iOS 18 is Coming: Here Are the 8 Most Used Features

Apple is set to release the iOS 18 update to compatible iPhones on September 16th, likely around 8:00 PM Turkey Time. After more than three months of beta testing, the final version of iOS 18 will finally be available. So, which features will be most widely used? Here are 8 standout features of iOS 18:

Home Screen Customization
iOS 18 offers customization options with Dark and Colorful modes to recolor app icons. You can also adjust app icons to appear larger without text labels underneath.

Redesigned Control Center
The Control Center has been redesigned in iOS 18. Like the Home Screen, it is now more customizable, allowing you to rearrange and resize controls across multiple pages. You can add more controls from the completely new control menu.

iMessage Innovations
iOS 18 brings various new features to iMessage, including the use of any emoji as a Tapback reaction, new text effects like Shake and Pop, new formatting options such as bold and italic text, and RCS support for advanced messaging with Android devices (operator support is also required).

Updated Photos App
With iOS 18, Apple has made the biggest design change to the Photos app ever. Not only has the welcome screen been reorganized, but new AI-powered features like Clean Up, which removes unwanted objects from photos, have also been added.

Locking and Hiding All Apps with Face ID
iOS 18 allows you to lock all apps, including Photos, with Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPhone password. You can also hide an app, and hidden apps are kept separately in a locked folder.

Passwords App
iOS 18 introduces the Passwords app, previously accessible through iCloud Keychain in the Settings app, as a standalone app. The Passwords app stores not only passwords for all your online accounts but also WiFi passwords, passkeys, and codes. You can also see accounts with weak or compromised passwords separately under Security.

Gaming Mode
iOS 18 brings the gaming mode from the Mac to iPhones. According to Apple, gaming mode not only minimizes background activity during gaming to ensure the best frame rate but also significantly reduces AirPods audio lag and improves the gaming experience with wireless controllers.

Hiding Distractions (Safari)
The new "Hide Distractions" option integrated into Safari can be used to hide certain website elements like newsletter sign-up forms and cookie consent banners. Apple states that this feature is not designed as an ad blocker. If you hide an ad and its content is refreshed, it will reappear.

Apple will release the iOS 18 update to iPhone XS and newer models. iOS 18.1, which introduces Apple Intelligence features, will be available for iPhone 15 Pro and later models.