iOS 16 offers many new features, some obvious and highlighted by Apple, others overlooked and yet very useful. Here are some.
iOS 16 has been available for a few days, there is still a lot to explore in the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system. Among the biggest new features, the customizable lock screen, the ability to unsend and edit text messages, the option to easily remove the subject of a photo, and more. But these features are just the tip of the iceberg. Some novelties are hidden. Here are seven of them that deserve your attention.
Pair Nintendo Switch Joy-Con with iPhone
Apple has long permitted the association of a third-party controller, such as the Sony PS5 DualSense or the Xbox Core Controller, to theiPhone or the iPad, to be able to play more comfortably on mobile. Now you can add the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con. To do this, press and hold the small black pairing button on the Joy-Con until the green light begins to flash. The controller is then in pairing mode. On iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth and select the Joy-Con from the list. Repeat for the other Joy-Con.
Hidden and recently deleted albums are password protected
The Hidden album in the Photos app is clearly not hidden, anyone can easily find it. It is therefore impossible to use it to hide private photos or videos. While Apple does have an option to make the Hidden album “invisible,” anyone who can access your phone can see that folder and its contents.
With iOS 16, you can lock this album. There is nothing special to do for this. Launch the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. If you scroll down, you’ll see a little lock next to Hidden and Recently Deleted. To see the content, you will need to use Face ID or your code.
View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords
Apple has long allowed users to share Wi-Fi passwords, but only by placing two Apple devices next to each other. If that doesn’t work, you have to get the password in the Settings. And if you want to share a password with a third party, such as a user under Android or someone on PC, you had to dictate the password.
Now, in Settings, go to Wi-Fi and tap on the information icon to the right of the network you want to share. To see the password, tap on the Password section and then use Face ID or your passcode to view it. You can then tap on Copy to have it in the clipboard.
Find and remove duplicate photos and videos
Maybe you have pictures double, triple or more copies. This unintentionally, of course. But it can quickly take up a lot of space on your iPhone. Being able to remove duplicates can help to do a lot of cleaning.
In Photos > Albums, you should see a Duplicates album under Utilities. Apple will scan all of your photos and show you which ones you have in addition to one. From there you can either delete them or press the Merge button, the photo with the best quality will then be kept, the others being deleted.
While you probably want to review every duplicate, you can also tap Select > Select All > Merge to remove every photo and video that Apple thinks is duplicate, all at once.
Copy and paste photo and video edits
If you use the editing tool in the Photos app, you might be interested to learn that you can now copy and paste edits, including saturation, contrast, and brightness, between your photos . If you edit a photo or video and are happy with how it looks, you can copy those changes to any other photo or video.
To do this, in the Photos app with the photo that has been edited in full screen, tap on the menu with the three small dots in the upper right corner and tap on Copy changes. This option will only appear if the photo was edited in Photos, not through a third-party app. Go to the photo to modify, tap on the menu with the three small dots then Paste the modifications. After a second, you should see the changes.
Haptic feedback on the keyboard
The iPhone has always provided haptic feedback. It’s the vibration you feel when you try to delete an app from the home screen or enter the wrong password on the lock screen. Surprisingly, haptic feedback has never been available on the native iOS virtual keyboard. It is now done.
To take advantage of this, go to Settings > Sounds & Touch > Keyboard Feedback and activate Touch.
Pin tabs in Safari
Safari limits open tabs to 500, and if you hit that limit, you’ll have a hard time finding a specific tab. You may find yourself scrolling through them endlessly. It is now easier to find a particular tab.
In Safari, if you tap and hold an open tab, you have the option to Pin the tab. The tab is then found at the top of Safari, and it will remain there, with a small preview, always in the same place. If you unpin a tab, that tab will take first place in your open tabs.
