# Muhammad Shahid Khan: apps and guides

> Independent iOS, iPadOS and macOS developer, and backend engineer (Node.js, Solidity). This site hosts a portfolio, support and privacy pages for every app, and a blog of practical guides for each app. Every app is free on the App Store, works without an account and keeps user data on the device.

- Developer page on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/muhammad-shahid-khan/id6801795285
- Contact: contacttoshahidkhan@gmail.com

## Apps

- [UK Test Prep](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/uk-test-prep/id6813083344): Citizenship, ILR & Visa Prep. 1,250 Life in the UK practice questions, 46 study note sections, 307 flashcards and a timed 24-question mock exam. Works fully offline, every feature free. (iPhone & iPad)
- [RoadTick: Driving Theory Test](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/roadtick-driving-theory-test/id6811299594): Hazard Perception & Mock Tests. UK driving theory practice questions with explanations, timed mock tests, hazard perception training, the Highway Code and UK road signs in one clean app. (iPhone & iPad)
- [Resume Builder – CV Maker AI](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/resume-builder-cv-maker-ai/id6801795283): AI Resume, Cover Letter PDF. Build résumés, CVs, cover letters, biodata and resignation letters on your iPhone, check them against ATS software and export a clean PDF. No account needed. (iPhone & iPad)
- [SnapText - Image to Text](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snaptext-image-to-text/id6811419636): Scan Images, Extract Text. On-device OCR for iPhone: extract editable text from photos, screenshots and scanned documents, then copy, clean up, search or export it. No account, no tracking. (iPhone & iPad)
- [Picture to Text - ExtractText](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picture-to-text-extracttext/id6811564107): Copy Text from Images & PDFs. Mac OCR app: drop in images or PDFs, or press Shift-Command-2 to capture any area of the screen, and get editable text in 30+ languages. Everything runs on your Mac. (Mac)
- [Magnetic Blocks: Fill & Relax](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnetic-blocks-fill-relax/id6811005484): Tangram Shape Fit Puzzle Game. A calm, offline tangram-style puzzle game: drag magnetic shapes into a silhouette and watch them snap into place. 10,000+ puzzles, 100 chapters, Build Mode and daily challenges. (iPhone & iPad)
- [Cheatly: Game Cheat Codes](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cheatly-game-cheat-codes/id6807984198): Offline hints, guides & tips. An offline reference of 3,300+ single-player cheat codes across 84 games, shown the way your platform shows them: controller button chips, PC console commands and in-game phone numbers. (iPhone & iPad)
- [Secret Codes: IMEI & Carrier](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/secret-codes-imei-carrier/id6807154322): Dial codes, SIM & network test. 317 verified iPhone dial codes for IMEI, call forwarding, caller ID, voicemail, eSIM and carrier services, plus a full device diagnostic suite. Nothing is locked. (iPhone & iPad)

