Friday 9 August 2024 | Join Us | Advertise​

The long-awaited iOS 18 update is now available for everyone to download. It is packed with hundreds of new features and changes to explore. Some of these additions require a bit of setup to get started, so I have created this guide to help you discover the top features to check out right after updating to iOS 18.

1. Set Up Your Home Screen
​​
The Home Screen now features several design changes that enhance customization and personalization. You can position icons freely, adjust sizes, and change colors.
​
Start by rearranging your icons and adding spaces around wallpapers to create a unique look. While there's still a grid system—meaning icons can't be placed just anywhere—you can position them freely within the grid, leaving empty spaces as you like.
​
Once you've rearranged your icons, long-press on the Home Screen, tap Edit and select Customize. Here, you can enlarge app icons by removing their names, enabling Dark Mode icons, or adjusting the tint of icons to complement your wallpaper.
​
Be sure to check out our comprehensive Home Screen customization guide for all the details on what you can do!

2. Set Up Control Center

The Control Center is now more customizable than ever. You can reorder your controls, organize them across multiple pages, and access them from the Lock Screen and Action Button. Plus, there’s a complete Controls Gallery that supports third-party app controls.
​
To set up your Control Center, swipe down from the upper right corner of your iPhone and long press on any empty space until the grid appears, or tap the "+" button in the upper left corner.
​
From there, simply drag an icon to your desired location. You can move it within the same page or to a new page, and like the Home Screen, you can create empty spaces. Organize related controls on separate pages, such as music and home, or mix them up as you prefer. You can also resize icons by dragging the corners.
​
In this editing interface, tap "Add a Control" to access the Controls Gallery, where you'll find all your Control Center options categorized for easy browsing.
​
For more tips and tricks on using the new Control Center, be sure to check out our guide!

3. Hide and Lock Apps
​​
If you need to hand over your unlocked iPhone to a partner, child, or friend, you can do so with peace of mind—apps can now be locked and hidden, requiring Face ID for access.
​
To lock or hide an app on the Home Screen, long press the app icon, tap "Require Face ID," and choose either Require Face ID or Hide and Require Face ID.
​
Selecting Require Face ID will simply lock the app, meaning you’ll need to enter your passcode or use Face ID to open it. If you choose to hide the app as well, it will be removed from the Home Screen and other areas of the iPhone, becoming accessible only from a locked Hidden Apps folder in the App Library.
​
​How to Lock and Hide iPhone Apps​

4. Change Your Lock Screen Apps

The Camera and Flashlight icons on the Lock Screen are now customizable—you can swap them out or even remove them entirely.
​
To get started, long-press on the Lock Screen, tap Customize, select Lock Screen, and then tap the "-" buttons next to the Camera and Flashlight icons to remove them. You can also tap the "+" button to add other Control Center options, such as toggling Dark Mode or starting a Voice Memo.
​
Take a look at the complete guide to customizing the lock screen​

5. Organize the Photos App
​​
The Photos app has adopted a new unified design, eliminating the previous tabs. Now, you can easily access sections like Memories and Albums by simply scrolling down.
​
The app is organized into "Collections," which you can customize based on your preferences. To manage your collections, scroll to the bottom of the Photos app and tap Customize and Reorder.
​
You can also pin content to feature in your Collections. Scroll down to Pinned Collections and tap Modify to make your adjustments.
​
The new Photos app may take some getting used to, so if you need more guidance, check out our comprehensive guide, which covers all the changes!

6. Discover the New Passwords App
​​
Apple has introduced a new Passwords app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, designed to streamline access to your stored iCloud Keychain logins and passwords. While it offers the same features as the previous Passwords section in Settings, this dedicated app enhances usability.
​
Passwords are automatically saved to the app whenever you log into a website, and if you use iCloud Keychain, all your existing logins and passwords will already be there.
​
The app provides warnings for weak, reused, and compromised passwords and supports passkeys and password sharing.
​
For more details on the Passwords app, check out our comprehensive guide.

