8 useful smartphone hacks you should try right away – according to Which? experts

Even if you’ve had your smartphone for years, there are probably plenty of built-in features and hidden tricks you haven’t tried yet – and some of them you might end up using every day.

Below, our experts have rounded up some of their favourite smartphone shortcuts to help your mobile work better for you. Our list includes time-saving hacks such as how to type faster, organise your photos and share your wi-fi password with friends for quick access.

Keep scrolling for the details, plus free app recommendations from our phones editor.

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1. Quickly type your email address

Typing in your email address is a thing of the past. Instead, set up an autocorrect shortcut – it’s quick and easy to do, and means you’ll never mistype your email address.

• On iPhone: head to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. 
• On Android: search for ‘Personal Dictionary’ and select the + symbol.

Choose something you’d never usually type in a message, such as @@, otherwise your email address will be added whenever you type your shortcut.

You could also apply this to any other information you don’t want to constantly type out, such as your phone number (use ##, for instance).

See also: Useful Gmail features you need to try right away.

2. Try custom gestures

Both iPhones and Android devices include handy gesture controls that make everyday actions quicker and more intuitive. With a few tweaks, you can navigate your phone, take screenshots or silence calls with simple movements.

• On iPhone: simply shake your phone and you’ll see a pop-up prompting you to undo your last action (such as deleting or typing text). You can also double-tap the back of your iPhone to trigger other shortcuts through the Back Tap feature in Settings. For example, you can set it to open the camera or take a screenshot.
• On Android: most manufacturers build in their own time-saving motion controls. On Google Pixel, for example, go to Settings > System > Gestures. You can enable Quick Tap to take screenshots or pause music, or Flip to Shhh to silence your mobile when the screen is facing down.

If you're struggling with a slow mobile, upgrade using our guide to the best smartphones.

3. Type faster

Tapping in letters on a tiny on-screen keyboard can be fiddly. Instead, keep your finger on the screen and slide between the letters to type out a word. Take your finger off briefly, then do the same for the next word. It’s refreshingly speedy.

You can also hold down the spacebar to easily move the cursor back in a message to correct something.

Alternatively, you can use your phone as your own personal secretary that types up what you say. Instead of typing a message, select the keyboard's microphone icon, follow any on-screen instructions and say your piece.

4. Share your wi-fi password

Gone are the days of rummaging around your router to find the bit of plastic with your wi-fi password on it.

Now, most smartphones make it quick and easy to share your wi-fi details with friends and family that you have visiting, saving you from having to deal with a painfully long string of random letters and numbers.

• On iPhone: tap Settings > Wi-Fi and the info icon next to your wi-fi network. Select your Password > Copy, then airdrop or message it to the recipient.
• On Android: select Settings > Network & Internet > Internet > Saved Networks. Select your network, then tap Share. Your recipient can then scan the QR code.

See also: How to keep your data safe when using public wi-fi.

5. Hide private photos

If you have photos on your smartphone that you’d rather keep to yourself, both iPhone and Android make it straightforward to store private images securely, so you don’t have to worry about them appearing unexpectedly in your photo feed.

• On iPhone: open the Photos app, select the image you want to hide, tap the three dots and choose Hide. Your picture will move to the Hidden album. If you have Face ID or Touch ID enabled, the album will require authentication before it can be opened. You can find the album by going to Albums > Utilities > Hidden.
• On Android: from the Google Photos app, tap an image and select Add to > Locked folder. To access the album, tab the Collections tab, scroll down and choose Locked.

See also: Your cloud storage files and photos might not be private.

6. Use a torch shortcut

For those moments when you need some help in low light or when looking at something up close, your phone's torch can save the day.

• On iPhone: from your lockscreen, press and hold the torch icon in the bottom-left corner to turn it on.
• On Android: swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings, then tap the Torch icon to toggle it on or off.

7. Sift through your photos – the easy way

You can search your photos by people, pets, places (shown above) and categories. This is very useful if you have stacks of images and are struggling to find the one you want. A few clicks, and bingo – there are all your cat or holiday photos in one place. 

• On iPhone: open the Photos app and choose Search. You can sort by date, place, business names, categories and more.
• On Android: your go-to photos app likely has a search function. On Google Photos, for example, you can tap Search or visit Collections > People and pets.

Experiment with different parameters to make it more useful for you.

Snag a bargain on a new mobile with our guide to the best mobile phone and Sim-only deals.

8. Try wi-fi calling

If you can get wi-fi but can’t make a phone call – for example, if you're somewhere that has thick walls or lots of trees – switch on the wi-fi calling option to make your call over the internet instead.

• On iPhone: go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling.
• On Android: open the Phone app and tap the Menu icon, then Settings > Calling accounts. Select your network provider and tap Wi-Fi calling to enable.

Note that, if you can’t see the wi-fi calling option, your phone provider doesn’t support it. You still have to pay for the call, as it uses wi-fi to get to the mobile network and the network still carries the call.

It’s worth a reminder – you can also use WhatsApp to make free calls to anyone with an account when you’re connected to wi-fi. Select your contact in WhatsApp then, next to their name at the top, press the phone icon.

See also: WhatsApp tips and tricks.

Our expert says:

Paul Lester, Which? phones editor

'Finding the best apps can be a challenge when there are so many options on Google and Apple's stores – plus you need to be wary of unsafe apps that could potentially compromise your phone's security.

To get you started, I've rounded up some of my favourite free phone apps.

• JustWatch (iOS, Android): I find it endlessly tiresome flicking through channels and streaming services to find something to watch, so JustWatch is my go-to shortcut. Select the services you subscribe to and it will show you what movies or TV shows have recently been released, or you can search for films you might like based on a range of filters.
• Google Keep (iOS, Android): I use it to create to-do lists and reminders – or checklists, which I use to tick off things as I’m packing for holidays. You can also set location-based reminders to get a ping when you’re walking past the shop so you don’t forget the groceries, for example.
• Instapaper (iOS, Android): This lets you save an unlimited number of articles to read offline, optimised for your device – be that tablet or phone. It’s useful for long journeys or if you know you’re going to be stuck somewhere for a while, especially if you’re roaming or without a connection.
• Podcast Addict (Android): If you’ve got an Android phone and like podcasts, give this app a go. You will get ads with the free version, though.'

For more top picks, see our roundup of free smartphone apps Which? experts can't live without.

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