Make your iPhone’s Control Center easy-peasy Apple-squeezy useful!

You might not know this, but your iPhone is a den of hidden features and shortcuts. A lot of these shortcuts can be accessed right from the lock screen of your iPhone, which means you do not really have to go through the process of unlocking your phone to get a quick task done. Back in 2013, Apple launched the Control Center with iOS 7. The feature has been a one-stop shop for a lot of quick feature access ever since. Apple has improved and has been adding new features to the iPhone, and a lot of them can be accessed with a single swipe.

Why use shortcuts?

Apart from giving you quick access to the features that you use regularly and saving you from the trouble of unlocking your smartphone, looking up the feature or app, and then finally using it, having a number of useful shortcuts present on your Control Center can actually help your phone keep private and safe.

These shortcuts on the Control Center can also be a massive savior when someone needs to use a certain feature and you do not want to hand them your unlocked phone for them to snoop around. So well, we would recommend populating that Command Center space on your iPhone. Having these shortcuts just a swipe away can make your life very easy.

How to add shortcuts to your Control Center

Adding new shortcuts to your Control Center is a pretty simple process. A few steps and you can add a whole new dimension of utility right on your lock screen. For those who are new to the iOS world, you can either access your Control Center by swiping down from the corner right side (if you have an iPhone with a notch) or you can simply swipe up from the base of your phone (if you are using an iPhone without a notch, and with a home button).

To add shortcuts to your Control Center, you just need to follow these quick steps:

• Find Settings
  On your iPhone, go to your main menu and find the Settings app. You can also ask Siri to open it for you or search for it by using the search bar. Once you have found the app, tap to open and scroll down to find the Control Center option.



• Select Control Center
  Once you have found the Control Center option, tap to select it. This will open up a new window with an array of shortcuts that you already have and can add to your Control Center. From here, you can choose and select what options you want quick access to right from the comfort of your lock screen.



• Add, Subtract shortcuts
  You can add a shortcut to your control center by tapping on the tiny green “+” icon present in front of the options. The shortcut will then be added to the list of quick features added to your
  Control Center. To remove a shortcut, you will then have to tap on the tiny red “-” icon in front of the option, and it will be removed from the Control Center.

8 Shortcuts We REALLY Think Your Control Center Needs

While there is a very versatile list of options available for you to add to your Control Center, we think all of them are not quite there in terms of sheer functionality. For example, having a shortcut to the Camera app in the Control Center does not make sense simply because you have a camera shortcut right on your lock screen that can be accessed with a swipe. The same goes for the Torch, which is already present on the lock screen and is just a tap away.

In case you are wondering which shortcuts would work best for you, here is a list of our personal favorites that we think one can add to their Control Center to make their iPhone experience – wait for it – easy-peasy Apple Squeezy.

1. Calculator: Add, subtract, divide at a swipe

There are always times when you want to quickly split a bill or figure out the discount (or worse, tax) by percentage and in situations such as these, having a Calculator shortcut can actually make life a whole lot easier. Just swiping down (or up) can give you quick access.

2. Code Scanner: Perfect for these times

There is no stressing enough the fact that this shortcut should be on everyone’s Control Center. Especially in today’s day and age. Along with the ease of quick payments and information that QR codes bring along, with Covid hovering over our heads at all times, a lot of restaurants and cafes have started using digital menus and services which can be accessed through a QR code. With this on your Control Center, you can simply just take your phone out and get the job done!

3. Notes: Scribble your thoughts down at any time

We cannot remember how many times having this shortcut on our hands has helped us take down important information. Need to scribble down something before it goes poof; you can just simply go to your Control Center and start pinning it down on the Notes app. Plus, if your phone is locked, no one will be able to access pre-existing notes on your iPhone. Win-win, right?

4. Music Recognition: Name that song!

Hears a random part of a song in a public place. Reaches out to the phone to unlock it. Finds the Music Recognition feature only to realize the song is changed. Tell us we are not the only ones this has happened to. And while you can also ask Siri to help you identify a song, summoning her can also take precious seconds that you cannot afford to lose in these settings. Hence, add the Music Recognition feature to your Control Center and just tap to know the song playing around you.

5. Do not disturb while driving: Focus on the traffic!

Buzzing notifications can be distracting and can even be dangerous, especially while driving. If you drive often, we suggest you keep the Do not Disturb while Driving shortcut handy in your Control Center, as it can actually make your driving experience a little less hectic. God knows the traffic is enough to keep you busy.

6. Screen Recording: This is how it happens

Want to explain how to do something on your iPhone to a friend? Or maybe even report a bug? And do you not have the patience to type out the entire process? Well, you can simply take a recording of the process if you have the Screen Recording feature in your Control Center, a swipe, and tap away.

7. Alarm: Wakey, wakey…time’s up…whatever

The thought of setting the alarm for the next morning after a long tiring day can be a daunting one. While we cannot do much about the long days, there is one thing we can do to make this process of setting the alarm slightly quicker. Simply adding an Alarm to our list of shortcuts gives us the relief of just swiping down to set the alarm and then dozing into blissful slumber.

8. Magnifier: Making it big…literally

Need to read the fine print on a document (you should – those are the “terms and condition”) or need makeshift glasses to read something? Well, your iPhone has got you covered. You can just add Magnifier to your list of shortcuts in the Control Center and go about zooming-in and reading pretty much anything you want!