Live Activities on your iPhone: this is how you use this cool feature

Since the release of iOS 16.1, iPhone users can get started with the Live Activities feature. This allows your smartphone to show more information about certain apps from your lock screen. We explain how to use the function.

Currently there are only a handful of apps that support Live Activities. These are apps such as Flighty, Carrot Weather, Lumy, Aviary and Steps. Not exactly apps that we use a lot in the Benelux, but we expect that more and more apps will join this list.

What does Live Activities entail?

The Live Activities feature keeps you up to date with persistent notifications. From the lock screen you can see what is happening in real time. This way you can easily keep track of the score of a football match or see when your ordered Uber will arrive approximately.

If you have an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max, the Live Activities will be connected to the Dynamic Island. This allows you to see the score of a match via this super handy notch feature. Press it and the Dynamic Island will show you even more info.

This is how you use the feature

To enable the cool feature, you need an iPhone running at least iOS 16.1. Open the Institutions and go to Face ID and passcode. Scroll down and make sure Live Activities is enabled.

Then search within the settings for an app that is compatible with the Open its settings feature and make sure that the slider is there too Live Activities activated.

This is what happens on your lockscreen

Now all you have to do is make sure you’re signed in to the apps that support Live Activities. For example, if you follow a flight via Flighty, you will see a live overview of it on your lock screen (or on the Dynamic Island) when this flight takes place.

Although the range of compatible apps is currently still scant, Apple has already shared some apps that will also support the function. These include apps such as Starbucks, Uber and Nike Run Club. It’s only a matter of time before more apps are added.