## Guides

### UK Test Prep

- [Life in the UK Test 2026: Complete Guide to Format, Booking and Passing](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/life-in-the-uk-test-complete-guide/): The Life in the UK test is a 45-minute computer test of 24 multiple-choice questions on British history, values, government and everyday life. You need 18 correct answers (75%) to pass. It costs £50, is booked online on GOV.UK, and is required for most Indefinite Leave to Remain and British citizenship applications.
- [Life in the UK Test Practice Questions: How to Use Them to Pass First Time](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/life-in-the-uk-test-practice-questions/): Practice questions work best when you use them to find gaps, not to memorise answers. Study one handbook chapter, answer questions on it straight away, read the explanation for every mistake, and retest your weak areas a day later. Move on to full 24-question timed mocks once you have covered all five chapters, and book the test when you score 21+ consistently.
- [Life in the UK Test for ILR and British Citizenship: Who Needs It and When](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/life-in-the-uk-test-for-ilr-and-citizenship/): Most people aged 18 to 64 must pass the Life in the UK test before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) or British citizenship by naturalisation. You only need to pass it once: the same pass counts for both. People under 18, people aged 65 or over, and some people with long-term physical or mental conditions are exempt.
- [A 4-Week Life in the UK Test Study Plan (30 to 60 Minutes a Day)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/life-in-the-uk-test-study-plan/): Spend weeks 1 to 3 on the five handbook chapters (history gets a full week), answering practice questions after every study session and reviewing mistakes the next day. Use week 4 for timed 24-question mocks and weak areas only. Book the test for the end of week 4 once you are scoring 21 or more out of 24.
- [Hardest Life in the UK Test Topics: Dates, Numbers and Facts People Get Wrong](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/life-in-the-uk-test-hardest-topics/): The questions people most often get wrong are about history dates (1066, 1215, 1588, 1688, 1707, 1918 and 1928), the four nations (patron saints, saints' days and what counts as Great Britain), voting milestones and government numbers. Learn them with flashcards and practise questions that mix similar facts together.
- [British History Timeline for the Life in the UK Test: Every Key Date in Order](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/british-history-timeline-life-in-the-uk/): The history chapter runs from the Stone Age to the present. The dates that matter most are AD 43 (Roman invasion), 1066 (Norman Conquest), 1215 (Magna Carta), 1588 (Spanish Armada), 1603 (union of the crowns), 1649 (execution of Charles I), 1707 (Act of Union with Scotland), 1801 (Ireland joins), 1914 to 1918 and 1939 to 1945 (World Wars), and 1948 (the NHS).
- [How the UK Is Governed: Parliament, Elections and Devolution for the Life in the UK Test](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/uk-government-and-parliament-explained/): The UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as head of state. Parliament has two houses: the elected House of Commons, with an MP for each constituency, and the unelected House of Lords. The Prime Minister leads the party that can command the Commons and chooses the Cabinet. General elections are held at least every five years. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved governments.
- [British Festivals, Traditions and Sport: What the Life in the UK Test Asks](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/british-traditions-festivals-and-sport/): The test asks about the patron saints’ days (St David 1 March, St Patrick 17 March, St George 23 April, St Andrew 30 November), festivals such as Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Hanukkah, Eid and Vaisakhi, traditions such as Bonfire Night (5 November) and Remembrance Day (11 November), and sports including football, cricket, rugby, tennis at Wimbledon and golf at St Andrews.
- [Famous British People in the Life in the UK Test: Scientists, Writers, Artists and Sportspeople](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/famous-british-people-life-in-the-uk-test/): The test often asks who did what. Key names include Isaac Newton (gravity), Charles Darwin (evolution), Alexander Fleming (penicillin), Tim Berners-Lee (the World Wide Web), Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Robert Burns, artists like Turner and Constable, leaders like Churchill and Thatcher, and sportspeople from Roger Bannister to Mo Farah.
- [UK Courts, the Law and Your Responsibilities: Life in the UK Test Guide](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/uk-courts-and-law-life-in-the-uk/): In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, minor criminal cases go to a Magistrates’ Court (a Justice of the Peace Court in Scotland) and serious cases to a Crown Court with a jury (a Sheriff Court or High Court in Scotland). Young people aged 10 to 17 go to a youth court. Civil disputes go to County Courts, often using the small claims procedure. The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal.

