Latest news with #iOS18
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How Long Will It Take Your iPhone to Fully Charge? iOS 26 Will Tell You
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. We got a first look at iOS 26 on Monday. And since all the attention has been on the Liquid Glass UI, some interesting updates to Battery Settings went largely unnoticed. As MacRumors reports, Apple redesigned the Battery Settings page in iOS 26 to offer improved battery usage statistics and a new feature to extend battery life. Now, when you enter Battery Settings, you are no longer greeted with options to enable Battery Percentage and Low Power Mode. You'll instead see your current battery percentage at the top. If you have plugged in your iPhone to charge, the same menu will show the time required to charge your battery to full. Based on the images shared by MacRumors, the screen auto-lock feature has also shifted from Display & Brightness to Battery. Next are battery usage statistics. In a move away from iOS 18, Apple will now display weekly numbers instead of 24-hour and 10-day numbers. At first glance, the chart looks similar to what you see on Instagram. You can also tap on each of the previous seven days to see how much battery was consumed each day, MacRumors says. The daily stat will show when you charged your iPhone and for how long. Apple has retained the Battery Health section, which displays information about your charge cycles, maximum battery capacity, and optimized charging limit. However, it has introduced a 'Power Mode' section, which houses the Low Power Mode setting previously located on the front page and a new Adaptive Power Mode. When enabled, Adaptive Power Mode will let your iPhone make subtle performance adjustments to extend battery life, such as reducing screen brightness or slowing down some activities. Android's Adaptive Battery feature pretty much does the same thing. All of iOS 26's features will be made available to developers this week. If you are eager to check out the features, you can install a public beta next month or wait for a stable release this fall.
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
You Can Put Your Driver's License on Your iPhone If You Live in One of These 9 States
Your iPhone has essentially made physical boarding passes unnecessary, and now Apple wants to do the same thing for driver's licenses, with a digital version on Apple Wallet that people can use for identify verification or getting through airport security. Right now, a select number of states currently allow you to add your driver's license to Apple Wallet. People that enable the feature in Apple Wallet will be able to use their iPhones to get through TSA checkpoints at airports for a much snappier security experience. It's going to take some time before all states have a digital ID system up and running. Below, we'll cover what states currently support digital IDs via Apple Wallet and how to add one to your iPhone. Plus, we'll go over some of the new features headed to Apple Wallet once iOS 26 is released later this fall. For more, don't miss our visual comparison of iOS 18 to iOS 26. The Small but Mighty Features of iOS 26 The Small but Mighty Features of iOS 26 Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:11 / Duration 4:23 Loaded : 15.96% 0:11 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 4:12 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. The Small but Mighty Features of iOS 26 Which states support digital IDs on iPhones? Only a handful of states support digital IDs in Apple Wallet. One key factor is how each state implements its Mobile Driver's License system. For instance, Louisiana, New York, Utah and Virginia all support mobile driver's licenses but require separate apps for digital IDs. States and regions that support digital IDs in Apple Wallet: Arizona California Colorado Georgia Hawaii Iowa Maryland New Mexico Ohio Puerto Rico Some states were originally announced to support Apple's digital ID, but haven't quite got there yet. The number of states supported in Apple Wallet is about half of what the TSA currently allows. Collectively, it accepts digital IDs across Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet and state-based mobile apps in 15 states. How to add your ID or driver's license to Apple Wallet If you live in a state that supports digital IDs for Apple Wallet, it's easy to add it. After it's added, you'll need to verify your identity, which can take a little longer, but is still a straightforward process. Open Apple Wallet . . Tap the Add button. button. Tap Driver's License or ID and select your location. If applicable, choose whether you want to add your ID to your iPhone only or both your iPhone and your Apple Watch. Follow the steps to scan your license or ID. (Make sure you scan your ID in a well-lit environment and the photo is in focus.) Once it's scanned, you'll be prompted to confirm your identity with a selfie photo. According to Apple, you may be asked to complete a number of facial or head movements for identification purposes. To ensure an easier verification process, Apple suggests that you: Stand in front of a plain background with neutral, light paint. Be in a well-lit area, ideally indoors. Take off sunglasses, masks, hats or other accessories that could block your face. Hold your iPhone steady. When you're finished, submit your information by confirming with Touch or Face ID. Your biometrics will be bound to the ID, so only you can use it. Transferring your digital ID to another iPhone If you upgrade your iPhone, you'll need to transfer your ID or driver's license to it. During initial setup, tap Wallet . . Select your ID. Follow the steps. Tap to confirm you want to move your driver's license or ID to the new device. Digital passports are coming to Apple Wallet