5 'Underground' iPhone Apps That Feel Illegal to Use (But Are 100% Legit)
Ever download an iPhone app that's so powerful, so ridiculously useful, that you get a little voice in the back of your head whispering, "Is this even allowed?" We're not talking about shady, jailbreak-only software. We're talking about 100% legitimate, App-Store-approved applications that give you a level of control and access that feels like a cheat code for real life.
These are the apps that turn your standard iPhone into a master key for efficiency, information, and creativity. They fly under the radar for most users, but for those in the know, they're essential. Here are five of our favorite "underground" apps that feel illegal but are completely above board.
1. Shortcuts: Automate Your iPhone Like a Hacker
On the surface, Shortcuts is an Apple-made app for creating simple commands. Dig a little deeper, and it becomes a powerful tool that feels like you're reprogramming the rules of iOS. It lets you chain multiple actions from different apps into a single tap or Siri command. The complexity you can achieve makes it feel like you've found a secret backdoor.
Why it feels illegal: You can build custom workflows that do things that should take minutes in just seconds. Imagine a single "Heading Home" command that texts your partner your ETA, pulls up directions, starts your favorite podcast, and sets your home thermostat to the perfect temperature. It's a level of automation that feels like you're operating outside the system.
But it's 100% legit: It's Apple's own tool designed for power users to streamline their daily tasks. It's not hacking; it's just maximum efficiency.
2. Libby: The 'All-You-Can-Read' Library Loophole
In an age where you pay monthly for music, movies, and even audiobooks, getting thousands of best-sellers for free seems impossible. Enter Libby. By connecting to your local library card, this app gives you access to a massive digital catalog of ebooks and audiobooks at zero cost.
Why it feels illegal: Listening to a brand new $30 audiobook or reading the latest best-selling novel without paying a dime feels like a glitch in the capitalist matrix. You'll find yourself wondering how this is sustainable and when someone is going to shut it down. It feels like you're getting away with something, every single time you borrow a new title.
But it's 100% legit: Libby is the modern, official interface for the public library system. You're supporting authors and your local library just by using it. It's the most wholesome "heist" you'll ever pull off.
3. Flightradar24: The Civilian Air Traffic Control in Your Pocket
Ever look up at a plane and wonder where it's going? Flightradar24 tells you. In astonishing detail. This app turns your iPhone into a live air traffic control map, showing you almost every commercial and private aircraft in the sky, anywhere in the world, in real-time. You can tap on a plane to see its flight path, altitude, speed, and aircraft type.
Why it feels illegal: Tracking planes feels like something reserved for government agencies and spy thrillers. Following a private jet's flight path or seeing a military transport plane fly overhead gives you a sense of omniscience that feels forbidden. It’s like having access to a restricted information network.
But it's 100% legit: Most aircraft are equipped with ADS-B transponders that broadcast this information publicly. Flightradar24 simply collects this data and presents it in a stunningly accessible way.
4. TouchRetouch: Erase Reality From Your Photos
We've all taken a near-perfect photo, ruined by a random tourist in the background or an ugly power line overhead. TouchRetouch lets you simply wipe them away. This app allows you to remove unwanted objects, people, or blemishes from your photos with an almost magical degree of accuracy.
Why it feels illegal: Effortlessly deleting a person from a photo feels like you're altering a historical record. It's so simple and effective that it feels like you're wielding a power you shouldn't have—the power to change the past, one vacation picture at a time. The results are often so seamless, no one would ever know.
But it's 100% legit: It's simply an incredibly well-designed and powerful photo editing tool. It's the secret weapon of professional and amateur photographers alike for creating the perfect shot.
5. Google Lens: Identify Anything with Your Camera
Integrated into the main Google app, Google Lens is the closest thing we have to a real-life "scan" button from science fiction. Point your camera at almost anything—a plant, a piece of clothing, a weird-looking bug, a foreign-language sign—and it will identify it for you. It can even scan and solve math problems or copy text from the real world directly to your phone's clipboard.
Why it feels illegal: The ability to instantly get an answer to "What is that?" feels like a superpower. Translating a menu in real-time or identifying a piece of furniture in a store to find it online for cheaper feels like you have an unfair advantage on the world. Copying text from a book or whiteboard without typing feels like the ultimate school-days cheat.
But it's 100% legit: It's just Google's powerful AI and search capabilities put to incredible practical use, turning your camera into a search bar for the physical world.
