Apple’s iOS 26, unveiled at WWDC 2025, is one of the most transformative software updates in recent memory. With a powerful blend of aesthetics, intelligence, and utility, iOS 26 introduces both flashy upgrades and subtle enhancements designed to simplify, personalize, and elevate your daily iPhone experience.
From the stunning Liquid Glass interface to groundbreaking AI features, the new update hides many treasures behind its sleek UI. Whether you’re a long-time iPhone user or someone new to Apple’s ecosystem, here are the Top 20 Best and Hidden iOS Features You Must Know.
1. Liquid Glass UI: A Design Revolution
The Liquid Glass interface isn’t just cosmetic—it redefines how users perceive depth and clarity. With dynamic translucency, lighting effects, and smooth layering, this UI upgrade gives iOS a luxurious, modern look. The redesigned Control Center, widgets, and Lock Screen seamlessly blend style and function, enhancing usability without clutter.
2. Adaptive Power Mode
This intelligent feature learns from your usage and automatically adjusts system behaviors to preserve battery. It might reduce screen refresh rate, background sync, or limit app activity temporarily. It’s perfect for when your iPhone is low on power but you’re still hours away from a charger.
3. Estimated Charging Time
Rather than just showing a percentage, iOS 26 calculates how much time is left before your iPhone reaches full charge. This is especially useful during travel or meetings when time management is crucial. It also helps you avoid overcharging habits that may degrade battery health.
4. Call Screening & Hold Assist
When an unknown number calls, iOS 26 prompts the caller to introduce themselves, and you see the response before answering—just like a virtual receptionist. With Hold Assist, your phone listens to hold music for you and alerts you when a real person joins. These features save time and reduce spam calls.
5. Live Call Translation
Whether you’re talking to a taxi driver in Tokyo or a vendor in Spain, real-time call translation breaks language barriers. The translation appears live on screen or plays through audio, depending on preferences. It’s ideal for business, travel, and global friendships.
6. Apple Intelligence Integration
Apple’s on-device AI system, Apple Intelligence, now provides personalized assistance across apps. It can summarize articles, clean up your writing, generate Genmoji, or offer context-aware suggestions (like adding a Calendar event based on your messages). Best of all, it’s privacy-focused and doesn’t share your data.
7. Smart Genmoji and Message Effects
Genmoji is a breakthrough in personalization. Simply describe an emoji like “dog with sunglasses on a skateboard,” and iOS generates it instantly. Combined with new iMessage effects—like words exploding, glowing, or rippling—it brings richer visual expression to conversations.
8. Photos: Spatial Photos & Smart Editing
Spatial Photos are enhanced images with depth, allowing them to feel 3D-like—especially when viewed on Apple Vision Pro. Smart editing now recommends optimal filters, auto-straightens tilted shots, and even detects blurry images to suggest retakes, improving overall photography outcomes.
9. Visual Look-Up from Screenshots
Your iPhone can now interpret content from screenshots, whether it’s identifying a restaurant logo, translating foreign text, or suggesting calendar actions from visual data. This means faster productivity, fewer taps, and seamless integration between apps and visual content.
10. Advanced Siri with Personal Context
Siri no longer needs full commands. It understands the context: ask “When’s my next flight?” and Siri checks your emails and travel apps. If you say, “Message John about the meeting,” it connects your calendar, contacts, and messages to respond intelligently.
11. Timer Slider in Control Center
The quick-access timer slider allows you to set countdowns with a swipe—great for cooking, workouts, or reminders. It’s more intuitive than navigating through the Clock app, making iOS feel faster and more responsive to your needs.
12. Custom Alarm Snooze Time
Default snooze has always been 9 minutes—until now. iOS 26 lets you choose how long to snooze your alarm: 1, 5, 15, or 30 minutes. It caters to your sleep patterns and morning routine preferences, whether you want a slow wake-up or a sharp rise.
13. Wallet: Order Tracking & Digital Passport
With smarter Wallet integration, your iPhone reads order confirmation emails and tracking numbers, displaying updates automatically. You can also add your U.S. passport (rolling out soon), making it easier to pass through TSA PreCheck or airport kiosks without a physical document.
14. CarPlay Overhaul
CarPlay isn’t just an interface anymore—it’s your driving companion. The redesign includes customizable widgets (like music and weather), better navigation zoom, less intrusive notifications, and video playback (when parked). It feels more like a car dashboard OS than a smartphone mirror.
15. Games App
Previously, iPhone games were scattered across folders. Now, Apple introduces a Games app that organizes all installed titles, tracks achievements, integrates with Game Center, and offers social features. It’s a centralized portal for gaming—whether casual or competitive.
16. Live Radio Widget
Love radio? Apple Music now supports a Live Radio widget that plays stations directly from your Home Screen. It updates in real-time with what’s on air and supports tap-to-play. No need to open the Music app or search for stations manually.
17. Set MP3 as Ringtone Directly
iOS 26 removes a long-standing frustration. You can now use any short audio file (under 30 seconds) from Files or Voice Memos as a ringtone without needing GarageBand. This makes personalizing your iPhone’s sounds much easier.
18. Dirty Lens Warning
This feature uses AI to detect blur or obstructions in your camera lens—like grease or fog—and notifies you before taking a photo. It’s a small tweak that saves important moments from being lost to bad clarity.
19. Wi-Fi Aware & Captive Network Assist
Wi-Fi Aware allows devices to communicate directly (peer-to-peer) for games, file transfers, or AirDrop, even without internet. Captive Network Assist smooths the experience when logging into public Wi-Fi (e.g., coffee shops) by automatically handling sign-in pages.
20. HDR Screenshots
Finally, HDR screenshots are supported. When you take a screenshot of a video, HDR photo, or bright screen, it retains enhanced brightness, color, and detail—great for professionals, content creators, or anyone who wants visual accuracy.
Top 20 iOS Best and Hidden Features You Must Know
| Feature | Category | Benefit |
| Liquid Glass UI | Design | Visually immersive and user-friendly |
| Adaptive Power Mode | Battery Management | Extends life based on behavior |
| Estimated Charging Time | Battery Management | Gives charging ETA |
| Call Screening & Hold Assist | Communication | Reduces spam, saves time on hold |
| Live Call Translation | Accessibility | Breaks language barriers in real-time |
| Apple Intelligence | AI & Personalization | Smarter interactions and summaries |
| Genmoji & Message Effects | Communication | Enhanced visual expression |
| Spatial Photos | Photos & AR | Adds immersive depth to pictures |
| Screenshot Look-Up | Productivity | Turns images into actionable content |
| Context-Aware Siri | Assistant | Smarter, personalized suggestions |
| Timer Slider | Utility | Quick access to timed tasks |
| Custom Alarm Snooze | Utility | Personalized morning routines |
| Wallet Updates | Travel & Shopping | Passport and package tracking |
| CarPlay Redesign | Automotive | Enhanced navigation, widgets, and media |
| Games App | Entertainment | Organizes and socializes mobile gaming |
| Live Radio Widget | Music | Quick access to stations from Home Screen |
| Ringtone from MP3 | Customization | Easier to set personalized ringtones |
| Dirty Lens Warning | Camera | Better photo quality |
| Wi-Fi Enhancements | Connectivity | Smoother public Wi-Fi and peer-to-peer |
| HDR Screenshots | Visual Media | High-quality visual capture |