### RoadTick: Driving Theory Test

- [UK Driving Theory Test 2026: Format, Pass Marks and How to Prepare](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/uk-driving-theory-test-guide/): The UK car theory test has two parts taken in one sitting: 50 multiple-choice questions in 57 minutes (pass mark 43) and a hazard perception test of 14 video clips scored out of 75 (pass mark 44). You must pass both parts at the same time. It costs £23 in Great Britain and the pass certificate is valid for 2 years.
- [Hazard Perception Test Tips: How to Score 44+ Out of 75](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/hazard-perception-test-tips/): Click as soon as you see a hazard start to develop, the moment it would make a driver slow down or change direction, then click once or twice more as it develops. Each of the 15 hazards scores up to 5 points, and the pass mark is 44 out of 75. Clicking constantly or in a rhythm scores zero for that clip.
- [UK Road Signs Explained: Shapes, Colours and the Signs Learners Get Wrong](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/uk-road-signs-explained/): UK road signs follow a simple system: circles give orders, triangles warn and rectangles inform. Red circles tell you what you must not do, blue circles tell you what you must do. Direction signs are blue on motorways, green on primary routes and white on other roads. Learn the system first and most individual signs explain themselves.
- [How to Use Driving Theory Mock Tests to Pass First Time](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/driving-theory-mock-test-strategy/): Start full mock tests only after you have practised every topic. Take them under real conditions (50 questions, 57 minutes), review every wrong answer, and practise those topics before the next mock. You are ready to book when you score 46 or more out of 50 in several mocks in a row, giving you a margin over the real pass mark of 43.
- [How to Revise the Highway Code Without Reading It Cover to Cover](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/highway-code-revision-guide/): Revise the Highway Code by section, not front to back. Focus first on the rules tested most: hierarchy of road users (Rules H1 to H3), speed limits and stopping distances, junctions and roundabouts, motorways, vulnerable road users and signs and markings. Test yourself with practice questions after each section.
- [UK Stopping Distances for the Theory Test: Chart, Car Lengths and an Easy Way to Remember](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/stopping-distances-uk-theory-test/): In good conditions the Highway Code stopping distances for a car are 12 m at 20 mph, 23 m at 30 mph, 36 m at 40 mph, 53 m at 50 mph, 73 m at 60 mph and 96 m at 70 mph. Each is thinking distance plus braking distance. Stopping distances can be twice as long on wet roads and up to ten times as long on ice.
- [UK Roundabout Rules: Lanes, Signals and Mini-Roundabouts Explained](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/roundabout-rules-uk/): At a UK roundabout you give way to traffic coming from your right, unless signs or markings say otherwise. To turn left, signal left and use the left lane. To go straight ahead, usually use the left lane with no signal on approach. To turn right, signal right and use the right lane. In every case, signal left after passing the exit before the one you want.
- [UK Motorway Rules and Signs: Lanes, Smart Motorways, Red X and Breakdowns](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/motorway-rules-and-signs-uk/): On UK motorways the limit for cars is 70 mph unless signs say otherwise. Keep to the left lane unless overtaking, and never undertake. A red X means the lane is closed: you must not drive in it. Signs are blue, and the 300, 200 and 100 yard countdown markers show the next exit. If you break down, leave at the next exit or stop in an emergency area, and call 999 if you are stuck in a live lane.
- [UK Road Markings Explained: White Lines, Yellow Lines, Zigzags and Cat’s Eyes](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/uk-road-markings-explained/): UK road markings follow a simple rule: the more paint, the stricter the rule. Broken white lines are warnings or lane markers; solid white lines must not be crossed. Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, single yellow means no waiting at the times on nearby signs, and zigzags at crossings mean no stopping or parking. Red routes ban stopping altogether.
- [Theory Test Day: What to Bring, What Happens and What to Expect](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/theory-test-day-what-to-expect/): Bring your photocard provisional driving licence and arrive early: without the licence you cannot sit the test, and you lose the fee. Personal items go in a locker. You can do a short practice session, then answer 50 multiple-choice questions in 57 minutes (pass mark 43). After a break of up to 3 minutes you watch the hazard perception tutorial and 14 clips (pass mark 44 of 75). You get your result before you leave.

### Resume Builder – CV Maker AI

- [How to Make a Professional Resume on iPhone and Export a PDF](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-to-make-a-resume-on-iphone/): Install a resume builder app, pick a simple template, then fill in your contact details, a short summary, your experience (newest first, with results), education and skills. Check the live preview, run an ATS check, and export or share it as a PDF. With Resume Builder this takes about 20 to 30 minutes and needs no account.
- [ATS-Friendly Resume: How Applicant Tracking Systems Read Your CV](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/ats-friendly-resume-guide/): An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that stores and screens job applications. To be ATS-friendly, use a single-column layout, standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), real text rather than images, and the exact keywords from the job advert where they are true for you. Send a text-based PDF or Word file and avoid putting key details in headers, tables or graphics.
- [How to Write a Cover Letter on Your Phone That Gets Read](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/cover-letter-on-iphone/): A strong cover letter is under one page, in four short paragraphs: why you are writing, why you fit the role (with one or two specific achievements), why this company, and a clear close asking for an interview. Address a named person if you can, match the advert's key requirements, and send it as a PDF with your resume.
- [Biodata Format: How to Make a Biodata for Jobs and Marriage](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/biodata-format-for-jobs-and-marriage/): A biodata is a short document of personal and background details used in South Asia for some jobs, especially government roles, and for marriage proposals. A job biodata covers personal details, education, experience and skills. A marriage biodata covers personal details, education and profession, family background and expectations. Keep either one to one or two pages with a clear photo.
- [Resume vs CV: What Is the Difference and Which One Should You Send?](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/resume-vs-cv-difference/): In the US and Canada, a resume is a 1 to 2 page summary tailored to one job, and a CV is a longer, complete academic record used for research, academia and medicine. In the UK, Ireland, Europe, the Gulf and South Asia, "CV" is simply the normal word for a resume. When in doubt, send what the advert asks for, in 1 to 2 pages.
- [How to Write a Resignation Letter (With a Template You Can Copy)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter/): A resignation letter should be short, polite and factual: say you are resigning, name your role, give your last working day based on your notice period, thank your employer, and offer to help with the handover. Address it to your manager, date it, sign it, and keep a copy. Do not include complaints or reasons you would not want on file.
- [How to Write a Resume With No Experience (Students, Graduates and Career Changers)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/resume-with-no-experience/): With no work experience, lead with education, projects and skills instead of jobs. Write a two-line objective naming the role you want, list relevant coursework, then show projects, volunteering, part-time work, clubs and certifications as experience, each with a result. Keep it to one page, use a simple one-column layout, and match the words in the job advert.
- [Resume Summary Examples: 15 Professional Summaries You Can Adapt](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/resume-summary-examples/): A strong resume summary is two to four lines at the top of your resume: who you are (title and years of experience), what you are best at (two or three skills from the job advert), and one result with a number. Example: "Customer success manager with 6 years in B2B SaaS. Manages 60 accounts worth £1.2M and kept renewals above 94%."
- [Skills to Put on a Resume: Hard Skills, Soft Skills and How to Prove Them](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/skills-to-put-on-a-resume/): Put 6 to 12 skills on your resume, chosen from the job advert and true for you. Focus on hard skills (software, tools, languages, certifications), which are easy to check and match keyword searches. Show soft skills such as leadership or communication through results in your experience section, not as a bare list.
- [How Long Should a Resume Be? One Page vs Two Pages (and When a CV Is Longer)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-long-should-a-resume-be/): Most resumes should be one page for under about 10 years of experience, and two pages for senior or highly technical roles. A UK-style CV is usually two pages. Only academic, research and medical CVs run longer. Cover roughly the last 10 to 15 years in detail, and cut anything that does not help with the job you are applying for.

