iPhone & iPod Touch Tips, Tricks, Secrets Solutions (Troubleshooting)

Easily Ignore Calls

Tap one of the volume buttons to silence your phone - it will seem to continue ringing for the caller. To send calls to voicemail press the sleep/wake button twice (top right on your iPhone).

You can also use the iPhone headset by quickly pressing the mic. button twice .

An Easier Way to Delete

Swipe across the note, email or SMS conversation to make the 'Delete' button appear.

NB: This doesn't work for individual texts or MMS.

Organize Your Apps

To move the App icons around and delete any unwanted Apps, hold your finger on one of the Apps for several seconds, until they stark to shake. You can now drag them around the current page as well as to other pages. Touch the 'x' at the top left of downloaded Apps to delete them.

A Fast Way to The Top

When reading a web page, SMS or email, tap anywhere on the status bar at the top to get to the top of that page.

Find Contacts Faster

Finding contacts not in your favourites is quicker with Spotlight search. Type the first few letters of a contact's name.

iPod Music Control from Anywhere

You can control your music while surfing the web or using other applications. Double press the home button to bring up the music controls without leaving the current app or unlocking the home screen.

Tap to Move Sideways

As well as swiping to move left and right, you can also tap near the multiple dots near the bottom of your screen.

This function works wherever you see the line of dots (e.g. the Safari and Weather Apps).

Back to the Beginning

Return to your first page by pressing the Home button from any page. Many people prefer to have their most frequently used Apps on this page. Pressing the Home button again will take you to Spotlight search.

Quit Frozen Apps

When an App freezes simply hold the Home button with the Sleep/Wake button together for 10 seconds and when you see the "slide to turn off" message release both buttons.
Next, hold the Home button for about 6 seconds. This will quit the App and take you to the Home screen.

NB: With devices that haven't been upgraded to OS 3.0 or later, just hold the Home button for six seconds to quit the frozen App.

Are You up to Date?

Apple sometimes updates the iPhone firmware. Updates often bring things like longer battery life and other minor improvements. To make sure you're always up to date, attach your iPhone to your computer and wait for iTunes to start, and you'll be prompted to update your firmware if you're not up to date.

Rebooting

If you've got an App that's rejecting your request to start or your iPhone has frozen, hold the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button together for 10 seconds. Ignore the "slide to turn off" message. Turn on again normally.

Get Your Signal Back

Sometimes your phone might tell you there is no signal available when there is. When encountering this problem most people tend to turn their iPhone off then on again. But there is a quicker way. Via settings, turn 'Airplane Mode' off then on again. This restarts the network circuitry and usually finds the missing signal.

Start Again

If there is something very wrong with your iPhone or iPod Touch you can restore it to your last backup. Connect your device to your computer and wait for iTunes to start. Click the iPhone tab and then click the restore button.

Save Safari Images

Images you come across in Safari can be saved to your iPhone. Hold your finger down on the picture for a couple of seconds to get the option to save it. The saved image can be found in the Photos App which comes pre-installed on your device. You can now send the image to your friends or set it as your iPhone wallpaper.

Free Alternatives

Safari is great but sometimes there are free Apps providing a more easy-to-use interface

Google Google Mobile
Wikipedia Wikipanion
Twitter Twitterific
Facebook Facebook

Create Website Shortcuts

Add a new App icon to your Home screen by tapping the '+' at the bottom of Safari when you are at the website you want, then tap "add to Home screen".

Autofill

If you want your device to remember usernames and passwords for websites,

1. Create a contact for yourself.
2. Go to Autofill (Settings à Safari à Autofill) enable both the settings, and set 'My Info' to be yourself as a contact.

Now when you start to enter information on websites, the Autofill function will appear above the keyboard.

Scroll Items within the Page

Some websites contain scrollable text boxes within the page. One finger scrolling would scroll the entire page. To something within a page simply use two fingers.

Lazy URLs

If you're looking to go to a .com domain, you can leave out the "www." and the ".com". For example:

If you wanted to go to www.google.com, just type in "google" and then tap go.

