It’s ironic that while we have the “go big or go home” mentality for our TVs, many of us wouldn’t hesitate to watch a full-length movie on a tiny smartphone screen. It’s not uncommon to see people watching TV shows and movies on a phone or tablet while commuting to via public transit, traveling by plane, or even relaxing in bed at home.
While you’ll never get the same experience you would with a huge 65-inch-plus 4K TV and surround sound speaker setup, there are ways to improve the experience when you’re streaming content from the iPhone 14. Just because you’re watching on a 6.1- or 6.5-inch screen doesn’t mean you should settle for anything less than the best, most seamless experience. Here are a dozen tips that can help you indulge in your next 3-hour mobile binge session.
1 Download content to watch offline
Downloading a video over Wi-Fi allows you to watch it in the highest quality without using up tons of cellular data. Wait until you’re at home or somewhere with a reliable Wi-Fi connection and download the movie or episodes of a TV show you want to watch later to the device. Most streaming services, like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, support them, and will even offer various quality downloads, like standard or high definition, depending on how much storage space you want to use.
Some downloads expire eventually, but as long as the content is still available, you can always download it again if you didn’t get around to watching. Just make sure to delete the download once you’re done since it’ll take up a lot of local storage space on your device.
2 Adjust resolution
To enjoy the best quality streams, you’ll likely need to subscribe to the highest tier option of the streaming service you have. Netflix, for example, has packages that include HD viewing or 4K Ultra HD. The best quality option will be more noticeable on a large-screen TV, but you’ll still benefit from crisp video via mobile. On the flip side, you might want to downgrade video quality if you’re somewhere with a slower Wi-Fi connection, don’t want to eat up a ton of cellular data, or want to save some storage space.
The most popular streaming apps, like Netflix, have an option in the app’s settings to adjust video quality not only with downloaded content but also streaming. For example, in the Netflix app, go to the Cellular section and choose to Save Data when you’re using the cellular network to automatically downgrade the quality. In the Amazon Prime Video app, you can select from Good (0.6GB/hr) to Better (1.3GB/hr) to Best (5.8GB/hr) and even note that you only want to use the highest quality when you’re on Wi-Fi. Every streaming TV app has similar options, so it’s worth checking before you begin streaming.
3 Use a good pair of headphones
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What you’re using to listen can make all the difference. While you’ll come across the occasional annoying person who watches YouTube in a coffee shop using the phone’s built-in speaker, most people are courteous enough to use a pair of headphones. True wireless buds are the go-to when you’re out and about, and there are incredible options in this space.
Most importantly, whether you go true wireless or choose one of the best over-ear headphones, consider a pair that has active noise cancelation (ANC). This will block out distracting ambient noise, like the hum of an airplane engine or the bustling of a crowd in the student center, so you can focus on what you’re watching. A wireless pair is ideal as well, so you can move around freely without being tethered to the phone. While ANC headphones tend to be pricier, you can still find a decent pair for under $100.
4 Use the quick volume slider trick to adjust the audio level on the fly
There’s this simple trick that a lot of iPhone users don’t know about for adjusting volume. Chances are when you need to turn it down or up, you tap the side volume up and down buttons repeatedly. But if you tap once either way, a long, rectangular volume icon appears on the left side of the screen (or top right if you’re watching widescreen). Quickly slide that up or down with your finger, and you can adjust without pressing two or five times over. Note that the feature doesn’t appear while you’re in some streaming apps, but if you’re watching videos on YouTube, for example, you can use it.
5 Use picture-in-picture to multitask
Did you know iPhone has a picture-in-picture mode? Go to Settings> General> Picture in Picture, and set it to Start PiP Automatically. So now when you swipe up to go to the home screen while watching a video, it will continue playing in a little window. You can reply to an urgent text, check your emails, and access other apps or features of the phone without interrupting the viewing experience. To return to the video full screen, tap the full-screen button at the top right, and to close the video window, tap the X in the top left corner.
6 Use AirPlay/screen mirroring in hotels for a big-screen experience
The ideal way to access your favorite streaming services and personal account on a big-screen TV in a secondary location, like a hotel, is to use a streaming stick. They plug right into the TV’s HDMI port and serve as a smart TV portal to all your accounts and content. But if you don’t yet have one, or you forgot to pack it, there’s still a way to enjoy using just your iPhone.
