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    18 Hidden iOS 26 Features You Should Be Using on Your iPhone

    The newest iPhone software program replace launched main adjustments like Liquid Glass and new AI instruments, however lots of the most useful enhancements are tucked away in your settings. In different phrases, you in all probability have not seen practically all the pieces iOS 26 has to supply. These small upgrades refine your each day expertise and make the telephone really feel extra intuitive. They aren’t as flashy as the principle options, however they’re those you may discover throughout on a regular basis use.After dwelling with this software program for this lengthy, I’ve discovered that the out-of-the-box expertise is for amateurs. There are tweaks that’ll enhance your life, and I’m not speaking about your telephone’s wallpaper. Take, for instance, “Adaptive Power Mode,” which really learns your habits to save lots of juice, or lastly killing the traditional 9-minute snooze to set an interval that does not smash your morning. Apple even added a “Dirty Lens” alert so you’ll be able to cease taking blurry, smudged images prefer it’s 2010.You’ve paid a premium for this {hardware}, so it is time you stopped treating it like a generic shopper system. These hidden options are the distinction between a telephone that simply sits in your pocket and one that truly anticipates what you want. Let’s cease scratching the floor and dive into some hidden settings which may make you respect iOS 26 much more.  Watch this: iOS 26.1 Update Fixes Alarm, Lets You Change Liquid Glass
    06:07 Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content material and lab-based evaluations. Add CNET as a most well-liked Google supply on Chrome. 1. Change the default snooze length in your alarm If you have ever puzzled in regards to the seemingly arbitrary 9-minute snooze choice on the iPhone, there’s historical past behind it. It’s a relic of analog design, when early mechanical alarm clocks could not simply be set to 10-minute intervals, so engineers went with a minute much less. Digital clocks haven’t got this limitation, however the custom caught. On iOS 26, you’ll be able to lastly change your snooze size. All you’ll want to do is go to the Clock app, faucet an alarm, then faucet Snooze Duration on the backside. You can set snooze to 1 to 15 minutes, however the setting applies to every alarm individually. That means you may both must maintain reusing the identical alarm or alter the snooze every time you create a brand new one. You have to alter the snooze length for every alarm you set. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 2. Create a customized ringtone You not want GarageBand (or a Mac) to make your personal ringtone. In Files, faucet an MP3 or M4A file beneath 30 seconds, then faucet the Share button and select Use as Ringtone. iOS 26 drops it into Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, the place you’ll be able to set it system-wide or assign it to a contact. The similar choice seems within the share sheet for Voice Memos. Note: Apple Music tracks aren’t eligible as customized ringtones. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 3. Copy solely a number of a textual content message Messages now helps you to spotlight and duplicate simply a part of a textual content bubble as a substitute of grabbing your entire factor, which is beneficial if you happen to’re making an attempt to repeat a password or code that is not highlighted. Press and maintain the message, choose it, then use the choice handles to seize solely the part you need. It’s particularly helpful when a protracted message accommodates only one snippet you need to paste elsewhere. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 4. Visited locations in Maps Maybe you need to keep in mind the Thai meals place you tried on trip or retrace the route from a weekend getaway. Instead of scrolling by way of your images or texts to jog your reminiscence, the reply is already in Maps. Apple Maps now retains a file of the locations you have visited, full with dates and particulars. Open Maps > Profile icon > Places > Visited Places to see the listing. It’s personal and saved regionally in your iPhone, so solely you’ll be able to see it. The characteristic continues to be in beta, which suggests it may need bugs and different points — for now. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 5. Battery cost time estimates When you plug your iPhone into energy, the lock display screen now exhibits how lengthy it should take your battery to achieve 80% and 100%. You’ll see “13m to 80%” or “1h 8m to 100%” proper above the time and under the battery indicator. You can even go to Settings > Battery to take a look at this data. It’s a easy addition, but it surely takes the guesswork out of planning fast top-offs earlier than heading out. If you do not see the battery share on the high of your lock display screen, hit the house button. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 6. Adaptive Power Mode A brand new choice in Settings > Battery > Power Mode introduces Adaptive Power (for iPhone 15 Pro fashions and later).Instead of selecting between Low Power and Standard, Adaptive adjusts efficiency and background exercise on the fly. If you are streaming music at house, it saves battery. If you are gaming or recording video, it pushes efficiency. You haven’t got to consider it — the telephone adapts robotically. 7. Turn images into 3D Spatial Scenes In Photos, you may now discover a Spatial Scenes characteristic, which turns images into immersive, 3D-like views with refined movement. Open a photograph within the Photos app and search for the Spatial toggle within the top-right nook. With suitable units, you’ll be able to tilt and transfer your iPhone to discover depth and perspective as if you happen to have been nonetheless standing there. 8. Search screenshots with visible intelligence In iOS 26, Visual Intelligence kicks within the second you’re taking a screenshot. As quickly as you’re taking a screenshot, faucet the thumbnail to open the editor, and you will see two new buttons: Ask (ship the screenshot with a typed query to ChatGPT) and Image Search (ship it to Google for visually related outcomes).  