iPhone Trick Goes Viral After Mystifying TikTok Users and Pleasing Apple Fans

An obscure iPhone feature is making the rounds on social media, where many people admit they've never even heard of it before. TikTok user OlderSistah, a.k.a. Shirley, has highlighted the trick in a viral video on TikTok. It allows you to "screenshot" an entire article in the Safari app and save it as a PDF.

"I was today years old when I found out you could screenshot an entire page," Shirley said in the video. Behind her surprised face, she showed the interface where a screenshot could be extended to include an entire webpage or article. Then, users can find those webpages later in the "files" app, which can be connected to other devices if you'd rather read the article elsewhere. This revolutionary new feature has fans delighted, but it wasn't even highlighted at Apple's most recent event.

@oldersistah ♬ Blue Blood - Heinz Kiessling & Various Artists

According to a report by BGR, this function is surprisingly old, though many users haven't known about it until now. Current iPhones are running the iOS 14 operating system, but this extended screenshot function has actually been available for years.

Some users already want this feature extended to more apps. Right now, it can only be used in Safari or Notes, though many people have Google Chrome set as their default web browser on their iPhone. Additionally, some would prefer the option to take a screenshot of a long text conversation, or information in some other app that does not display in Safari.

Shirley has since shown off another obscure feature for the iPhone: picture-in-picture view. This allows you to watch a video or stay on a FaceTime call while still browsing your apps and using your phone for other things. Commenters noted that this is not quite as life-changing as the screenshot tip, but some appreciated it anyway.

This surge in popularity is perfect for Apple, as it comes right at the end of a financial quarter and shortly before the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2021. This is the yearly event where Apple typically announces all of its new products and features, and many industry insiders expect big software updates this year.

According to a report by Tech Radar, WWDC 2021 will be in June this year, and will most likely be a primarily virtual event due to the coronavirus pandemic. So far, Apple has not teased any major announcements for the event. Hopefully the company takes the new fanfare for extended screenshots into consideration.