Google Drive’s latest update allows users to scan documents directly to cloud storage on iPhone, a feature previously available on Android only. The new design includes a Camera button for initiating the scan and saving it as a PDF file. The app also uses machine learning to suggest relevant titles for saved images. The post cautions that the information is only valid at the time of writing due to the constant evolution of technology.
This is for the iPhone using the latest update for Google Drive. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17+
Google Drive users will be glad to know the cloud storage app has a new handy feature. The app lets you scan documents directly to your cloud storage on your iPhone. The feature is already available on Android; the same functionality has made its way to iPhone.
The new Google Drive redesign comes with a new Camera button above the “+” button in the lower right corner. Another option to start a scan from the Google Drive home page is to tap that “+” sign and choose the Scan option. Both will take you to the iPhone’s Camera. Refer to the below image:
Selecting options to scan
Tap the button to initiate a document scan that will feel familiar. Just place the document or receipt from the Camera and take the photo.
The document-scanning feature lets you capture multiple images to scan a document with more than one page.
Once the photo is taken, you can perform the usual edits for such types of images. You can crop and rotate the image and change the color. That can be useful if you want your photo to look like a scanned document.
When you are ready to save the scan, press the Save button, and Google Drive will use machine learning to suggest a relevant title for the image or set of images that will be saved as a new PDF file. See the below image:
Save your scan as a PDF file
That’s another handy feature, as it will save you time and ensure you find and retrieve the scan with ease in the future.
As a reminder, your iPhone already has a built-in document scanner feature. You can scan documents directly into the Notes app with similar ease. If you sync Notes across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, you will always have the scanned document available.
However, the Google Drive alternative is also a great option. Some iPhone users might prefer scanning documents to Google’s cloud storage directly.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”
Vince Lombardi
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Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
TechSavvy.Life explores an iPhone Camera app setting called Prioritize Faster Shooting, which allows quick, successive photography, specifically for iPhone models XS/XR or later running on iOS 14 and above. However, enabling this feature reduces photo quality due to shorter image processing time. Users can personalize this setting in their iPhone settings.
This is for the iPhone XS/XR or later running iOS 14 or higher. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17+
The iPhone is a great camera out of the box. Just set the phone up and start taking photos and recording videos without worrying about advanced settings. However, if you do want to take your photo skills to the next level, all sorts of iPhone photo tricks can help you improve your game. The iPhone’s Camera app holds settings that can also enhance the pictures and clips coming out of your iPhone.
One of those image settings can come in handy when you do not want to miss a shot. But it can also ruin photo quality, as the iPhone might devote less time to processing the image.
Disable Prioritize Faster Shooting Feature
Called Prioritize Faster Shooting, the setting is straightforward. It does what it says; it enables faster shooting, especially if you take lots of burst photos. The setting lets the iPhone capture more shots per unit of time, which can be useful if you are following certain events and want to capture everything. But it might not be worth taking so many shots if the quality of the resulting images has to suffer.
The setting comes enabled by default. To disable this feature, head to:
Settings > Camera > Prioritize Faster Shooting
and toggle to the OFF position. Reger to the below image:
To disable, turn the option to OFF
To enable, set the toggle to the ON position.
If you do not find the setting, you probably use an older iPhone or iOS. You must either update the software or get a new iPhone to take advantage of Prioritize Faster Shooting.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
. “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.”
Richard Branson
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Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
The “always-on display” feature, exclusive to Pro versions of the iPhone 14 or 15 running iOS 17+, allows users to view important information without unlocking the device. The feature can be turned off in various situations, including when the phone is face down or connected to CarPlay, when low power mode is on, or through setting up a Sleep Focus. It can be turned off or adjusted through the Display & Brightness menu in Settings. Apple plans future updates to detail the feature’s battery consumption and introduce additional focus modes.
This is for the iPhone 14 or 15 Pro. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17+
An “always-on display” lets you see important information at a glance. Those with a Pro version of the iPhone 14 or 15 have this feature. It’s exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max on iOS.
