After you put in iOS 18.2 — which was simply bumped to iOS 18.2.1 to repair some safety bugs — there’s so much to discover within the new iPhone system. A lot, in actual fact, it is exhausting to know the place to begin, from the primary Apple Intelligence instruments to function updates to the Messages app and extra.
I’ve put collectively my listing of eight options and settings it’s best to change proper now, together with a few of the top-tier options and some that fly underneath the radar. When you have an iPhone that runs Apple Intelligence, you should definitely try the options you are going to use most. (Or when you have little interest in them, discover ways to flip off Apple Intelligence.)
For extra on what’s new in iOS 18, find out about enhancements to the overhauled Calculator app and the Mail app. Remember to seek the advice of our iOS 18 improve guidelines, which incorporates ensuring you’ve a correct backup earlier than upgrading.
Watch this: 11 Hidden Options in iOS 18
Change the default buttons on the lock display screen
In actual property, location is all the pieces, and the underside corners of the iPhone lock display screen are the prime spots, every a simple thumb press away when your gadget remains to be locked. Earlier than iOS 18, these posts had been held by the flashlight and digicam buttons, with no option to change them.
In iOS 18, you’ll be able to lastly substitute them with different buttons — or take away them solely, a balm for folk who unknowingly activate the flashlight (consider me, there is a higher option to flip it on). You’ll be able to add buttons to acknowledge music through Shazam, allow Darkish Mode, set an alarm/timer, allow Airplane Mode, open your Pockets, ship cash through Faucet to Money and extra.
Here is how:
1. On the iPhone’s lock display screen, contact and maintain wherever on the show till you see the Customise button. You will must unlock the cellphone utilizing Face ID, Contact ID or your passcode. If it opens the house display screen, swipe down from the center-top of the display screen (not the proper edge, which brings up Management Middle.
2. Faucet Customise after which select Lock Display.
3. Take away one of many buttons by tapping the – (minus) button on the icon.
4. To exchange the button with one other operate, faucet its area (now with a + icon) after which select the one you need on the following display screen. (It’s also possible to decide to go away that area empty with no button.)
5. Repeat these steps for the opposite button if you wish to change it.
6. Faucet Carried out whenever you’re completed.
7. Faucet the lock display screen once more to exit the customise mode.
Take away a lock display screen button by tapping the – (minus) button, after which select a brand new management to switch it.
Arrange a few of the new duties accessible on the Motion button
The Motion button on the iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional changed the devoted mute change discovered on each earlier iPhone mannequin with a configurable management. By default it serves the identical goal — maintain it to show Silent Mode on or off — however you’ll be able to configure it for different actions like opening the Digicam app, performing a number of actions without delay and even ordering espresso.
In iOS 18, the Motion button will get new capabilities. You’ll be able to bypass Management Middle and select a management of your alternative, comparable to opening the Distant interface for navigating Apple TV or utilizing Shazam to determine a track.
To decide on a distinct motion for the Motion button, go to Settings > Motion Button. Swipe sideways to pick out and activate one of many accessible actions. For the Controls, Shortcut and Accessibility choices, faucet the Select button to select which particular motion to run.
iOS 18 now allows you to program the Motion Button along with your favourite Management Middle management.
Give your house display screen a radical new look
You would not assume that placing icons the place you need is a radical new function, however that is as a result of iOS has at all times had a locked association. Apps get added from high to backside, left to proper. You can rearrange the order wherein icons seem and transfer them to different screens, however that was about it.
In iOS 18, apps may be positioned almost wherever. You now not must take care of a wallpaper picture of your youngsters or pets being obscured by icons. They nonetheless adhere to a grid — Apple is not about to sanction anarchy — however may be positioned freely.
Additionally, Darkish mode lastly applies to all the iPhone’s dwelling display screen, with choices for coloring icons and affecting the brightness of the wallpaper picture. Here is easy methods to customise the seems to be.
Organize apps: Contact and maintain the house display screen to enter “jiggle mode,” after which drag the icons to new positions. It would nonetheless slide them round to fill areas, however with persistence, you’ll be able to transfer them into the spots you need.
Place app icons the place you need so this excellent woman is not lined.
It’s also possible to rapidly flip appropriate apps into widgets that show extra data. Maps, as an illustration, is usually a map of your present location with shortcut buttons to seek for locations or deliver up an inventory of close by locations (comparable to dinner spots). Contact and maintain the app icon and search for a row of resize buttons within the menu that seems. As soon as expanded past the usual icon dimension, you’ll be able to drag the deal with within the bottom-right nook of the brand new icon. To get it again to its single icon dimension you have to contact and maintain once more and select the single-icon button
Some apps may be expanded into bigger icons that act like widgets.
