Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
Discover Hidden Gems in iOS 18.4: Uncover New iPhone Features You Might Have Missed
Apple’s iOS 18 continues to evolve, with each incremental update, like iOS 18.4, introducing subtle yet significant enhancements for your iPhone experience. While features like transforming sketches into detailed artwork, personalizing your home screen, creating custom emojis, and the advanced capabilities of Apple Intelligence and Visual Intelligence have been widely discussed, iOS 18.4 harbors lesser-known functionalities waiting to be explored. This article highlights some of the most intriguing, under-the-radar additions within the latest iOS update. Discover these hidden iOS 18.4 features to maximize your iPhone’s potential.
Effortless iPhone Restart via Control Center
Restarting your iPhone no longer requires physical button presses with iOS 18. The revamped Control Center now incorporates a dedicated restart function among its familiar controls such as brightness, volume, orientation lock, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi toggles.
To access this feature, simply swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone screen to unveil the Control Center. Locate the new power button situated in the top-right section. Unlike other controls that respond to a tap, the restart function requires a press-and-hold action. Maintain pressure on the power button for a brief moment until the familiar power-off slider appears.
Note that while restarting is now digitally accessible, powering your iPhone back on still necessitates using the physical side button.
Simplified Wi-Fi Sharing with QR Codes
iOS 18 introduces a streamlined method for sharing Wi-Fi network access: QR codes. This innovative approach broadens the scope of quick Wi-Fi sharing, addressing limitations of previous methods:
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- Simultaneous Sharing: Effortlessly grant Wi-Fi access to multiple individuals at once by allowing them to scan the QR code directly from your iPhone, eliminating the need for individual password dissemination.
- Sharing with Non-Contacts: Unlike previous methods that often required recipients to be in your contact list, QR codes enable seamless sharing even with individuals not stored in your contacts.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: QR codes transcend ecosystem barriers, enabling easy Wi-Fi sharing with users of Android devices, unlike ecosystem-specific features like Nearby Share or AirDrop.
For these scenarios, instead of verbally relaying or texting your Wi-Fi password, leverage the QR code feature. Navigate to the newly designed Passwords application, proceed to the Wi-Fi section, and select the network you wish to share. Tap “Show Network QR Code.” Recipients can then scan the displayed QR code using their device’s camera to instantly connect to the Wi-Fi network.
It’s important to note that this QR code functionality is specifically for Wi-Fi passwords and does not extend to general passwords.
Adjustable Flashlight Beam Width for Enhanced Illumination
Customize Your iPhone Flashlight
The iPhone flashlight receives a notable enhancement in iOS 18, expanding beyond intensity adjustments to include beam width control on compatible models. Users can now modify the flashlight beam, choosing between a wide beam for broader, less intense illumination or a narrow beam for focused, more concentrated light – with gradations in between. This versatile feature proves useful for various lighting needs, including creative photographic effects.
How to Adjust Flashlight Beam
To utilize this new capability, activate your iPhone flashlight via the lock screen or Control Center. A redesigned interface will emerge within the Dynamic Island. Vertical swipes continue to manage light intensity. However, horizontal swipes (left and right) across the Dynamic Island now govern the flashlight beam width. Tapping within the Dynamic Island area toggles the flashlight on or off.
Note: Beam width adjustment is exclusively available on iPhone models equipped with the Dynamic Island. This includes iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 series, and subsequent iPhone 16 series devices.
Quickly Disable AI Notification Summaries Directly from the Lock Screen
Manage Notification Summaries with Ease
iOS 18.1 introduced notification summaries, an Apple Intelligence-driven feature that intelligently condenses notifications from individual applications. For applications generating numerous notifications, such as Gmail or Amazon, the lock screen displays an italicized summary, providing a rapid digest of pending updates.
However, the efficacy of notification summaries can vary. Particularly for text messages and news applications, the summaries might not always be ideal. As of iOS 18.3, notification summaries are automatically deactivated for all news applications, including Apple News. Nonetheless, users retain granular control to disable summaries for other applications directly from the lock screen.
Steps to Disable Summaries
When a notification summary appears on your lock screen for an application where you wish to disable this feature, swipe left on the notification itself. Select “Options” and subsequently “Turn Off “App Name” Summaries.” This action will halt summary notifications for that specific application, reverting to traditional individual notifications.
Share AirTags Seamlessly with Multiple Users
Collaborative Tracking with AirTag Sharing
AirTags provide a convenient solution for tracking personal items such as luggage during travel or misplaced keys. iOS 18 expands AirTag utility by enabling sharing capabilities, allowing up to six individuals to monitor a single AirTag’s location. This is particularly beneficial for families on vacation or couples sharing belongings during a weekend trip.
How to Share Your AirTag
To initiate AirTag sharing, access the Find My application and select the specific AirTag you intend to share. Within the AirTag settings, tap “Add Person” located under the Share AirTag heading. Choose contacts to grant sharing access and finalize the process by tapping “Share” in the top-right corner. Invited individuals will then need to accept the invitation to begin tracking the shared AirTag from their Apple devices.
Extend Battery Lifespan with Customizable Charging Limits
Optimize iPhone Battery Health
iPhones already incorporate “Optimized Battery Charging,” a feature designed to prolong battery longevity. This intelligent system learns charging habits to minimize time spent at full charge, delaying charging beyond 80% until just before anticipated usage.
Set Custom Charging Limits
For users seeking further control over battery health, iOS 18 allows manual adjustment of charging limits, ranging from 80% to 100%. By setting a lower threshold, you can prevent your iPhone from consistently reaching a full 100% charge. To configure this, navigate to “Settings” > “Battery” > “Charging” and select your desired charging limit.