Get more From .com

Hold your finger for a couple of seconds on the Safari address bar keyboard to get the options of using:

§ .co.uk
§ .net
§ .edu
§ .org

Slide your fingertip to the one you want and release to use it.

Fit to Screen

Simply double tap a column of text or image to make it the ideal size for your iPhone screen. Just double tap again to zoom out.

Quick Punctuation & Numbers

Tap and hold the '123' key and slide to your desired character or symbol (keeping your finger on the '123'). When you lift your finger the character or symbol will be inserted and your qwerty keyboard will instantaneously appear again.

Shift Lock

Double tab shift to lock it for temporarily permanent capitals.
This feature must be enabled. To do this:

Settings à General à Keyboard.
Then set 'Enable Caps Lock' to 'On'.

CAPITALS

Hold shift whilst typing to make a word or abbreviation in capitals without repeatedly tapping shift after every letter.

Quick Full-Stops

Tap the space key twice to insert a full-stop and a single space.

Undo & Redo

When typing or using the copy, cut & paste functions, shake your iPhone to undo. Shake again to redo.

Get more out of Your '.'

In the Mail App, hold your finger on the '.' on the keyboard to reveal shortcuts to commonly used email address endings.

Get more out of Each Key

Hold down any letter on the keyboard to reveal variations of the letter or punctuation.

Multiple Currencies

Hold your finger down on your default currency character on the keyboard and slide to whichever currency character you need.

Easier Typing

To get a bigger and more finger-friendly keyboard in many Apps, simply turn your device sideways.

NB: The orientation often locks after you have started entering text.

A more Accurate Cursor

If you've spotted a spelling mistake you can move the cursor to exactly where you want it by holding your finger down over the text until a magnifying glass appears. Simply drag this to wherever you want to edit your text.

Add to Dictionary

If you're entering a word which isn't in the iPhone's default dictionary it will try and correct your spelling 'mistake'. Simply click the 'x' on the top right of the proposed correction to add that word to your device's dictionary. It'll remember it for next time.

Dim the Screen

Reduce the brightness (Settings->Brightness) or reduce the auto-lock time (Settings->General->Auto-lock).

Turn Bluetooth off

Bluetooth wastes a significant amount of battery. The bluetooth icon can be easily seen at the top of the home screen if it is on.
(Settings->General->Bluetooth).

Push Email

Turn push email off to save a considerable amount of battery.
(Settings->Fetch New Data->Push). Set it to 'Off' and 'Fetch' to 'Manually'.

Automatic Wi-Fi

Turn automatic wi-fi to off. When it's on your phone will be searching for new networks whenever you use an Internet App.
(Settings->Wi-Fi).

3G

Sustaining a 3G connection can cost you a lot of battery power. If you turn 3G off the battery will last much longer and you can still make and receive calls.
(Settings->General->Network).

Temperature

iPhones and iPod Touches have the longest battery life between the temperature between 0C and 35C. Using a case that doesn't allow air into it can also harm your battery life not to mention your device.

Equalisation (EQ)

EQ enhances frequencies of the music you listen to on your device. This requires a fair bit of processing power which uses up battery. Turn it off to increase your battery life.
(Settings->iPod->EQ %u2026 for iPhone users).
(Settings->Music %u2026 for iPod Touch users).

NB: If it won't turn off then this means that it has been set in iTunes. In this case set it to flat for a similar effect.

Lock on the Home Screen

Close Apps by pressing the Home button before you lock your iPod or the App will remain running. This will use up a large amount of battery.

Certain Apps

If you're looking to increase your battery life on a regular basis then you will want to reduce your use of Apps that use the internet, as well as game Apps and iPod videos.

Power for iPod

If you just want to save your battery for use as an iPod (iPhone
users) put your device in Airplane Mode. This turns off 3G and phone uses.
(SettingsàAirplane Mode).

Keep Your Information Secure

If your device gets stolen the thief will have access to all your personal information.

Setting a pass code will protect your privacy. To set a pass code:
Settings->General->Passcode Lock.

Enter a pass code no one else can guess.