7. Try Safari Distraction Control
​​
Safari's new Distraction Control feature helps reduce clutter on webpages by hiding annoying elements like sign-in windows, cookie consent popups, GDPR notices, and newsletter signup banners. While it won’t block ads, it can significantly enhance your browsing experience.
​
To use it, simply navigate to any webpage, open the Page Menu, and select Hide Distracting Items. You can then tap on any static element you wish to conceal. Return to the Page Menu and select Show Hidden Items to reveal hidden items.
​
​Note: If you don't see the Hide Distracting Items option, tap the three dots at the bottom of the menu and select Edit to add it.
​
Safari also includes other exciting features, like Highlights, which lets you prioritize the content you want to see first from a website. For a comprehensive look at all the new features in Safari, check out our Safari 18 guide.

8. Explore Math Notes

iOS 18 introduces a clever feature called Math Notes, integrating the Calculator app with Notes. This tool automatically solves equations, making it easy to manage tasks like budgeting, tracking group expenses, or splitting a restaurant bill.
​
You can access Math Notes directly in the Notes app, Calculator app, or Messages. Just type your equation and add an equals sign to see the result instantly, and you can use variables for added flexibility.
​
For example, if you write dinner = $42, movies = $24, and dessert = $18, you can then type dinner + movies + dessert = to get the total. You can also use variables in equations and graphs to adjust values and see updated results.
​
Math Notes supports unit conversions and offers all the functions of a scientific calculator, making it a powerful tool for quick calculations on the go.
​
Take a look at the detailed guide on how to use Math Notes on iPad and iPhone.

9. Schedule a Message with Send Later
​​
With iOS 18, you can now use the Send Later feature to schedule texts up to two weeks in advance. This is perfect for sending reminders like birthday wishes ahead of time!
​
To use Send Later, open a conversation with any iMessage user—this feature works for both individual and group chats. Tap the + button, select More, and then choose Send Later.
​
Type your message, then tap the blue bubble defaulting to Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. to adjust the date and time using the slider. Finally, tap the blue arrow to schedule your message.
​
Scheduled messages will appear at the bottom of the conversation. To change or delete a scheduled message, simply tap the Edit button.
​
There are plenty of other exciting updates in Messages, so be sure to check out our full Messages guide for more details!

10. Use iPhone Mirroring
​​
iPhone Mirroring is a new feature in iOS 18 that works seamlessly with a Mac running macOS Sequoia. With the new iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac, you can easily access your iPhone from your computer.
​
You'll need to authenticate your devices the first time you use it. After that, you can set it to connect automatically whenever you open the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac. This feature works even if your iPhone is locked or in StandBy mode.
​
With iPhone Mirroring, you can access all your iPhone apps and notifications directly from your Mac. Future updates will allow drag-and-drop file transfers between your iPhone and Mac, although this feature is not yet available.
​
Remember, you must start iPhone Mirroring from the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac; it cannot be initiated from your iPhone.

​
Take a look at the detailed guide on how to use iPhone mirroring with Mac.

A Note About Apple Intelligence
​​
At WWDC, Apple unveiled a new suite of Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, and Image Playground. However, these features are not included in the initial release of iOS 18.
​
The first Apple Intelligence features will be available in the iOS 18.1 beta, which is currently being tested. This update will include Writing Tools, a redesigned Siri, Smart Replies in Messages and Mail, Memory Maker and Clean Up in Photos, as well as new options for minimizing distractions with focus modes and notification summaries.
​
Apple plans to fully roll out the Apple Intelligence features showcased at WWDC by next year, but you can experience some of them with the launch of iOS 18.1, which is expected in October.
​​
Read More About iOS 18​
Check out our detailed iOS 18 roundup for a comprehensive overview of all the new features.

Wallpapers of the Week

Download the official iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro series wallpapers in stunning 4K resolution.

Thank you again for joining iGeeksBlog+. I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey with you! Best regards, Dhvanesh Founder, iGeeksBlog​

iGeeks Media Private LTD. A-1202, Ratnaakar Nine Square, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​