with iOS 26 Creating a digital ID from your physical passport is coming to your iPhone later this year. Apple/Screenshot by CNET While states are taking time to implement digital ID systems, Apple announced a new feature coming in iOS 26 later this year: You can add a digital passport to Apple Wallet. When that feature is available, iPhone users will be able to scan their passports to create a digital version for identity verification during domestic travel. You won't be able to use it for international travel, and it's not a full replacement for a physical passport (so keep your physical one on you), but it should work at the 250-plus supported TSA checkpoints. During its WWDC keynote earlier this month, Apple said that the digital ID made from your passport can also be used "in apps and in person," but it didn't give any specifics. This is essentially what can be done on Android through Google Wallet. Apple Wallet ID verification could make ordering alcohol easier Also headed to iPhones this fall is an easier way for you to prove your age using your digital ID. Say you want to have a bottle of wine sent to your place via Uber Eats. Typically, when the driver arrives, you'll need to present your ID and have it scanned to complete the transaction, but with the new Verify with Wallet, your stored digital ID will be used to verify your age. (I do wonder if things might get more complicated when the delivery arrives if you're not the one receiving it.) Verify with Wallet will be supported by Chime, Turo, Uber Eats and U.S. Bank. For more, don't miss what you should know about flying domestically without a Real ID in 2025.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
iOS 26 beta 2 is live — here's the biggest changes for your iPhone
Apple has released the second developer beta for its iOS 26 update, following on the original released that arrived during the middle of WWDC 2025 earlier this month. Apple's release notes for the second developer beta note several fixes to known issues found in the first beta, as well as a few new additions that look to improve the user experience. Even though this is an updated release, we're still very early in the beta process. As such, many of the features and additions could look different when the update officially launches, which will happen in the fall, according to Apple. Still, many of these changes give us a good idea of what exactly we'll find when we are given access to the public beta, which is set to arrive at some point in July. Some of the biggest changes appear to be focused on Apple's new Liquid Glass design, which makes many of the menus and drop-downs appear more transparent. There have been some complaints that certain menus are much harder to read as a result of Apple's new design. The new update looks to counter this in two ways. First, Apple has reduced the amount of blur in the background of the iPhone Control Center, resulting in better contrast between the on-screen elements. Secondly, the update allows the Reduce Transparency option in the accessibility menu to reduce the effect even more than before. One of the changes spotted in the first iOS 26 beta was that Apple had moved the '+' icon in the Safari app that opens a new tab to the upper left of the screen. However, in the most recent developer beta, Apple has returned the button to the bottom left corner as had been the case in iOS 18. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The second iOS 26 beta also makes it much easier to find out which accessibility options an app supports before downloading it from the App Store. While looking at an app's product page, users can access a new Accessibility section that developers will be required to fill out with all the features their products support. The addition to the App Store is among the many accessibility features Apple promised to bring to the iPhone and other devices back in May. Apple is also introducing full support for the order tracking feature for Apple Wallet that allows Siri to scan your Mail app to find all orders and emails from merchants, even if the products and services weren't paid for with Apple Pay. Apple's second developer beta also adds several smaller additions and features that look to improve how certain apps and features work. For instance, the beta introduces a new Live Radio widget for Apple Music. There is also a new 'Alt 1' ringtone option for the "Reflection" ringtone. Apple is also improving the description for Low Power Mode to better explain what it does. Apple has also changed the Transcribe Calls feature's name in the Live Captions setting to Save Call Transcripts. Not only that, but Apple has also made the feature's description state more clearly that call participants will be alerted that the call is being transcribed. A feature introduced in the first developer beta is the new Recovery Assistant, which appears to allow users to find and solve issues that stop their devices from booting properly. Now in the second beta, Apple has officially mentioned the existence of this the ability to restore an iPhone or iPad require connection to a separate device. This can be an issue for people who don't have easy access to one, likely forcing them to head to an Apple repair center to sort things out. While Apple aims the developer beta at people who design software for the iPhone, anyone with an Apple ID can download the iOS 26 developer beta if they wish. Still, given that this is unfinished software, you may be better off waiting until the more stable public beta arrives in July. If you do want to try out the beta now, we'd recommend putting it on a device that you don't rely on for your everyday use. Any iPhone released since the iPhone 11 in 2019 will support the iOS 26 developer beta, though some new features require a phone that supports Apple Intelligence.
