Just installed iOS 18? Here are 10 things you should do first:
The long-awaited iOS 18 update is now available for everyone to download, and there are hundreds of new features and changes to learn about. Some of the plugins require a bit of setup to get up and running, so we’ve created this guide to walk you through the features you should check out first after updating to iOS 18.
Control Center Setup
The “Control Center” interface is much more customizable and you can rearrange your buttons, place them on different pages and even access them from the lock screen and action button. There is an entire “Control Collection”, complete with support for controls for third-party applications.
To set up “Control Center”, swipe down from the top right corner of your “iPhone” and tap and hold on any empty space until the grid appears or tap the “+” button at the top left of the screen. From there, grab an icon and move it to where you want it to be. You can move it to the same page or drag it to a new page.
Like the “home screen”, you can have blank spaces. You can have a separate page for related controls like music and home or combine them all. Drag the corner of an icon to resize it. In the same editing interface, tap “Add Control” to go to the “Controls Collection”, where you will see all the “Control Center” options organized by category.
iOS 18 – Setting up your home screen
The “Home Screen” has many design changes that allow for more customization and personalization. You can put icons wherever you want, change their size and change their colors. Start by moving your icons and adding spaces around wallpapers if you want. You can have spaces around icons and widgets, creating unique looks. There is still a grid system, so an icon can’t go anywhere, but it can go anywhere on the grid, with spaces allowed.
After rearranging the icons, tap and hold the “Home screen”, tap “Edit”, then select “Customize”. From this interface, you can make app icons bigger by removing app names, toggle “Dark Mode” icons, or even change the icon shade to match your wallpaper.
Math Notes Test
iOS 18 has an interesting integration between the “Calculator” app and the “Notes” app called “Math Notes”. “Math Notes” solves equations automatically so you can do things like add up your monthly budget, figure out what people owe you for a group trip, or split a restaurant bill.
You can use “Math Notes” in the “Notes” app or in the “Math Notes” section of the “Calculator” app, and it also works in apps like “Messages”. Any equation you type is automatically solved when you add an equal sign, and you can even use variables. If you write dinner = $42, movies = $24, and dessert = $18 in the “Notes” app or in the “Math Notes” section of the “Calculator”, you can then type dinner + movies + dessert and add an equal sign to get the total.
Variables can be used in equations and graphs (with an associated equation) and adjusted later to change the results. “Math Notes” also supports unit conversions and can solve all the same functions as the scientific calculator.
iOS 18 – Hide and lock apps
If you need to hand your unlocked “iPhone” to a partner, child or friend, you can now do so knowing that apps can be locked and hidden by requiring “Face ID” access.
To lock or hide an app on the “Home screen”, tap and hold the app icon, tap “Face ID” Required, then select either “Face ID” Required or “Hide” and “Face ID” Required. Adding the “Require Face ID” option only locks one app, and you’ll need to enter a “passcode” or scan your face when you try to open it. Choosing to hide an app also removes it from the lock screen and all other parts of the “iPhone”, and it will only be accessible from a locked “Hidden Apps” folder in the “App Library”.
Change the lock screen buttons
You know those camera and lens icons that are forever on the lock screen? Now you can change them or even remove them.
From the “lock screen”, press and hold, tap “Customize”, select “Screen lock”, then tap the “-” buttons on “Camera” and “Lens” to remove them. You can stop there or tap the “+” button to add more “Control Center” buttons, like turning on “Dark Mode” or starting a “Voice Memo”. You can even add third-party controls here.
iOS 18 – Organize the Photos app
There are no more tabs in the “Photos” app because Apple introduced a new unified design. To go to different sections like “Memories” and “Albums”, just scroll down in the app.
The “Photos” app is now organized into “Collections” and you can customize which collections you see and where they are in the “Photos” app interface. To organize your collections, scroll down to the bottom of the “Photos” app and tap “Customize” & “Rearrange”.
You can also pin content that you want to add to “Collections”. Scroll down to “Pinned Collections” and tap “Edit” to make changes.
Check the Passwords app
Apple has added a new “Passwords” app to “iPhone”, “iPad”, and “Mac” to make it easier to access your saved “iCloud Keychain” logins and passwords. It basically offers the same functionality as the “Passwords” section of the “Settings” app, but it’s been moved to a separate app.
“Passwords” are automatically added to the app when you save a login or “Password” when you sign in to a website, and it will already include all your logins and “Passwords” if you use “iCloud Keychain”. There are warnings for weak “Passwords”, reused “Passwords”, and compromised “Passwords”, as well as support for “Passwords” and “Passwords” sharing.
Try Safari Distraction Control
“Distraction Control” is a new “Safari” feature that reduces distracting elements on web pages, such as “login windows”, “cookie preference popups”, “GDPR notices”, and “newsletter sign-up banners”. It cannot be used to remove ads, but it can block many annoyances.
To use it, go to any web page. Go to the “Page” menu and select “Hide Distracting Objects”. From there, tap on any item on the page you want to hide. You can hide anything that is static. To show something, just go back to the “Page Menu” and tap “Show hidden items”. Note: If you don’t see the “Hide Distracting Items” option, tap the three dots at the bottom of the menu, then tap “Edit” to add it to the “Menu Page”.
iOS 18 – Schedule a message
“Send Later” is new in iOS 18, and you can use it to schedule a text up to two weeks before it’s due. If you know someone’s birthday is coming up, for example, you can schedule a birthday message in advance so it’s ready.
You can use “Send Later” in a chat with any other “iMessage” user and it works for both individual and group chats. To use it, open a chat, tap the “+” button, tap “More,” then select “Send Later.” From there, type your message, then tap the blue bubble that defaults to “Tomorrow 9:00 AM” to use the slider to change the date and time. Press the blue arrow to schedule your completed message. You’ll see the scheduled messages you’ve created at the bottom of the conversation. If you want to change or delete something you have programmed, just press the “Edit” button.
Use iPhone Mirroring
“iPhone Mirroring” is a new iOS 18 feature that works when you also have a “Mac” with “macOS Sequoia”. There is a new “Mirroring iPhone” app on “Mac” and if you “click” on it, you can access your “iPhone” from your “Mac”.
You’ll need to authenticate the first time you use it, but from there, you can choose to have it access your “iPhone” automatically when you use the “iPhone Mirroring” app on your “Mac”. You can use “iPhone Mirroring” even with your “iPhone” locked and hidden or placed in standby mode. “iPhone Mirroring” allows you to access all apps and content on your “iPhone” from your “Mac”, including your “iPhone” notifications.
Later, Apple even plans to allow you to “drag and drop” files from your “iPhone” to your “Mac” and vice versa with “iPhone Mirroring”, but this is not yet implemented. Please note that you need to start “iPhone Mirroring” from your “Mac” “Mirroring iPhone” application and it cannot be started from “iPhone”.
Note on Apple Intelligence
At WWDC, Apple introduced a new set of “Apple Intelligence” features, such as “writing tools”, “Genmoji” and “Image Playground”. “Apple Intelligence” is not in the launch version of iOS 18. Its availability will start from iOS 18.1 and then sometime in October but even then it will NOT be available in Europe.
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