Technologies
11 Hidden iPhone Features You’re Probably Not Using Enough
All of these iOS features and settings are potential game-changers.

Apple released iOS 16 last year in September, yet there are always new features and settings to discover on your iPhone’s latest software update. If you dig deep you’ll find these lesser-known features, and while they may not be quite as popular as the customizable lock screen or ability to unsend text messages, they’re still worth exploring to unlock a whole new experience on your iPhone.


I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about the best hidden gems in iOS 16, like password-protected photo albums, easily accessible Wi-Fi passwords and more.
Read more: All the New Features in iOS 16.3
And while you’re here, make sure you also brush up on the major new iOS 16 features you’ll love, and a few that you might just hate (luckily, there’s a fix).
View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords
Apple has allowed iOS users to share Wi-Fi passwords for a while now, but only by placing two Apple devices near each other. And if that feature didn’t automatically work, you couldn’t just dig out the password from your settings. Plus if you wanted to share a saved Wi-Fi password with someone else, like an Android user or someone on a computer, you had to remember the password. Until now.
In Settings, go to Wi-Fi and tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network you want the password for. To view the network password, tap the Password section and then use Face ID or enter your passcode to view it. You can then tap Copy to copy the password into your clipboard and share it.


You can view the password for any Wi-Fi network you’ve ever connected to, as long as you’re currently connected to it or near enough that it appears under My Networks.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNETFind and remove duplicate photos and videos
Maybe you’ve saved the same photo multiple times or downloaded a video more than once, resulting in duplicates littering up your photo album. It may not be a problem if you’ve got storage to spare, but you’re running out of space, you can now remove every single duplicate easily with iOS 16.
In Photos > Albums, you should see a new Duplicates album under Utilities. Apple scans through all of your photos and shows you any photo or video you’ve saved more than once in that album. From there, you can either delete any duplicates, or simply press Merge, which will keep the photo with the highest quality (and relevant data) and then move the others to the trash.


Merging will keep the highest quality photo and delete the rest.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNETAlthough you’ll probably want to go through each set of duplicates, to ensure that they’re actually exact copies and not similar photos, you can also hit Select > Select All > Merge to remove every single photo and video that Apple thinks is a duplicate, all at once.
Hang up a phone or FaceTime call with Siri
Siri does a lot of things. You can use the virtual assistant to send a text message, get directions or play music — but one thing she’s never been able to do is hang up a phone call. Weird right? Now that’s finally a possibility with iOS 16.
In Settings, go to Siri & Search and first make sure Listen for «Hey Siri» is toggled on. If it is, you should see a new option underneath — Call Hang Up. Go into that option and toggle on Call Hang Up. When you’re on a phone call or FaceTime video chat, simply say, «Hey, Siri,» and ask her to hang up your current call.


For this to work, Listen for «Hey Siri» must be toggled on first.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Pair Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons with your iPhone
Apple has long allowed you to pair third-party controllers, like the PS5 Sony DualSense and Xbox Core Controller, to your iPhone and iPad, in order to more comfortably play mobile video games like the Apple Arcade library, Minecraft and Call of Duty. Now you can add another console controller to that list.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you can now pair your Joy-Con controllers to your iPhone or iPad running iOS 16. To start, hold down the little black pairing button on the Joy-Con, until the green lights start running back and forth. This means the device is in pairing mode. Next, open your iPhone and go to Settings > Bluetooth and select the Joy-Con from the list. Repeat this step with the other Joy-Con.
Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected
The Hidden album in the Photos app is clearly not hidden, seeing as anyone can easily find it. That makes it impractical for adequately hiding private photos and videos. While Apple does have an option to make the Hidden album «invisible,» anyone with access to your phone could make it visible again and view everything inside.
Thanks to iOS 16, you can now lock the Hidden album. You don’t actually need to do anything to toggle this feature on. If you want to check it out, launch the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. If you scroll down, you’ll see a tiny lock next to the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. To view the contents of those albums, you’ll need to use Face ID or your passcode.


