iOS 14 has some applications that are well hidden away beneath the system which despite having crucial functionalities, they remain hidden away from the application list especially among the default first-party bundled with the operating system.

QR Code scanner is one such application which on the normal ground remains invincible despite being operational. However, to access this application, you’ll need to swipe down from the middle of the home screen and then type in the name of the app you want from where you’ll see the Code Scanner app icon that can be used to scan QR codes.

Where is the code scanner?

The name of the app just got swapped out from what it used to be back in iOS 13 as QR Code Reader and there is a need to add it to the Control Center in order to be able to use it.

The same goes with the revamped Code Scanner app which requires that you add it to the Control Center in iOS 14. One of the main reasons this app is hidden by default is because of the fact that the functionality is already built right into the iOS 14 camera app which is where most people are able to access it.

But the standalone Code Scanner has some different feature that sets it aside from the integration in the iOS camera application. For example, when you scan a QR code with the iPhone camera, there will be a notification pop that asks you to open the corresponding link or application however, with the Code Scanner app, the link opens up immediately.

Second, using the camera app will open up links within Safari. As a result, it can clutter up your tabs over time with things like restaurant menus. Meanwhile, using Code Scanner opens links via an in-app browser that conveniently goes away when you’re finished.

All in all, it’s a much more streamlined QR code experience.

Play background music while recording music on iPhone

Another cool hidden feature within the iOS app is the ability to record a video while having background music from apps like Spotify or Apple Music playing. Usually, these apps turn off whenever you try to record videos via the default camera application.

To achieve this, head over to the Camera app and instead of just navigating to the Video setting, you just keep the Photo setting at the forefront, and then with the background music playing, press down on the white button and drag your finger to the right slowly.

The white selection button will automatically turn to the “Recording” button which is red and by the time you’ve ragged your finger towards the edge of the screen, you can then release your finger and you’ll realize that your phone keeps recording videos while the background music is on.

In short, these are the two quick hidden features within the iOS 14 I feel you should know about. The first is adding the Code Scanner to the Control Center in order to easily access it anytime while the second is the ability to record videos while playing music in the background.