Hidden apps on your smartphone and how to find them
There’s a slew of features baked into smartphones most people don’t know about. Tap or click here for my favorites, from seeing where a plane overhead is going to quickly delete your last few searches.
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There are also many great apps and features you won’t find front and center on your phone’s home screen. It makes me wonder why smartphone engineers are keeping them a secret. Here are a few stashed apps you’ll use time and time again.
Use your phone as a magnifying glass
Let’s begin with one hidden app that is amazingly simple and very functional: Magnifier. I recently used it to read the super tiny text for my pasta machine’s model number.
The next time you don’t have your readers handy or need to see something small, open the App Store App. In the search box at the top, type Magnifier and tap Open when it appears. It’s pre-installed on iPhone, so you have it. Magnifier is simple to use. Just tap, hold, and drag the slider to adjust the magnification.
There’s also a flashlight icon near the bottom of the Magnifier app. Having an extra splash of light truly helps you see better. And the good news for iPad users, you have the secret magnifier app, too.
One app to quickly scan QR codes
I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: Don’t download a third-party QR code scanner app. At worst, it will charge you money or even inject malicious code into your phone. At best, it’s taking up space. QR code scanning is already built into your phone.
On an iPhone, open the camera app to scan a QR code. It works, but here’s a pro tip. Your iPhone has a hidden Code Scanner app.
If you scan QR codes a few times a week, add Code Scanner to your phone’s Control Center. That’s the list of icons you can quickly access by swiping down from the top of your screen.
- Open the Settings app, then scroll down and select Control Center.
- Tap the plus icon next to Code Scanner if it’s not already in your Control Center.
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