If the TV supports AirPlay, you can screen mirror your phone to the screen. This way, you don’t have to enter your personal credentials into the TV and remember to delete them later. Keep in mind that in mirroring the content, you’re still using Wi-Fi or cellular data.
7 Dim flashing lights if they hurt your eyes
The iPhone’s accessibility section has tons of wonderful features for improving the experience for those with vision, motor, hearing, and other limitations. One such option that isn’t as widely discussed is the ability to dim flashing lights. If you find these hurt your eyes in movies and TV shows, go to Settings> Accessibility> Motion, and turn on Dim Flashing Lights. Any video you play on the phone that shows repeated flashing or strobing lights will be automatically dimmed, so it’s easier on your eyes.
8 Change the caption style/color
Apple’s accessibility menu also has built-in closed captions and SDH (subtitles for deaf/hard of hearing) that you can set to appear when available. Just go to Settings> Accessibility> Subtitles & Captioning and turn this feature on. Then, adjust the Style so it fits your preference. The default is Transparent Background, but you can also use Large Text, Classic, Outline Text, or even create your own new style by choosing the font type, size, color, background opacity, and other text settings. If you’re color-blind, you can set it to see certain colors or shades better. If you prefer dark text on a light background or need extra-large subtitles, this is a great way to adjust the view, so it’s personalized to you.
Note that individual streaming apps also have limited options for some content for choosing among different subtitle languages and even adding audio descriptions.
9 Test iOS Live Captions
Currently available in beta, you can now test the Live Captions feature with content that isn’t offered with closed captioning. It uses on-device intelligence to display captions in every app you use. Note that accuracy may vary, but if you’re hard of hearing and really want to watch something that isn’t available with closed captioning, it’s worth a try.
With Apple SharePlay, you can make the act of watching on your phone a collaborative one, joining a group of others to watch something together. Get on a FaceTime call and use the SharePlay feature to sync the video you’re watching, so everybody can watch at the same time. Everybody also has shared controls, so if somebody needs to pause for a bathroom break, everybody else can stretch and take a breather, too.
Note that everyone on the call will require their own subscription to the service you want to use, and their device needs to meet the minimum system requirements. You may also find that some movies or shows won’t work with SharePlay based on your country. But try it out the next time you all want to watch the finale of that reality dating show together.
11 Enable Dolby Atmos/spatial audio on platforms that support it
If the service tier you subscribe to has Dolby Atmos or spatial audio options for content, make sure it’s enabled. Apple’s AirPods Pro earbuds and AirPods Max headphones support it, along with an iPhone running iOS 14 or higher. When you set up personalized spatial audio for the AirPods, you’ll hear the sound follow you as you move your head around. This isn’t going to be the same as listening to true immersive Dolby Atmos or spatial audio full-sized speakers, but it will make a difference so you can enjoy much more enveloping, true-to-life sound.
12 Use a VPN for geo-blocked content
Maybe you’re traveling to Canada for work or outside of North America for a vacation and your streaming service isn’t working because it recognizes you are in a different country. You can solve this by downloading and using a VPN on your phone. Choose from among the best VPNs including the best free VPNs, (I personally use ExpressVPN) then select an IP address in another region. You can choose one near your home, for example, or one in another country where content isn’t geo-blocked. The added benefit is that using a VPN while out and about and surfing the net on your phone can keep you safe while you’re online as well.
Enjoy streaming!
Nothing compares, of course, to the big screen experience you’ll get from some of the best TVs, including those with additional picture quality features and upgrades. Combine this with a killer audio system, and you’ll feel like you’re right there in the action while watching the big game, binging your favorite new action thriller, or catching a newly released blockbuster movie. But sometimes, we only have the option to watch from our phones, or maybe we just prefer to. It can help the time pass during a one-hour commute home from work or school or while you’re waiting in the doctor’s office for an appointment. Whatever the case, watching on a small screen doesn’t mean you have to settle for a subpar experience. There are so many ways to help you get the most out of streaming video on an iPhone.