iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 have officially landed, and it’s bringing some notable changes and features to your Apple devices. Whether you’re concerned about security or looking to jazz up your music experience, this update has something in store for everyone. Let’s take a look.
Stolen Device Protection
The headliner of iOS 17.3 is Stolen Device Protection. This feature adds an extra layer of security for iPhones that kicks in if your device falls into the wrong hands. It requires Face ID or Touch ID for critical actions like accessing iCloud Keychain, Apple Card details, or erasing the device. For ultra-sensitive actions, like changing your Apple ID password, there’s even a one-hour security delay after biometric authentication. It’s an opt-in feature, and you can find it in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode.
For more details, see the preview guide we wrote on Stolen Device Protection earlier this month.
Collaborative Playlists
Finally! Collaborative Playlists in Apple Music is now a reality. This feature lets multiple people add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist, complete with animated emoji reactions. It’s a fun way to connect and share your music taste with friends and family, and (in our view) is a long-overdue step to help Apple compete with Spotify when it comes to social sharing.
AirPlay for Hotel Room TVs
For those who travel, iOS 17.3 lets you connect your iPhone to select hotel room TVs via AirPlay. This feature was announced at last year’s WWDC but took a while to go live. Now, streaming your favorite content on a bigger screen while on the road is easier than ever.
Black History Wallpaper
iOS 17.3 also introduces the Unity Bloom wallpaper for both iPhone and iPad, in honor of Black History Month. The wallpaper features blooming flowers and vibrant colors that symbolize Pan-Africanism, celebrating generations working together against injustice.
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iOS 17.3 also includes an AppleCare & Warranty section in Settings, showing coverage for all your Apple ID-linked devices, crash detection optimizations for iPhone 14 and 15 models, and various bug fixes.
How to get iOS 17.3
Note that even with Automatic Updates switched on in Settings, it’s often faster to manually trigger the update process. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for the latest version of iOS, and App Store > Account to see which apps are due an update.