The Hidden and Recently Deleted albums now require Face ID to be accessed.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Copy and paste photo and video edits
If you use the editor tool in the Photos app, you’ll be happy to learn that you can now copy and paste edits, including saturation, contrast and brightness, between photos. If you edit one photo or video and are happy with the look, you can paste those same exact edits to any other photo or video in your camera roll.
To do this, launch the Photos app and open a photo that’s been edited in full-screen. Next, tap on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and then hit Copy Edits. This option will only appear if the photo has been edited within Photos, not any third-party photo editor. Finally, go to the photo you want to copy these edits over to, tap on the three-dot menu and then hit Paste Edits. After a second or so, you should see the photo edits appear.


This feature works between photos and videos.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNETBring haptic feedback to your keyboard
The iPhone has long had haptic feedback. It’s what you feel underneath your fingertips whenever you attempt to delete an app from your home screen or enter the incorrect password on your lock screen. Strangely enough, haptic feedback has never been available for the stock iOS keyboard — until now.
If you want to enable a slight vibration for every single key you type in, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle on Haptic. The sound option you see is the loud and annoying clacking sound you might hear when you type in something and your phone isn’t on silent mode, so you can keep that disabled.


Every single time you type, you’ll feel a slight vibration for each key you hit.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNETPin your favorite tabs in Safari
Safari caps your open tabs at 500, and if you’re nearing that limit, it might be pretty darn hard to find the exact tab you’re looking for. You could scroll endlessly, but there’s now an easier way to find the exact tab you’re looking for.
In Safari, if you press down on an open tab, you now have the option to hit Pin Tab. This will move that tab to the top of Safari, where it will exist as a tiny tab preview, permanently pinned there, which you can then tap to view. If you press down and unpin a tab, it will move to first in your grid of open tabs.


All your pinned tabs appear at the top of Safari.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNETUse Face ID while you’re lying down
If you’ve ever tried to unlock your iPhone while it’s vertical, like when you’re lying on your side, you might have noticed that it doesn’t work. You have to place your iPhone in portrait orientation, or upright, for Face ID to work. With iOS 16, you can finally use Face ID to unlock your iPhone when it’s in landscape orientation. However, for this to work, you must have an iPhone 13 or 14 running iOS 16.
Copy your screenshots to your clipboard without saving them
You don’t need to save a screenshot to your photo album to share it with someone else. A new iOS 16 feature allows you to take a screenshot, copy it to your clipboard, delete it from your phone and paste it where you see fit. After you take a screenshot, tap the screenshot preview that appears, hit Done on the top-right and then tap Copy and Delete to copy the screenshot to your clipboard.


If you take a lot of screenshots, this feature can help you save storage.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNETRemove more preinstalled Apple apps
Since iOS 10, you’ve been able to remove some preinstalled iOS applications like Stocks, Maps and Calculator — but not all of them. With the release of iOS 16, you can add three more apps to this list of ones you can remove: Find My, Clock and Health. However, deleting these apps can negatively affect and break support with other apps and connected devices, like your Apple Watch.
For more on iOS 16 and the iPhone, check out our iOS 16 cheat sheet.
Technologies
This TracFone Settlement Will Pay Over $53K to Some People, but You’ll Have to Apply Soon
TracFone is paying out a sizable settlement to those affected by a data breach. Time is running out to opt in if you’re eligible.

