Alongside the launch of iOS 18, Apple has introduced iOS 17.7, which brings a host of critical security enhancements. This update will be prominently displayed on the Software Update screen, but users can scroll down to find the option for upgrading to iOS 18. In a significant naming change, Apple ID has now been rebranded as Apple Account.
Highlights of iOS 18
Personalized Home Screen and Lock Screen
iOS 18 provides users with a wealth of customization options for their home screen. To start, long press anywhere on the home screen. Unlike previous versions of iOS, where icons aligned vertically, users can now move and arrange them freely across the display.
You can alter your app icon colors by selecting from a light theme, a dark theme, or an automatic option that adjusts according to the time of day. Additionally, the Tint feature allows for personalized icon colors across all app icons, including those from third-party developers. A color picker, represented as an eyedropper tool, enables you to choose an icon color that matches your wallpaper.
To personalize the appearance of your app icons, press and hold on the home screen, tap the Edit button in the top left corner, and choose Customize from the menu. This menu also lets you modify home screen pages and add widgets.
The theme you select will also affect your wallpaper; for example, enabling dark mode will darken your background in tandem. You can switch between light and dark wallpapers by tapping the brightness icon (depicted as a sun). By default, app icons are set to “Small,” though a “Large” option is available, which will hide app labels.
Widgets can now be resized by dragging their edges. For a quicker addition, simply long press an app icon and select the preferred widget size from the menu.
Enhancements to the Lock Screen in iOS 18 include the ability to customize it by long pressing and selecting the Customize option. Users can now remove the flashlight and camera icons from the lock screen.
These icons can be swapped out by tapping the + button, allowing you to choose from various options like Translate, Calculator, Dark Mode, Shortcuts, and more. Numerous system settings and tools are now easier to access, with the ability to open a custom app directly from the lock screen being a noteworthy highlight.
Secure Apps with Face ID
A major privacy upgrade in iOS 18 is the feature that allows you to secure apps with Face ID, preventing unauthorized access. To use this, long press an app icon and select “Require Face ID.” This adds a layer of security by mandating Face ID to access the app and its content, making it ideal for temporarily locking personal apps like Photos when lending your phone to friends.
While some applications, such as Bitwarden, previously offered optional Face ID protection in earlier iOS versions, iOS 18 extends this functionality to any app, marking a significant advancement.
You can also choose to hide apps while enforcing Face ID for access, which is beneficial for sensitive banking or messaging applications. These apps will not be visible on the home screen, but they can be accessed in the App Library under the “Hidden” folder. Hiding an app also means that you won’t receive notifications from it.
Revamped Control Center
iOS 18 allows for the addition or removal of shortcuts from the Control Center. To enter editing mode, either tap the + button in the top left corner or long press anywhere in the Control Center.
To add a control, simply select the Add a control button and choose your desired option, such as quick access to a specific app. These options mirror the shortcuts available on the lock screen.
The Control Center now supports multiple pages or sections of controls that can be scrolled through, which makes resizing widgets easier. By default, it contains three pages: one for standard controls, another for media playback (now playing), and the last for connectivity features.
Additionally, the power button located in the top right corner operates similarly to the physical power button, enabling you to turn off your iPhone.
iMessage – RCS, Message Scheduling, and Text Formatting
Rich Communication Services (RCS) has made its way to iMessage in iOS 18, allowing iPhone users to see when their Android contacts are typing. Delivery and read receipts for sent and received messages have also been integrated. RCS supports the sharing of high-resolution images and videos, with a size limit of up to 100MB.
Another new capability, Send Later, enables users to schedule messages for future delivery—up to two weeks ahead of time. This is especially useful for sending timely birthday or anniversary messages. To utilize this feature, tap the + button and choose “Send Later” to arrange your message.
An exciting update in iMessage is the introduction of text formatting options, which allow users to style their messages with features such as bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough.
Phone App Enhancements: Call Recording and T9 Dialer
With the iOS 18 update, the Phone app now includes call recording functionality. To start recording a conversation, tap the record button at the top left of the screen. The app will notify the person on the other end that the call is being recorded.
