Every year, Apple’s new iOS software update gets one or two splashy additions. With iOS 26, which is now released to the general public, the focus is on the new Liquid Glass design and Apple Intelligence features that power translations, summaries and custom emoji. Those changes are big and impossible to miss.
What’s easier to overlook are the quieter tweaks Apple doesn’t spend much time talking about. They don’t dominate the stage at WWDC, but they can quietly reshape the way your iPhone feels in daily use.
If you spend a little time digging through your settings or trying out the stock apps, you’ll notice them: tools that shave seconds off routine tasks, customization options that make your phone feel more personal and subtle reminders that your iPhone is still evolving in small but meaningful ways.
Here are 18 of my favorite hidden features in iOS 26, and why you should care about them.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.
1. Change the default snooze duration for your alarm
If you’ve ever wondered about the seemingly arbitrary 9-minute snooze option on the iPhone, there’s history behind it. It’s a relic of analog design, when early mechanical alarm clocks couldn’t easily be set to 10-minute intervals, so engineers went with a minute less. Digital clocks don’t have this limitation, but the tradition stuck.
On iOS 26, you can finally change your snooze length. All you need to do is go to the Clock app, tap on an alarm you have and hit Snooze Duration at the bottom. You can set snooze between 1 and 15 minutes, but the setting only applies to each alarm individually. That means you’ll either need to keep reusing the same alarm or adjust the snooze each time you create a new one.
2. Create a custom ringtone
You no longer need GarageBand (or a Mac) to make your own ringtone. In Files, tap an MP3 or M4A that’s under 30 seconds, hit the Share button and tap Use as Ringtone. iOS 26 drops it into Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, where you can set it system-wide or assign it to a contact. The same option shows up for Voice Memosvia the share sheet.
3. Copy only a selection of a text message
Messages now lets you highlight and copy just part of a text bubble instead of grabbing the entire thing, which is useful if you’re trying to copy a password or code that isn’t highlighted. Press and hold on the message, hit Select and then use the selection handles to capture only the section you want. It’s especially handy when a long message contains just one snippet you need to paste elsewhere.
4. Visited places in Maps
Maybe you want to remember the Thai food place you tried on vacation or retrace the route from a weekend. Instead of scrolling through your photos or texts to jog your memory, the answer is already in Maps. Apple Maps now keeps a record of the places you’ve visited, complete with dates and details. Open Maps > Profile icon > Places > Visited Places to see the list. It’s private and stored locally on your iPhone, so only you can see it.
5. Battery charge time estimates
When you plug in your iPhone to power, the lock screen now tells you how long it will take your battery to reach 80% and 100%. You’ll see “13m to 80%” or “1h 8m to 100%” right above the time and below the battery indicator. You can also go to Settings > Battery to check out this information. It’s a simple addition, but it takes the guesswork out of planning quick top-offs before heading out.
6. Adaptive Power Mode
A new option in Settings > Battery > Power Mode introduces Adaptive Power. Instead of choosing between Low Power and Standard, Adaptive adjusts performance and background activity on the fly. If you’re streaming music at home, it saves battery. If you’re gaming or recording video, it pushes performance. You don’t have to think about it — the phone adapts automatically.
7. Turn photos into 3D Spatial Scenes
In Photos, you’ll now find a Spatial Scenes feature, which turns photos into immersive, 3D-like views with subtle motion. Open a photo in the Photos application and look for the Spatial toggle on the top right. With compatible devices, you can tilt and move your iPhone to explore depth and perspective as if you were still standing there.
8. Search screenshots with visual intelligence
In iOS 26, Visual Intelligence kicks in the moment you take a screenshot. As soon as you take a screenshot, tap the thumbnail to open the editor, and you’ll see two new buttons: Ask (send the screenshot with a typed question to ChatGPT) and Image Search (send it to Google for visually similar results).
You can also paint a specific area with your finger to target what you’re asking about. Even without those buttons, iOS will surface contextual actions, for example, “Add to Calendar” if your screenshot includes an event or shopping results if it spots a product. Detection happens on-device, but using Ask or Image Search shares the image with the relevant services, so skip them on sensitive screenshots.
9. Apple Music lyric translations
If you listen to songs in other languages, Apple Music can now translate lyrics in real time. Tap the Lyrics view, then hit the new Translate These Lyrics button on the bottom left to see the translated lyrics line up with the music, right underneath the original lyrics. This allows you to enjoy the meaning of the song without losing the rhythm and is perfect for discovering new genres.
10. Screen incoming calls
The Phone app now supports live call screening. When an unknown number comes in, tap Screen Call and watch a real-time transcript of what the caller says. You can decide whether to answer, decline or let it go to voicemail. It feels like the iPhone borrowed one of Android’s best ideas and polished it.
11. Take a photo with your AirPods
AirPods get a new trick: act as a remote shutter button. With the Camera app open, double-tap on an AirPod to snap a photo. It’s great for group shots or when your phone is on a tripod across the room.
12. Add backgrounds to your text messages
You can now give a text message thread its own vibe. In iOS 26, you can set a custom conversation background in Messages. All you need to do is open a chat, tap the name/title at the top, choose Backgrounds and then pick a color, gradient, photo or generate one with Image Playground.
13. Edit PDFs with Preview
The Preview app, long a macOS staple, is now integrated into iOS for PDFs. Open a PDF in Files or Mail, tap Markup, and you can highlight text, add notes, sign documents or rearrange pages. No third-party app required.
14. Swipe from the middle of the screen to go back
Apple added a new gesture for smoother navigation. Instead of swiping right only from the left edge of the screen, you can now swipe right from the middle of the screen to go back. It works in Safari, Settings, Mail and other stock apps. Try swiping left-to-right from anywhere in the app window, and you’ll move back without having to hug the edge.
15. Check the weather even when you don’t have service
iOS 26 brings satellite connectivity to the Weather app, so you can still check conditions even when you’re off the grid. If you’re hiking in the mountains or traveling through a dead zone, the app will use Apple’s satellite system to pull down basic forecasts like temperature, chance of rain and severe weather alerts. You’ll see a small satellite icon at the top of the Weather app when it’s in use. It obviously won’t replace a full connection, but it makes the iPhone far more useful in those no-service moments.
16. Get notified to clean the camera lens
When the Camera app detects glare, haze or smudges on the lens, it’ll gently remind you to wipe it clean. You’ll see a quick on-screen alert before you take the shot. It’s not intrusive, but it can save you from realizing later that your once-in-a-lifetime photo came out cloudy.
17. HDR screenshots
Screenshots now capture in HDR on iOS 26, which means what you save looks much closer to what you actually see on the display. Open a bright photo, take a screenshot, and you’ll notice the same vivid highlights and contrast preserved in your Photos library.
18. Passport in Wallet
Wallet will soon support digital passports in some regions. Add it the same way you would a driver’s license: Wallet > + > Add Passport. Once set up, you can use it at supported airports and checkpoints. It’s not universal yet, but it’s the clearest sign that your physical wallet is on borrowed time.
iOS 26’s biggest features may get the spotlight, but it’s these smaller touches that make using the iPhone feel smoother and more personal. From smarter alarms to immersive photos to practical call screening, the update is full of small wins you’ll notice every day. And that’s what makes it worth installing.
Read the full article here