Apple is expected to announce new software updates at WWDC, but you might still be getting used to features introduced in iOS 17. For the most part, StandBy mode, interactive widgets, full-screen contact posters for phone calls and the Journal app are welcome additions and changes. New software might force you to relearn some steps when using your iPhone.
For instance, some folks weren't fans of the new search button at the bottom of each home page after upgrading to iOS 16, because they would accidentally trigger it all the time. It's not necessarily a bad feature; it just isn't meant for everyone.
The verification codes you receive when attempting to sign in to your various accounts can quickly clutter up your text messages and email. Sure, you can always manually delete each code, but that takes too much time. iOS 17 now has a setting that automatically deletes your verification codes after you've entered them.© Provided by CNET
It took a while for this feature to pop up, but Apple now lets you download and use offline maps on the Maps application on iOS 17. Now you can more easily navigate roads, highways and tunnels -- even if you don't have internet.© Provided by CNET
If you tap on a widget on iOS 16, you'll be transported to the corresponding application. For example, if you tap on the weather widget, you go to the weather app. That makes sense.With iOS 17, however, a few widgets -- including for Apple Music and Home -- are interactive, meaning you can control the app directly from the widget. In the Apple Music widget, you can pause and play songs as well as browse through your recently played music. Once iOS 17 is released to the general public, you can expect third-party developers to integrate interactive widgets into their apps as well.© Provided by CNET
Instead of a jarring or silent jump from one song to another, you can now enable a cross-fade effect between songs in Apple Music on iOS 17. If you're on aux duty, this feature is a must-have.© Provided by CNET
The laundry codes on your clothes are there to guide you when it comes to washing and drying, but if you have no idea what these symbols mean, they might as well be hieroglyphics.iOS 17 brings a new feature that allows you to quickly decipher laundry codes. All you need to do is take a photo of the tag and use Visual Look Up, a built-in Photos tool that can identify words, plants, monuments and other objects and provide you with information about them.© Provided by CNET
Visual Look Up doesn't only identify laundry codes. It also can analyze any possible warning lights on the dashboard of your car. Again, all you need to do is take a photo and check out what Visual Look Up has to say about your warning lights. Maybe it's time to get those brakes checked.© Provided by CNET
Over the last decade, podcasts have steadily risen in popularity, and for good reason. They're easy to digest, and you can listen to a podcast anywhere, even while driving.If you're a fan of podcasts, you'll probably enjoy a new iOS 17 feature that lets you ask Siri to read news articles, informational sites or anything else in Safari out loud. No reading required.© Provided by CNET
Siri has gotten a slight makeover on iOS 17, including two new features that will definitely change how you interact with the personal voice assistant.For starters, you no longer need to say, "Hey, Siri" to trigger Siri. You can just say, "Siri." And you can ask Siri for back-to-back requests. For example, you could say something like, "Siri, give me directions to the gym and play my gym playlist."© Provided by CNET
If you make a password change to one of your accounts, your new password is most likely stored in the cloud so that you don't have to remember it. You can't do the same with your iPhone passcode.Before iOS 17, if you forgot your passcode, your only way back in was to completely wipe your iPhone. Now, if you forget your passcode, you can use your old passcode to get in -- but only for 48 hours after you create a new passcode. So act fast.© Provided by CNET
If you're tired of copying and pasting passwords in your text messages to share with your loved ones, iOS 17 has a new feature that allows you to create a group to quickly share passwords and passkeys, across their devices.© Provided by CNET
You need to find a specific message, in a thread filled with thousands of messages -- on a phone with hundreds of message threads. Sure, you could scroll and scroll and scroll, but iOS 17 has made searching in the Messages app way more powerful.You can now filter your searches by contact, link, photo, location and more, to quickly find what you're looking for.© Provided by CNET
If you lend your phone to a family member, particularly a kid, you may well want to see what they've been browsing. Really sneaky kids might know that private browsing doesn't record a history.On iOS 17, you can now enable a setting to require Face ID or a passcode to access private browsing in Safari.© Provided by CNET
The Control Center on your iPhone is a hub where you can quickly take various actions with a single tap, like turning on your flashlight or enabling dark mode. With iOS 17, you'll now also be able to ping your Apple Watch.© Provided by CNET
GIFs can be wildly distracting when you're browsing through your phone -- browse through an article (even ours sometimes) and sometimes you'll be attacked with animations from all sides.If you're looking to minimize the madness on your iPhone, iOS 17 now has a setting that allows you to stop GIFs from autoplaying in Safari.© Provided by CNET
Cropping a photo or video is relatively simple on the iPhone -- but the process is getting easier thanks to iOS 17. Instead of going into edit mode, you can now simply zoom into a photo and then hit the new Crop button that appears to resize an image to exactly what you see on your screen.© Provided by CNET
There's a new way to access your applications directly from Messages, with a + icon that quickly brings up options like camera, stickers, location and more. However, if you're only interested in accessing your photos, to send via text, you can just press and hold down on the + to quickly access your most recent photos.© Provided by CNET
The same way that you can autofill text verification codes now from your keyboard, with iOS 17 you can also do that but with email verification codes. You must set up your email with the Mail app for this to work.© Provided by CNET
Stop NameDrop from automatically sharing your contact info
The new NameDrop feature on iOS 17 allows you to quickly swap contact information via AirDrop simply by bringing your iPhone near another iPhone or Apple Watch. Your name and Contact Poster (also new with iOS 17) are shared with NameDrop, along with your phone number, email address and other information.
Related video: Apple says new A.I. features will be added to its products in the fall (KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco)
Some people have had issues with NameDrop sharing info when they don't want to. For example, if you place your iPhone near another iPhone in general, NameDrop may attempt to transfer your contact information. If you carry two iPhones in your bag -- one personal and the other for work -- NameDrop could attempt to share contact info between the two, which can be annoying when you're not trying to use the feature on purpose.
Fortunately, there's an easy way to disable NameDrop completely. In the Settings application, go to General > AirDrop and toggle off Bringing Devices Together. Once the feature is off, you won't be able to swap numbers and information via NameDrop.
You can share photos via AirDrop and close proximity, so that too will be disabled when this setting is toggled off. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET© Provided by CNET
Hide notifications in StandBy
The StandBy feature is arguably one of the biggest new iOS 17 features to the iPhone, turning your phone into a smart display when it's charging horizontally and showcasing information, like the time, your calendar, photos and notifications, in large blocks that are easy to see. StandBy is a great way to quickly absorb information by glancing at your phone, but if people are around and you want to keep some of your information private, you may not want StandBy to show notifications.
In Settings > StandBy, toggle off Show Notifications. Now when you're in StandBy mode, you won't see all of your notifications displayed. Critical notifications, like weather emergencies, will still be shown in StandBy mode.
Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET© Provided by CNET
Alternatively, you can hide notification previews instead of the entire notification. That way, you can still see what notifications you're getting, you just can't check out the exact details unless you tap on the notification. For this to work, you'll need to enable Show Notifications, as well as the Show Preview on Top Only setting underneath.
Stop Siri from activating so easily
Siri received a few major changes in iOS 17, including the ability to activate the voice assistant by only saying "Siri" -- no more "hey" needed. It's an easier way to quickly open an application or run a shortcut with just your voice, but at the same time, you might accidentally trigger Siri more often, since the new trigger is just a single word now.
If you want to go back to only having Siri activated when you say "Hey Siri" and not just "Siri," go into Settings > Siri & Search > Listen for and choose the solo "Hey Siri" option. Your iPhone will no longer activate Siri simply when you say "Siri."
Chicago
Track Your Order
0
