Hidden Phone Tricks That Actually Work (Android & iPhone)

1. Three-finger screenshot (Android)

Quick, easy, and wonderfully satisfying. Many Android brands (Tecno, Oppo, Realme, Xiaomi, and others) support taking a screenshot by swiping down with three fingers — no button-pressing required.

How to do it

1. Place three fingertips on the screen.
2. Swipe down (or swipe up on some models) with all three fingers at once.
3. The screen will flash and the screenshot will be saved to your gallery or Photos app.

Note: This works on most modern Android phones, but the gesture may be located in Settings → Gestures (or similar). If it doesn’t work, try Power + Volume Down instead.

2. Back Tap — double or triple tap (iPhone)

This is one of my favorite hidden shortcuts. Back Tap lets you double-tap or triple-tap the back of your iPhone to trigger actions — like taking a screenshot, opening the Control Center, or running a Shortcut.

How to set it up

1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Touch.
2. Scroll down to Back Tap.
3. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then pick an action (Screenshot, App Switcher, Shortcut, etc.).

Works on: iPhone 8 and newer running iOS 14 and later. Sensitivity may vary by case thickness.

3. Scan documents with your camera (Android & iPhone)

No scanner? No problem. Both Android (via Google Drive on many models) and iPhone (Notes) include document scanning built in.

Android (Google Drive)

1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Tap the + (plus) button → Scan.
3. Frame the document and take the photo; adjust crop and save as PDF.

iPhone (Notes)

1. Open the Notes app and create a new note.
2. Tap the camera icon → Scan Documents.
3. Position the page; it will auto-capture or tap the shutter. Save when done.

Tip: Scanned PDFs are searchable on many phones if OCR is enabled.

4. Split-screen multitasking (Android)

Want to watch a video while replying to messages? Split screen on Android makes it seamless.

How to use split screen

1. Open the first app you want to use.
2. Tap the Recent apps (overview) button.
3. Tap the app icon at the top of the app preview → select Split screen (or drag the app to the top of the screen).
4. Choose the second app from your recent list or app drawer.

Note: Behavior and steps may vary slightly by Android version and manufacturer, but most Android 9+ phones support split screen.

5. One-handed keyboard and one-handed mode (Android & iPhone)

Big phones, small hands — the one-handed mode and keyboard shortcuts are lifesavers.

Android (one-handed mode)

1. Settings → Advanced features (or Gestures) → One-handed mode.
2. Enable and choose a gesture (e.g., swipe down on the home button) to shrink the screen.

iPhone (one-handed keyboard)

1. Open the keyboard and long-press the emoji/globe icon.
2. Choose left or right one-handed keyboard layout.

6. Turn your keyboard into a trackpad (Android & iPhone)

Editing text is faster when you can move the cursor precisely. On most phones you can turn the keyboard into a trackpad.

Android (Gboard)

1. Open the keyboard and long-press the space bar.
2. Slide your finger to move the cursor around the text.

iPhone

1. On devices with 3D Touch (older iPhones): press and hold the keyboard to move the cursor.
2. On newer iPhones: hold the space bar until the keys turn blank, then slide your finger to move the cursor.

7. Silence unknown callers / spam protection (Android & iPhone)

Tired of robo-calls? Both platforms offer ways to silence or identify unknown or spam callers.

iPhone

1. Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers.
2. Turn it on to send calls from numbers not in your contacts straight to voicemail.

Android (Caller ID & spam)

1. Phone app → Settings → Caller ID & spam → Enable “See caller and spam ID.”

Note: This helps filter many spam calls, though it can sometimes silence legitimate unknown numbers.

8. Quick launch camera from lock screen (Android & iPhone)

Need to capture a moment fast? Both systems let you launch the camera without unlocking fully.

iPhone

1. From the lock screen, swipe left to open the Camera app, or press the Camera icon.

Android

1. From the lock screen, double-press the Power or Camera button (varies by brand) to open the camera quickly.

9. Screen recording without extra apps (Android & iPhone)

Need to save a short tutorial or a bug for support? Both systems include screen recorders.

iPhone

1. Open Control Center → tap Screen Record.
2. Tap the red bar or timer to stop recording.

Android

1. Swipe down to access Quick Settings → look for Screen Record. If it’s not visible, edit your Quick Settings to add it.

10. Use airplane mode + Wi-Fi to browse when needed (Both)

This one’s handy on flights or when you want to cut mobile data but still use Wi-Fi. Airplane Mode disables mobile radios, but you can manually enable Wi-Fi afterward.

How to

1. Turn on Airplane Mode (swipe down to Quick Settings/Control Center).
2. Then re-enable Wi-Fi and connect to an available network.

Note: You won’t have mobile data while in Airplane Mode unless you re-enable mobile radios; this is perfect for using in-flight Wi-Fi or conserving data.

11. Hidden dialer codes for device info (Both)

Quick dialer codes reveal useful info like your IMEI or network status. These are universal but use them carefully.

Common codes

• *#06# — Displays your IMEI (works on most phones).
• *#*#4636#*#* — Android: Opens usage and network info on many devices (may not work on all brands).

Warning: Don’t dial codes you don’t understand — some manufacturer codes can change settings or run tests.

12. App shortcuts (long-press icons) — quick actions (Both)

Long-pressing an app icon usually reveals contextual shortcuts — jump straight to camera modes, compose messages, or start navigation.

How to use

1. Long-press any app icon on the home screen.
2. Choose the offered shortcut (e.g., New Message, Directions Home, Take Selfie).

13. Smart text selection and link preview (Both)

Both systems recognize text types (addresses, phone numbers) and let you act fast — tap an address to open maps, or phone numbers to call instantly.

How to

1. Select text and wait for smart actions to appear (Copy, Share, Look Up, Translate, etc.).
2. Tapping recognized content offers quick contextual actions.

14. Quick settings and Control Center customization (Both)

Customize Quick Settings (Android) or Control Center (iPhone) so your most-used toggles — flashlight, screen recorder, hotspot — are one swipe away.

How to customize

• Android: Swipe down → Edit (pencil icon) → drag toggles into place.
• iPhone: Settings → Control Center → Add or remove controls.

15. Emergency SOS and medical ID (Both)

Not exactly a “trick,” but life-saving and often overlooked. Set up Emergency SOS and Medical ID so first responders have access to critical info.

How to set up

• iPhone: Settings → Emergency SOS → configure Auto Call. Medical ID is in the Health app.
• Android: Settings → Safety & emergency (or Security) → Emergency SOS / Emergency info.

Final notes

These are all confirmed, practical features that work on modern Android phones and iPhones. Some gestures are manufacturer-specific (like the three-finger screenshot), so if a trick doesn’t work right away, check your phone’s Settings → Gestures or your brand’s support page. Try a few — you’ll find at least one new daily habit that actually saves time.

Want me to turn any of these into short, shareable how-to graphics or a quick printable cheat sheet? I can make that for you too.