You can even paint a particular space along with your finger to focus on what you are asking about. Even with out these buttons, iOS will floor contextual actions, for instance, “Add to Calendar” in case your screenshot consists of an occasion or procuring outcomes if it spots a product. Detection occurs on-device, however utilizing Ask or Image Search shares the picture with the related companies, so skip them on delicate screenshots. To search one thing within the screenshot, merely paint over it along with your finger. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 9. Apple Music lyric translations If you hearken to songs in different languages, Apple Music can now translate lyrics in actual time. Tap the Lyrics view, then hit the brand new Translate These Lyrics button on the underside left to see the translated lyrics line up with the music, proper beneath the unique lyrics. This means that you can benefit from the tune’s that means with out dropping its rhythm, making it excellent for locating new genres.  This will not work for each tune. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 10. Screen incoming calls The Phone app now helps stay name screening. When an unknown quantity calls, faucet Screen Call to view a real-time transcript of what the caller says. You can determine whether or not to reply, decline or let it go to voicemail. It feels just like the iPhone borrowed one in all Android’s greatest concepts and polished it. 11. Take a photograph along with your AirPods AirPods get a brand new trick: act as a distant shutter button. With the Camera app open, double-tap on an AirPod to snap a photograph. It’s nice for group photographs or when your telephone is on a tripod throughout the room. 12. Add backgrounds to your textual content messages You can now give a textual content message thread its personal vibe. In iOS 26, you’ll be able to set a customized dialog background in Messages. All you’ll want to do is open a chat, faucet the title/title on the high, select Backgrounds, then decide a colour, gradient, picture or generate one with Image Playground. You can take away the backgrounds in the identical method, simply choose None. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 13. Edit PDFs with Preview The Preview app, lengthy a MacOS staple, is now built-in into iOS for PDFs. Open a PDF in Files or Mail, faucet Markup, and you’ll spotlight textual content, add notes, signal paperwork or rearrange pages. No third-party app required. Preview is a standalone app you need to use to edit your PDFs. Nelson Aguilar/CNET 14. Swipe from the center of the display screen to return Apple added a brand new gesture for smoother navigation. Instead of swiping proper solely from the left fringe of the display screen, now you can swipe proper from the center of the display screen to return. It works in Safari, Settings, Mail and different inventory apps. Try swiping left-to-right from anyplace within the app window, and you will transfer again with out having to hug the sting. 15. Check the climate even when you do not have service iOS 26 brings satellite tv for pc connectivity to the Weather app, so you’ll be able to nonetheless verify situations even while you’re off the grid. If you are mountain climbing within the mountains or touring by way of a lifeless zone, the app will use Apple’s satellite tv for pc system to tug down primary forecasts like temperature, likelihood of rain and extreme climate alerts. You’ll see a small satellite tv for pc icon on the high of the Weather app when it is in use. It clearly will not change a full connection, but it surely makes the iPhone way more helpful in these no-service moments. 16. Get notified to scrub the digital camera lens When the Camera app detects glare, haze or smudges on the lens, it’s going to gently remind you to wipe it clear. You’ll see a fast on-screen alert earlier than you’re taking the shot. It’s not intrusive, however it may well prevent from realizing later that your once-in-a-lifetime picture got here out cloudy. 17. HDR screenshots Screenshots now seize in HDR on iOS 26, which suggests what you save appears a lot nearer to what you really see on the show. Open a shiny picture, take a screenshot, and you will discover the identical vivid highlights and distinction preserved in your Photos library. 18. Passport in Wallet Wallet will quickly assist digital passports in some areas. Add it the identical method you’d a driver’s license: Wallet > + > Add Passport. Once arrange, you need to use it at supported airports and checkpoints. It’s not common but, but it surely’s the clearest signal that your bodily pockets is on borrowed time. iOS 26’s largest options could get the highlight, but it surely’s these smaller touches that make utilizing the iPhone really feel smoother and extra private. From smarter alarms to immersive images to sensible name screening, the replace is filled with small wins you may discover on daily basis. And that is what makes it price putting in. 19. Create a ballot in MessagesIt could be inconceivable to make a gaggle choice in a busy textual content thread. In iOS 26, now you can create polls instantly within the Messages app so everybody can vote on issues like the place to eat, which film to look at or what time to satisfy.To create a ballot, open a gaggle chat (and even only a common chat) in Messages, faucet the plus (+) button subsequent to the fitting of the textual content subject and select Polls. From there, you’ll be able to add your query and a number of reply choices for individuals to vote on. Participants within the chat can vote and see outcomes replace in actual time, making it simpler to settle group choices with out countless back-and-forth. If you need to add your query earlier than the ballot, enter it as a textual content message earlier than you employ the Poll characteristic. Nelson Aguilar/CNET

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