Since Apple’s introduction of iOS 16 more than six months ago, there have been a number of smaller point upgrades, the most recent of which being iOS 16.4 (and iOS 16.4.1). All these updates provide your iPhone new settings and functions, including the option to delete emails and text messages and to crop items out of your images, but you could have overlooked a couple.
I’ll go over all you need to know about iOS 16’s greatest lesser-known features, like password-protected photo albums, readily available Wi-Fi passwords, and more.
While you’re here, make sure to review the key new iOS 16 features you’ll enjoy as well as a few you might just find annoying (there’s a cure, though). Check out what to expect with iOS 16.5 if you’re interested in Apple’s future plans.
Table of Contents
14 Hidden iPhone Features
View and share saved Wi-Fi passwordsÂ
Since a while ago, Apple has permitted iOS users to share Wi-Fi passwords, but only when two Apple devices are close to one another. Additionally, you couldn’t simply get the password from your settings if that feature didn’t operate automatically. Additionally, you had to remember the password if you wished to share a saved Wi-Fi password with someone else, such as an Android user or someone using a PC. Before now.
Tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network for which you want the password in Settings’ Wi-Fi section. Tap the Password area, then use Face ID or your passcode to view the network password. The password can then be shared by tapping Copy after it has been copied to your clipboard.
Find and remove duplicate photos and videos
Tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network for which you want the password in Settings’ Wi-Fi section. Tap the Password area, then use Face ID or your passcode to view the network password. The password can then be shared by tapping Copy after it has been copied to your clipboard.
You ought to see a new Duplicates album under Utilities in Photos > Albums. Apple searches through your whole photo library and displays every image or video that has been stored more than once in a certain album. From there, you can choose to remove any duplicates or just press Merge to keep the best photo and its associated data while deleting the rest.
You can use Select > Select All > Merge to eliminate all of the images and videos that Apple deems duplicates at once, however you should definitely go through each set of duplicates to be sure they are exact copies and not just similar images.
Pair Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons with your iPhone
Apple has long allowed users to connect third-party controllers to your iPhone and iPad in order to play mobile video games like the Apple Arcade collection, Minecraft, and Call of Duty more comfortably. Examples of these controllers are the PS5 Sony DualSense and Xbox Core Controller. You can now increase that list by one more console controller.
You may now connect your Joy-Con controllers to an iPhone or iPad running iOS 16 if you own a Nintendo Switch. Hold down the Joy-Con’s little black pairing button initially until the green lights begin to flicker. The device is in pairing mode if this is the case. Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone after that and choose the Joy-Con from the list. Use the other Joy-Con to repeat this process.
Hang up a phone or FaceTime call with Siri
Siri is capable of many things. The virtual assistant may be used to send text messages, seek directions, or play music, but she is unable to conclude phone calls. weird, huh? With iOS 16, that is finally a possibility.
Make sure Listen for “Hey Siri” is toggled on in Settings by going to Siri & Search. If it is, a new option labelled Call Hang Up should appear underneath. Enter that menu item and turn on Call Hang Up. Simply say, “Hey, Siri,” and ask her to end your current call when you’re on a phone call or FaceTime video chat.
Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected
The Photos app’s Hidden album is obviously not hidden because anyone can easily find it. It is therefore impossible to adequately conceal private images and videos. Despite the fact that Apple offers the ability to make the Hidden album “invisible,” anyone with access to your phone might make it accessible once more and see everything inside.
You may now lock the Hidden album thanks to iOS 16. Actually, there is nothing you need to do to turn on this functionality. Launch the Photos app and navigate to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen to see it. The Hidden and Recently Deleted albums have a little lock next to them if you scroll down. You’ll need to enter your passcode or Face ID to view the contents of those albums.
Copy and paste photo and video edits
You’ll be delighted to know that you can now copy and paste modifications, such as saturation, contrast, and brightness, between photographs if you utilise the editor tool in the photographs app. You can paste the exact same edits to any other image or video in your camera roll after you’ve finished editing one and are satisfied with the result.
Launch the Photos app, then open an altered photo in full-screen mode to accomplish this. Next, select Copy Edits from the three-dot menu in the top-right corner. Only if the image has been modified in Photos and not a third-party editor will you see this choice. After that, navigate to the image you wish to copy these adjustments to and select Paste adjustments by tapping the three-dot option. You should notice the photo adjustments appear after a brief while.
Use Siri to send an emoji
With iOS 16, you can now use your voice to send emojis for the first time. Siri has long had the ability to send lengthy, complex text messages and emails by dictation. Simply say “face with tears of joy emoji” or “red heart emoji” to add an emoji to your text with Siri as long as you know its name.
You may also say the emoji name to insert an emoji anyplace you can enter text, such as in a message or an Instagram caption, if you utilise the keyboard dictation tool on your iPhone, which is accessible at the bottom right of your keyboard (the microphone symbol).
Bring haptic feedback to your keyboard
The iPhone has had haptic feedback for a long time. When you try to remove an app from your home screen or enter the wrong password on your lock screen, you can feel it beneath your fingertips. Strangely, the native iOS keyboard has never had haptic feedback available until now.
Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and turn on Haptic to enable a tiny vibration for each key you press. You can disable the sound option since it makes the obnoxious clacking noise that occasionally occurs when you type on a phone that isn’t in silent mode.
Pin your favorite tabs in Safari
Safari only allows 500 open tabs, so if you’re getting close to that number, it could be challenging to locate the precise tab you’re looking for. Although you may scroll indefinitely, there is now a quicker method to get the precise tab you need.
Pressing down on an open tab in Safari now gives you the option to select Pin Tab. This will pin that tab to the top of Safari where it will always be visible as a tiny tab preview that you may tap to view. A tab will move to the top of your grid of open tabs if you hold down the mouse button and unpin it.
Use Face ID while you’re lying down
You may have seen that it is impossible to unlock an iPhone when it is vertical, such as when you are sleeping on your side. For Face ID to function, you must hold your iPhone in portrait mode, which is upright. With iOS 16, you can finally unlock your iPhone in landscape mode with Face ID. However, an iPhone 13 or 14 running iOS 16 is required for this to function.
Allow notifications when you share your screen
When you share your screen using SharePlay or Screen Mirroring, Apple automatically disables notifications as a privacy protection measure. On iOS 16, you can now enable notifications if you don’t mind other people seeing your notifications. Go to Notifications > Screen Sharing in the Settings application and turn on Allow Notifications.
Copy your screenshots to your clipboard without saving them
To share a screenshot with someone else, you don’t need to save it to your photo album. You may now snap a screenshot on iOS 16, transfer it to your clipboard, remove it from your phone, and then paste it wherever you like. To copy a screenshot to your clipboard after taking one, press the snapshot preview when it appears, hit Done in the top-right corner, and then tap Copy and Delete.
Remove more preinstalled Apple apps
Since iOS 10, some preloaded iOS programmes, like as Stocks, Maps, and Calculator, can be deleted, but not all of them. With the release of iOS 16, three additional apps—Find My, Clock, and Health—can be taken off your device. The removal of these apps, however, may have a negative impact and damage compatibility with other apps and connected devices, such as your Apple Watch.
Make Siri listen to you longer
There is now a way to have Siri listen to you for longer so she can hear all you say if you ever experience Siri cutting you off. However, you have to go to Accessibility > Siri in the Settings app and select either Longer or Longest to use the feature. Try out the two possibilities to discover which suits you best.
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