Every New iPhone Until I Tweak These Settings—And The Reason Is a Game-Changer

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• A brand-new iPhone runs best after adjusting several settings.
• Some iOS features can be irritating or drain the battery quickly.
• Hidden iOS tools can enhance your iPhone experience.

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Setting up a new iPhone is always a mixed experience for me. It’s exciting to unwrap a shiny, scratch-free device and imagine getting everything just right. But the reality of setup can be a real headache. I have to recall which toggles to switch on or off, all before picking a wallpaper and arranging my home screens. It’s quite a process.

Also: 12+ iPhone settings you can change to noticeably improve battery life

I recently compiled a checklist of the settings I always tweak first. After setting up a new iPad, which runs iPadOS (a tablet-focused version of iOS), I was reminded how tedious this routine can be. Apple delivers a solid device out of the box, but some default settings are too noisy and eat up battery, while many useful tools remain hidden.

What I tweak first on a new iPhone

My list covers only the iOS settings and features I adjust or disable immediately after unboxing. It doesn’t focus on customizing the home screen with colors, widgets, or folders—though I do start with Liquid Glass, as it affects the entire look and feel of the system.

1. Tone down Liquid Glass

Liquid Glass gives iOS a sleek, translucent aesthetic. It looks modern, but in my view, it can make text and controls harder to read. To adjust this, I have several choices. First, I navigate to Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass and switch between Clear and Tinted. Alternatively, I go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and enable Reduce Transparency.

Also: Don’t like Apple’s new Liquid Glass look? How to tone it down

Even more control is available when I long-press the home screen, tap Edit in the corner, then select Customize. From there, I can refine the Liquid Glass appearance, choose between Clear or Tinted, select Always or Auto display, and adjust icon size and brightness.

2. Personalize Control Center

Control Center is my go-to shortcut panel. When I need quick access to Low Power Mode, Dark Mode, screen recording, flashlight, timer, calculator, VPN, or other frequently used tools, this is where I head. To rearrange, add, or remove controls, I swipe down from the top-right corner, then long-press an empty section. Alternatively, I can manage everything in Settings > Control Center.

Also: How to open Control Center on your iPhone without swiping from top

3. Add widgets and buttons to the Lock Screen

I’ve recently started using Lock Screen widgets. Before, I stuck to my old habits and only used the default flashlight and camera buttons. But it turns out, having my favorite apps right at my fingertips—before even unlocking the phone—is incredibly handy. Whether it’s TikTok, Snapchat, Google Search, or ChatGPT, I can access them instantly.

Also: 5 cool ways your iPhone’s lock screen just got more customizable

To add a widget, I long-press the Lock Screen, then select Customize > Add Widgets, and pick up to four from the options provided. If I have multiple Lock Screens, I’ll be asked to select one. To swap out the corner buttons, I tap the minus sign (-) while customizing the Lock Screen, then the plus sign (+) to choose a more helpful shortcut—like Ask Alexa. (Just kidding.)

4. Reprogram the Action Button

My iPhone’s Action Button is there for a reason—I make sure it’s set to something practical. It can launch the camera, activate the flashlight, start a voice memo, switch on a Focus mode, open Magnifier, run a Shortcut, and more. To adjust its function, I simply go to Settings > Action Button.

5. Assign a function to the back of your phone

Back Tap is one of those iPhone features I wish I used more. It’s particularly valuable if you have an older iPhone without the new Action Button, letting you double-tap or triple-tap the back of your phone to trigger actions like opening apps.

Also: Your iPhone has a secret button that’s seriously useful – how to unlock it

To set it up, I navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. I choose Double Tap or Triple Tap and select from various actions—like taking a screenshot, launching Camera or Flashlight, or accessing Control Center.

6. Enable Dark Mode

During setup, you may be prompted to choose Dark Mode. If you skipped it, you can always turn it on afterward. Some people prefer Dark Mode because it’s easier on the eyes and helps extend battery life on OLED iPhones. To switch to it, I go to Settings > Display and Brightness and select Dark. I can also turn on Automatic to let my phone switch between light and dark based on the time of day.

7. Configure Night Shift

Night Shift shifts the display toward warmer colors in the evening, making the screen gentler on your eyes at night. Why not take advantage of this feature? I go to Settings > Display and Brightness > Night Shift, turn on Scheduled, then choose Sunset to Sunrise or set custom hours. I can also tweak the color temperature slider for comfort.

8. Disable keyboard clicks (and switch on haptic feedback)

I prefer keeping haptic feedback enabled because the subtle vibrations feel pleasant while typing on my iPhone, but the clicking sounds are a dealbreaker for me. Absolutely not. Navigate to Settings > Sounds and Haptics > Keyboard Feedback. Disable Sound and enable Haptic.

9. Set up call screening and filtering

Unsolicited calls are incredibly annoying. Call screening and filtering make handling them much more manageable on a daily basis.

Also: iPhone cluttered with unknown texts? 4 ways to filter them out

When a call comes from an unknown number, my iPhone can pick up on my behalf, ask the caller their purpose, display a live transcription, and sort these unwanted calls into separate recent call lists within the Phone app. All of this helps me quickly determine whether answering is worthwhile.

To activate call screening, go to Settings > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers > and choose Ask Reason for Calling. Within Call Filtering in the Phone app settings, you can toggle on Unknown Callers and Spam so they get moved to their own dedicated lists.

10. Turn on Live Voicemail

Live Voicemail allows me to view a real-time transcription while someone is leaving a voicemail. This is handy when I need to decide whether a call requires my immediate attention. To enable it, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Live Voicemail, provided your device supports the feature.