Choosing a charging limit below 100% establishes that percentage as the maximum charge level. This practice is beneficial because lithium-ion batteries, as used in iPhones, experience accelerated degradation when frequently charged to 100%. Maintaining a lower average charge state reduces battery stress and extends its overall lifespan.
Voice Memo Transcription and Searchability
Transform Voice Memos into Searchable Text
The Voice Memos application is invaluable for quick idea capture, yet retrieving specific memos based on content has historically been challenging. While descriptive titles are possible, locating a memo containing a specific word, like “example,” was not feasible. iOS 18 revolutionizes Voice Memos by introducing transcription functionality, converting audio recordings into searchable text.
Transcribing Your Voice Memos
Within the Voice Memos application, select a memo to reveal playback controls. Tap the “Edit Recording” button (waveform icon). Alternatively, tap the three-dot menu beside a memo and choose “Edit Recording.” Next, tap the “Transcribe” button to initiate transcription or view existing text. Confirm by tapping “Done.”
Enhanced Search Functionality
With transcription enabled, the search function within Voice Memos now scans both titles and transcript content for keywords. Furthermore, transcriptions integrate system-wide. Performing a home screen search will now categorize Voice Memos results, displaying memos containing the search term (expanding “Show More Results” may be necessary).
Declutter Your Home Screen by Hiding App Labels
Minimize Home Screen Clutter
For users seeking a cleaner, more minimalist home screen aesthetic, iOS 18 offers the option to hide app labels – the descriptive names displayed beneath app icons. If app recognition is primarily icon-based, removing labels can significantly reduce visual clutter. This also applies to folder labels within the App Library.
Removing App Labels
To hide app labels, enter “jiggle mode” by pressing and holding on any empty area of your home screen. Tap “Edit” > “Customize.” From the menu appearing at the bottom, select the “Large” option. This not only slightly enlarges app icons but also removes the corresponding labels for a cleaner appearance.
Prioritized Notifications Powered by AI
Intelligent Notification Prioritization
On Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhones, iOS 18 introduces a “Priority Notifications” feature. Leveraging artificial intelligence, this function identifies and highlights notifications deemed potentially important, positioning them prominently at the top of the notification stack on your lock screen with a distinctive glow.
Enabling Priority Notifications
To activate Priority Notifications, navigate to “Settings” > “Notifications” > “Prioritize Notifications” and toggle the feature to the “on” position. Notifications categorized as priority typically include missed calls, text messages, critical emails, and updates from frequently used third-party applications.
Instant App-to-Widget Conversion on the Home Screen
Seamless Widget Creation
iOS 18 simplifies widget creation. For applications offering widget functionality, users can directly convert an app icon into a widget from the home screen itself, eliminating the need to browse through the widget customization panel.
Converting Apps to Widgets
For eligible applications (those offering widgets), press and hold on the app icon on your home screen to display the quick actions menu. If widgets are available, widget icons (up to three variations) will appear alongside the app icon. Tap any widget icon to instantly transform the app icon into the selected widget. Reversing this – converting a widget back to an app icon – is equally straightforward. Access the quick actions menu on the widget and tap the application icon situated on the left.
Discreet Song Identification via the Action Button
Secret Shazam with the Action Button
Identifying a song playing nearby is often a satisfying capability, especially when queried by others. However, initiating Music Recognition (Shazam) typically involves a conspicuous Siri request or Control Center activation. iOS 18 offers a more subtle approach using the Action Button.
Setting Up Action Button for Music Recognition
Navigate to “Settings” > “Action Button” and cycle through the options until “Recognize Music” is selected for the Action Button functionality.
Using Action Button for Shazam
To secretly identify a song, simply press and hold the Action Button for a few seconds. Shazam activates silently in the Dynamic Island, listening and identifying the music playing. With discreet activation and a quick glance, musical knowledge can seem almost encyclopedic, courtesy of the Action Button’s hidden Shazam capability.
Intelligent Image Filtering: Handwriting and Illustrations in Photos App
Advanced Photo Library Sorting
The Photos application in iOS 18 undergoes significant enhancements, encompassing organizational improvements and generative AI features for object removal. Apple has also incorporated intelligent sorting capabilities to refine photo library browsing.
Discovering New Photo Categories
Within the Photos app, scrolling past the main library reveals familiar categories like “People and Pets” and “Memories.” Continue scrolling to “Utilities,” and tap to expand the full list. A key interface enhancement is the introduction of horizontal swiping within Utilities to reveal additional panels. Previously limited to Hidden, Recently Deleted, and Duplicates, Utilities now offers expanded filtering.
Filtering by Content Type
Tap “Handwriting” to isolate images containing handwritten text. Similarly, selecting “Illustrations” filters for images identified as illustrations rather than photographs (note that in testing, this category may also include screenshots).
Share Podcast Snippets: Precise Podcast Segment Sharing
Sharing Podcast Highlights
iOS 18 enhances podcast sharing within the Podcasts application. Users can now share a specific segment of a podcast episode, directing recipients to a precise moment within the audio. This nuanced sharing capability, while present, is somewhat hidden within the interface.
Setting the Sharing Start Point
Within the Podcasts application, tap the “Now Playing bar” at the screen’s bottom to access playback controls. Pause the episode and use the progress bar to rewind to the desired starting point of the segment you wish to share.
Generating Segment-Specific Share Link
Tap the “More” (…) button and select “Share Episode.” In the sharing options, tap “From Start” beneath the episode title. Choose “From [current time]” to set the sharing start point to your selected position. Tap “Done.” Choose your preferred sharing method (Messages, Mail, etc.). Recipients opening the shared link within the Podcasts app will see the option to “Play from [time],” directly accessing the intended podcast segment.