A quick guide to the niftiest features on iOS 18 you should know about

The recent Apple chatter has dominated tech talk recently and we can’t get enough! From the iPhone 16 launch to the beginning of the Apple Intelligence chapter, we’ve been buzzing about it all! If you’ve already downloaded iOS 18, welcome to a new era. While each update is a lot to take in, there are always a few features that tend to stand out—iOS 18 is no different. If you’re having a tough time navigating the Apple waters, here’s our handy highlight reel of the new features we love the most. 

 

CUSTOMISABLE HOME SCREEN

To kick things off, let’s talk visuals. Your Home Screen is now completely yours. Light or dark, colourful or monotone, you can now maintain your preferred aesthetic on your phone’s screen. The freedom doesn’t stop there either. You can also arrange your apps and widgets with free rein. Plus, achieve the ultimate minimalistic look by making your app icons larger, which also removes the app names from view. 

 

CONTROL CENTRE

Acting as your one-stop screen for core functions on your phone, Control Centre has also been given a makeover. Now more flexible and customisable than ever before, this pull-down screen is home to your most utilised controls. Don’t worry, you can still access important functions such as media playback, the flashlight, and connectivity in Control Centre. However, you can now add new controls from supported third-party apps! On top of that, icons can be resized, moved around, and put into groups so the screen’s layout is tailored to you. 

 

PASSWORDS APP

Bid adieu to your rogue notes filled with hyper-private passwords. Save yourself the Notes App entries and head straight to the new Passwords app. Building off Apple’s Keychain from over two decades ago, Passwords is now your go-to for login information, including passwords (obviously), Wi-Fi logins, and more. You’ll also be alerted when your passwords are too “weak”, used for multiple accounts, or have appeared in known data leaks—secure indeed!

 

APP PRIVACY

Speaking of privacy, iOS 18 also allows you to manage access to your apps. With these new features, you’ll never have to worry about unwanted gazes from over your shoulder or intruders accessing messages. As a first line of defense, you can keep some apps locked, which will require Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode to open. Another way of keeping your content to yourself is by placing them in a locked hidden apps folder. By placing certain apps into this folder, everything that comes from it will be hidden from search, notifications, and anywhere else that they may appear. 

 

SAFARI UPDATES

For those using Apple’s very own browser, reading and gathering information from the internet has never been easier. The Highlights feature uses machine learning to compile key information on a webpage. In a split second, you’ll be able to get a quick summary of a read, get the pinned location of a hotel on a map, and more. On the other hand, the Reader function has been redesigned, so you can read articles in a more straightforward fashion. At the top of your screen, you’ll find a quick summary followed by a table of contents so you can quickly access a section you’re looking for in longer articles. 

 

MATH NOTES

This is a feature I wish I had access to back in high school. In the Notes app, you can now solve equations and functions in real time as you write them down. Whether you’re solving a simple math problem, want to split the cost of a meal between you and your friends, or need to keep track of an inventory, Math Notes is your new best friend. 

 

 

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