### SnapText - Image to Text

- [How to Extract Text From an Image on iPhone (3 Easy Ways)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-to-extract-text-from-image-on-iphone/): On iPhone XS or later you can use Live Text: open the photo, touch and hold a word, drag to select, then tap Copy. For longer text you want to edit, clean up, save or export, use an OCR app such as SnapText: pick or capture the image, and it extracts editable text on your device in seconds.
- [How to Scan a Document to Editable Text on iPhone](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/scan-document-to-text-iphone/): A normal iPhone scan (from Notes or Files) creates an image or PDF of the page. To get editable text, the scan also needs OCR. With SnapText, scan the document with the camera, let it recognise the text on your device, clean up line breaks, then copy, share or export the text.
- [How to Copy Text From a Screenshot on iPhone](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/copy-text-from-screenshot-iphone/): Open the screenshot in Photos, touch and hold a word, drag the handles to select the text, and tap Copy (this uses Live Text on iPhone XS or later). To grab all the text from a long screenshot at once, open it in SnapText, which extracts everything as editable text you can clean up, copy or save.
- [Private OCR on iPhone: Why On-Device Text Recognition Matters](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/private-ocr-on-iphone/): On-device OCR reads text from your images on your iPhone itself, so the image never has to be uploaded. Cloud OCR sends your image to a server to be processed. For IDs, bank letters, medical documents or private chats, on-device OCR is the safer choice. SnapText uses Apple's on-device Vision framework, needs no account and uses no external OCR or AI services.
- [10 Tips for More Accurate OCR: Get Clean Text From Photos](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/ocr-tips-for-accurate-text/): OCR accuracy depends mostly on the photo. Use bright, even light, keep the camera parallel to the page and in focus, avoid glare and shadows, fill the frame with the text, and crop out busy backgrounds. Then check numbers and names by eye before you rely on them.
- [Live Text Not Working on iPhone? 9 Fixes (and What to Use Instead)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/live-text-not-working-iphone/): Live Text needs an iPhone XS, XR or newer on iOS 15 or later. If it is not working, turn it on in Settings > General > Language & Region > Live Text, add the text’s language to your preferred languages, and turn on Show Detected Text in Camera settings. Small, blurred or decorative text often fails. An OCR app such as SnapText can extract the whole image at once when Live Text will not.
- [How to Convert Handwriting to Text on iPhone (Notes, Letters and Whiteboards)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/handwriting-to-text-iphone/): On iPhone you can convert handwriting with Live Text in Photos or the Camera, with Scan Text in any text field, or with an OCR app like SnapText for whole pages. Neat, printed-style handwriting in dark ink converts well; joined-up or rushed writing needs checking. Good light, a flat page and one section at a time make the biggest difference.
- [How to Remove Line Breaks From Copied or Scanned Text (iPhone, Mac and Web)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/remove-line-breaks-from-copied-text/): Text copied from PDFs, photos and scans keeps the line breaks of the original page, so it pastes as short broken lines. To fix it, replace single line breaks with spaces while keeping blank lines between paragraphs. On iPhone, an OCR app with a clean-up tool such as SnapText does it in one tap; a Shortcut with Replace Text works too. On a computer, use Find and Replace with ^p in Word or a regular expression.
- [How to Translate Text From an Image on iPhone (Photos, Signs, Menus and Documents)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/translate-text-from-image-iphone/): On iPhone, open the photo, tap the Live Text button, select the text and tap Translate. For signs and menus, use the Camera tab in Apple’s Translate app. For long documents, extract the text first with an OCR app such as SnapText, then paste it into a translator, so you can check and edit the whole thing.
- [OCR for Students: Turn Lecture Slides, Textbooks and Notes Into Text on iPhone](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/ocr-for-students-iphone/): Students can use OCR to turn photos of slides, textbook pages, whiteboards and handwritten notes into editable text. Photograph the material, extract the text with an app like SnapText, clean it up, and paste it into your notes. That makes everything searchable, quick to turn into flashcards, and easy to quote accurately. Always cite your sources.