Those with older iPhones need to update their phones to see any information (or use the Rise to Wake feature), but “always-on” changes all that by dimming the Lock Screen so you can still see certain data without touching your phone. Let’s explore how to take control of the iPhone’s “always-only displays” (and even turn it off if it’s not your thing).
When the Feature Turns Off
If you feel uneasy about a phone screen that never turns off, do not worry. Despite the name, Apple has done a few things to ensure the feature is not unnecessarily draining your battery (and a future iOS update may detail “always-on” battery consumption). If you do any of the following actions, the “always-on display” will turn off:
Place the phone face down, in your pocket, or in a bag. When charging your iPhone, we recommend placing your phone face down and when you are not using your iPhone. By doing this, your battery will last longer between charges.
Set up a Sleep Focus for certain times.
Connect to CarPlay.
Use the Continuity Camera feature.
Have low power mode turned on.
Additionally, if you have an Apple Watch connected to your iPhone, it will use your proximity to turn the screen on and off automatically. For example, if you leave your phone in the kitchen and walk upstairs, the display will turn black. When you return to the kitchen, the screen will light up.
How to Turn Off/ON
To disable the feature, head to:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display
and toggle OFF the Always On Display option. Refer to the below image:
Always On Display option
To enable the feature, toggle ON the Always On Display option.
Other Options
If you are not ready to give up on the “always-on display” completely, there are a few options you can adjust. You can disable Show Wallpaper to prevent your phone’s wallpaper from appearing on the display. Or disable Notifications to make the screen less distracting.
Since iOS 16.4, Apple has let you schedule or automate when your iPhone’s “always-on display” is enabled using Focus modes. So you could add a filter to make the display stay on during working hours, for example, but turn it off in the evenings.
Other options coming to future updates include seeing how much battery life the “always-on display” consumes and controlling it with additional Focus modes.
Disclaimer
Technology is constantly changing; there is rarely static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
. “Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.”
Drew Houston
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Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
The iPhone’s Messages app has numerous little-known features. Users can track live flights, unlock animations with secret codes, mark messages as unread, stop spam messages, and use Visual Lookup on sent messages. The recently released iOS 17 introduced features to quickly access photos and Check-In, which notifies contacts when the user arrives safely at a destination. The information shared via Check-In is end-to-end encrypted and can provide safety assurance.
This is for the iPhone. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 17+
Even if you use the iPhone’s Messages app every day, there’s a chance you do not know everything it’s capable of. To fully appreciate the app, here are a few of the most hidden secrets Messages offers users. Let’s explore these features.
Track Live Flights
If you have a friend or family member flying, you can see exactly where they are as long as you know the flight number. Let’s say the flight is AA7262, and they just sent you the flight number. Long press the flight number, then tap on Preview Flight. You will see all the details about the flight. Refer to the below image:
Track Live Flights
Unblock Animations With Secret Codes
You can get custom animations depending on the phrase you sent on iMessage. While you can long press the Send button before sending a message to choose a proper animation, you can also trigger them depending on the message. Here are some examples:
Happy Birthday! – balloons will appear
Congratulations! – confetti rain
Happy New Year! – fireworks
Happy Chinese New Year! – red explosion
Pew pew – laser light show
See the below image:
Unlock Animations
Unread a Message
One of the best features available with the Messages app on your iPhone running iOS 16 or above is the ability to mark a message as unread. If you have already read it but do not have time to reply at the moment, you can leave a notification badge on it. To mark messages as unread, tap and hold a conversation in the app’s Inbox and select Mark as Unread. See the following image:
Unread a Message
Stop Spam Messages
iMessage has a great feature that can split your Messages Inbox by different senders. Head to:
With that, you will not be notified about spam or messages from people you do not know. You just need to check the Unknown Senders tab every now and then. Refer to the below image:
Stop Spam Messages
Visual Lookup On Sent Messages
Visual LookUp works like Google Lens, which can tell you what’s in an image. An example, to view info about a plant:
Take a photo of a plant
Open Photos and find the image
Swipe up on the image
Tap Look Up
Now, view the results from Siri knowledge. See the below image:
Visual Lookup of a plant
Quickly Open Photos
With iOS 17, there’s a new feature to access your Photos in your Messages. Just long press the “+” icon in the bottom left-hand corner and select a photo to place in your message. To access a new menu of options, just press the “+” sign. See the following image:
Open Photos in Messages
To access a new menu of options, just press the “+” sign. Refer to the below image:
Photos Options
Check In
This is a new iOS 17 feature. It works when a user wants to notify a family member or friend that they have safely made it to their destination. After a user initiates a Check In, their friend or family member will automatically be notified when the user arrives. If they are not making progress toward their destination, useful information will be temporarily shared with the selected contact, such as the device’s location, battery level, and cell service status.
