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Home / Features / The best iOS 18 tips and tricks 2024: get more from your iPhone’s latest update

The best iOS 18 tips and tricks 2024: get more from your iPhone’s latest update

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 are here for your iPhone and iPad. These are the best bits to try first

iOS 18 tips and tricks

iOS 17 is now fully available to download to your iPhone. If you’re not sure if your phone can run it, check the iOS 18 system requirements.

It’s that time of year when Santa Tim comes down your chimney and deposits new toys directly into your iPhone and iPad. These are the best ones to try first.

The basics

Back up

It’s unlikely that installing an operating system upgrade will obliterate your data. But it’s not impossible. So unless you like living dangerously, ensure you take a full iCloud backup before upgrading your iPhone or iPad. Ideally, back up your device to a Mac or PC too.

iOS 18 tips and tricks

Centre yourself

Flick upwards in Control Centre to see its new multiple panes, including bespoke ones for music playback and networking. Tap hold and you can rearrange and resize controls – and add new ones, including those from third-party apps. In a similar vein, customise your Lock Screen to swap out Torch and Camera if you’d prefer different shortcuts.

Take a note

The revamped Notes app helps you better organise and navigate complex notes. Headings and subheadings can be collapsed, so you can focus on a specific section. And selected text can have coloured highlights applied. More of a scribbler, but lacking good penmanship? On iPad, Smart Script options attempt to turn your scrawl into something legible.

Get organised

Calendar now helpfully – and finally – integrates scheduled Reminders. It’s also got a snazzy new Month view, which lets you pinch to expand the size of event lozenges, so you can more easily browse what’s planned across multiple days. If you hate it, have no fear – tap the view icon and switch from Details back to List.

Be patient

Not every promised feature arrived with iOS 18’s launch – the biggest omission being Apple Intelligence, which we’ll cover at a later date. It’s designed to streamline writing, image creation and sorting email, and give Siri a much-needed shot in the arm. Assuming it doesn’t spend its time hallucinating that it’s already helped you and churn out endless images of fish.

Be secure

Instead of lurking in Settings, Passwords is now a standalone app, with huge buttons providing fast access to passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi details and shared logins.

Calculated improvements

Type sums

Sure, you can use Calculator for sums. But you can now use Notes too, typing out calculations in plain English, which can include variables. Although do note that third-party app Soulver does this way better.

Use an iPad

It’s taken 14(!) years for Apple to make Calculator for iPad, and… it’s the iPhone version in big-o-form. However, with an Apple Pencil you can write sums that are instantly solved – and then mull how much easier school would have been had your maths book done the same.

Camera and photos

Swipe down

Photos redesign! Where have the tabs gone? Don’t panic – drag down to swap between Years, Months and All views – and now also tap the filter (arrows) button and use View Options > Screenshots to remove them from your feed.

iOS 18 tips and tricks

Swipe up

Drag upwards and you get… everything else. Recent snaps. People. Pinned collections you update by tapping Modify. Scroll way down to customise and reorder panes. And if Photos fails to sync? Nudge it by tapping your account pic and prodding the relevant link.

Home screen changes

Add some gaps

Jealous of Android types who’ve long been able to place app icons and widgets anywhere on a Home Screen? Rejoice, because Apple now lets you do the same, rather than them always flowing from the top left.

Edit colours

Tap-hold a Home Screen and then Edit > Customise. Select Large to remove the text from beneath apps and widgets, and Tinted to make them all the same shade. Then wonder why you can’t find anything.

Lock it down

Tap-hold any icon and then Require Face ID (or Touch ID) and it’ll be safe from errant fingers and prying eyes. Some apps also let you quickly switch from an app icon to widget views from this menu, rather than you having to faff about with the widget editor.

Phone it in

Choose an iPhone

For iPhone Mirroring, you’ll need a Mac with Apple silicon or a T2 chip running macOS Sequoia, and at least an iPhone SE 2nd-gen or XR. If you’ve multiple iPhones, select which to use on your Mac in System Settings > Desktop & Dock > iPhone.

Control your phone

Launch the iPhone Mirroring Mac app. Set permissions. Lock your iPhone, and it’ll appear on your Mac’s Desktop. Interact with apps and notifications. Use View menu shortcuts to quickly access the Home Screen and Spotlight.

iOS 18 tips and tricks

App changes

Messages

Aside from RCS support, to bring more parity with Android (but not blue bubbles), Apple’s messaging app adds new formatting and send features. When typing a message, tap the A button to make text bold and add effects. And from the + menu, use Send Later to state when your missive should be sent.

Apple TV

When you fancy watching telly on your phone, the Apple TV app now makes things a bit easier. Subtitles automatically turn on when you mute your blower, and in … > Audio, there’s a handy Enhance Dialogue option. Also, stop arguments about who’s in the current scene by tapping the display and then InSight.

Journal

On its debut, this app was half-baked at best. This revamp fills some holes and adds new goodies, including wellbeing tracking, streaks and prompts to encourage you to write more, and a proper search function so you can browse what you’ve previously written. Such as months of gripes about Journal.

Profile image of Craig Grannell Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.