Apple’s latest software update, iOS 18, introduces a host of bug fixes, security enhancements, and new features. While installing the update is crucial for security, it also presents an opportunity to adjust settings that can significantly improve your iPhone’s performance, privacy, and day-to-day usability.
These adjustments are straightforward, require no technical expertise, and can typically be applied in under a minute, offering immediate quality-of-life upgrades.
1. Revert to a Classic Mail Inbox
iOS 18 categorizes emails into buckets like Primary, Transactions, and Promotions. If you prefer a simple chronological list of all your messages, you can disable this feature.
To turn off categories, open the Mail app, tap the three-dot menu (…) in the top-right corner, and select List View. If you find the categories useful but still want a chronological overview, you can swipe to the end of the category tabs and select All Mail.
2. Customize the Lock Screen Buttons
The flashlight and camera shortcuts on the iPhone Lock Screen, previously fixed, are now fully customizable. You can replace them with other functions or remove them entirely. Available options include Shazam, Dark Mode, a new timer, Airplane Mode, Wallet, and Tap to Cash.
- On the Lock Screen, press and hold anywhere on the display until the Customize button appears. You will need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Tap Customize and select Lock Screen.
- To remove a button, tap the minus (–) icon on it.
- To add or change a function, tap the empty slot or existing button and select your desired shortcut from the list.
- Repeat for the second button if needed, then tap Done.
3. Prioritize Important Notifications with Apple Intelligence
For iPhones supporting Apple Intelligence, a new feature can help manage the daily flood of alerts. By analyzing your notifications, it prioritizes those most likely to be important, such as messages from your contacts over potential spam.
To enable this, go to Settings > Notifications, and under Apple Intelligence, enable Prioritize Notifications. You can then customize which apps use this feature.
4. Assign New Tasks to the Action Button
On the iPhone 15 Pro and later models, the Action button gains new capabilities in iOS 18. In addition to its previous functions, it can now be assigned to specific controls from the Control Center, such as the Apple TV Remote or Shazam.
To configure it, go to Settings > Action Button. Swipe to select an action. For options like Controls or Shortcuts, tap the Choose button to assign a specific function.
5. Redesign Your Home Screen
iOS 18 overhauls the Home Screen with unprecedented customization options.
- Arrange Apps Freely: You can now place app icons anywhere on the grid, preventing them from obscuring your wallpaper. Press and hold the Home Screen to enter “jiggle mode,” then drag icons to your preferred positions.
- Create Larger App Widgets: Some apps can be transformed into larger, more informative widgets. Press and hold an app icon and select a larger size from the resize buttons that appear. Drag the handle in the corner to resize further.
- Activate Full Dark Mode: Dark Mode now extends to Home Screen icons and wallpaper. In jiggle mode, tap Edit > Customize. Choose Dark to apply dark backgrounds to icons and dim your wallpaper for comfortable night viewing.
- Tint Your Icons: For a unified look, select the Tinted option. Use the sliders to adjust the hue and luminosity, or use the eyedropper tool to match a color from your wallpaper.
- Use Large, Labelless Icons: To increase icon size and remove the text labels beneath them, tap the Large button in the Customize menu.
6. Customize the Control Center
The Control Center is now a highly configurable space. You can rearrange controls, resize them, and add new pages.
Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, then press and hold or tap the + button to enter edit mode. Drag controls to reposition them or use the handle on the bottom-right of a control to resize it. Control Center now supports multiple pages for Media, Home, and Connectivity, which can be reordered by dragging the large control blocks between pages.
7. Lock or Hide Sensitive Apps
For enhanced privacy, iOS 18 allows you to lock or hide individual apps.
- To Lock an App: Press and hold an app icon, select Require Face ID (or Touch ID/Passcode), and confirm. The app will now require authentication to open.
- To Hide an App: After selecting Require Face ID, choose Hide and Require Face ID. The app will be removed from the Home Screen and placed in a “Hidden” folder in the App Library, which also requires authentication to access.
Note that some built-in apps can only be locked, not hidden.
8. Disable Auto-Looping Videos in Photos
By default, videos in the Photos app now loop automatically. To prevent this, go to Settings > Photos and turn off the Loop Videos toggle. For more control, you can also disable Auto-Play Motion on the same screen to prevent videos and Live Photos from playing until you tap them.
9. Adjust Your Calendar View
The Calendar app gets two subtle but useful viewing enhancements.
In Month view, you can now pinch to zoom in and out, dynamically revealing more or fewer event details, from simple colored bars to full event labels with times.
The Day view now includes a Multi Day option, which displays two consecutive days side-by-side, offering better context of your schedule without switching to the full week view.
10. Enhance Dialogue in the TV App
To address the common issue of muffled dialogue in movies and shows, the TV app now includes an enhancement feature. While watching a video, tap the More (…) button and select Enhance Dialogue from the Audio options. You can choose between Enhance and Boost to dampen background noise and clarify speech.
