Apple has officially released iOS 18, featuring an all-new customizable Home Screen, a redesigned Control Center and Photos app, a long-awaited password manager, the ability to lock apps with Face ID, and iMessage improvements, including the ability to use any emoji as a Tapback reaction, schedule messages, format text with bold or underline, RCS support for improved messaging with Android devices, and more.
While iOS 18 is rolling out today, not all of its new capabilities are available on day one. Some of the update’s most exciting features, such as Apple Intelligence, will arrive later in the year.
With iOS 18, users can arrange apps and widgets in any open space on the Home Screen, allowing for a more personalized experience. Users can also choose from light, dark, or tinted themes for their Home Screen, with customizable app icons and widgets. The introduction of the Passwords offers a centralized hub for managing passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes. The app also includes alerts for common password weaknesses, enhancing security overall.
The Photos app has received a major redesign with a simplified single view and new collections, allowing users to browse their photo libraries by themes without needing to organize content into albums.
iOS 18 is available on the iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later, including the iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Pro. iOS 18 will come pre-installed on the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, all of which will be available starting Friday.
Later in the year, and throughout 2025, Apple will be launching and expanding Apple Intelligence, bringing advanced AI capabilities to the iPhone. With Apple Intelligence, users will be able to streamline everyday tasks as AI provides personalized assistance by learning user behavior and offering context-aware recommendations. Siri will become more proactive, handling complex commands and offering suggestions before they’re requested. Enhanced text prediction and autocorrect will adapt to personal language styles, making communication smoother and more intuitive, while real-time translation will make multilingual interactions more seamless.
Apple Intelligence will also include Image Playgrounds, allowing users to create entirely new images based on text descriptions, suggested concepts, or even photos from their library. Genmoji will allow users to create custom emojis based on descriptions, which can be sent in iMessage. In 2025, Apple Intelligence will feature OpenAI’s ChatGPT integration, allowing Siri to tap into ChatGPT for specific requests.
To install the iOS 18 update, open Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone and follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the update. It is recommended to connect the device to Wi-Fi and ensure it has at least 50% battery life or is plugged into a power source during the installation.