*Note: Call Recording was not available for use on my iPhone 13, which may indicate regional restrictions.*
Furthermore, the Phone app has added a T9 dialer, enabling you to input a contact’s name directly into the keypad for quick searches. A dedicated FaceTime icon is now displayed next to each contact for instant access to video calls, while the phone icon can be used for voice calls. Enhancements to the recents page include improved search functionality for easier retrieval of call records.
Live Voicemail is set to be launched in multiple countries, including English-speaking regions like the UK, Australia, India, Singapore, and South Africa, as well as in Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Portuguese.
iPhone Mirroring
While primarily a macOS feature, iPhone Mirroring requires devices to be updated to iOS 18 or later. This capability allows users to display their iPhone screen on a Mac.
To access this feature, open the iPhone Mirroring app, which will be available in the dock after updating to macOS 15 Sequoia. The app will guide you through the setup process, enabling you to interact with your iPhone using the mouse and keyboard of your Mac.
Note: iPhone Mirroring is currently not available for users located within the European Union.
Distraction Control and Reader Mode in Safari
Safari has introduced a new Distraction Control mode, which can be activated from the menu. This feature allows users to hide distracting elements on websites by double-tapping them. While it isn’t a full ad blocker, it permits temporary adjustments to the web view.
The updated Reader mode, accessible via a button to the left of the address bar, simplifies webpage layouts and includes an AI-generated summary and a table of contents for easier navigation. This button will also show when highlights are available, allowing users to access useful details such as summaries, maps, and information about featured landmarks or media.
*Note: Features like AI-generated summaries and highlights are currently limited to users in the United States.*
Passwords App
One of the significant introductions in the iOS 18 update is the Passwords app, marking Apple’s first dedicated password management tool. This application enables users to create secure passwords for their online accounts and automatically imports data saved in iCloud Keychain. The app also supports passkeys.supports and includes an autofill function for rapid logins across different applications.
To get started, click the + button to include a username. When you tap the password field, the app generates a secure, randomized password for you. This application also stores verification codes for two-factor authentication and enables scanning of QR codes or pasting of setup keys for safe logins. It is compatible with Mac, iPhone, Vision Pro, and iPad, providing end-to-end encryption for user data that syncs seamlessly across devices. Users can categorize their passwords into sections such as Passkeys, Wi-Fi, and more, along with options for manual arrangement.
To synchronize passwords on a PC, you’ll need iCloud for Windows installed. Moreover, the iCloud Passwords extension is essential for browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, or Vivaldi, though it is not available for Firefox. Although Mozilla’s browser supports iCloud Bookmarks, the extension has gone without updates for over two years.
Note: A third-party Apple Passwords add-on is available on Mozilla’s AMO. This add-on is not affiliated with Apple, so use it at your own discretion.
While the Apple Passwords app offers basic functionality that may suffice for the average user, individuals accustomed to feature-rich password managers like Bitwarden or 1Password might find it wanting due to its lack of advanced features and limited cross-platform support, as it is not available for Android or Linux.
Apple Intelligence
If you’re wondering why Apple Intelligence is missing from our list, it’s because this feature has not yet been launched. Apple intends to introduce AI capabilities in an upcoming update for users who have set their device language to U.S. English, with additional updates for other English-speaking countries later this year, including Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK. French, Japanese, and Spanish-speaking users can anticipate the rollout in 2025. However, due to the Digital Markets Act, Apple Intelligence will not be accessible to users within the European Union, and this restriction also applies to China.
To note, Apple Intelligence is exclusively available on the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models. Earlier versions of the iPhone are not supported primarily due to DRAM constraints.
Compatible iPhones for iOS 18
The devices that can run iOS 18 include:
- iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)
Many of these features—especially the customizable home screen options, widgets, and screen mirroring—have been available on Android devices for a while now, either inherently or through third-party applications. It’s exciting to see these functionalities finally come to iOS. For a detailed overview of the updates in iOS 18, you can refer to Apple’s official documentation, which also offers a PDF version of the information from the same website.
Image Source: Mojahid Mottakin / Shutterstock
