iPhone Tweaks

Opening the Control Center or Notification Center from the iOS lock screen is convenient. It can also be viewed as a security risk for those who like their devices locked down. The jailbreak tweak Secret-Lock adds an additional layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to all lock screen features on the iPhone.

Once installed, Secret-Lock can be toggled in the settings. There are some options to be configured, including the secret Activator gesture that will unlock the lock screen. Everything on the lock screen will be inaccessible until this gesture is performed.

The jailbreak tweak Auxo has been around for some time. Several iterations have brought an innovative look and feel to app switching and the iOS Control Center. In fact, Auxo pioneered the use of app preview cards which finally made their way into stock iOS 7. Auxo Legacy Edition eliminates some of the flair found on later versions in favor of the simplicity and speed of the original.

Once installed, Auxo is accessed by invoking the Control Center with a swipe up from the bottom of the display. Instead of the stock toggles and controls, Auxo presents a built-in app switcher with card previews. Swipe left and right to view the most recently used apps, then use preconfigured gestures to launch an app or dismiss. All apps can be exited with a tap and hold. The standard Control Center interface is also accessible in what's called Auxillary Pages.

For iPhone owners looking to do some Spring Cleaning on their devices, app removal can save significant space. Low available storage can cause streaming music and video bottlenecks and slow down iOS performance. Not to mention the Camera app can't save photos and videos when a device is full. Clearing app caches can save space, but sometimes a list of unused apps must go.

The jailbreak tweak MultiDelete makes this an easier task. With MultiDelete installed, multiple apps can be deleted at the same time. Once installed, make sure the tweak is enabled. Using the toggle in settings requires a respring for changes to take effect. A handy respring shortcut is provided. The real magic happens on the home screen.

The jailbreak tweak RecordPause brings some old-fashioned in-camera editing to the iOS Camera app. Normally videos are recorded and edited later, by bringing together different clips with software. By adding a pause button to active video recording, RecordPause makes it possible to stop and restart recording in the same video file.

Once installed, tapping the time counter when recording video will put the stock Camera app in pause mode. The interface turns yellow, and the viewfinder preview dims. To restart recording tap the time counter again. When finished recording, stop the video normally and the in-camera edit will be saved to the Camera Roll.

DockWare was originally developed for jailbroken devices running iOS 7. The tweak has been updated for iOS 8 compatibility, bringing many new features to the stock iOS 8 dock. Once installed, DockWare 2 can be configured with a long list of options in the Settings. There are three main sections which control home screen behavior, in-app behavior, and the activation method for showing or hiding the dock.

Folders can be placed in the dock like app icons, and the dock itself can be shown anywhere, including when using an app. Besides an activator gesture to control the dock, the dock can be hidden entirely on the home screen with a toggle. Other options include an auto hide feature with a timer, and eight custom animations for the showing and dismissal of the dock.