Helpful Tips, Tricks, and How Tos for New iPhone Owners

Did you get a new iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max for the holidays? If so, make sure to take some time to browse through this article, which is packed with helpful tips, tricks, and guides for the iPhone 12, 12 mini 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, and earlier iPhone models.

Whether you're new to iPhone or have upgraded to a new model, there's likely to be something in here for you. There are hundreds of features and hidden tricks available on the iPhone, so it can be easy to forget the full range of what the iPhone can do.

iphone 12 colors lineup
Below, we've rounded up our most useful iPhone-related how tos and tutorials, both for general iPhone usage and for getting used to iOS 14.

Tips for Beginners

Using iOS 14

iOS 14 in More Detail

For iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Owners

Must-Read Security Tutorials

Hidden Tricks and Tips

In-Depth Guides

We have in-depth guides on many of the features found on the iPhone as well as Apple's services and iOS features, so make sure to check those out if there's a particular aspect of the iPhone that you're interested in learning more about.

Selling Your Old iPhone

If you're planning to sell or give away your old iPhone now that you have a new model, make sure to check out our detailed guide on how to cleanly erase your old devices to get rid of all your data.


Videos

Over on our YouTube channel, we've shared quite a few videos filled with useful tips and tricks related to the iPhone and iOS, all of which are well worth watching to get acquainted with features you might not know about or might have forgotten. We've also got some great comparison videos comparing the cameras of various smartphones.

More Info

Know a super useful iPhone tip that other MacRumors readers might not be aware of? Make sure to share it in the comments below.

For more info on Apple's latest iPhones, and the iOS 14 operating system, make sure to check out our detailed roundups: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and iOS 14.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

iOS 18 Available Today With These 8 New Features For Your iPhone

Sunday September 15, 2024 10:09 am PDT by
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 will finally be widely released to the public this Monday, September 16. The update should be available to install starting at around 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time) in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and Apple...
iOS 18 Public Beta Thumb 1

Here's When iOS 18 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone

Monday September 16, 2024 3:56 am PDT by
It's that time of year again. Apple is about to release iOS 18, which promises to bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and the company is expected to release it sometime today – Monday, September 16. Based on past releases, the update is likely to drop at around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time/1:00 p.m. Eastern...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Friday September 13, 2024 2:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Shares Full List of Over 250 New Features and Changes Coming With iOS 18

Wednesday September 11, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Following its iPhone 16 event on Monday, Apple shared a PDF on its website with a list of all new features and changes coming with iOS 18. The list includes many features that were already announced, including Apple Intelligence, new customization options for the Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app, several enhancements to the Messages app, a Passwords app, and more....
16 pro

iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says

Sunday September 15, 2024 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

M4 Macs, New iPad Mini, and iPad 11 Expected at Upcoming Apple Event

Sunday September 15, 2024 5:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated...
iphone 16 pro apple intelligence

iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max Shipping Estimates Extending Into October

Friday September 13, 2024 5:48 am PDT by
Apple began accepting pre-orders for all four new iPhone 16 models today, and shipping estimates for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max on Apple's online store in the U.S. are already beginning to slip into October for many configurations. As of 6:45 a.m. Pacific Time, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were facing a 2-4 week shipping delay for some configurations on Apple's online store, with...
iphone 16 pro apple intelligence

Apple Intelligence Features Expected to Roll Out in This Order Between iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.4

Friday September 13, 2024 1:01 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will be released to the public on Monday, but the first Apple Intelligence features will not be available until iOS 18.1 is released in October. Apple Intelligence features will continue to roll out in iOS 18.2 and beyond, with the expected roadmap outlined below per Apple's website and rumors. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro model or any iPhone 16 model, and it will...

Top Rated Comments

dannyyankou Avatar
62 months ago

Gosh, I miss the days the iPhone didn't need pages and pages of instructions to find all the functions.
Well that would take us back to an iPhone with fewer features.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ScreenSavers Avatar
62 months ago
Very detailed post. Lots of good info for new users.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WannaGoMac Avatar
62 months ago
Gosh, I miss the days the iPhone didn't need pages and pages of instructions to find all the functions.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ScreenSavers Avatar
62 months ago

Do not let you tease - get these wallpapers (iPhone 11Pro i guess) and your notch is gone in a matter of seconds, as it is on these phones. ;)
Like the infamous iPhone XS box...

Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ScreenSavers Avatar
62 months ago
That's to trick those unfamiliar with the notch to not discover it until it's too late.
Is there an option to set the top to be all black yet?
The “notch” isn’t bad. Why would one reduce screen size just to hide it?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EvilEvil Avatar
62 months ago
The notchless iPhones in the header image are such a tease.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)