- Changes to Phone, Calculator, Wallet, and Home
- More ways to control power and battery life
- Interface details you may have missed
iOS 18 is finally upon us, with a ton of new stuff to explore for iPhone and iPad users. But beyond the big headline-grabbing stuff, Apple also made countless smaller changes, many of which weren’t touched upon during its keynotes or preview videos.
To make sure you don’t miss anything, here’s a quick-fire roundup of ten of the most interesting features that don’t quite warrant full guides. (Please note that some of these features are coming with iOS 18.1.)
Auto-transcribe audio calls
The Phone app now includes the ability to record calls, which – just like audio notes – are then transcribed and summarized by AI. This feature is perfect for keeping track of important conversations and recalling key points easily. Participants are notified when recording starts, ensuring privacy and transparency.
Conversions in Calculator
The Calculator app now has a built-in conversion tool, allowing you to quickly switch between units for currency, length, area, temperature, and more. Press the mode button in the bottom right and switch on the Convert toggle. You’ll then see an interface that instantly converts between two units on the fly. Tap the drop-down by each number to choose a different type of unit.
Power reserve mode
iOS 18 introduces a new Power Reserve mode, which allows your iPhone to display the time even when the battery is critically low. This mode keeps the clock visible for a while even after your phone runs out of juice, so it’s not just an expensive paperweight.
Choose your charging limit
This feature helps preserve battery health by stopping charging at a level below 100%, which can be useful for extending the lifespan of your battery. Use the slider in Settings > Battery > Charging to set a custom limit.
Network QR codes
iOS 18 allows you to easily share Wi-Fi network access by generating a QR code. Open the new Passwords app to the Wi-Fi section and choose a network. Press Show Network QR Code and you’ll see a QR grid appear on screen. Show your device to someone and they can scan the code for instant Wi-Fi access. (Pro tip: you can also screenshot the code and send it to someone if you’re not in the same place. They’ll need to long-press the QR code on the screenshot to use it.)
Control flashlight width
iOS 18 now allows you to adjust the width of the flashlight beam directly from the iPhone’s dynamic island. This means you can fine-tune the light’s intensity and coverage, making it more versatile in different lighting conditions.
Event details in your Wallet
The Wallet app has rethought how it handles event tickets, with an updated visual design and a new details view. This includes venue info, relevant Apple Music playlists, and the like, providing everything you need for a good night out in one place.
Better control of your Home
The Home app now includes guest access, allowing you to grant control of select smart home accessories. You can set schedules for when guests can access your tech. There’s also support for robot vacuums, and new capabilities help you understand and optimize your home energy use.
Power button in Control Center
Crazy that it’s taken 18 iterations of iOS to get there, but we now have an on-screen power button for turning off the device. Open Control Center and look in the top right to find it. A long press will launch the “slide to power off screen,” locking the device even if you don’t initiate a full shutdown. Particularly helpful for anyone with a broken power button!
Animated bezels
This is a tiny visual change, but it shows the attention to detail is still there from Apple’s design team. Tap any of the physical buttons on the side of the iPhone and you’ll see a subtle animation around the bezels that looks as though the button has been depressed into the screen itself. Neat.