You should replace your iPhone when the battery health drops below 80% (causing shutdowns/sluggishness), performance lags significantly with modern apps, it stops receiving crucial iOS security updates (typically 5-7 years old), or if it's physically damaged/unusable, though upgrading for major new features (like advanced AI) on newer models is also a personal choice.
iPhone battery's maximum capacity
If the number you see under Maximum Capacity is more than 80%, you have a healthy battery, according to Apple.
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
The 20-80 rule for iPhones suggests keeping the battery charge between 20% and 80% to minimize stress on the lithium-ion battery, thereby extending its overall lifespan and health by avoiding the high-stress points of full discharge (0%) and full charge (100%). While not a strict necessity for daily use, this practice reduces battery degradation by avoiding deep discharges and the taxing final 20% of charging, helping maintain battery capacity longer, though modern iPhones have built-in features like Optimized Battery Charging to manage this.
It's especially important to avoid exposing your device to ambient temperatures higher than 95° F (35° C), which can permanently damage battery capacity. That is, your battery won't power your device as long on a given charge. Charging the device in high ambient temperatures can damage it further.
You can charge your iPhone every night even if the battery isn't fully depleted. iPhone automatically stops charging when the battery is fully charged, so it's safe to keep your iPhone connected to a charger overnight. Charging resumes automatically if your battery level drops below 95 percent.
You can double-tap or triple-tap the back of iPhone to perform actions such as taking a screenshot, turning on an accessibility feature, running a shortcut, and more. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then choose an action.
*3001#12345#* on an iPhone activates the hidden Field Test Mode, a diagnostic tool for network engineers and power users to see detailed cellular data like signal strength (dBm), cell tower info, and network quality, accessible by dialing the code in the Phone app and pressing call, often after turning off Wi-Fi for accurate cellular readings.
Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:
Identify Your Usage Habits
For example, streaming videos or music, making calls, and gaming on the go typically cause your battery to drain much more quickly. Other culprits of battery draining include active applications in the background or constantly updating, such as real-time weather apps.
Optimizing battery health
While it is technically recommended to unplug your phone once the battery reaches 100% to help extend its lifespan, the actual benefit is quite minimal.
Products are considered obsolete when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 7 years ago.
Apple will reportedly not launch a base iPhone 18 next year. Instead, they will launch only high-end options and release the base model in early 2027 Source: ETNews.
iPhones generally last four years or more without any major issues. But unless you have a pressing need or a lot of disposable income, upgrading every year is just contributing to unnecessary waste — and let's be honest, it adds to the growing carbon footprint we should all be more mindful of.
Call barring allows you to block certain types of incoming or outgoing calls. Dialing *#33# displays your device's current call barring status. If you're receiving excessive spam calls, enabling call barring can help prevent unwanted calls, including those from potential hackers.
Hidden Battery Power / Boost Signal Strength
By pressing *3370# or #3370#, you'll activate your phone's “reserve battery power”. Battery life will increase by 50%. The reserve will automatically charge up the next time you change your device. Other claims state dialing the same sequence will boost cellular reception.
On an iPhone, dialing *#21# is a USSD code used to check the status of your unconditional call forwarding, revealing if your calls, SMS, or data are being redirected and to which number, without actually changing settings; it's a simple privacy check to see if someone has secretly set your phone to forward everything, though it doesn't detect advanced spyware. Dialing this code brings up a message from your carrier about your call forwarding status, often showing "Disabled" or a specific number if it's active.
If someone taps your phone, you may notice subtle clues, like strange sounds interrupting your calls, a quickly draining battery, visual glitches, and more.
The 20-80 rule for iPhones suggests keeping the battery charge between 20% and 80% to minimize stress on the lithium-ion battery, thereby extending its overall lifespan and health by avoiding the high-stress points of full discharge (0%) and full charge (100%). While not a strict necessity for daily use, this practice reduces battery degradation by avoiding deep discharges and the taxing final 20% of charging, helping maintain battery capacity longer, though modern iPhones have built-in features like Optimized Battery Charging to manage this.
Surprisingly, no; closing apps is not always good for your phone's battery. That's because iOS is designed to manage apps efficiently while they're open but not in use (this is called running "in the background").
⚠️ Apple is warning users not to sleep next to their iPhones while the device is charging, especially under pillows or blankets. The company says doing so can restrict airflow and cause overheating — posing a fire, burn, or electric shock risk.