comments.