Check out the best 3D Touch features on your iphone

3D Touch opens up new ways of accessing features in iphone apps. How many do you use?

Ever since the iphone 6S the screen on the phone has responded to two levels of pressure. There is a light tap which acts like taps normally do and opens apps, selects menus and buttons, and there is a firm press which activates 3D Touch. What happens next depends on the app but it usually gives access to functions that would normally take several taps and navigation through multiple screens.

To configure 3D Touch on the iphone go to Settings> general> accessibility> 3d Touch. Turn it on and drag the slider to your preferred position. 3D Touch can be implemented anywhere by apps and there is no obvious indication if a firm press will do anything different to a light press. Just try it and see.

1 Quick camera functions

Either 3D Touch the Camera app on the Home screen or in the Control Centre and a useful menu is displayed which provides quick access to the most common camera functions. You can take a selfie, record a video, record slo-mo video or take a photo.

2 Wireless functions

Swipe up to show the Control

Centre and there is a section for wireless connections with four icons for Airplane mode, wireless, Bluetooth and mobile data. 3D Touch them and a panel with two more icons appears. Use it to quickly access Airdrop and Personal Hotspot.

3 Preview web links

Sometimes it is obvious where a link on a web page in Safari will take you, but not always. You can preview the links using 3D Touch. Press the link and a window opens in the centre of the screen to show the link destination.

4 Continue reading

If you 3D Touch ibooks it shows you a list of the books that you have been reading recently. So, instead of opening the ibooks app and hunting for a book, you can just use 3D Touch.

5 Safari shortcuts

It normally takes several taps to open Safari and go to the reading list, create a new tab or a private browsing tab, but not with 3D Touch. Press the Safari icon in the dock and all these items are on the menu and just one tap away.

6 3D Touch trackpad

Moving the cursor around the screen can be a bit awkward on a phone because screens are small and fingers are big. To make it easier 3D Touch the keyboard to turn it into a trackpad and drag the cursor around the screen.

7 Save my location

Have you ever worried whether you can remember where you parked your car? You can if you mark the location in the Maps app. There is no need to open it and fiddle with controls, just 3D Touch and tap ‘Mark My Location’.

8 Listen again

What album or track were you listening to last time in the Music app? If you want to repeat your favourite track or continue listening to an album you started last time, 3D Touch the Music app and your most recent albums or tracks are listed. Tap one.

9 View your schedule

The Today screen can be used to view Calendar events, but if you are already on the Home screen or have put Calendar in the dock, 3D Touch it to see a list of upcoming events. It is also a quick way to add an event to Calendar.

10 Phone favourites

The Phone app displays several shortcuts when 3D Touch is used and you can view your favourite people to message/call them without first opening the app. You can also view recent calls, search for contacts and create them.