With the holiday season behind us, many of us are getting back into the swing of regular routines. Now is the perfect time to update your iPhone to iOS 18.2.1, the latest version of Apple’s operating system that introduces some new and innovative features. This update expands the capabilities of apps such as Messages and Maps, along with the introduction of Apple Intelligence features. The question is, where should you begin? Below are eight must-change settings to personalize and optimize your iPhone experience with iOS 18.2.1.
1. Change the Default Buttons on the Lock Screen
In iOS 18, Apple finally allows users to customize the bottom corners of the lock screen, a much-anticipated feature given those are prime positions for easy thumb access. Prior to this update, these spots were occupied by the flashlight and camera buttons with no possibility of change. Start by touching and holding anywhere on the lock screen display until you see the Personalize button. You’ll need to unlock the phone using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. If it opens the home screen, swipe down from the center-top of the screen (not the right edge, which brings up Control Center).
Afterward, tap Personalize and then choose Lock Screen. Remove one of the buttons by tapping the – (minus) button on the icon. To replace the button with another function, tap its space (now with a + icon) and then choose the action you want. Options include recognizing music via Shazam, enabling Dark Mode, setting an alarm or timer, turning on Airplane Mode, or opening your Wallet, among others. Repeat these steps for the other button if you wish to alter it. Tap Done when you’re finished and again to exit personalize mode.
2. Set Up Some of the New Tasks Available on the Action Button
The Action button on newer iPhone models like the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro replaces the traditional mute switch with a customizable control option. By default, it acts like the mute switch, enabling or disabling Silent Mode, but iOS 18 introduces new functionalities for this button. To modify the Action button settings, navigate to Settings > Action Button. Swipe sideways to select and activate one of the available actions.
For specific options under Controls, Shortcut, and Accessibility, tap the Select button to choose the exact action to run. New capabilities also allow users to bypass Control Center and choose a favorite control like opening the Remote interface for Apple TV or using Shazam to identify songs. Taking these steps will allow you to make the Action button a more fitting part of your daily routine.
3. Give Your Home Screen a Radical New Look
Perhaps one of the most exciting changes in iOS 18 is the ability to radically customize your home screen. Users can now position app icons almost anywhere, no longer limited by a strictly top-to-bottom, left-to-right grid. This enables you to avoid covering important parts of your wallpaper, whether it’s a picture of your loved ones or a favorite landscape. Initiate this customization by touching and holding the home screen to enter “jiggle mode,” then rearrange the icons to your desired positions.
The new update also makes Dark Mode more extensive by applying it to the entire home screen, icons, and even the wallpaper. To set Dark Mode, enter jiggle mode from the home screen, tap the Edit button in the top-left corner, and choose Personalize from the menu. At the bottom of the screen, select from Automatic, Dark, or Light modes. Dark Mode changes the icon backgrounds and folders to dark gray, along with a darker rendering of the wallpaper image. For those who enjoy a bit of color coordination, the new Tinted icons feature allows you to apply a universal tint to your app icons, which can be customized by adjusting Hue and Luminosity sliders.
Another exciting new feature is the Large icons option, where you can increase the size of your app icons and remove their labels. This gives a modern, minimalist look to your home screen. To activate this, open the Personalize options and select the Large button. After making your changes, tap anywhere on the screen to apply them and exit the Personalize interface.
4. Change Up How the Control Center Looks
Control Center is a handy, quick-access feature that has undergone substantial improvements in iOS 18. To access Control Center, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen (or swipe up from the bottom if you’re using an iPhone SE). To personalize this area, touch and hold or press the + button at the top-left corner to enter edit mode. You can reposition controls by dragging them to different slots, expand their sizes to reveal more information, or even change their orders on multiple screens.
To remove a control, tap the – (minus) button that appears. Additional controls can be added by selecting Add a Control and scrolling through the available options. Now, Control Center spans multiple screens, allowing quick access to currently playing media, home controls for smart devices, and expanded communication options. With these changes, Control Center has transformed from merely convenient into an essential, powerful tool for efficient device management.
5. Lock or Hide Any of Your Sensitive Apps
Another useful security feature in iOS 18 is the ability to lock or hide sensitive apps. This feature is particularly useful for protecting your personal data if you frequently lend your phone to friends or family members. To lock an app, touch and hold the desired app icon and choose Require Face ID or Require Touch ID from the menu. Confirm the choice by tapping Require Face ID in the following dialog. To remove this protection, simply choose Don’t Require Face ID in the same menu.
For added privacy, you can hide apps by touching and holding the app, selecting Require Face ID, then tapping Hide and Require Face ID. Confirm the action by tapping Hide App on the next screen. Hidden apps are placed in a locked Hidden folder within the App Library. Accessing these apps requires Face ID authentication. Note that while some built-in apps cannot be hidden, they can still be locked for additional security.
6. Turn Off Loop Videos in the Photos App
In iOS 18.2, Apple has introduced a small but notable change to the Photos app by enabling videos to loop automatically. While this might be enjoyable for short clips, it can become annoying for longer videos. To turn off video looping, go to Settings > Photos, scroll down to find the Loop Videos option, and turn it off. This ensures that videos play only once, stopping at their end.
For those who prefer more control over video playback, disabling Auto-Play Motion in the same Settings screen will prevent videos from playing automatically until you manually tap the Play button. These settings allow for a more tailored video viewing experience in the Photos app, catering to individual preferences.
7. Adjust the View of Your Calendar
The Calendar app in iOS 18 packs in two small but significant improvements that enhance everyday usability. In Month view, users can now pinch with two fingers to zoom in and out on their monthly calendar, revealing more or fewer event details accordingly. As you zoom in, events appear first as colored bars and then show full labels with times, maintaining the monthly grid for easy reference.
The Day view, breaking down your day hour by hour, introduces a Multi Day view that shows two consecutive days. This feature is particularly useful for understanding what’s coming up without needing to switch to landscape mode for the Week view. To activate this, tap the View button while in Single Day view and select Multi Day from the popup menu. These new views in Calendar give you better control and visibility of your schedule.
8. Improve Movie and TV Show Dialogue in the TV App
As the holiday season comes to an end, many of us are settling back into our daily routines. It’s an ideal time to update your iPhone to iOS 18.2.1, the latest version of Apple’s operating system. This update brings fresh and innovative features that enhance your device’s functionality. With the upgraded iOS, apps like Messages and Maps come with expanded capabilities, including new Apple Intelligence features that aim to improve your overall user experience.
Now, you might be wondering where to start with these updates. To help you get the most out of your iPhone with iOS 18.2.1, we’ve compiled a list of eight essential settings changes. These tweaks will help you personalize your phone and optimize its performance. Whether you’re looking to enhance your privacy, improve the efficiency of your device, or simply make it more user-friendly, these settings are the key to a better iPhone experience. So, if you haven’t updated yet, there’s no better time than now to explore the new possibilities that iOS 18.2.1 has to offer. Dive in and discover the improvements that await you!