One of the primary benefits of Check In is the safety assurance it provides. Personal safety is paramount, whether navigating the streets late at night, venturing into unfamiliar territory, or heading home, Check In serves as a digital guardian. It offers security, letting your contacts know you’ve safely arrived at your intended destination. Any information shared is end-to-end encrypted. Both the recipient and sender must have iOS 17 or higher installed.
To use this feature:
Open the Messages app. Tap on the conversation where you want to use Check In.
Next, tap the plus (+) button, choose More, and select Check In.
If it’s your first time, follow the on-screen instructions. You must decide between Limited or Full data-sharing access. These options give you control over the level of location access.
Tap the Continue button as you read through the on-screen explanations until you see the Send a Check In button and tap it.
After that, if you do not reach your destination within the set time or place an Emergency SOS Call, your iPhone will prompt you to check if everything’s okay. If you do not respond within 15 minutes, Check In will alert your contact.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
Nora Roberts
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Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.
Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
Apple’s iOS 17+ introduces new customization features for iPhones, including kaleidoscopic wallpapers that change appearance throughout the day. Users can explore these options in the Wallpaper menu within the Settings app and select images for Lock and Home screens. There are two categories of images to choose from: Jewels and Flowers. Widgets can also be added to the Kaleidoscope screen for further customization. Unfortunately, one can’t set up two different kaleidoscopic images for Lock and Home screens.
This is for iPhones running iOS 17+. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro.
The iPhone is boring, some people often say. As if Apple had to come up with a new design every year. As if it could significantly and regularly update the external appearance at this particular point in smartphone history, where nearly every device features an all-screen display. But you can make the iPhone a lot more fun by customizing the look of the software. You can change the icons to custom images, set wallpapers for each Focus mode, and then rotate them regularly.
Apple has plenty of good options in the Wallpapers gallery. And it so happens that iOS 17 brings over new kaleidoscopic wallpapers to iPhone that you can start using right away. Let’s find out about the Kaleidoscope wallpapers.
How to Find the Wallpapers
The new wallpapers might not be immediately visible, as you might need to do a bit of scrolling to find them. But they are there, and we will tell you exactly where to go.
What’s so special about the Kaleidoscope wallpapers, you ask? Well, there’s an algorithm at work here that will apply changes to them as the day passes.
First of all, since iOS 16, you have two ways of customizing the wallpaper on your iPhone. One involves pressing and holding your finger against the Lock Screen wallpaper until the customization menu pops up. The other is the one you might have been using since the early days of the iPhone. It involves going to the Settings app and looking for the Wallpaper menu.
Add a Kaleidoscope Wallpaper
Whatever the route, you will get to an Add New Wallpaper menu to select new images for your Lock and Home screens.
Once there, scroll until you find the Kaleidoscope category to select one of the new wallpapers. You might see the category in the Featured section, so you might not need to scroll. Refer to the below image:
Add a Kaleidoscope wallpaper
You will discover six Jewels kaleidoscope images and eight Flower ones. The Jewels will also feature Dark and Light modes, which means they will change appearance depending on how you have set up your iPhone. Unfortunately, the Flowers kaleidoscopes do not. But we would say the color palette is even better for the Flowers options.
Once you have selected the one you like best, you can set it as a Wallpaper Pair for both the Lock and Home screens. Or you can customize the Home screen with a separate image. You can always select a kaleidoscope for the Lock Screen and a different image for the Home Screen. Sadly, you can not set up two different kaleidoscopes, one for each screen.
