iPhone X Tips: Hidden Features & Settings

If you just got an iPhone X or have been using one for a while, these tips will help you get more out of its gesture-based navigation, Face ID, and camera. From taking screenshots without a home button to extending battery life, here are the most useful iPhone X tips and tricks you should know.

Master the Gesture Navigation

The iPhone X was the first iPhone to remove the home button, replacing it with a set of gestures. If you’re still tapping the screen hoping for a home button, here’s the quick rundown:

Go Home: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
App Switcher: Swipe up and pause in the middle of the screen, or swipe left/right along the bottom edge to switch between recent apps.
Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner (where the battery and signal icons are).
Notifications: Swipe down from the top-left corner or the notch area.
Reachability: Swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen to bring the top half down.

These gestures take a day or two to feel natural, but once you’re used to them, they’re faster than the old home button.

Face ID: Setup, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

Face ID replaces Touch ID for unlocking, Apple Pay, and app logins. To set it up, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Here are some tips to make it work better:

Set up an alternate appearance: If you wear glasses, hats, or change your look often, you can add a second face (e.g., without glasses) under Set Up an Alternate Appearance.
Require attention: Keep this on for security—it prevents someone from unlocking your phone while you’re asleep. If you wear sunglasses that block infrared, you may need to turn it off.
If Face ID fails: Make sure your eyes and nose are unobstructed, and you’re holding the phone about 10-20 inches from your face. If it fails too often, it will ask for your passcode.
Quick unlock after restart: After a restart, you must enter your passcode once before Face ID works again.

A common misconception is that Face ID doesn’t work in the dark—it does, because it uses an infrared projector, not visible light.

Hidden Camera Tricks

The iPhone X has a dual 12MP rear camera with optical zoom and portrait mode. Here are a few tips to get better photos:

Quick launch: Swipe left on the lock screen to open the camera instantly.
Portrait Lighting: After taking a portrait photo, you can adjust the lighting effect (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, etc.) in the Photos app by tapping Edit and then the lighting icon.
Volume buttons as shutter: Use the volume up or down button to take a photo—this is easier for selfies or one-handed shots.
Live Photo effects: In the Photos app, you can change a Live Photo to Loop, Bounce, or Long Exposure by swiping up on the photo and selecting an effect.

Battery Life and Charging

The iPhone X supports fast charging and wireless charging (Qi standard). To get the most out of your battery:

Fast charging: Use an 18W or higher USB-C power adapter with a USB-C to Lightning cable. This can charge to 50% in about 30 minutes (Apple’s official spec).
Wireless charging: Place the phone on any Qi-certified charger. It charges at 7.5W, which is slower than wired fast charging.
Battery health: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to see maximum capacity. If it’s below 80%, consider a replacement.
Low Power Mode: Turn it on from Settings > Battery or Control Center (if you’ve added the toggle). It reduces background activity and can extend battery life significantly.

Customizing the Notch and Display

The notch is a signature of the iPhone X, but you can make it less intrusive:

Dark wallpaper: Use a black wallpaper—the OLED screen makes the notch blend in, and it saves battery.
True Tone: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and enable True Tone to adjust the white balance to your ambient light. It’s easier on the eyes.
Night Shift: Schedule it to turn on at sunset to reduce blue light.
Zoomed display: If the text is too small, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom and choose Zoomed. This makes icons larger but shows less content.

Hidden Settings Worth Changing

There are several settings that can improve your daily experience:

Back Tap: (iOS 14+) Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap to assign actions to double or triple tap on the back of the phone (e.g., screenshot, control center, mute).
Emergency SOS: Press and hold the side button and one volume button to bring up the emergency slider. You can also set it to auto-call emergency services after a countdown in Settings > Emergency SOS.
Screen Recording: Add it to Control Center (Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls) to quickly record your screen with audio.
Text Replacement: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement to add shortcuts like “omw” for “On my way!”.

Common Problems and Fixes

Here are a few issues iPhone X users often encounter and how to solve them:

Screen not responding to touch: This was a known hardware issue with some iPhone X models. Apple had a repair program for this. If your screen is unresponsive, try a force restart (press volume up, volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears). If it persists, contact Apple Support.
Face ID not working after repair: If the screen or rear camera was replaced, Face ID may stop working because the components are paired. Use genuine Apple parts to avoid this.
Battery draining fast: Check battery health, close background apps (swipe up on them in the app switcher), and disable Background App Refresh for apps that don’t need it.
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth issues: Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This will erase saved Wi-Fi passwords, so have them handy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I take a screenshot on iPhone X?

Press the side button (on the right) and the volume up button at the same time, then release. The screenshot appears in the bottom-left corner—tap it to edit or swipe it away to save.

Does iPhone X have a home button?

No. The iPhone X was the first model without a physical home button. You use gestures: swipe up to go home, swipe up and pause for app switcher, and swipe down from the top-right for Control Center.

How do I turn off the iPhone X?

Press and hold the side button and either volume button simultaneously until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off. To force restart, press volume up, volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Is iPhone X waterproof?

The iPhone X has an IP67 rating, meaning it can survive being submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. However, this is not a permanent condition—wear and tear can reduce water resistance. Avoid swimming with it.

How do I record my screen on iPhone X?

Go to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls, then add “Screen Recording.” Swipe down from the top-right to open Control Center, tap the record button (a circle inside a circle), and wait for the 3-second countdown. To stop, tap the red status bar at the top and confirm.

Why is my iPhone X battery draining so fast?

Check Battery Health in Settings > Battery. If maximum capacity is below 80%, the battery may need replacement. Also, check for apps using excessive background activity in Settings > Battery (see battery usage by app). Turn on Low Power Mode and reduce screen brightness.

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

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