Erase All Data

If someone does get their hands on your iPhone and tries to guess your pass code then after 10 guesses all the information on your
device will be erased.

Reduce Roaming Charges

3G is very expensive abroad. Three ways to be cost-effective when using 3G overseas:

1. Turn off 'push email' to reduce the use of 3G. Try to use wi-fi facilities for email and Internet use.
2. Turn Data Roaming off (SettingsàGeneralàNetworkàData Roaming).
3. Reset the Usage Statistics when you arrive at your destination to monitor your iPhone activities.

Sign up to MobileMe

If you subscribe to 'Mobile Me' you get access to a feature called Find My iPhone. You can sign up for this at www.me.com.

MobileMe - Use Find my iPhone

Once you've signed up to the above feature you can sign in from the website to track your iPhone on a map. This is found in the account section - MobileMe.

MobileMe - Messages & Make Noise

From the website above you can also send messages to your iPhone, as well as making it play a loud persistent noise for 2 minutes, whether silent is on or off.

(OS3.1) MobileMe - Remote-Lock

You can set a new pass code and lock your iPhone with MobileMe from their website www.me.com.

MobileMe - Remote Data Wipe

Yes, another one from MobileMe. If you realise your phone has been stolen, you can remotely wipe all data stored on it. However, after you've done this you can no longer track it. If you do recover your device you can restore it from iTunes.

Controlling Incoming Calls

The iPhone earphones have a built-in mic. you can use to control your calls hands free. Calls can be controlled by simply clicking it.

§ Click once to answer a call.
§ Hold for a couple of seconds to reject an incoming call.
§ Click once to end a call.
§ Click once to switch to an incoming call from a current call.
§ Click once to switch between these two calls.
§ Hold for a couple of seconds to end the current call and go to the new call.

Controlling you iPod

§ Click to pause/play your music.
§ Click twice to skip back.
§ Click thrice to skip forwards.

Shake to Shuffle

(3.0+) This setting can be turned on through SettingsàiPod. This feature is automatically disabled when your device is locked.

Synch Faster

Some computers have many USB ports, which can run at different speeds. Its trial and error to find the fastest one.

Screenshot Anything

Take a screenshot in anywhere by simply pressing the Home button with the Sleep/Wake button for a second. Screenshots can be viewed in the photo App.

Flying?

Find airports by typing in their 3 letter abbreviations into the Maps App. London Heathrow would be LHR.

GPS Orientation

(3GS) Tap the 'Find me' button in the bottom left hand corner of the Map App twice to orientate the map to the way you are facing.

Forward SMS and MMS

Touch the 'Edit' button, select your message, and then tap 'Forward'.

Synch Notes

You can now synch Notes from your device to your computer. Attach your iPod to your PC or Mac,

Battery Life%u2026 %

(3GS) Enable a battery % remaining display on your status bar.
(Settings->Usage).

Surf and Talk

Browse the Internet whilst making a call by using speakerphone. Press the Home button during a call, then open the Safari App.

Any Wallpaper

Get any wallpaper you want for free. Open Safari, find the image you want and hold your finger down on it for a couple of seconds. Once you have saved it, the image can be found in the Photos App and made into your wallpaper.

Sending Multiple Photos

Select as many photos as you want to send (through MMS/email) tap copy, and paste them into your email. They'll even be sent at full resolution.

Another Way to Zoom out in Maps

Tap the screen with two fingers to zoom out as opposed to pinching out, which can be used for more precise zoomage.

Upgrade your Calculator

Simply turn your iPhone or iPod sideways when in the default Calculator App to get a scientific calculator with many more functions.

Get more out of your Favourites

Touch the blue arrow icon to the right of your favourites for many more options than just returning calls.

Scroll Month by Month

On the Calendar App you can quickly scroll through the months by tapping the black arrow to the right of the month.

Pause Downloading

Pause your device from downloading new Apps or update old ones by tapping the App icon once. Tap to resume.

Disable Text Previews

Even if your phone is locked and you receive an SMS you're shown a preview. This can be disabled if you don't want nosey friends catching a glimpse of your private messages.
(Settings->Messaging->Text Preview).