Western Reader
Apple’s iPhone has a ‘secret menu’ that can only be reached by inputting codes using the digital keypad.
The menu reveals, among other things, whether your phone calls are getting forwarded, your true signal strength, and several ways to safeguard your smartphone.
To access these features, you must enter a sequence of characters and numbers into the phone’s dialer as if you were dialing a number.
You typically need to press “call” to activate it, which displays a menu page.
The secret codes, typically used by technicians, rely on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), a protocol for communication that enables devices to link with the network.
Codes to Check Out
Confirm your TRUE signal strength.
The bars your iPhone displays to indicate signal strength are often an approximation, but you can engage Field Test Mode by entering a code.
To do so, enter *3001#12345#* into your phone’s dialer, and turn Wi-Fi off first if possible.
Under LTE RsrpRsrqSinr, you can view connection information for your phone. You should be able to view your signal strength under Rsrp.
-40 indicates a powerful connection, while -140 indicates a weaker one.
Protect your caller ID. You can enter a USSD code before the number you wish to contact to conceal your caller ID so that the person you call cannot see who has called them.
In the United States, simply enter *67 to conceal your number. This feature is dependent on your network’s support for it, so it may not be accessible on all networks or plans.
Your iPhone has a ‘secret menu’ that unlocks hidden features — here’s how to access it
https://t.co/mO11uPJ7NX— James Nyamu (@jamesnyamu) July 3, 2023
Learn your IMEI number to safeguard your phone. If you lose your phone and know its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, your carrier can block it.
To find yours, dial *#06# – write it down and contact your carrier if you lose or have your phone stolen.
More Codes
Check if your calls are being forwarded.
You can see if your calls are being forwarded, which usually means to your voicemail, but you can also see if someone has configured your calls to forward to another number.
To access your forwarding configuration, dial *#67#.
Your iPhone has a ‘secret menu’ that unlocks hidden features – here’s how to access it https://t.co/kzb2VJZgYr pic.twitter.com/crIv58xj3w
— Iphone news reviews (@news_iphone) July 2, 2023
Turn on call blocking. Simply inputting a USSD enables call barring, preventing incoming calls. Enter *#33# to determine whether call limiting is enabled.
For activation, you will need the SIM card Code; if you do not know it, call your network provider.
To allow call barring, type *33*SIM PIN#. To turn it off, enter #33*code#.
Divert your calls to a different phone. Simply input a USSD code to redirect your calls to a different number.
To accomplish this, dial *21PHONENUMBER#, and the phone will reroute your calls (enter the full phone number where it says PHONENUMBER).
This differs by the network, so use *72 instead of *21 if you receive an error message. To switch it back off, enter *21#.
This article appeared in NewsHouse and has been published here with permission.
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