### Picture to Text - ExtractText

- [How to Extract Text From an Image on Mac (Every Method)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-to-extract-text-from-image-on-mac/): For a single image, open it in Preview or Photos, hover over the text and drag to select it with Live Text, then press Command-C. For batches of images, multi-page PDFs, part of the screen or languages Live Text does not support, use Picture to Text: drop files in, or press Shift-Command-2 to capture any area, and it extracts the text on your Mac.
- [How to Copy Text From a Scanned PDF on Mac](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/copy-text-from-scanned-pdf-mac/): A scanned PDF is a set of images of pages, so there is no text to select. To copy it, run OCR on the PDF. In Picture to Text, drag the PDF in: it reads each page on your Mac, shows progress page by page, labels each page in the result, and lets you copy or export all the text.
- [Screenshot to Text on Mac: Capture Any Area With Shift-Command-2](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/screenshot-to-text-mac/): With Picture to Text installed, press Shift-Command-2 (or use the menu bar icon) and drag over any area of the screen. The text in that area appears instantly in a floating window, ready to copy. It works on videos, apps that block copying, images and PDFs, and only the area you select is captured.
- [OCR for Urdu, Arabic, Persian and 30+ Languages on Mac](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/ocr-urdu-arabic-text-mac/): Picture to Text recognises 30+ languages on your Mac, including English, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Turkish, with Urdu, Persian, Pashto, Sindhi and Punjabi in beta. Leave the language on Automatic, or choose it manually for the best accuracy on right-to-left and mixed-language text.
- [How to Scan a QR Code or Barcode on Mac (From Your Screen or an Image)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/scan-qr-code-on-mac/): Press Shift-Command-2 in Picture to Text and drag over the QR code or barcode on your screen, or drop an image or PDF that contains it into the app. Picture to Text detects the code and shows its content, such as a link or text, which you can open or copy with one click. No phone needed.
- [How to Copy Text From a Video or Video Call on Mac (YouTube, Zoom, Teams)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/copy-text-from-video-mac/): Pause the video, then either use Live Text (in Safari or QuickTime on macOS Ventura and later, you can select text in a paused frame) or press Shift-Command-2 with Picture to Text and drag over the text. Screen capture OCR works on anything visible, including YouTube in any browser, and slides shared on Zoom, Teams or Meet, where Live Text cannot reach.
- [Live Text Not Working on Mac? How to Fix It (and Select Text in Any Image)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/live-text-not-working-mac/): Live Text needs macOS Monterey or later and must be switched on in System Settings > General > Language & Region > Live Text. It works in Preview, Photos, Safari and Quick Look, but not in every app, and only for supported languages. If text still will not select, it is usually too small, blurred or decorative. Picture to Text can read any image, PDF or area of the screen instead.
- [How to Convert an Image or Scanned PDF to a Word Document on Mac](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/image-to-word-document-mac/): To turn an image or scanned PDF into a Word document on Mac, extract the text with OCR, clean up the line breaks, then paste it into Word or Pages and add headings, lists and tables. Save as .docx from Word, or File > Export To > Word in Pages. With Picture to Text, recognition happens on your Mac, so the document is never uploaded.
- [How to Extract Links, Emails and Phone Numbers From an Image on Mac](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/extract-links-emails-phone-numbers-from-image-mac/): Drop the image or PDF into Picture to Text, or capture part of the screen with Shift-Command-2. Along with the text, it detects links, email addresses, phone numbers, QR codes and barcodes, and lets you open or copy each one with one click. That saves retyping long URLs and avoids mistakes in addresses and numbers. Check links before you open them.
- [How to Translate Text in an Image or Screenshot on Mac](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/translate-text-in-image-mac/): For a few lines, open the image in Preview or Safari, select the text with Live Text, Control-click and choose Translate. For long documents, other apps or languages Live Text does not read, extract the text first with Picture to Text, which can also translate the result on your Mac on macOS 26 or later. Check names, numbers and dates against the original.

