Fully Personalize Your Home Screen
iOS 18 introduces new home-screen customization tools, making it easier to personalize your iPhone. Previously, users had to rely on third-party icon packs and Shortcuts, but now you can simply tint app icons to match your wallpaper. Additionally, you can set icons to dark mode or allow them to automatically adjust based on the time of day. To edit your home screen, long-press anywhere, tap “Edit” in the upper-left corner, and you can adjust icon size and background brightness.
One major improvement is the ability to freely arrange apps around the home screen, breaking away from the traditional grid layout. This allows you to place apps around a photo or focus on just a few apps and widgets. To ensure apps stay in place, hold them for a couple of seconds.
Customizing the lock screen has also been improved, allowing you to swap out the default flashlight and camera shortcuts for other options like Calculator or Shazam. Simply press and hold on the lock screen, tap “Customize,” and remove or add new shortcuts.
Improved Texting for Everyone
With iOS 18, Apple is upgrading its messaging system to support RCS (Rich Communication Services), bringing higher-resolution images and videos to texts between iPhone and Android users. Although Android users still get the dreaded green bubbles, they will now receive read receipts from iPhone users. Additionally, Apple adds new ways to react to messages, including custom-made stickers or any emoji, as well as options to send texts with bold fonts or special effects. You can also schedule texts to be sent later.
Satellite communication is another feature expanded in iOS 18. iPhone 14 users or newer can now send messages, emojis, and tapbacks via satellite, allowing users to stay connected in areas without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
Enhanced Photos Experience
The Photos app gets a redesign in iOS 18, introducing new groupings like Trips and People & Pets to organize your photos. If you don’t like the new format, you can customize or reorder these sections by scrolling to the bottom of the app. Expect more AI-powered features for Photos in future updates.
Send Cash with a Tap
Apple introduces Tap to Cash, allowing users to send money without exchanging personal information. To use this feature, both you and the receiver need an iPhone running iOS 18 with Apple Cash set up. Simply tap your phones together to send money. Although limited to iPhones and Apple Watches, this feature is an easy way to make payments without needing apps like Venmo.
Offline Hiking Trails
For outdoor enthusiasts, iOS 18 now includes trail maps for all U.S. national parks. You can search for hikes in parks like Yosemite and save the trail maps for offline access, eliminating the need for apps like AllTrails. You can also create custom routes in Apple Maps by setting waypoints, and the app will help you navigate them. Maps can even loop or reverse the route based on your preferences.
Sync Reminders and Calendar
To-do lists created in Reminders will now automatically sync with the iOS Calendar app. You can also create reminders directly from Calendar. The app gets a visual tweak, too—color-coded events are now shown as lines and dots in the month and year views, giving users a clearer overview of upcoming events.
Passwords Management Gets Serious
Apple’s Keychain is now rebranded as a standalone Passwords app in iOS 18, making password management more user-friendly. The app offers easy access to Wi-Fi and website credentials, passkeys, and two-factor authentication (2FA) codes. It also allows password sharing across devices, including Windows PCs via iCloud for Windows. However, syncing with Android devices may still require third-party password managers like 1Password.
Mindful Journaling
iOS 18 enhances the Journal app, adding a State of Mind feature that allows users to log their emotions, which can sync with the Health app for mood tracking over time. New widgets offer writing prompts, and you can now add rich text formatting, like bold or italicized text, as well as transcriptions for audio entries.
Customizable Control Center
The Control Center in iOS 18 lets you fully customize controls, including those from third-party apps. You can also resize and move them around multiple pages themed for activities like media playback or smart-home controls. To access these controls, swipe down from the top-right corner and long-press the screen.
Math in Notes
The Notes app now has the ability to solve math problems. Type in a formula, and the app will provide the answer. Notes also allows users to assign values to variables for quick calculations, making it a helpful tool for managing budgets without needing a spreadsheet. Other design tweaks include colorful text, collapsible headings, and transcriptions of audio attachments.
App Locking for Privacy
Apple has made it easier to lock or hide sensitive apps in iOS 18, using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode for access. You can even move apps to a hidden folder that requires authentication to open. However, not all apps can be locked or hidden; certain default apps like Journal may not support these privacy features.
By introducing more personalization, privacy, and functionality, iOS 18 gives users greater control over their iPhones in both design and practical use.