11. Activate RCS

Do you frequently message Android users? Consider enabling RCS. It brings typing indicators, read receipts, improved media sharing, and overall a far more modern messaging experience compared to traditional SMS and MMS. To turn it on, go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. Carrier support may be required, and certain features depend on the recipient’s device. And no, it won’t make Android conversations appear in blue.

Also: How to send RCS messages from your iPhone to your Android friends

12. Turn on Wi-Fi calling

Wi-Fi calling is a must-have for me. I live and work in an area with poor or nonexistent cellular reception, so rather than depending solely on my carrier’s signal, I’d rather have my iPhone make and receive calls over Wi-Fi. To enable it, go to Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Calling, then toggle on Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone. You may need to verify availability with your carrier.

Also: How to use Wi-Fi calling on your phone (and when)

13. Set a battery charge limit (and enable optimized charging)

If your iPhone supports a charging limit, configure it right away.

I do this because I want my battery to degrade as slowly as possible. It allows me to cap charging below 100%, which reportedly helps maintain long-term battery health since lithium-ion batteries tend to deteriorate faster when they remain fully charged for extended periods. Go to Settings > Battery > Charging, or Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, then select a limit such as 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95%.

Also: A common charging habit was quietly killing my iPhone’s battery – here’s the fix

As for optimized charging, it’s one of those features I enable and then never think about again. It learns my charging patterns, like when I plug in overnight, and delays finishing the charge past 80% until closer to when I’d normally need my phone, such as in the morning. Apple states it can help slow battery aging over time. To enable it, go to Settings > Battery > Charging, then turn on Optimized Battery Charging.

14. Enable Adaptive Power Mode

Adaptive Power is genuinely helpful. I’ve noticed it really does help my iPhone extend battery life, particularly during periods of heavier-than-usual usage. It can make minor performance and display tweaks automatically and activate Low Power Mode when the battery runs low. To enable Adaptive Power (if your iPhone supports it), go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode.

15. Display battery percentage

The battery icon by itself doesn’t give me enough information. I want the precise number — the exact percentage of battery remaining. Go to Settings > Battery and enable Battery Percentage. The number shows up inside or beside the battery icon, depending on your iPhone model.

16. Disable Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence can be handy, but sometimes I experience AI fatigue and just want a more traditional iPhone experience without AI features popping up throughout the system. If you feel the same, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri, then disable Apple Intelligence.

17. Disable Siri, or restrict it

Does anyone actually use Siri? I find it never understands me, though I have a Canadian-influenced accent and hearing issues, so it may not entirely be Apple’s AI at fault. Still, if you rarely use Siri either, you can restrict it. Go to Settings >Apple Intelligence and Siri. Under Talk and Type to Siri, turn off voice activation. You can also disable Type to Siri and side-button activation.

18. Set your preferred default apps

While Safari and Mail come preinstalled, they might not be your top picks. If you lean toward Chrome, Gmail, Outlook, DuckDuckGo, Firefox, or another compatible browser or email client, you can make it your primary choice instead of being confined to Apple’s defaults. To switch your default browser or email application, head to Settings > Apps, pick your desired app, locate the default app setting, and assign it as your preferred option.

19. Conceal sensitive applications

With a young child who loves to play with my device, there are certain apps I prefer not having readily available on the home screen.

Also: This hidden iPhone feature keeps your private apps completely out of sight

It isn’t about anything harmful—I simply want to keep social media, banking, health records, password managers, and messaging platforms more secure. On recent iPhones, these apps can be locked or hidden from view. Touch and hold the app’s icon, then select Require Face ID or Hide and Require Face ID, depending on what’s available. Apps that are hidden will move to the Hidden folder within the App Library and will require authentication before they can be opened again.

20. Disable notification previews

The lock screen is convenient until fragments of personal messages, emails, security codes, and event reminders become visible to anyone nearby who glances at your phone. For greater privacy, I choose to hide previews altogether. Navigate to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews, and select from “When Unlocked,” “Never” (for maximum privacy, as I prefer), or “Always” (if you’d rather have immediate visibility).

21. Disable badges and alerts

Notifications are something I find particularly bothers me. Those red badge numbers may seem useful, but in truth, they create unnecessary stress. And those banner alerts that appear for every minor update? It feels like pure chaos. Head to Settings > Notifications, select an app, and toggle off Badges, Sounds, Banners, or even Allow Notifications entirely. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single switch to disable them all at once—you’ll need to adjust each app individually.

22. Disable app tracking requests

I disable “Allow Apps to Request to Track” because I don’t want every app seeking permission to monitor my activity across other apps and websites for advertising purposes. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. Apps that previously requested access will be blocked from tracking, and new apps won’t bother you with the tracking prompt.

23. Activate the camera grid

This is a straightforward adjustment, but I always enable it on any new iPhone I set up. The grid overlays lines onto the camera viewfinder, helping you align horizons and compose shots using the rule of thirds. It’s one of the simplest ways to instantly improve your iPhone photography. Go to Settings > Camera and switch on Grid. While you’re there, you can also adjust formats, video resolution, and preserve settings.

Bonus: Improve dialogue clarity in movies and shows

This tip isn’t exclusive to setting up a new iPhone, but it’s something I always check whenever I’m watching video content on my device.

As someone with hearing difficulties, I find this feature incredibly useful—but it’s also great for anyone who’s ever struggled to hear dialogue clearly in a film or show. While streaming video through Apple’s TV app or another supported platform, access the audio settings and look for Enhance Dialogue or Enhance Speech. Keep in mind that availability may vary depending on the app, content, and device you’re using.