Seven hidden iOS 18 iPhone features you might not know about

Apple hides a lot of useful tools in each new version of iOS. Some of them appeared unnoticed with the iOS 18 update, while others remained in the menu for years, where users rarely look. Nevertheless, these features can significantly simplify everyday tasks.

Tom's Guide takes a look at seven such features.

Record and transcribe phone calls

After dialling the number on the Phone, tap the vertical lines symbol in the upper left corner as soon as the other party picks up the phone. Confirm the recording, listen to a short voice message about the start of the recording, and then tap the red Stop button to end the call. The audio and text transcripts are automatically saved in the Call Recordings folder in Notes or, if you recorded only audio, in Voice Recorder.

Identify plants and animals using your camera

Take a photo of the mystery plant or animal, open it in Photos, and click Info. If the object is recognized, a spark icon will appear — select Look up plant, and the system will offer the name and a link to Safari or Wikipedia for more information.

Offload apps instead of deleting them

Go to Settings — General — iPhone Storage. Select an app you rarely use and click Unload. The app will be deleted, leaving your data and documents behind. When you need it, tap its icon, and the system will quickly install an app with the same settings.

Turn your iPhone into a white noise machine

In the Settings menu, go to Accessibility — Audio & Visual — Background Music. After enabling the option, select the sound of the sea, rain, stream, or classic "white" noise. The volume of the background sound can be adjusted separately and can be pinned to the Control Panel for quick access.

Schedule a text to send later

In Messages, write your text, tap the + next to the input field, and select Send later. Set the date and time. If necessary, you can change or cancel the message before it goes out.

Share Wi-Fi passwords with a QR code

Open Passwords, tap the desired Wi-Fi network, and select Show Network QR Code. Your friends scan the code with their device's camera and connect without having to dictate complex characters. It's convenient if you have different platforms or a large number of guests.

Hide your screenshots

In Photos, click the filter icon, select View Options, and then uncheck Screenshots. Screenshots are immediately hidden from the general gallery, but remain available in the Screenshots album for work and reference — the main photo stream is no longer cluttered with technical shots.

As a reminder, there are still hidden tools in iOS that even experienced users may not know about. Using just a few options, you can discover a completely new experience with your smartphone.

We also wrote that using your phone on a daily basis can seem like a waste of time due to unnecessary swiping or tapping on the screen. There are many options in iOS that significantly shorten the path to the desired action.