Set Darkish mode: When you’ve ever subjected your self to the retina blast of black textual content on a white background late at night time in a darkened room, you’ll recognize the brand new Darkish mode possibility for the house and lock screens. iOS has beforehand included a Darkish mode, the place gentle backgrounds change to black or darkish grey, textual content switches to white or gentle grey and different interface components are dimmed to coexist in a darkish setting. That is by no means been utilized to the house and lock screens in any important method — solely the dock and a few widgets — till iOS 18.
First, contact and maintain the house display screen to enter jiggle mode. Faucet the Edit button within the top-left nook and select Customise from the menu. On the backside of the display screen, select a mode for the icons and background: Computerized, Darkish or Mild (I am going to get to Tinted in a second). In Darkish mode, the icons acquire black backgrounds, and folders and the Dock turn into darkish grey. (Builders have the choice of constructing Darkish mode icons for his or her apps. Within the meantime, apps not but optimized get a usually darker look.)
Within the dwelling display screen’s Darkish mode, icons and the background are given a darker remedy.
In Darkish mode, the background picture additionally modifications. Apple’s default iOS 18 wallpaper dynamically modifications from gentle to darkish because the day progresses, or you’ll be able to select colours that supply each a lightweight and darkish possibility. When you use a photograph, its general publicity is decreased to dim the sunshine output.
If you would like darkish icons however aren’t a fan of the dimmed picture remedy, faucet the solar icon within the nook of the choices sheet on the backside of the display screen to toggle again to Mild mode only for the background.
Tinted icons: A brand new and totally different possibility is to tint all the app icons in order that they share the identical coloration. Within the Customise choices on the backside of the display screen, select Tinted because the icon fashion. You’ll be able to then regulate the Hue (the slider with the colour spectrum) and Luminosity (the slider with the darkish to gentle vary) to decide on the colour tint you like.
Apply a common tint to all app icons, with controls for adjusting the hue and luminosity.
What if you wish to match a coloration from a background picture? Faucet the eyedropper button after which drag the reticle to pinpoint the colour you need — the border signifies the chosen coloration.
The tint is utilized not solely to icons however to widgets as effectively. For a widget comparable to Pictures, the pictures it shows present up as duotones to match the theme.
Giant icons: Do the labels under every app icon appear redundant to you? Now you’ll be able to take away the labels and enhance the dimensions of the icons with one setting. Open the Customise choices as described above and faucet the Giant button.
Make the house display screen icons bigger and conceal the app labels.
After making any of those modifications, faucet wherever on the display screen to use them and exit the Customise interface.
Change up how the Management Middle seems to be
Management Middle was as soon as a handy place to rapidly entry controls comparable to playback quantity and Airplane mode, however underneath iOS 18 it is a configurable playground. You’ll be able to place controls the place you need, resize many to disclose extra data and add new controls on a number of screens.
Swipe down from the top-right nook to disclose the Management Middle (or swipe up from the underside on the iPhone SE). To enter edit mode, contact and maintain or press the + button on the top-left nook.
Simply as with transferring apps, drag a management to a different slot on the display screen to reposition it. Lots of the controls additionally embody a bottom-right deal with that may resize the management — usually, it reveals the identify of the management and its present standing (comparable to Flashlight Off).
Rearrange the controls in Management Middle and, for some, broaden them to disclose extra data (or simply make the button a bigger goal for urgent).
Management Middle additionally now spans a number of screens. Swipe as much as view controls for media presently taking part in, Dwelling controls for good lights and home equipment and a web page devoted to the communication choices that seem whenever you long-press the Connectivity block containing Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile and others. Look carefully and you will see that these screens are literally particular person controls expanded to occupy the complete Management Middle space.
You’ll be able to rearrange the order of these screens by transferring their controls. Suppose you need Dwelling controls to be the primary swipe as an alternative of Now Taking part in: Within the modifying mode, drag the big Dwelling management as much as the earlier display screen (Now Taking part in will shift to the proper to make room).
Some controls get their very own screens, comparable to Dwelling. Usually it is on the third display screen, however right here it has been moved to the second display screen.
To take away controls, faucet the – (minus) button that seems. It’s also possible to add different controls: Faucet Add a Management and scroll by means of the accessible choices starting from beginning a Display Recording to a bunch of accessibility choices.