### Magnetic Blocks: Fill & Relax

- [Offline Puzzle Games for iPhone: What Makes a Good One (and Why Magnetic Blocks Works on a Flight)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/offline-puzzle-games-for-iphone/): A good offline puzzle game works fully without internet, including every level, saves and progress; has lots of content built in; lets you play at your own pace; and does not interrupt you with ads that need a connection. Magnetic Blocks has 10,000+ tangram-style puzzles that run entirely offline, with no third-party ad networks.
- [Tangram Puzzles: History, Rules and How to Solve Them](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/tangram-puzzles-guide/): A tangram is a puzzle of seven flat pieces (two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, a square and a parallelogram) cut from a square. The goal is to arrange all seven, without overlapping, to fill a given silhouette. It originated in China and became a worldwide craze in the early 19th century.
- [8 Strategies to Solve Shape-Fitting Puzzles Faster](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/shape-fitting-puzzle-strategies/): Place the largest and most awkward pieces first, fill corners and narrow areas before open space, keep track of area so you never leave a gap no piece can fill, and undo early when a gap becomes impossible. Most silhouette puzzles have several valid solutions, so there is rarely one "right" first move.
- [Relaxing Puzzle Games: Why Calm, Untimed Puzzles Help You Unwind](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/relaxing-puzzle-games-to-unwind/): Calm puzzle games help you unwind because they give your mind one clear, achievable task with no time pressure, and a small reward each time a piece fits. The best relaxing puzzles have no timer, no penalties, gentle visuals and sound, and many valid solutions, so you can solve at your own pace.
- [Build Mode Ideas: 15 Things to Make in Magnetic Blocks](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/build-mode-ideas-magnetic-blocks/): Build Mode in Magnetic Blocks is an open board with nine shapes and eight colours, no goal and no timer. Good things to make include animals (cat, fox, fish, bird), letters and names, houses and boats, symmetrical mandalas, pixel-art faces and colour-gradient mosaics. You can save and share every build.
- [Tangram Shapes: 30 Figures to Make With the 7 Pieces (Animals, People, Objects)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/tangram-shapes-to-make/): With the seven tangram pieces you can make thousands of figures. Classic ones to start with are the square, triangle and rectangle, animals like the cat, rabbit, swan, fish and horse, people running, sitting and dancing, and objects such as a house, boat, candle and teapot. Every figure must use all seven pieces, touching but not overlapping.
- [Tangram for Kids: How to Teach It by Age, and What Children Learn](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/tangram-for-kids/): Start 3 to 5 year olds with puzzles that show each piece’s outline, move 5 to 7 year olds to silhouettes with a few lines inside, and give 8 and older plain silhouettes and free building. Tangrams teach shape names, rotation and flipping, symmetry, area and fractions, and build patience, because there is more than one way to solve most figures.
- [How to Get Three Stars in Magnetic Blocks (and Move Up the Difficulty Tiers)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/three-stars-magnetic-blocks/): In Magnetic Blocks, three stars reward a clean, fast clear. To get them: study the silhouette for a few seconds before moving anything, place the biggest pieces into the most constrained spots first, avoid trial-and-error dragging, and keep undos and hints for when you are genuinely stuck. Replay a level once you know the solution to earn the stars.
- [Puzzle Games for Seniors: What to Look For in a Calm, Easy-to-Use Brain Game](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/puzzle-games-for-seniors/): A good puzzle game for seniors has clear, large pieces and simple drag controls, no timers or pressure, difficulty that ramps gently, few or no interruptions, and works offline. Shape-fitting puzzles like Magnetic Blocks fit well. They are an enjoyable way to stay mentally active, though research does not show any game can prevent memory loss on its own.
- [The 5-Minute Daily Puzzle Habit: A Better Break Than Scrolling](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/daily-puzzle-habit/): A daily puzzle works as a habit because it is short, finished and the same time every day. Pick a trigger such as your morning coffee or lunch break, play one daily challenge, and stop. Unlike a social feed, a puzzle has an end point, so it leaves you calmer rather than wanting more. Keep streaks as a nudge, not a rule.

