Transform Your Daily iPhone Usage With These Time-Saving Tricks
Are you spending too much time on repetitive tasks on your iPhone? Whether you’re dealing with an overflowing inbox, struggling to manage reminders, or simply want to streamline your daily digital routine, your iPhone has hidden productivity features that can save you hours each week. This comprehensive guide reveals 10 essential iPhone hacks that will transform how you use your device and help you accomplish more in less time.
Why Productivity Matters on Your iPhone
Productivity means different things to different people. Some focus on creating content as quickly as possible, while others aim to write articles more efficiently or manage email with less frustration. However, we can all agree that productivity involves completing necessary tasks as efficiently as possible to free up time for what truly matters. Your iPhone serves as a powerful productivity tool, yet most users only scratch the surface of its capabilities.
The following hacks will help you unlock your device’s full potential and reclaim valuable time in your day.
1. Create Smart Reminder Links with Siri
Problem:
- You find useful content but forget about it later.
Solution:
- Use Siri to create reminders with direct links to content.
When browsing a webpage, email, or document you want to revisit later, simply activate Siri and say, “Remind me about this.” Siri will create a reminder with a direct link back to what you’re viewing.
Pro Tip: Create a Smart List in the Reminders app to automatically organize these reminders:
- Open the Reminders app
- Tap the “Add List” button
- Name your list (e.g., “Writing Ideas”)
- Under List Type, select “Smart List”
- Tap “Edit Filters”
- Choose “Tags” and select “Any Selected Tags”
- Create a tag (e.g., “Writing”)
- After using “Remind me about this,” immediately tap the reminder
- Add your custom tag to file it in your Smart List
2. Improve reading experince in Safari
Problem:
- Website ads and cluttered layouts disrupt your reading flow.
Solution:
- Set Safari to automatically open articles in Reader Mode for Distraction-Free Reading.
For websites you visit frequently:
- Navigate to the site in Safari
- Tap the “AA” button in the address bar
- Select “Website Settings”
- Toggle on “Use Reader Automatically”
Now, every article on that domain will open in the clean, ad-free Reader Mode, saving you time and reducing distractions.
3. Customize Your Messages Menu for Quick Access
Problem:
- You waste time searching for messaging features you use regularly.
Solution:
- Rearrange your Messages app menu to prioritize your most-used functions.
Since iOS 17, you can:
- Open the Messages app
- Tap the “+” button in the lower left corner
- Press and hold any app icon
- Drag it to your preferred position
- Move items between pages to create your ideal layout
This simple customization puts your most-used messaging tools just one tap away.
4. Disable App Rating Requests for Uninterrupted Work
Problem:
- App rating popups interrupt your workflow.
Solution:
- Turn off app rating requests system-wide.
- Open Settings
- Scroll to “App Store”
- Toggle off “In-App Ratings & Reviews”
This single setting prevents all apps from requesting ratings and reviews, eliminating these productivity-killing interruptions forever.
5. Type Times Instead of Scrolling Through Wheels
Problem:
- Setting appointment times with scrolling wheels is tedious.
Solution:
- Directly type times instead.
When creating calendar events:
- Tap on the time field
- Instead of using the scrolling wheel, simply tap on the time
- Use the numeric keypad to type your exact time
- This allows for precise time entry beyond 5-minute increments
This hidden feature saves significant time when managing your calendar.
6. Create Reusable Templates in Reminders
Problem:
- Repeatedly creating similar lists wastes time.
Solution:
- Save lists as templates for future use.
For recurring tasks like packing lists or project workflows:
- Create a complete list in the Reminders app
- Tap the ellipsis (⋯) in the upper right corner
- Select “Save as Template”
- Name your template
- To reuse it, tap “Add List” then “Templates”
- Select your template and customize as needed
Templates are perfect for standardizing workflows and ensuring you never forget important items.
7. Master Email Management with Built-in Tools
Problem:
- Email overwhelm leads to important messages being overlooked.
Solution:
- Use Mail app’s productivity features.
Schedule reminders for important emails:
- Swipe right on an email in your inbox
- Tap “Remind Me”
- Choose when to be reminded (the email will return to the top of your inbox)
Delay sending emails:
- Compose your email
- Press and hold the send button
- Choose “Send Later” or select a suggested time
- Set your preferred sending time
These features help you maintain email control without letting important messages fall through the cracks.
8. Share Passwords Securely with iCloud Keychain
Problem:
- Sharing login details is insecure and time-consuming.
Solution:
- Create shared password groups in iCloud Keychain.
- Go to Settings > Passwords
- Tap “+” and select “New Shared Group”
- Name the group and add people
- Select passwords to share
- When anyone updates a password, it updates for everyone
This secure method ensures everyone has the latest credentials without constantly sending passwords through insecure channels.
9. Master Time-Saving Gestures
Problem:
- Navigating between apps and managing content is cumbersome.
Solution:
- Learn these essential productivity gestures.
Drag and drop:
- Tap and hold an item (email, photo, file)
- Move your finger (without lifting) to another app
- Release to drop the item
Create stacks:
- Start dragging one item
- Tap additional items to add them to a stack
- Drag the entire stack where needed
Two-finger selection:
- Swipe down a list with two fingers to select multiple items at once
Open links in new tabs:
- Tap a link with two fingers to open it in a new tab without leaving your current page
These gestures dramatically reduce the steps needed for common tasks.
10. Leverage Shortcuts for One-Tap Actions
Problem:
- Routine tasks require too many steps.
Solution:
- Create shortcuts for instant access to common actions.
- Open the Shortcuts app
- Tap “+” to create a new shortcut
- Search for your app in the search bar
- Browse available actions for that app
- Configure your shortcut and name it
- Add it to your Home Screen or assign it to the Action button (iPhone 15 Pro and newer)
Shortcuts can automate complex workflows, launch specific app features, or perform custom actions with a single tap.
These iPhone productivity hacks may seem simple on their own, but when you use them together, they can transform how you interact with your phone. By implementing even a few of these techniques, you will spend less time managing your technology and more time focusing on what truly matters. These productivity enhancements require minimal setup and provide ongoing benefits. Start with the hacks that tackle your biggest pain points, and then gradually integrate others as they become relevant to your workflow.
Did these productivity tips help you save time on your iPhone? Have you discovered other efficiency shortcuts worth sharing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
