Tech & Auto
Hidden Features You Didn’t Know Your iPhone’s Volume Buttons Had
By BON ADAMSON
SOS
If you hold its side button and either volume button, an iPhone brings up a menu that can be used to view the owner’s Medical ID or place an SOS Emergency call.
When an SOS call is placed, your phone alerts your emergency contacts, notifying them of your situation and location using the information in the Health app's Medical ID section.
Power Off
The emergency menu also features the power-off slider, which shuts off the iPhone and temporarily disables Face and Touch ID to keep someone from unlocking it forcefully.
Camera
When the camera app is open, instead of fumbling with the on-screen shutter button, users can press the volume up or down button to take a picture or start recording.
The volume buttons' photo capability also works when scanning a document in the Notes app. Either volume button can be pushed to capture whatever is in the scanner's viewfinder.
Alarm
A quick press of either volume button will instantly hush a ringing iPhone alarm. However, make sure that snoozing is turned on if you don’t want the alarm fully dismissed.
Silencing
If your phone starts ringing at an inopportune moment, simply press either volume button to quiet it. This also works for auditory Find My notifications.