iPhone Basics
Using iOS 7
Using iOS 7
To use your iPhone, you'll need to understand the basics of iOS, the operating system for the iPhone (and also the iPad). You'll see it when you turn on your iPhone for the first time. iOS is what powers the iPhone's hands-on features, including the multi-touch screen, easy-to-use interface, and built-in apps. In short, it's what makes the iPhone work the way it does.
Getting to know the iOS 7 interface
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about the different parts of the iOS interface.
Notifications
To view your notifications, pull or swipe down from the top of the screen. A window will show you reminders, unread emails, calendar events, and other activity on your iPhone.
To go to the source of the notification, just tap the one you want.
The Status Bar
The status bar at the top of the screen displays current information about your iPhone. This includes (from left to right) the strength of your cell signal, the status of your internet connection, the time, and your remaining battery life.
Apps
The icons you see here are shortcuts to your apps. In this example, the icons represent some of the built-in apps that come with iOS.
If you choose to download more apps, the icons will appear here too. To open an app, simply tap the one you want.
The Home Screen
The screen you see here is called the Home screen; however, it may help to think of it as similar to your computer desktop. It's where all of your apps are kept, and it's the first thing you see when you turn on your device.
You can even have multiple Home screens, to make room for more apps, and to organize the icons. To navigate between screens, swipe left or right.
The Dock
The dock at the bottom of the screen is designed for your most frequently used apps. By default, it includes Phone, Mail, Safari, and Music.
You can customize your dock by adding or removing icons, so you always have access to your favorites.
The Control Center
The Control Center allows you to quickly access frequently used settings for your device.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to adjust the screen brightness, turn Wi-Fi on and off, use your camera's flash as a flashlight, and more.
Multi-touch gestures
Gestures, sometimes called multi-touch gestures, are what you'll use to open apps, navigate the Web, and more.
- Tap to "click" or select something on the screen, like an app or a link. You can also tap and hold to occasionally access other options (think of this as "right-clicking").
- Drag to scroll up and down, left and right, or any other direction on the screen.
- Swipe left or right to flip through pages on the Home screen, photos, or pages in an e-book.
- Double-tap to zoom in or out on photos, webpages, and certain apps.
- Pinch to zoom in or out almost anywhere.
Understanding apps
Even if you're new to the iPhone, you've probably heard of apps before. The concept is simple: Apps are programs that are designed to run on your device.
The iPhone comes with a number of built-in apps that you can access immediately from the Home screen. They're a great place to start for new users because there's nothing to download or install. Many of these apps are ready to use right out of the box (like the Camera app), while others require a little more setup (like Mail and Contacts). We'll take a look at some of the built-in apps later in this tutorial.
Once you've explored the apps that came with your device, you might want to try downloading some more from the App Store. There are thousands of apps that you can download for free. Many other apps cost as little as $0.99, although some may be more expensive.