Add a Widget to Your Kaleidoscope Wallpaper
Just like other Apple wallpapers, you can add widget(s) to your Kaleidoscope screen. See the below image:
We have TechSavvy.Life stats and Google Lens widgets for our wallpaper. Your new wallpaper will look similar to the one below. See the following image:
Your added Widgets
That’s all you have to do to take advantage of the new Kaleidoscope wallpapers on iPhone after updating to iOS 17 or higher.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.
Jim Rohn
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Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.
Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
The post provides a guide on how to invert colors on an iPhone running iOS 17+, which can assist color-blind individuals or those who find phone screens hard to read. However, if this function results in ghostly blue screenshots, the post advises heading to Accessibility in the Settings app and turning off both Smart Invert and Classic Invert.
This is for the iPhone running iOS 17+. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro.
Are you considering inverting the colors on your iPhone? It can be a useful feature; especially for those with color blindness or for those who find phone screens difficult to read. The process of inverting your iPhone’s display colors is simple and can be done in no time. Let’s explore using the side button to toggle inverted colors on or off.
But first, what if you take a photo like the one below?
Your photo
Next, you take a screenshot of your photo and it turns out ghostly blue as displayed below.
Your ghostly blue screenshot
Yikes! How did this happen? We spent hours searching on Google how to fix this to no avail. Then we chatted with two Apple Support specialists before we got an answer on how to resolve this. This issue goes back to iOS 11.
How to Fix the Ghostly Blue Screenshot
To fix this problem:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to Accessibility.
Select Display and Text Size.
Scroll down to Smart Invert and Classic Invert.
Smart Invert will only invert the colors within the app you are currently using.
Classic Invert will invert all the colors on your iPhone, including photos and videos.
Turn both options to the OFF position.
This will make the screenshot resemble your photo. Refer to the below image:
Turn OFF both options
Note! When you update your iOS, the Smart Invert option is reset to the ON position. If your iPhone is still displaying ghostly images from your Camera Roll or the Photos app while using Dark Mode, turn the Smart Invert and Classic Invert to the OFF position.
In Settings > Display & Brightness resetting the Options, True Tone and Night Shift options has no effect in eliminating the ghostly images as noted in various help articles..Only the steps described in this blog post fixes the problem.
Setup Shortcut to Invert Colors
To quickly turn the inverted colors on or off on your iPhone, you can set up an Accessibility Shortcut. To do this, go to the Accessibility section of the Settings app then scroll down to select Accessibility Shortcut. Now, click either Smart Invert or Classic Invert. Once done, triple-click the power button on the side of your iPhone to toggle the inverted colors. To disable the shortcut, triple-click the power button again.
Why Would You Want to Invert Colors
Inverting the display colors on your iPhone can be a helpful tool for those who struggle with bright screens or color blindness, as it creates more contrast and, for some, an easier-to-read display. It’s important to note that while inverted colors can be a useful feature, they are not for everyone, and it may take some time to get used to inverted colors. However, if you find inverted colors to be helpful or think they do improve your overall viewing experience on an iPhone, it’s definitely worth enabling.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
The best vision is insight.
Malcolm Forbes
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Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.
Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.
Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
The iPhone allows users to convert Live Photos into videos through the Shortcuts app, creating high-quality clips. Users need to download a specific shortcut from Apple’s website, after which they can select the Convert Live Photos to Video shortcut and choose the photo they wish to convert. The shortcut only works with Live Photos, and for best results, users should select pictures that depict movement. Live Photos can be used with the Bounce, Loop, or Long Exposure effect.
This is for the iPhone. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+
If you can not do something in the Apple Photos app on your iPhone, chances are there is a third-party photo-editing app that can. For instance, have you ever viewed a Live Photo and realized it would make a much better video? Get it done with the Shortcuts app. It only takes a few minutes to set up and a couple taps to perform. Let’s explore this feature.
