iPhone 12: Change these 13 settings on your new phone right now

Apple’s entire iPhone 12 lineup is a hit. From the iPhone 12 Mini
that punches above its weight, to the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro that offer few compromises, to the iPhone 12 Pro Max and its stellar camera and battery life, there’s something to love about each and every model. Whether you’re getting one as a gift this holiday season or you’re giving one to yourself, you’re sure to love it.

With the addition of a new MagSafe wireless charging and accessory platform, fancy camera tricks and 5G, there’s a lot to learn. The iPhone 12 lineup comes out of the box with iOS 14 installed, which has its own set of new features. Believe it or not, Apple’s default settings aren’t always the best to help you get the most out of your iPhone. We’ll take you through a few steps that will make your new iPhone 12 even better. 

For instance, if you live somewhere with zero or spotty 5G coverage, there’s no reason to keep 5G on. Do Not Disturb is disabled right out of the box, which means your iPhone will continue to beep at you throughout the night, causing light sleepers to wake up. Who wants that? Instead, a dip into settings can automatically silence your phone all night long, take advantage of dark mode to save battery life and put Control Center to work for you by changing your phone’s settings. 

Read on for all our tips, and note that we update this article as Apple adds new features and settings. 

1. Don’t have or want 5G coverage? Turn it off

Apple’s four iPhone 12 models are the first from the company to ship with support for 5G, a mostly faster and more reliable cellular connection. As carriers continue to roll out their 5G networks, however, some iPhone 12 owners (including me) will have to wait for 5G access.

Apple touts a Smart Data feature that’s specific to the iPhone 12 that will automatically switch between 4G LTE and 5G networks — without you having to know or do a thing — based on how you’re using the iPhone 12. The automatic switch is part of an effort to improve battery life. However, you may find that your iPhone 12’s battery drains faster than it did before. If you don’t want to sacrifice battery life for faster 5G speeds, shut it down. You can always turn 5G back on when you want it, or when service in your area improves.

To turn off 5G on your iPhone 12, forcing it to always use 4G LTE even if you have 5G coverage, open the Settings app then go to Cellular Cellular Data Options Voice & Data and tap LTE.

Alternatively, if you want your iPhone 12 to exclusively use a 5G connection when…