Most iOS Users Are Doing These 9 Basic Tasks Wrong

All iPhones are simple to use and easy to navigate. But despite that, there are plenty of features and tricks that are either somewhat hidden or just under-used. To be clear, there's technically no "wrong" way to use an iPhone – but there are some basic tips and features you should take advantage of to make using your iPhone even better. Continue reading to learn about nine basic tasks most iOS users are doing wrong.
They Cancel App Store Subscriptions the Hard Way
For whatever reason, canceling an in-app subscription made through the App Store has been difficult in iOS — the option to do so has long been buried within the Apple ID and iCloud menu. If you’ve been using iOS for a while, you might be resorting to this old method. Which is a shame, because Apple has made it a lot easier.
- Just open the App Store app.
- Tap on your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
- From there, you should see a prominent button that says Manage Subscriptions.
This will take you to that previously buried menu, where you can easily edit and cancel reoccurring subscriptions that you don’t want anymore.
They Dig Through Folders to Find Apps with Notifications
3D Touch is coveted feature on many of Apple’s newer iPhones. But despite the fact that people love it, the feature is underutilized. If you aren’t using 3D Touch, you should seriously consider adding it to your repertoire.
Instead of opening an app folder to figure out which apps have notifications, just 3D Touch on the folder to easily see a list of apps with active alerts.
But that’s just one example of what 3D Touch can do, albeit a relatively handy one. For more 3D Touch tips, you can read our article here.
They Don't Customize Their Control Center
Anything that makes an iOS feature easier to get to is a good thing. Which is why using the baked-in Control Center and widget screen is something that every iOS user should do (if they aren’t already).
Many first- and third-party apps have corresponding widgets with their own set of useful features. The Control Center, on the other hand, can make built-in iOS features — like Calculator or Notes — a lot easier to access.
You can edit your Widgets by going to the Today View and scrolling down until you see Edit. The Control Center can be customized by going to:
- Settings.
- Control Center.
They Don't Use the Hidden Keyboard Trackpad
Editing text on an iPhone is objectively more difficult than correcting errors or typos on a computer. But it doesn’t have to be, since recent versions of iOS have a handy trick that makes the task so much easier.
You can actually turn the iOS keyboard into one giant trackpad by pressing and holding on the Space bar.
As an example benefit, the feature lets you easily place the cursor in front of or behind individual letters in a word. That makes correcting any errors or adding new words a breeze compared to manually attempting to place the cursor somewhere with a tap.
They Overdo App Permissions
When most users get an iOS prompt stating that an app is asking for permission to their microphone, camera or location, they probably don’t think twice about granting it. That could be a mistake.
Truly malicious apps are fairly rare on the App Store, but they’re still a possibility. And even then, other more benign apps could be using app permissions to collect data on you. Luckily, you can edit app permissions after the fact.
- Just open Settings and scroll down until you see your apps.
- Then, tap on one and edit the permissions as you see fit.
They Haven't Fine-tuned Face ID
Face ID does a great job of recognizing you, but the system can run into problems if you wear any type of mask or headgear for your profession (or if you just like to wear sunglasses a lot).
Luckily, you can add an alternate appearance to Face ID to mitigate any issues. Adding an additional face to Face ID, can be done by going to:
- Settings.
- Face ID & Passcode.
- Enter your password.
- Set Up an Alternate Appearance.
On a similar note, you can also add new fingerprints to devices with Touch ID. This is useful if you, say, add your opposite thumb to the platform. But you can also add multiple copies of the same finger to increase accuracy.
They Don't Install Updates
It can be incredibly tempting to just keep ignoring those iOS update prompts. And to be fair, updating your iPhone can take some time. But installing iOS updates as they come out, in general, is highly recommended.
Even if they don’t have any shiny new features, the vast majority of iOS updates contain critical security fixes that keep your device from being hacked or your data from being compromised.
More than that, iOS updates regularly feature bug fixes that help your iPhone run smoothly. In other words, you don’t have many reasons not to update.
They Close out of Every App
Regularly closing out of your apps makes an intuitive kind of sense. After all, it probably helps your iPhone save on battery life and memory consumption, right? Truthfully, closing out of apps is a lot less helpful than it seems.
Newer iPhones do a great job of managing memory consumption, which means that most apps can be left open without straining your device. The same goes for battery life. And, in fact, closing out of apps may decrease your battery quicker, since reopening an app typically takes more energy than keeping it open.
There are exceptions, of course, but it’s generally best to keep frequently used apps open in the background.
They Let Their Phones Get Hot
Smartphone cases are meant to protect your device. But, in fact, many first- and third-party cases could be doing damage to a certain component on your iPhone: its battery.
That’s because leaving the case on a charging iPhone won’t allow the device to breathe as well, which could lead to overheating.
Heat and electronics don’t mix well, and heat is especially damaging to your battery’s overall capacity. This is especially true if you live in a hot environment or your iPhone is charging in direct sunlight.
Try removing your case when charging to keep your iPhone's battery cool – and follow these other great iPhone battery-saving tips.