Convert Live Photo to Video
First, Apple’s Shortcuts app should already be on your iPhone, but you can also download it from the App Store. Refer to the below image:
Get your Shortcuts app
While the app comes loaded with many different pre-existing shortcuts, you must download a specific one from Apple’s website to convert Live Photos to videos.
Now, this will add it to your Shortcuts app. See the following image:
Your Shortcut added
Next, all you have to do is select the Convert Live Photos to Video shortcut and pick the Live Photo you wish to convert. That’s all it takes. The new video will automatically be added to your Camera Roll as if you captured the clip with your phone’s camera. Refer to the below image:
Message about the conversion
Now, if you have ever edited a Live Photo, you might notice that most of the photo outside the Key Photo can be quite blurry. However, your new video will retain the quality of the main photo throughout, giving you a crisp and clear clip. Click on the image to play the video:
Live Photo to Video example
Tips for Better Live Photos
This process is as simple as can be, but there are a few tricks to get the best results possible.
This might sound obvious, but the shortcut only works with Live Photos.
When selecting photos to convert, filter out all still images in Apple Photos by selecting Albums > Live Photos to make sure you are only viewing Live Photos.
For best results, select photos that depict movement. For example, fireworks, moving cars, grass blowing in the wind, ocean waves crashing, etc. These will make for a better video than a stationary moment.
You can use Live Photos with the Bounce, Loop, or Long Exposure effect.
While you can not make a Boomerang out of a Live Photo, or a photo with the Bounce effect, you can convert your Live Photo to a video and make a Boomerang.
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.
Caterina Fake
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Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.
Author’s E-Book
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
This article outlines ways to hide your caller ID on Android and iPhone, preventing recipients from seeing your number. One method involves dialing a specific shortcode (*67 for US) before a number. Alternatively, you can permanently block your number via the phone’s operating system. However, this may lead to missed calls from contacts who may not pick up unidentified calls. It also mentions ways to deal with spammy no caller ID calls.
This is for iPhone and Android. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+
Nobody likes receiving calls from No Caller ID numbers, as they are usually scams. But there might be cases where you will want your iPhone or Android to hide your phone number to protect your privacy. Whether the person at the other end of the line picks up or not, you can still block your phone number so it’s hidden when you call others.
There are two ways to hide your phone number. One involves using a specific shortcode before the phone number you want to dial. The other is having the operating system block your number permanently. We will show you both, and a tip that makes blocking your number a two-second process.
Using the Quickest Option
If you plan on blocking your number only for certain calls, there’s no reason to mess with the iPhone or Android phone’s settings. Instead, just add *67 before the number you are about to dial. When you do this, it tells your carrier not to show any Caller ID for that call.
An example of the phone number string to dial would be *67-555-555-5555.
Each country has different shortcodes to hide phone numbers. This is the US version. In the UK, you would need to dial 141 before the number.
Block Your Number on iPhone
If you want to hide your phone number routinely, you will need to go into the phone’s settings to enable it.
On iPhone, head to:
Settings> Phone> Show My Call ID
You might have to wait a short while until the toggle appears. Toggle the switch to OFF. Refer to the below image:
Disable showing Caller ID
The feature can come in handy if you are using your personal phone number for work-related calls and do not want others to find out your number. But it can be a hassle if you forget to reenable it when calling family and friends. They will see No Caller ID appear on their devices and might not pick up.
Block Your Number on Android
The same warning applies to Android. You can block your phone number on Android phones just as easily as on iPhones. But you will have to remember to unblock it for your closest contacts to see your Caller ID.
To hide your phone number on Android, go to:
Phone> Setting > Calls and Additional Settings> Hide Number
and toggle the switch to OFF.
Repeat the steps to reenable the Caller ID on your Android phone when you are done blocking access to it.
Dealing With No Caller ID Calls
While we are at it, we will remind you there are ways to deal with spammy No Caller IDs on iPhone and Android and ensure they are not too big a hassle for you. Check a related post below to avoid no Caller ID calls.
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for people telling you that you are nuts.
