Not all of the new features of iOS 18 work automatically. That’s why we show you which functions you should enable in these iPhone tips.
iPhone tips: you need to enable these iOS 18 features
In this week’s iPhone tips, we’ll show you some iOS 18 features that you’ll need to enable or activate before you can use them. Use it to your advantage!
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1. Audio messages
The first of these iPhone tips is for anyone who uses audio messages in the Messages app. For some reason, since iOS 18, these have been deleted after two minutes by default. Of course you may want that. But if not, you will lose all your audio messages almost immediately. This is how you change that:
- Open the Settings app;
- Scroll down and tap ‘Apps’;
- Tap ‘Messages’ and scroll down;
- Under ‘AUDIO MESSAGES’, tap ‘Delete’;
- Place a check mark next to ‘Never’.
2. Voice commands
Number two of these iPhone tips is about a feature you may have thought you’d never need. However, it can be very useful, for example, to turn on the flashlight by pronouncing a word of your own making. This is possible with the Voice Commands feature in iOS 18. Setup goes like this:
- Open the Settings app;
- Tap ‘Accessibility’ and scroll down;
- Under ‘SPEECH’, tap ‘Voice commands’;
- Tap ‘Configure voice commands’.
Choose the function that you want to activate with a specific word, for example Flashlight. Then type the word (or words) you want to use to activate the function. Preferably choose something here that you don’t say too often. Then you say the word three times. This is to ensure that the function is only activated when you say the word.
3. Vehicle motion cues
The third of these iPhone tips is for anyone who has ever suffered from motion sickness. Since iOS 18, you can display vehicle motion instructions. Dots then appear at the edges of the screen that follow the vehicle’s movement, significantly reducing the risk of motion sickness. To enable it, proceed as follows:
- Open the Settings app;
- Tap ‘Accessibility’ then ‘Movement’;
- Tap ‘Show vehicle motion prompts’;
- Place a check mark next to ‘Automatic’.
The ‘Automatic’ setting is the most practical, because your iPhone detects when you are driving a car. The function is therefore automatically enabled when you drive away and also works when you use your iPhone to navigate.
4. Save download
Number four of these iPhone tips is useful if you always want access to certain files, even when you don’t have an internet connection. In iOS 18 you can indicate this per file thanks to the ‘Save download’ function. This way you will never again be faced with the unpleasant surprise that you do not have access to a certain document.
By default, many files are automatically saved to iCloud. There is nothing wrong with that, but you cannot access it if you do not have an internet connection. In the Files app you can download important files to your iPhone and since iOS 18 you can also choose ‘Save Download’. The file will then always remain on your iPhone. You do this by long pressing the file and tapping ‘Save Download’.
5. Hide distracting parts
We conclude this week’s iPhone tips with an iOS 18 feature for Safari. Apple has added the ‘Hide distracting items’ function. This is useful if you want to read a long story on a website, but the website is full of photos and advertising messages. Thanks to the new function, they disappear like snow in the sun.
To use this feature, simply tap the menu icon and tap Hide Distracting Items. Then tap the item you want to hide and then tap Hide. Another option is the also new ‘Show Reader’ function. If you tap on it, the website will be displayed as an e-book, which is of course also a lot more pleasant to read.
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Did you like these iPhone tips and want more? On iPhoned you can read useful tips and tricks for your iPhone every week. Check out the most recent tips below!
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