### Cheatly: Game Cheat Codes

- [GTA San Andreas Cheat Codes for PC: The Complete Working List](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/gta-san-andreas-cheats-pc/): In the original PC version of GTA San Andreas, you type the cheat during gameplay, with no menu or console, and "Cheat activated" appears. The most used are HESOYAM (health, armour and $250,000), BAGUVIX (infinite health), AEZAKMI (never wanted) and LXGIWYL (weapon set 1). Save to a separate slot first, because some cheats can affect your save.
- [GTA 5 Cheat Codes for PC: Full List and How to Enter Them](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/gta-5-cheats-pc/): On PC, press the ~ (tilde) key during story mode to open the cheat console, type the code, and press Enter. Popular codes include PAINKILLER (5 minutes of invincibility), TOOLUP (weapons and ammo), TURTLE (max health and armour) and LAWYERUP (lower wanted level). Cheats only work in story mode, and they disable achievements for that session.
- [GTA Vice City Cheat Codes for PC: Every Classic Code](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/gta-vice-city-cheats-pc/): In the original PC version of GTA Vice City, type the cheat during gameplay. Key codes are ASPIRINE (full health), PRECIOUSPROTECTION (full armour), THUGSTOOLS, PROFESSIONALTOOLS and NUTTERTOOLS (weapon sets), LEAVEMEALONE (clear wanted level) and PANZER (Rhino tank).
- [How to Enter Cheat Codes on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-to-enter-cheat-codes-pc-playstation-xbox/): Games accept cheats in five main ways: typing letters during gameplay (classic GTA on PC), a console command opened with a key like ~, a controller button sequence entered during play or on pause, a number dialled on an in-game phone, or a cheats menu. The same cheat usually has a different input on each platform.
- [Do Cheat Codes Disable Achievements and Saves? What to Know Before You Cheat](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/do-cheat-codes-disable-achievements/): It depends on the game. In GTA 5, using any cheat disables achievements and trophies for the rest of that session; restart the game to earn them again. In classic GTA games, some cheats can permanently affect your save. Built-in single-player cheat codes will not get you banned, but third-party cheat tools in online games can.
- [GTA 5 Cheats for PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S: Every Button Code](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/gta-5-cheats-ps4-ps5-xbox/): On PlayStation and Xbox, enter GTA 5 cheats as a button sequence during story mode gameplay, quickly and without pausing; "Cheat activated" appears if it worked. For example, invincibility is Right, ✕, Right, Left, Right, R1, Right, Left, ✕, △ on PlayStation and Right, A, Right, Left, Right, RB, Right, Left, A, Y on Xbox. Cheats do not work in GTA Online, and there is no money cheat.
- [GTA 5 Cheat Phone Numbers: Every Code to Dial on the In-Game Phone](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/gta-5-cheat-phone-numbers/): In GTA 5 story mode, take out the phone, open Contacts, switch to the keypad and dial the number. Every number starts with 1-999; the rest spells the PC cheat word on a phone keypad. For example, 1-999-724-654-5537 (PAINKILLER) gives 5 minutes of invincibility and 1-999-8665-87 (TOOLUP) gives weapons. Phone cheats work on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
- [GTA 4 Cheats: Every Phone Number for Health, Weapons, Wanted Level and Vehicles](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/gta-4-cheats-phone-numbers/): In GTA IV every cheat is a phone number dialled on Niko’s phone: take out the phone, open the keypad, dial and press call. The main ones are 482-555-0100 (health, armour and ammo), 486-555-0150 and 486-555-0100 (weapon sets), 267-555-0100 (remove wanted level) and 359-555-0100 (Annihilator helicopter). The numbers are the same on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
- [The Most Famous Cheat Codes in Gaming History (and What They Did)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/most-famous-cheat-codes/): The best-known cheat codes are the Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A) from Gradius and Contra, IDDQD (god mode) from Doom, rosebud and motherlode (money) from The Sims, show me the money and power overwhelming from StarCraft, and HESOYAM from GTA San Andreas.
- [Cheat Codes vs Trainers vs Mods: What Is the Difference, and What Is Safe?](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/cheat-codes-vs-trainers-vs-mods/): Cheat codes are built into the game by its developers, so they are the safest option. Trainers and tools like Cheat Engine are separate programs that change the game’s memory while it runs. Mods change or add game files. Trainers and mods are generally fine offline but can carry malware if downloaded from untrusted sites, and using them in online games can get your account banned.

