If you’ve ever felt like your iPhone battery drains too fast, your privacy isn’t tight enough, or random features just annoy you — you’re not crazy.
There are a lot of default settings in iOS that:
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Track unnecessary data
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Drain battery in the background
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Reduce security
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Or simply make your phone more annoying than it needs to be
Here are 22 powerful settings you should adjust right now to make your iPhone faster, safer, and more efficient.
(Note: I’m referencing iOS 26. Some menus may look slightly different on older versions.)
🔒 1. Disable Apple Analytics Tracking
Go to:
Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements
Turn off everything here.
These settings send usage data to Apple for development purposes. They don’t improve your personal experience — but they do use background activity and battery.
📍 2. Turn Off Location Product Improvements
Go to:
Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → System Services → Product Improvement
Disable all of them.
You can optionally leave Routing & Traffic on if you want to help improve real-time traffic data for Apple Maps users.
🔋 3. Optimize Background App Refresh (Major Battery Saver)
Go to:
Settings → General → Background App Refresh
Turn it off for most apps.
Important:
This does not stop push notifications. It mainly pre-fetches content (like Instagram feeds) before you open apps.
Keep it on only for:
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Spam filter apps
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Photo syncing apps
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Apps that truly need background activity
Everything else? Turn it off.
🎯 4. Disable Personalized Ads
Go to:
Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising
Turn off Personalized Ads.
You’ll still see ads — they just won’t be based on your personal data.
🛑 5. Disable “Allow Apps to Request to Track”
Go to:
Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking
Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track.
It doesn’t stop all tracking — but it reduces cross-app tracking.
🛡️ 6. Enable Stolen Device Protection (Set to “Always”)
Go to:
Settings → Stolen Device Protection
Turn it on and set it to Always.
This protects your phone even in “familiar locations” and adds security delays for sensitive changes.
🔌 7. Secure Wired Accessories
Go to:
Settings → Privacy & Security → Wired Accessories
Select Ask for New Accessories.
This protects you from malicious hardware devices plugged into your phone.
💬 8. Enable RCS Messaging
Go to:
Settings → Apps → Messages → RCS Messaging
Turn it on (if supported by your carrier).
This improves texting between iPhone and Android users — better media quality and features.
🧹 9. Clean Up iMessage Apps
Go to:
Settings → Apps → Messages → iMessage Apps
Disable unnecessary apps cluttering your iMessage toolbar.
🚑 10. Set Up Medical ID
Go to:
Settings → Health → Medical ID
Create one if you haven’t already.
Enable:
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Show When Locked
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Share During Emergency Call
This could literally save your life.
🔐 11. Lock Down Access When Phone Is Locked
Go to:
Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Allow Access When Locked
Disable:
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Control Center
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Wallet
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Home Control
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Siri
This prevents thieves from disabling connectivity or accessing sensitive data.
📡 12. Enable “Send Last Location”
Go to:
Settings → [Your Name] → Find My → Find My iPhone
Turn on Send Last Location.
If your phone dies, it sends one final location ping.
📶 13. Stop “Ask to Join Networks” Notifications
Go to:
Settings → Wi-Fi → Ask to Join Networks
Set it to Off.
Your phone will still connect to saved networks — just no more annoying popups.
📡 14. Disable Auto-Join Carrier Hotspots
Go to:
Settings → Wi-Fi → Edit → Managed Networks
Tap the info icon for each and disable Auto-Join.
Stops automatic connections to carrier Wi-Fi hotspots.
📞 15. Prevent Lock Button from Ending Calls
Go to:
Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Prevent Lock to End Call
Turn it on.
This stops the power button from hanging up your call.
⭐ 16. Disable In-App Ratings Prompts
Go to:
Settings → Apps → App Store
Turn off In-App Ratings & Reviews.
No more annoying popups asking you to rate apps.
🎥 17. Disable Video Autoplay in App Store
Same section — turn off Video Autoplay.
Saves battery and data.
🌙 18. Turn On Night Shift
Go to:
Settings → Display & Brightness → Night Shift
Set it from Sunset to Sunrise.
Reduces blue light and improves sleep.
⌨️ 19. Customize Text Replacement
Go to:
Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement
Remove annoying defaults like “On My Way!”
Add useful shortcuts instead.
🤳 20. Disable Shake to Undo
Go to:
Settings → Accessibility → Touch
Turn off Shake to Undo.
Use the three-finger swipe gesture instead.
📷 21. Enable Camera Level & Grid
Go to:
Settings → Camera
Turn on:
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Level
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Grid
Helps with straight photos and better composition.
🧭 22. Enable True North in Compass
Go to:
Settings → Compass
Turn on Use True North.
More accurate alignment with maps.
Final Thoughts
Most people never touch half these settings.
But tweaking them can:
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Improve battery life
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Increase privacy
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Improve security
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Reduce annoying interruptions
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Make your iPhone feel more intentional
If you implement even the first 5, you’ll likely notice a difference.