Larry Ellison
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Author’s E-Book
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The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
The blog post by Raymond Oglesby offers tips for iPhone users on how to handle blocked or unknown calls. Among the suggestions are enabling the block unknown callers feature on iOS, which could also inadvertently block legitimate calls. Outgoing calls can be anonymized by dialing *67 before the number. A distinction is made between No Caller ID (intentionally blocked by the caller) and Unknown Caller (Caller ID was provided but not recognized). The post also answers FAQs about related subjects.
This is for the iPhone with iOS 13 +. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+
When your phone rings and the Caller ID is blocked, or it’s an unknown caller, it’s pretty frustrating. Especially with repeat unknown calls. If you are ready to stop those annoying spam calls and unmask the Caller ID behind them, these are some of the best methods to reveal unknown numbers.
Quick Definitions
There are two important distinctions you should know. No Caller ID and Unknown Caller are two different things.
No Caller ID means that the caller intentionally blocked their ID from you. On the contrary, an Unknown Caller means the Caller ID was not recognized even though it was provided.
The best way to handle this is to turn on the option to block unknown callers on iOS. It sometimes blocks real callers, but it’s a good balance between being inundated with spam calls all day.
Block Your Outgoing Caller ID
If you are looking to hide your phone number when making outbound calls, you do not need to even fiddle with your phone’s settings.
Simply dial *67 followed by the phone number you are trying to call. When you do this, it tells your carrier not to show any Caller ID for that call.
An example of the phone number string to dial would be *67-555-555-5555.
Block Unwanted Incoming Calls
First, open the Settings app on your iPhone. Refer to the below image:
Accessing Settings
Next, scroll down to the Phone option and tap on it. See the below image:
Accessing Phone option
Now, scroll down to the Silence Unknown Callers option. See the following image:
Accessing the Silence Unknown Callers option
Next, toggle its switch to the ON position. Refer to the below image:
Turn the option ON
All calls without a Caller ID will be automatically blocked from your phone. Remember, real numbers and callers can also be affected by this, and customer service-based calls frequently are a target. We recommend you check your voicemails and missed calls list.
FAQ
Can you find out a no Caller ID number?
If you receive a call without any Caller ID, the caller has deliberately blocked their phone number from showing up. There’s no way to find out the number if the call was purposely blocked.
What does *57 do on a phone?
The service code *57 activates malicious caller identification. This is an upcharged fee service offered by some phone company providers. *57 should be dialed immediately after receiving a call from a number with no Caller ID. When you do so, it records the metadata of the malicious call to aid law enforcement investigations.
How do you call a number with a blocked ID back?
You can not call back a number that calls you with a hidden ID. If you miss a call from these numbers, you must wait till they call you back. Their hidden Caller ID prevents you from calling back if you do not have their number.
Will my telephone provider reveal an Unknown Caller’s ID to me?
It is against the law for your mobile carrier to reveal information about another user to you. They can only do that if you can prove that you are in danger or feel threatened. If you are going to request details like that from your mobile carrier, you must have enough evidence to back up your claim and most likely a police report.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
When I’m old and dying, I plan to look back on my life and say, ‘Wow, that was an adventure,’ not, “Wow, I sure felt safe”.
Tom Preston-Werner
Tweet Info
That’s it. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.
Just click the Tweet icon below. This will launch Twitter where you click its icon to post the Tweet.
Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.
Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.
Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
This is for the iPhone. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+
Since the release of iOS 13, the Shortcuts app has come preinstalled on compatible devices, hosting useful automation and timesaving techniques ranging from automating texts to organizing your photos.
Making the most of these shortcuts can, however, feel a little foreign to first-time users. A lot of Apple device owners do not even know what the app is. It comes with a fairly extensive library of pre-existing shortcuts, but beyond this lies a world of user-generated shortcuts.
In principle, iOS Shortcuts are fairly simple, considering they are based on IFTTT (If This Then That) automation; trigger results in an action. However, in practice it is not always so simple; there are multitudes of triggers, and the debugging is entirely nonexistent.
The learning curve is staggeringly high. To help you get started, here are some of the most useful, easy-to-use Shortcuts you should have on your device, plus they are free.
