5 Hidden Features of iPhone 15

5 Hidden Features of iPhone 15

So, you’ve got a brand-new iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro and you’re already impressed by its USB-C port and titanium frame. But did you know you can make your battery last longer by setting a charging limit or use your phone to charge other devices? There are also some cool features hidden in these new models.

These iPhone 15 tips and tricks are unique to these latest iPhones and are different from the new features in iOS 17 for older models, like Contact Posters, Live Voicemail, audio/video FaceTime messages, NameDrop, etc. Some of these features might only be available on the Pro models, but knowing about them will make your iPhone 15 more useful. So, let’s get started with the list. Make sure you have your phone ready to follow along as we explain.

5. Enable Charging Optimization To Prolong Battery’s Life

For a long time, it’s been common knowledge that keeping your iPhone’s battery between 20% and 80% can make it last longer and reduce wear and tear. But it hasn’t always been easy to do. With iOS 13, Apple introduced Optimized Battery Charging, which delays charging past 80% to minimize how long your iPhone stays fully charged. However, your iPhone often still ends up at 100% when you unplug it.

Now, with the iPhone 15, Apple has a new Charging Optimization feature that keeps your battery at 80% all the time. To activate this feature, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and choose Charging Optimization. In the next menu, pick the 80% limit, and your iPhone will not charge beyond that, except for occasional adjustments to maintain accurate estimates. This hidden feature can help you extend your battery’s lifespan and reduce the need for repairs in the future.

4. Check Battery Cycle Count Without Any Hassle

The number of times a battery has fully drained and recharged, known as the battery cycle count, is a critical factor in assessing a battery’s age and whether it requires servicing. Typically, an iPhone’s battery is designed to maintain up to 80% of its maximum capacity after 500 complete charge cycles.

However, in exceptional cases where the battery health significantly declines, you might need to replace it. This is where the battery cycle count becomes important. In the past, you had to enable iPhone analytics and extract specific text from a file, which was quite a hassle. But the iPhone 15 simplifies this process by offering a built-in feature to check it.

To check the battery cycle count on your iPhone 15, go to Settings > General > About. In the Battery section, you can also find details like the manufacture date, the first usage date, and the number of full charge/discharge cycles.

On a related note, here’s an interesting feature of the new iPhones: they can be used to power other USB-C devices using the cable provided in the box.

3. Change Default Camera Resolution

In contrast to the iPhone 14 series, all models in the iPhone 15 lineup come with a powerful 48-megapixel camera, and this unlocks an exciting hidden feature. You can actually switch between three different camera resolution modes on your iPhone 15: 12-megapixel, 24-megapixel, and the full 48-megapixel resolution.

By default, the camera captures images at 24 megapixels, which results in pictures with lots of detail and texture. However, if you’re concerned about running out of storage space or, on the other hand, you want to take full advantage of the 48-megapixel capability, here’s how you can change your iPhone’s camera resolution:

1. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats.
2. In the Photo Mode section, you can choose between 12-megapixel or 24-megapixel modes.

If you want to set the camera sensor’s resolution to the full 48 megapixels:

1. Still in Settings > Camera > Formats.
2. Enable “Resolution Control” on an iPhone 15 or “ProRAW & Resolution Control” on an iPhone 15 Pro.

Now, when you open the camera app, you’ll notice an option to capture 48-megapixel photos at the top right corner. On regular iPhones, this option will appear as the “HEIF Max” button, while the Pro models will display the “RAW Max” button. Keep in mind that photos taken in HEIF Max mode consume considerably less storage space compared to ProRAW Max images.

2. Explore The Hidden Zoom Levels On iPhone 15 Pro

If you own an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, you have some hidden zoom levels in the camera app. By default, you’ll see three or four zoom icons at the bottom of the screen. These represent the available zoom levels, but there are actually two more hidden options behind the 1x button.

Here’s how to access these hidden zoom levels:

1. Tap the 1x button once to switch to 1.2x zoom.
2. Tap the 1x button again to go to 1.5x zoom.
3. To return to the standard 1x zoom, simply press the button again.

It’s important to note that the iPhone 15 Pro achieves these additional zoom levels not with physical lenses but through its powerful 48-megapixel sensor and the A17 Pro chipset.

What’s even more interesting is that you can customize the behavior of the main 48-megapixel (f/1.78) camera on the iPhone 15 Pro models. Here’s how:

1. Go to Settings > Camera > Main Camera.
2. Under “Default Lens,” you can choose from three options:

• Default to 24-millimeter (1x)
• Default to 28-millimeter (1.2x)
• Default to 35-millimeter (1.5x)

This customization allows you to change how the primary camera on your iPhone 15 Pro behaves. Feel free to experiment with these options to see which one suits your preferences best.

1. Connect To External Displays Via iPhone 15’s DisplayPort

On older iPhone models, like the iPhone 14 and earlier, you could only output videos at a maximum of 1080p resolution to external monitors and displays due to the Lightning Port. However, this changes with the iPhone 15, as all models now feature a USB-C port.

With the USB-C port using the DisplayPort protocol, your new iPhone can transmit 4K videos at 60 frames per second to an external display or TV using a USB-C 3.1 or Thunderbolt 4 cable. If you have an external device with HDMI input, you can make use of Apple’s Digital AV Multiport Adapter to connect.

This improvement makes it much easier and enjoyable to connect your iPhone 15 to a larger screen for activities like watching videos, displaying photos, or even playing console games (especially on the iPhone 15 Pro). Furthermore, the USB-C port allows you to connect a wide range of other devices such as CarPlay-compatible cars, external storage drives, microphones, battery packs, SD card adapters, and more. Additionally, this new port resolves the long-standing connectivity issue that iPhones have faced for years.