First released in 2007, the Apple iPhone has transformed almost beyond recognition over the years. From custom widgets to enhanced web browsing, here’s a run-through of 10 built-in and add-on features that are sure to improve your iPhone experience in 2026.
1. Voice Shortcuts
Everyone knows Siri, but fewer iPhone users are utilizing the magic trigger words that were introduced with iOS 18. Trigger phrases are created by going to Settings, then Accessibility, and turning on Voice Control. Tap Commands, then Create New Command, and type in your desired phrase. For example, you might enter “Lights off,” “Start workout,” or “Take grocery note.” Then, tap Action and select either Insert Text, Run Custom Gesture, or Run Shortcut to create an action that corresponds to that phrase. When you speak the phrase, your iPhone will react instantly.
2. Custom Widgets
Widgets allow you to see live updates from and interact with an app without fully opening it. What’s more, you can customize your widgets to create a more personal look on your home screen. One way to do this is via iPhone’s built-in features. Long tap the home screen and select the Edit button that appears, then Add Widget. Select the widget you want—for example, Weather—then scroll through and select your preferred customization options. Third-party apps allow for a higher degree of widget customization with your own photos, different fonts, and background color options.
3. Identify Plants and Animals
Ever been hiking and noticed a beautiful wildflower you’ve never seen before? Or maybe your neighbor has a plant in their garden you want for your own yard. Use your iPhone to snap an image of any plant or animal, then tap the “i” or info button at the bottom of the screen. If your iPhone recognizes the subject, a symbol with stars will appear beneath the photo. You can then access the metadata details identifying the plant or animal and follow a link to look up more information about it.
4. Offline AI Photo Editing
Apple’s on-device AI upgrades enable users to remove random objects, reflections, shadows, wires, and any unwanted photobombers instantly without uploading photos to the cloud. To use this handy feature, simply open a photo, tap Edit, and select Clean Up, highlighting the object you want to remove. Rebuilding the background automatically, this feature comes in handy if you’re a photo perfectionist.
5. Reduce Loud Sounds
Accessed via Settings, then Sounds & Haptics, Reduce Loud Sounds softens any sudden loud sounds while still allowing you to hear quieter noises. If you frequently find yourself watching videos with inconsistent audio mixing or switching between apps with wildly contrasting volume levels, this helpful feature can significantly improve your listening experience.
6. Third-Party Browsers
Plenty of iPhone users eschew the pre-installed Safari browser for a third-party option like Vivaldi or DuckDuckGo. These browsers incorporate a host of unique features that are not found on Safari, such as Vivaldi’s desktop class tab browsing. Note that as of January 2026, third-party browsers on iOS run on the same underlying WebKit engine as Safari—Apple does not yet allow true third-party mobile browsers, unless you are in the EU. Still, the differing interfaces can make it worthwhile to use a third-party browser on your iPhone.
7. Maintenance Restarts
This is less of a “hack” and more of a reminder, but it can still boost your iPhone’s performance: Most of us fail to restart our phones regularly. Over time, temporary files, browser data, and background processes pile up, impacting performance, particularly if you keep dozens of apps and tabs open. Restarting regularly clears temporary clutter in memory, trimming behind-the-scenes processes. Like rebooting a sluggish computer, restarting helps keep the system snappier by giving it a fresh start.
8. Live Transcription and Translation
Here’s a valuable resource for travelers, students, and notetakers: You can activate Live Captions and Translate while participating in Zoom calls, recording lectures, listening to in-person conversations, watching online classes, or consuming audio content in other languages. To access it, simply turn on Live Captions under the Accessibility screen in Settings. Then, when you’re in an app that plays audio, tap the speech bubble to access the caption text. For live translation, use Apple’s built-in Translate app. However, if you have an older iPhone—before iPhone 15 Pro—you won’t be able to access live translation, since it’s one of the Apple Intelligence features requiring more current hardware.
9. Learn More About Onscreen Content with ChatGPT
You can activate ChatGPT by taking a screenshot, then tapping “Ask” to open a text box. Here, you can pose a question about the screenshot’s contents, for example, requesting details about an object, or an explanation of a term. If you opt to allow Apple Intelligence to work with ChatGPT, you can get more in-depth answers from Siri. You don’t need your own ChatGPT account to use these features, but if you do have one, you can connect it to your Apple account.
10. Create Your Own Emojis If you feel like the current collection of emojis just can’t capture the full range of your feelings and expressions, you’re in luck: you can create your own “Genmoji.” When typing on an iOS keyboard, tap the Emoji keyboard, then tap the face icon to the right of the search box to describe the emoji you want. For example, you might type, “Dolphin wearing a Santa Claus hat.” Alternatively, you can use the microphone to describe what you want. You’ll then receive a range of different designs matching your prompt. Scroll through the options, select one, then tap Add to insert your new Genmoji into your text. Note that this feature requires Apple Intelligence, which is not available on devices older than the iPhone 15 Pro.