How to Install Shortcuts on iPhone
Installing shortcuts has become simplified over the years. Previously, you had to go to the Settings app on your iPhone and allow to install shortcuts from third-party links. Now, there’s no such need. Just click on the download links we have provided and use the Add Shortcut button to add the shortcut to your library. You may be asked to set certain options for the Shortcuts to function, if so, just follow the shortcut instructions. Not mentioned in this post, is another favorite, Charge Time shortcut which can be opened in the link below.
If you do not want your iPhone or iPad to die at the most unfortunate times, Super-Low Battery v2.0 is the shortcut you should use. While the low-power mode on iOS devices does well enough job for normal days, sometimes you need that extra hour or two of usage off your iPhone, and the low-power mode does not cut it. Enter the Super-Low Battery v2.0 shortcut.
Using the Super-Low Battery v2.0 shortcut you can enable super low-power mode. When run, it not only stops background processes and activates native low-power mode, but also turns off WiFi, and Mobile Data. It also turns on Airplane Mode and sets both Brightness and Volume to 0. It’s best to use when your iPhone’s battery falls below 10%. After running it, you should have a few hours left. If you want, you can make a call or send a text, deactivate it by running the shortcut, make that call or send a text, and run it again. Click this link toDownload Super-Low Battery v2.0. Refer to the below image:
Super-Low Battery v2.0 shortcut
2) Dark Safari
Another favorite to share is Dark Safari. Since the introduction of Dark Mode on iOS 13, it’s helpful at night. It reduces strain on your eyes and ensures you are not blinded by bright light when you open an app. That said, when reading articles on Safari, the dark mode fails. This shortcut will help you solve this problem.
It creates a black background with bold white text to make reading easier on the eyes. Unlike other similar shortcuts, it does not invert the colors, but rather actually changes the colors of a website. This will improve your late-night reading. Click this link to Download Dark Safari. See the below image:
Dark Safari shortcut
3) Apple Frames 3.0
Another powerful shortcut created by Federico is Apple Frames. It allows you to apply frames to your iOS screenshots. I know most people will not need it, but if you are a writer, blogger, or content creator using screenshots, this is for you. (As for our blog posts, we use a subscription-based third-party screen capture program on the desktop). Click this link toDownload Apple Frames. See the following image:
Apple Frames shortcut
4) Water Eject
The iPhone has become water resistant since the iPhone 7, but your iPhone can get water damage. Sometimes water can get stuck inside the speakers and microphone grills of the iPhone, compromising the audio quality of the microphone speakers. You can solve this issue by using the Water Eject shortcut. When you tap the shortcut it plays a series of sounds that can eject water from the speaker grills. Click this link toDownload Water Eject. Refer to the below image:
Water Eject shortcut
5) Calculate Tip
Calculating the tip on a bill is always harder than it should be, especially if you are in a hurry at the end of the meal. After running this shortcut, you simply enter the bill and choose the tip percent, such as 12%, 15%, 18%, or 20%. You will immediately see the tip amount and final bill total including the tip. Click this link to Download Calculate Tip. See the below image:
CalculatSe Tip shortcut
6) Shazam ++
Ever since Apple integrated Shazam into iOS, it has been easy to find the name of whatever song is playing around you. But Shazam++ takes that a step further; this shortcut will use Shazam to identify the song and then offer you a menu of options that include sharing the song or playing it in your favorite music player such as Spotify or Apple Music.
Shazam++ presents a small yet significant addition to the tool, presenting you with various actions once it’s identified the song, including sharing the song or playing it directly in the music streaming service, from where you can easily add it to your playlists. Click this link to Download Shazam ++. See the following image:
Shazam ++ shortcut
Open your Shortcuts app and head to My Shortcuts gallery where your six shortcuts will be displayed as shown below:
Your shortcuts gallery
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
The only thing worse than starting something and failing is not starting something.
Seith Godin
Tweet Info
You are finished. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.
Just click the Tweet icon below. This will launch Twitter where you click its icon to post the Tweet.
Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.
Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.
Author’s E-Book
You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.
The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath
Tech Savvy Life 