iOS 13 Tips and Tricks: Hidden Features

If you’ve just updated to iOS 13 or are considering it, this guide covers the most useful tips and tricks to get more out of Apple’s 2019 mobile operating system. From the long-awaited Dark Mode and a completely redesigned Photos app to powerful new editing tools and privacy enhancements, these features change how you interact with your iPhone every day. Below you’ll find the hidden gems and everyday shortcuts that make iOS 13 feel like a fresh start.

Dark Mode and Appearance Settings

Dark Mode is the headline feature of iOS 13. It’s not just a cosmetic change; it’s designed to reduce eye strain in low light and save battery life on OLED iPhones (like the X, XS, and 11 Pro). To turn it on, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and select Dark. You can also set it to toggle automatically at sunset or on a custom schedule. A quick way to switch without digging into settings is to add the Dark Mode toggle to Control Center: go to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls, then tap the green plus next to Dark Mode.

Many built-in apps, including Mail, Messages, and Calendar, adapt their appearance to match your system setting. Third-party apps will also follow suit if they’ve been updated for iOS 13. If you want a specific app to always appear in Light Mode regardless of your system setting, you can force it: open the app, then press and hold the Dark Mode toggle in Control Center and tap Light Mode On or Dark Mode On for that app only.

Photos App: New Editing Tools and Video Editing

The Photos app got a massive overhaul in iOS 13. The bottom tabs are now Library, For You, Albums, and Search. The For You tab replaces the old Memories tab and offers smarter suggestions, like sharing photos with people in them or creating albums from related events.

For editing, tap any photo and hit Edit. You’ll find a new set of adjustment tools: Exposure, Brilliance, Highlights, Shadows, Contrast, Brightness, Black Point, Saturation, Vibrancy, Warmth, Tint, Sharpness, Definition, Noise Reduction, and Vignette. Tap the magic wand icon to auto-enhance the photo with one tap. You can also rotate, crop, and straighten with the new perspective correction tool (tap the crop icon, then the straighten dial at the top).

Video editing is now possible right in the Photos app. Open a video, tap Edit, and you can trim the length, rotate, apply filters, and adjust exposure, contrast, and more—just like a photo. The changes are non-destructive; you can revert to the original at any time.

Text Editing and Keyboard Shortcuts

Text selection and editing have been completely reworked. Instead of the old magnifying glass, you now drag a cursor by pressing and holding anywhere in the text, then sliding your finger. To select a word, double-tap it; to select a sentence, triple-tap; to select a paragraph, quadruple-tap. You can also drag the blue selection handles to fine-tune.

There’s a new text editing menu that appears when you select text: Cut, Copy, Paste, Bold, Italic, Underline, and Look Up are all available. The Shake to Undo gesture still works, but you can also swipe left with three fingers to undo and swipe right to redo—a more intuitive gesture.

On the keyboard, you can now swipe to type (called QuickPath). Instead of tapping each letter, slide your finger from letter to letter without lifting it. It’s surprisingly accurate and works alongside the regular tap typing. To dismiss the keyboard, you can now swipe down on it with one finger (a long-awaited feature).

Files App and External Storage

The Files app in iOS 13 finally supports external storage, which means you can plug in a USB drive, SD card, or hard drive via a Lightning-to-USB adapter and access its contents directly. Go to Files > Browse and tap the drive name under Locations. You can copy files to and from the drive, and even play media directly from it.

The app also gains a column view (tap the column icon at the top right) that shows a preview of the selected file, and a downloads folder for Safari downloads. Speaking of Safari, you can now download files to the Files app from the browser: tap the download icon in the toolbar, and the file will be saved to the Downloads folder.

Privacy and Security Enhancements

iOS 13 introduces several privacy features that give you more control over your data. Sign in with Apple is a new way to log into apps and websites without sharing your email address. It’s available on apps that support it, and it can generate a random relay email that forwards to your real inbox. It also offers a built-in two-factor authentication.

Location privacy is also tightened. When an app requests your location, you now see options like Allow Once, Allow While Using, and Don’t Allow. You can also check which apps have used your location in the background by going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scrolling to the bottom to see System Services.

Another useful privacy tool is the Background App Refresh manager. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and you can see which apps are refreshing in the background and disable them individually to save battery and data.

Performance and Battery Life

iOS 13 is generally faster than iOS 12, with app launch times reduced by up to 50% on supported devices. However, if you’re experiencing lag, try the following:

Update all apps to their latest versions, as many developers have optimized for iOS 13.
Check storage: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and offload unused apps or delete large files.
Turn off Background App Refresh for apps that don’t need it.
Reset all settings (not content) if you’re still having issues: Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This won’t delete your data but will reset Wi-Fi passwords and other preferences.

For battery life, iOS 13 includes Optimized Battery Charging, which learns your daily charging routine and waits to finish charging past 80% until you need it. This reduces battery aging. You can find it in Settings > Battery > Battery Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn on Dark Mode in iOS 13?

Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and select Dark. You can also toggle it from Control Center by adding the Dark Mode button (Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls).

Can I use external storage with my iPhone on iOS 13?

Yes, iOS 13 supports external storage in the Files app. Connect a USB drive, SD card, or hard drive via a Lightning-to-USB adapter, then open the Files app and tap the drive under Locations.

How do I use the new swipe typing on iOS 13?

Open any text field, then slide your finger across the keyboard from letter to letter without lifting it. Lift when you want to end a word. It works with the default keyboard, and you can switch between swipe and tap typing at any time.

What is Sign in with Apple and how does it work?

Sign in with Apple is a privacy-focused login method that lets you use your Apple ID to sign into apps and websites. It can hide your email by generating a random relay address that forwards to your real inbox, and it supports two-factor authentication.

How do I edit videos in the Photos app on iOS 13?

Open a video in the Photos app, tap Edit, and you can trim, rotate, apply filters, and adjust exposure, contrast, and other settings just like a photo. Tap Done to save, or Revert to undo all changes.

Why is my iPhone battery draining fast after iOS 13 update?

It’s normal for the first few days after an update as the system reindexes and completes background tasks. If it persists, check Settings > Battery to see which apps are using the most power, and disable Background App Refresh for those apps.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →