iOS 16 introduces big changes to the iPhone experience, but not all are immediately noticeable. Here are the best tips and tricks for iOS 16 users.
iOS 16 brings a number of new features and changes to the iPhone experience, including customizable lock screens, editing messages, revamped notifications and more, but with so many changes on offer, where do you start?
If you’ve downloaded Apple’s latest software update, here are some top tips and tricks to help you get the most out of iOS 16.
1. Customize your lock screen
The lock screen has been completely revamped, now making it possible to customize the lock screen and how it looks. You can change the color and font of the clock and calendar, and add what are essentially watch complications for the iPhone. It’s still relatively scaled back, but makes it easier to get information at a glance. For example, you can see a widget for the calendar, your activity rings, and more.
Not only will you get more information on the lock screen, but you’ll be able to get better images, and more of them, too. iOS 16 will allow you to set up a photo gallery that can be cycled between during the day. The system offers developer support, meaning that developers can create their own widgets. And, your lock screen can change depending on the focus that you’re in.
2. Live Activities make your notifications less cluttered
Apple is once again tackling notifications. Apple has created a new notification system called “Live Activities,” which let you see things like the progress of your Uber, the score in a game, and more. It also offers developer support, meaning that developers can hook into Live Activities.
It’s not the major revamp to notifications that some were expecting, but it does help you keep things a little more under control.
3. Edit Messages you already sent
Messages is getting some amazing new features too. Messages now allows you to edit messages after they’ve been sent, which is perfect for those typos that you accidentally send. And, you can mark a thread as unread — a feature that has long been requested by customers.
Typing messages is going to get easier too. Dictation now doesn’t take over the keyboard, meaning that you can more easily edit your messages as you use dictation. It’s helpful for those who rely on dictation a lot.
4. Pay for things over time with “Apple Pay Later”
Next up is Apple Wallet, which is aimed at replacing your physical wallet. Now, you can share keys to things like your hotel room straight through Messages. Apple says that it’s working on making this feature an industry standard.
Wallet is also getting a new way to pay for things over time. “Apple Pay Later” allows you to pay for items in four equal payments, which lessens the blow on big purchases a little. The system works the same way that Apple Pay already does for stores, and you can see and manage your payments straight from the Wallet app.
5. Plan for trips in advance with Multi-Stop Routing
Maps is finally getting a feature that was previously available on Google Maps. Multi-stop routing allows you to plan trips in advance, both on the iPhone and on the Mac. Multi-stop routing is also supported by Siri, so you can add a stop using only your voice.
6. Get control over all your smart home devices
HomeKit is getting a much-needed boost too. Apple mentioned the fact that Matter is set to make smart home devices much more interoperable and accessible. But the Home app is getting a redesign too. Now, all your devices and accessories will be available in the Home tab, meaning you don’t have to scroll through lots of rooms to find a device.
Other refinements include the ability to see all your cameras in a grid, and more.
7. Control your car with an enhanced CarPlay
Apple wants to make the in-car experience much more consistent across all the screens that are now available in modern cars. To that end, CarPlay is getting a total redesign that lets you see information across all of your screens. That includes getting information about your car’s staus, charging, and more. And, you’ll be able to control your car’s climate controls with it. It’s easily the biggest change to CarPlay since its inception, but it will take some time to roll out. Apple says that cars with the new CarPlay will start rolling out late next year.
One of the best iOS 16 features is the ability to set up an iCloud Shared Photo Library, similar to how you can set up shared photo libraries in Google Photos. Just add up to five other people to a library and everyone can add and edit family photos. You can choose which photos to share, share based on a start date, or via face detection. There’s also a toggle in the camera app that you can turn on to automatically send the photo you capture to the shared library. If you’re all on vacation, these photos can even automatically show up in the shared library based on your proximity to family members.
9. Use Dictation while also having access to the keyboard
Dictation is an incredible way to “type” quickly on iPhone by saying the text you wish to type, but it has its limitations. With iOS 16, it’s getting a huge boost.
To start with, the new dictation mode keeps the keyboard open, so you can fluidly switch between typing and speaking. You can even use touch to select text and then speak to replace it. What’s more, automatic punctuation will help you with multiple sentences without making you say things like “period” and “exclamation point” all the time. And you can dictate emojis, too!
If you don’t use dictation regularly, this might be the update that changes your mind about it.
10. Safety Check
A new privacy tool called Safety Check has been introduced to help those at risk from violence or harassment by partners.
Users can quickly revoke all access to Messages and other accounts that they’ve granted to a partner, and an emergency reset feature helps users to easily sign out of iCloud on all their other devices, reset privacy permissions, and limit messaging to just the device in their hand. Users can also stop sharing their location with this tool.
It also lets you generally check and manage which people and apps you’ve given access to your information.
Do you need to send your room key to a friend over WhatsApp? Apple Wallet now allows you to securely share a home, hotel, and car keys through messaging apps like Messages, WhatsApp, or Telegram.
12. Use Your iPhone as a Webcam
If you have a MacBook with an M1 or M2 processor, you can use your iPhone as a webcam (the rear cameras, which are significantly better than the webcam cameras in the laptops). You don’t need to plug anything in. You Mac will automatically detect the rear camera and will use it for your video calls. You’ll be able to use features like Center Stage, which has the camera following you around a room, and Portrait mode, which blurs the background to block out the mess behind you. There’s even a Desk View mode that utilizes the ultrawide camera to show folks what’s on your desk, though I don’t want anyone seeing that. Apple says it’s working with Belkin on custom mounts to outfit your iPhone on top of the MacBook.
You can create tab groups in Safari already, such as a collection of tabs for work, but now in iOS 16, you can share these groups with other people. You’ll be able to see what tabs people are viewing in real-time.
14. Use Live Text in Videos
Live Text, the feature that lets you grab the text in any photo (before or after you snap it), now works with videos. Just pause on any video and tap the text to copy it.
15. Convert Currency and Translate Text Using Live Text
Apart from extracting text from an image or video, Live Text offers to convert currency, translate text, and more.
16. Visual Look Up
Don’t get confused by Apple’s fancy naming scheme here. Visual Look Up allows you to tap and hold on to the image subject to extract it from the background and share it with others on Messages or WhatsApp. In short, Visual Look Up removes the background behind a subject and allows you to share the main object from an image.
Your favorite iOS 16 tips and tricks
So these were some of the best iOS 16 tips and tricks you would love to try on your iPhone today. My favorite iOS 16 tips and tricks include ability to edit/delete messages, ability to end calls with Siri, and ability to schedule emails in Mail. There’s surely plenty more hidden iOS 16 tips and tricks to discover, so I’ll keep tapping, swiping and noting anything I find. Did we miss out on something important that needs to be added to the list? Which are your favorite iOS 16 tips and tricks? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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