Learn extra: Finest iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional circumstances
Lock or conceal any of your delicate apps
Our telephones carry a few of our most delicate knowledge, and but it is not unusual handy a cellphone to a pal to view images or search for one thing on-line. That does not imply they will snoop, nevertheless it would not not imply they is perhaps extra curious than you are snug with. For knowledge you wish to guarantee stays out of sight or so as to add a layer of safety in entrance of delicate data, iOS 18 provides the flexibility to lock and conceal apps.
For instance, as an example you retain an ongoing set of lists of reward concepts for members of the family within the Notes app. You’ll be able to lock particular person notes, however that requires a separate step. Perhaps just a few concepts had been made as particular person fast notes or drawings. As an alternative of micromanaging entry, you’ll be able to lock the complete Notes app by doing the next:
Contact and maintain the app icon you wish to lock and select Require Face ID or Require Contact ID (or Require Passcode if Face ID or Contact ID usually are not enabled) from the menu that seems. Affirm your alternative by tapping Require Face ID (or comparable) within the subsequent dialog.
Lock particular person apps.
To take away the authentication step, contact and maintain the app and select Do not Require Face ID (or comparable).
Nothing outwardly signifies that an app is locked — you will discover out whenever you attempt to open it. There’s another stage of app safety accessible, which is to cover apps in a particular locked folder. Contact and maintain the app and select Require Face ID after which faucet Cover and Require Face ID within the dialog. Affirm the motion by tapping Cover App on the following display screen.
The app disappears from the house display screen and will get slotted right into a Hidden folder on the backside of the App Library (swipe left past your final dwelling display screen to view the App Library). To entry apps there, faucet the Hidden folder and authenticate with Face ID.
While you select Cover and Require Face ID to guard an app, it will get put into the Hidden folder in App Library (high). Faucet the folder and authenticate to entry the app (backside).
iOS 18 imposes some limitations on hidden apps. Some, comparable to lots of the built-in ones like Notes or Reminders, can solely be locked and can’t be hidden in any respect. Additionally, the Hidden folder locks itself whenever you launch an app or swipe away from the App Library.
Flip off Loop Movies within the Pictures app
Many apps have carried out a small however annoying (to me) function, and now Pictures underneath iOS 18.2 has it too: Movies mechanically replay whenever you watch them till you faucet the Pause button. That may be enjoyable a couple of times, or when viewing quick clips. I am not a fan of getting to take motion to make them cease every time.
Now I can take motion as soon as. Go to Settings > Pictures, scroll down till you see Loop Movies and switch the choice off. A video will play by itself however then cease on the finish because it ought to.
Flip off Loop Movies to cease each video from replaying mechanically.
When you’d relatively the video did not play in any respect till you faucet the Play button, additionally flip off Auto-Play Movement in the identical Settings display screen.
Modify the view of your calendar
Massive new options like locking and hiding apps are nice additions however so are the tiny modifications that you just encounter daily. The Calendar app consists of two new methods to view your schedule.
In iOS 18, whenever you’re within the Month view in portrait orientation, pinch with two fingers to view extra or fewer particulars. As you “zoom in,” particular person occasions seem as coloured bars after which as labeled occasions with occasions, all whereas maintaining the month-to-month grid of days and weeks.
Within the Calendar app’s Month view, pinch to zoom in and see extra particulars.
The Day view, which breaks down your day hour by hour, now has a brand new Multi Day view that exhibits two consecutive days to offer you context for what’s coming with out turning the cellphone into panorama orientation and viewing the Week view. Faucet the View button on the high of the Single Day view and select Multi Day from the popup menu.
The brand new Multi Day view within the Calendar exhibits two days without delay (proper).
Enhance film and TV present dialogue within the TV app
Hassle listening to dialogue in motion pictures and tv exhibits is not a brand new downside — for instance, the Apple TV has had a function for some time the place you’ll be able to ask Siri, “What did she say?” and it’ll mechanically again up just a few seconds, activate subtitles and replay that part of the video. You’ll be able to even purchase soundbars that may overcome muffled TV speech. There are a number of causes it is tougher to listen to dialogue, however the TV app in iOS 18 features a high-tech workaround to make dialog simpler to discern.
When you’re watching a video within the TV app, faucet the Extra (…) button after which broaden the Audio heading within the menu that seems; if the cellphone is in horizontal orientation, faucet the Audio Changes button. Faucet Improve Dialogue and select Improve or Increase. They every dampen background noise and lift the dialogue’s audio.
Activate Improve Dialogue within the TV app to discern characters’ speech higher in noisy scenes.
These are only a few new options and modifications in iOS 18. Take a look at our broader protection of Apple Intelligence, extra impressions of the system after utilizing it for months and the way these all work along with the iPhone 16 fashions.
Apple’s iPhone 16, 16 Plus Present Off Bolder Colours and Buttons