### Secret Codes: IMEI & Carrier

- [iPhone Secret Codes That Actually Work in 2026 (and the Ones That Don’t)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/iphone-secret-codes-that-work/): The iPhone codes that work are mostly standard GSM codes and carrier codes, dialled in the Phone app: *#06# shows your IMEI, *3001#12345#* opens Field Test mode, *#21# checks call forwarding, *#43# checks call waiting and #31# before a number hides your caller ID on many networks. iPhones have no hidden engineering menus, so Android codes like *#*#4636#*#* do nothing.
- [How to Check Your IMEI on iPhone (5 Ways, Even Without the Phone)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/how-to-check-imei-on-iphone/): The fastest way is to dial *#06# in the Phone app. You can also go to Settings > General > About and scroll to IMEI. Without the phone, check the original box or sign in to your Apple Account on the web and look at your device list. On some models it is also on the SIM tray.
- [Call Forwarding Codes for iPhone: *#21#, ##002# and the Full GSM List](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/call-forwarding-codes-iphone/): On GSM networks: **21*number# forwards all calls, *#21# checks if forwarding is on, and ##21# turns it off. Use 67 for busy, 61 for no answer and 62 for unreachable. ##002# cancels all forwarding at once. On iPhone you can also use Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding, where your carrier supports it.
- [How to Hide Your Caller ID on iPhone (#31#, *67 and Settings)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/hide-caller-id-iphone/): To hide your number for one call, dial #31# before the number on many GSM networks, or *67 before the number in the US. To hide it for all calls, turn off Show My Caller ID in Settings > Phone, where your carrier offers it. Dial *#31# to check your current setting. Your number is still shown to emergency services.
- [How to Check if Your iPhone Is Unlocked (Carrier Lock Explained)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/check-if-iphone-is-unlocked/): Go to Settings > General > About and look at Carrier Lock. If it says "No SIM restrictions", your iPhone is unlocked and works with any compatible carrier. Anything else means it is locked to a carrier, and only that carrier can unlock it. Unlocking is done by the carrier on its systems, not with a code.
- [What Does ##002# Do on iPhone? Cancel All Call Forwarding (and Keep Your Voicemail)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/what-does-002-do-on-iphone/): ##002# is a standard GSM code that erases every call forwarding rule on your line at once: unconditional (21), busy (67), no answer (61) and unreachable (62). On iPhone, dial it in the Phone app and press Call; your network replies with a short confirmation. It is safe, but on many networks voicemail works through conditional forwarding, so missed calls may stop going to voicemail until it is set up again.
- [*#21#, ##21# and **21*: What These Call Forwarding Codes Mean on iPhone](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/what-does-star-hash-21-mean/): They are GSM codes for unconditional call forwarding (service code 21): *#21# checks whether all your calls are being forwarded, ##21# erases that forwarding, #21# pauses it, and **21*number# forwards every call to that number. Only dial **21* with a number you chose yourself, because scammers use it to steal calls.
- [*#31#, #31# and *31# on iPhone: What They Do and How to Turn Them Off](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/what-is-31-code-iphone/): Service code 31 controls outgoing caller ID on GSM networks. #31# before a number hides your number for that call. *31# before a number shows it for that call when it is hidden by default. *#31# on its own checks whether your number is hidden on your line. If your calls always show as No Caller ID, turn on Show My Caller ID in Settings or ask your carrier.
- [iPhone Field Test Mode (*3001#12345#*): How to Check Your Real Signal Strength](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/iphone-field-test-mode/): Dial *3001#12345#* in the Phone app and press Call to open Field Test mode. For 4G, open the menu and choose LTE > Serving Cell Meas: rsrp0 is your signal strength in dBm. Closer to zero is better: above -80 dBm is excellent, -80 to -100 is good to fair, and below -110 dBm is weak. Signal bars are only a rough summary of these numbers.
- [Android Secret Codes on iPhone: *#*#4636#*#*, *#0*# and What to Use Instead](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/android-secret-codes-on-iphone/): Android codes such as *#*#4636#*#* and *#0*# open menus built into Android or Samsung software. iOS has no hidden engineering menus, so they do nothing on an iPhone. The iPhone equivalents are in Settings (battery health, model, Wi-Fi address), in Field Test mode (*3001#12345#*) for signal, and in diagnostic apps or Apple Support for hardware tests.

## Languages

Every guide is also published in these languages, at the same slug under each language's blog:

- [English (English)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/)
- [Hebrew (עברית)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/he/blog/)
- [Chinese (Simplified) (简体中文)](https://shahid09.netlify.app/zh/blog/)

## Full text and feeds

- [llms-full.txt](https://shahid09.netlify.app/llms-full.txt): the complete English text of every guide in Markdown
- [English RSS feed](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/feed.xml)
- [Hebrew RSS feed](https://shahid09.netlify.app/he/blog/feed.xml)
- [Chinese (Simplified) RSS feed](https://shahid09.netlify.app/zh/blog/feed.xml)

## Pages

- [Portfolio](https://shahid09.netlify.app/): Muhammad Shahid, backend developer and SQA engineer
- [Blog index](https://shahid09.netlify.app/blog/): every guide, grouped by app
- [App support](https://shahid09.netlify.app/apps/support/): help and contact for every app
- [Privacy policy](https://shahid09.netlify.app/apps/privacy/): one policy covering every app