This deep into the age of smartphones, I’d bet that a lot of you out there haven’t thought about TracFone in a while. But a good number of folks still get wireless service through it, and they ought to know about the impending settlement payments coming from the company.
TracFone is currently accepting applications for a class action lawsuit settlement after it was accused of failing to prevent a major data breach several years ago. While the total amount the company is set to pay out isn’t known, the potential payout to impacted customers could be huge, depending on the damages they suffered.
Founded nearly 30 years ago, TracFone is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. It’s best known for offering cheaper, prepaid and no-contract mobile phone service — catering to folks who don’t need or want contract service and who prefer to pay as they go. TracFone piggybacks off the network operated by Verizon, TracFone’s parent company since 2021. In addition to services under its own name, you might also be familiar with TracFone’s offerings under a few other popular brand names: Straight Talk Wireless, Total Wireless, Simple Mobile, SafeLink Wireless, Net10 Wireless and Walmart Family Mobile.
At the time it was acquired by Verizon, the company boasted 21 million users and a presence in 90,000 retail stores, though those numbers have dwindled since then.
For everything you need to know about the TracFone settlement, keep reading. And for more settlement news, here’s everything you need to know about AT&T’s $177 million settlement.
Why was TracFone sued?
This settlement from TracFone came in response to a class action lawsuit filed against the company after a December 2021 data breach exposed the personal data of its customers. The plaintiffs in the case argued that the company failed to provide cybersecurity measures that would’ve prevented the breach
While TracFone has agreed to pay a settlement, it has not admitted to any wrongdoing in this case.
Who qualifies for the TracFone settlement?
The settlement is open to any customer of TracFone, or one of its above-mentioned brands, who resides in the US and can verify damages suffered as a result of the breach. In order to do that and get paid, you’ll need to provide materials proving the authenticity of your claims, such as receipts, bank statements, invoices, phone bills, credit reports, police reports or identity theft reports.
If you think you’re eligible for the TracFone settlement and can back it up with documentation, you can submit your claim on the official settlement website.
How long do I have to join the TracFone settlement?
Settlement applications are open through Aug. 7, so you have little less than a month to join the settlement.
How much can I get paid from the TracFone settlement?
That’s going to be dependent on the damages you suffered and can verify, but the upper limits are pretty generous.
For simpler out-of-pocket expenses, you can get up $3,250. These include costs like bank fees, mail costs, gasoline purchases, credit reports fees and insurance taken out between Nov. 15, 2021, and Aug. 7, 2025. You can also claim up to 15 hours of lost time due to the fallout of the data breach, at $30 an hour.
For «extraordinary» expenses resulting from the breach, you can claim up to $50,000 in damages. This can include things like verifiable losses caused by identity theft or loss of business opportunities. TracFone will also provide class members with identity theft insurance worth up to $1 million.
When will I get paid from the TracFone settlement?
That’s still up in the air, but you can expect it to be sometime in the fall at the earliest. In order for payments to go out, the final approval hearing, set for Sept. 16, still needs to be held. A clearer picture of the payment schedule should be available by then.
For more settlement news, find out if you’re eligible for GameStop’s Facebook privacy settlement payments.
Technologies
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Season 4’s Third Double XP Weekend Is Live Now
With Season 4 ending in three weeks, now is the perfect time to take advantage of double battle pass XP to clinch out some of the final tiers.

With less than 30 days left in Black Ops 6 Season 4, players are hustling to finish up the latest Call of Duty battle pass. Never fear — developer Treyarch has your back with another double XP weekend and three boosts for players to take advantage of. You’ll be able to speed through battle pass tiers, account levels and weapon attachment unlocks to kickstart your advancement of the newest seasonal content. This double XP weekend runs from Friday to Monday.
Anyone playing Black Ops 6 during the event period has a universal double battle pass XP, account XP and weapon XP earn rate applied to their account. If you log in now, you can hop into battle and reap the rewards of this double XP weekend right away, including the LC10 submachine gun and the FFAR 1 assault rifle.
This isn’t a Quad Feed double XP weekend, which means zombies mode players won’t be able to benefit from double GobbleGum drop rates. But the three biggest double XP boosts are active, which means your double XP tokens will be locked for the duration of the event.
Here’s everything you need to know about this double XP weekend. If you’re looking for something else to play, see our recommendations for the best game subscription services.
When does the double XP weekend start in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6?
It’s live. This double XP weekend kicked off on Friday at 1 p.m. ET.
Not sure when the double XP weekend went live for you? Here’s when the event started in your time zone:
- ET: July 11 at 1 p.m.
- CT: July 11 at noon.
- MT: July 11 at 11 a.m.
- PT: July 11 at 10 a.m.
It’s always worth starting your game ahead of your gaming session if possible. As with every Black Ops 6 patch, the update is going to require you to download new content and restart the application.
When does the Double XP Weekend end in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6?
Some double XP «weekends» are much longer events, lasting five to seven days. That isn’t the case this time around. This double XP weekend will end on Monday. Your double XP tokens will once again unlock after this time.
Here’s when the double XP weekend will end in your time zone:
- ET: July 14 at 1 p.m.
- CT: July 14 at noon.
- MT: July 14 at 11 a.m.
- PT: July 14 at 10 a.m.
Does Call of Duty Warzone have double XP this weekend?
Call of Duty Warzone has a double XP weekend running in tandem with Black Ops 6. That means Warzone players will also be able to benefit from this boost by leveling up their account, weapons and battle passes at twice the normal speed.
New players have a chance to level up the weapons they unlock from the new and improved Warzone Armory, and returning players can continue unlocking new attachments for the suite of Black Ops 6 weaponry added to Warzone.
Black Ops 6 double XP FAQ
Technologies
Price of Switch 2 Might Increase Soon Because of Tariffs
Industry analysts offered their thoughts on the console’s potential new price once tariffs hit.

