• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechChange the World

5 Hidden Apple iOS 11 Features You Need to Try

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 21, 2017, 11:26 AM ET

Apple’s new mobile operating system iOS 11 might look similar to its predecessor iOS 10, and its functions might be reminiscent of the past, but there are some hidden features any user will want to check out.

Over the last few days, I’ve been digging through all of iOS 11’s features, looking at how they work, and wondering what will happen if I use them in different ways. In that time, I’ve discovered a bunch of hidden functions and neat tools that aren’t so apparent when you’re using some of the apps built into Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch operating system. And in my experience, those features have proven exceedingly useful in improving my productivity.

So, if you have an iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 and you want to check out some new ways to get more out of the operating system, read on for my five favorite hidden iOS 11 features:

Customize Control Center

Arguably the coolest addition to iOS 11 is the ability to actually make the operating system’s Control Center app really, really useful.

From the Settings pane, you can choose “Control Center” and decide whether you want to add or remove controls. Don’t like the Timer control but would love to add an Alarm control? Go for it. Want to quickly access your Apple TV Remote? Just send it over to Control Center.

Once you’re done customizing, open Control Center by swiping up from your screen and you’ll see your customizations.

Share Long Wi-Fi Passwords

There’s nothing worse than trying to remember passwords. So, Apple has added a feature that allows you to automatically share your Wi-Fi password with the tap of one button. Better yet, you don’t need to share the password itself, adding a little security to the scenario.

When someone running an iPhone or iPad with iOS 11 tries to connect to a network you’re already on, you’ll receive a notification, asking if you want to share your password with the person. If you choose to do so, the connection is sent to the other person and they’ll connect to the network.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The One-Type Keyboard

The iOS 11 keyboard defaults to full-screen, but if you want to type with one hand, just hold your thumb down on the emoji icon in your keyboard. A box will pop up, allowing you to decide whether to keep the keyboard full screen or move it to the left or right. If you choose to move it, typing with one thumb is much, much easier.

Indoor Mapping

When you load up Apple Maps inside popular points of interest, like an airport, you’ll have the option to see an indoor map of your location. You can then use it navigate around, say, an airport terminal to find bathrooms, food, and other important places.

Text Siri

In addition to chatting with Apple’s virtual personal assistant Siri, you can also text your queries. To do so, you’ll need to go into the Settings pane and choose Accessibility. From there, pick Siri, and you’ll see the option to “Type to Siri.” When you turn that on, you’ll now be given the option to speak to Apple’s assistant or type your question. It’s a handy way to get answers when you’re in a loud environment and the assistant can’t hear you well.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Right before Trump named Warsh to lead the Fed, Powell seemed to respond to some of his biggest complaints about the central bank
By Jason MaJanuary 30, 2026
23 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
'I just don't have a good feeling about this': Top economist Claudia Sahm says the economy quietly shifted and everyone's now looking at the wrong alarm
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 31, 2026
8 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
The American taxpayer spent nearly half a billion dollars deploying federal troops to U.S. cities in 2025, CBO finds
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 28, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
Top engineers at Anthropic, OpenAI say AI now writes 100% of their code—with big implications for the future of software development jobs
By Beatrice NolanJanuary 29, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Microsoft’s $440 billion wipeout, and investors angry about OpenAI’s debt, explained
By Eva RoytburgJanuary 29, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Asia
Trump’s Greenland play comes with Russia and China running circles around the US in the Arctic as expert sees ‘big game of catch-up’
By Tristan BoveJanuary 30, 2026
23 hours ago

Latest in Tech

Photo of Alexis Ohanian
SuccessFounders
Alexis Ohanian walked out of the LSAT 20 minutes in, went to a Waffle House, and decided he was ‘gonna invent a career.’ He founded Reddit
By Preston ForeJanuary 31, 2026
38 minutes ago
Netflix
Big TechMarkets
Netflix may be turning into an ‘entertainment giant,’ but its stock looks like ‘dead money’ to investors
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 31, 2026
3 hours ago
In this handout, the mug shot of Jeffrey Epstein, 2019.
PoliticsJeffrey Epstein
Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein emailed each other for years trying to meet up, new Justice Department records show
By Eva Roytburg and Sasha RogelbergJanuary 30, 2026
16 hours ago
Big TechThe Boring Company
After a decade of silence, Elon Musk’s tunneling startup and its reclusive president, are hitting the media circuit
By Jessica MathewsJanuary 30, 2026
19 hours ago
MagazineEducation
The 1966 cover of Fortune Magazine welcomed the Information age. Now the AI era beckons
By Indrani SenJanuary 30, 2026
19 hours ago
Gamestop
Big TechGameStop
Five years after the short squeeze, GameStop’s CEO is betting on a ‘genius or totally foolish’ $100 billion-plus acquisition
By Jake AngeloJanuary 30, 2026
21 hours ago