I’ve had my iPhone 5s since November and I adore it. I had a Smartphone before, and I liked having a smartphone, but I didn’t like or love my actual phone.

I’ve only recently learned a couple of really nifty tricks, and while there are a ton of “top 10” or “top 30” or however many “tips” — I’ve found that some of those lists are full of stuff that is pretty irrelevant to me. So here are my top THREE nifty things I’ve learned about using my iPhone 5s.

1. If you need a period, tap the space bar twice. <—– I was ready to get rid of my iPhone at first until I learned this nifty trick.
2. Take photos by pressing the volume up or down button (either one will work). You can also take photos by using the earbuds that came with the iPhone and pushing the volume up/down button. <—– Useful for making sure you are getting a steady picture, taking selfies or surreptitious pictures of uncooperative family members.
3. To switch back and forth between the alpha and numeric keyboards, touch the “123” button and then slide up to the character you want. When you let go, the keyboard will switch back to the alpha keyboard. <—- Useful if your password includes symbols or numbers!