It’s been more than a month since Switch 2 came out. As Nintendo’s most expensive console, at $450, it has yet to see a price jump because of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, but that can still change.
Trump first announced his plans for tariffs on April 2, the same day that the Switch 2 was revealed. The tariffs targeted two countries important to Nintendo: Japan, where the company is based, and Vietnam, where some of its products are manufactured. He did declare soon after the announcement that the tariffs are on pause for Japan and Vietnam for 90 days. Time appears to have run out as the tariffs are set to officially start on Aug. 1.
As for how much Nintendo would need to jack up prices to compensate for the tariffs, that’s a complicated answer.
How much is the Switch 2 after tariffs?
Wedbush Securities Analyst Michael Pachter believes that after the pause happens and tariffs are applied to products made in Vietnam and sold by Japan, like the Switch 2, he expects Nintendo of Japan to ship the consoles to Nintendo of America at the bare minimum cost of the console to pay the lowest tariffs possible.
«I think it will be $75 to $100 additional on price, maybe a tad more,» Pachter said. This would put the price of Switch 2 after tariffs in the $525 to $550 range.
Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere Analysis research director, gave a similar price range in his opinion about the Switch 2.
«This is a pretty fluid situation, after all. Nintendo will not want to change the price but I think everything is on the table now and an increase of at least $50 to $100 for the base console is realistic to offset some of the additional costs,» Harding-Rolls said. «Alternatively, Nintendo might conclude that the US market is too important to the company and that it will swallow the additional cost and make up the margin on digital games sales instead.»
DFC Intelligence CEO David Cole has a similar take on the price. He told Forbes in April that he expects the price to increase but not that much, as he believes the starting price of $450 already has baked into it a percentage to cover possible tariffs.
«It is not likely Nintendo will raise the price, and if they do, we don’t expect it to be 20%,» Cole told Forbes. A 20% increase would put the price of the console after tariffs at about $540.
The Switch 2 is already expensive
When Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 on April 2, the stream for the show ended without revealing the price. Instead, everyone interested had to visit the site and see the starting price of $450 and the bundle with Mario Kart World for $500.
This price would make the Switch 2 the most expensive Nintendo console at launch when not factoring in inflation. Like Cole, some assumed the higher price tag included a premium for a possible tariff but that doesn’t appear to be the case, according to Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser.
«Put [the April 2 announcement] aside. Any previous tariffs were not factored into the price itself,» Bowser told The Verge after the reveal.
Read more: Rising Cost of Nintendo Switch 2 Games: Are Trump’s Tariffs to Blame?
In an interview with CBC in April, Bowser defended the $450 price tag, saying it was appropriate for the machine’s value.
«We recognize there are some people that may not be able to afford [the Switch 2’s] price point,» he told CBC. «That’s why we wanted to make the other Switch platforms available, so [people] still have an opportunity to come into our gaming universe, be a part of these characters in these worlds, and see the value, if you will, in whatever rung of the platform they come in.»
Nintendo cleared a major hurdle by releasing its latest console at the announced launch price, although some accessories did go up in cost. The company may still need to raise the price of the Switch 2 in the future, like Microsoft did, and what many speculate Sony will have to do soon on its PS5.
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