CNET
6 days ago
- CNET
Miss the Volume Bar on Your iPhone's Lock Screen? Here's How to Bring It Back
If you're listening to music or a podcast and want to change the volume without unlocking your iPhone, then you probably press the buttons on the side of your phone. While the buttons increase or decrease your volume a set amount, they could leave you choosing between a volume that is slightly too loud or a bit too quiet. But if you keep your iPhone up to date with the latest iOS releases, you can bring the volume bar back to your Lock Screen, giving you more precise control over your iPhone's volume without unlocking your device. Apple removed the volume bar from your Lock Screen when the company released iOS 16 in 2022. But when the company released iOS 18.2 in December, that update allowed you to bring the volume bar back to your iPhone's Lock Screen. If you like using the volume bar, you can return it to your Lock Screen. Read more: Everything You Should Know About iOS 26 Here's how you can reintroduce the volume bar to your Lock Screen in a few easy steps. How to get the volume bar on your iPhone 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Accessibility. 3. Tap Audio & Visual under Hearing. 4. Tap the toggle next to Always Show Volume Control. Apple/CNET Now, the next time you're listening to music or a podcast at the gym or on the bus, you can change the volume by using the slider on your Lock Screen. For more on iOS 18, here's what you need to know about iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet and everything to know about iOS 26.
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I just spent my first 48 hours with iOS 26 — here's what happened
iOS 26 won't be on iPhones officially until later in the year. But for developers — or the keen and reckless — a beta is already available to try out its new features. And once I had cleared enough old video and music to make space for the download, I made the upgrade from iOS 18 to Apple's latest iOS 26 developer beta. I haven't done this with a goal of judging iOS 26's various new elements as good or bad — betas aren't ever fully representative of the final product (or at least shouldn't be). And besides, a public beta that's more appropriate for average users is still to come, with Apple promising a July release. Instead, my aim in taking the iOS 26 developer beta out for a spin is to see how the new software changes the way my iPhone 16 Pro Max feels to use and to get a baseline measurement of the new features ahead of the full release that's slated for the fall. Two days' worth of use hasn't been enough time to try all of Apple's additions. But I have sampled the features that matter the most to how I use my iPhone, and it's been a surprisingly significant change, even for a brand new iOS. I can't tell you if it's right for you to download a beta version of iOS 26, but I can at least explain what it's like if you've not tried it for yourself. I was excited to see the new Liquid Glass design in action just after the installation process, but I was surprised just how quickly it appeared. The "Hello" screen that pops up any time you update the OS of an Apple product has a new glassy style, providing a fun visual overture for the iOS 26 experience you're about to embark on. In terms of the lock and home screens, the change is actually more subtle than I expected. Seeing my home screen before and after the update shows that apps have new icons and that app folders are now more transparent. But I was a little underwhelmed by the new look, at least at first. The real difference appears when the interface is in motion. Swiping between screens, tapping or long-pressing an icon brings the Liquid Glass to life, with the dynamic refractions making the background warp as you move. It's seriously impressive to watch. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Personally, I've not had much issue using the new interface with its many transparent elements. But I'm glad that Apple thought ahead and has a reduced transparency option for users who find it harder to make out elements like the Control Center over busy wallpapers, apps or home screen layouts. One of the first changes I made for myself in iOS 26 was to take advantage of the new scaleable clock for the lock screen. Setting up the iOS 26 custom wallpaper at the same time, I now have a completely refreshed display with a much more readable clock. I'm not sure how much I like the lock screen widgets being moved to the bottom of the screen in this iteration, but hopefully that's something that I can adapt to in time or alter in the final version. The second stage of trying iOS 26, after the initial one of admiring the OS's new look, is discovering the deeper changes made to familiar apps and features as you start using them. One example would be the screenshot menu. This now contains options to use Visual Intelligence on what you've captured, similar to Circle to Search on recent Android phones. It's an addition that promises to be potentially useful. But going even deeper than that, screengrabs on iPhone don't have to pop up with the full menu each time. You can instead set screenshots to pop up as a thumbnail in the corner of the display, disappearing into your photo gallery if you don't interact but opening the full editing and sharing interface if you want it. It's similar to the way many Android phones treat their screenshots, and it's a smart idea for Apple to make its own. Safari's new look in iOS 26 is quite striking. Not only because of Liquid Glass making the menu much more translucent, but also the new Compact display mode hides almost all controls to give the websites you browse the maximum amount of space. This was too much of a change for me, but fortunately Apple allows you to switch with the more familiar Bottom and Top modes, which still look fresh but navigate in a more familiar way. Apple's resurrected Games app landed itself on my home page, and I'm happy to see it return. Apart from acting as a hub for games I already have downloaded, it provides a brilliant showcase for games I haven't played but have yet to come across. In fact, the Games app led to me downloading demos for two games on the same day. And while this article is meant to be all about iOS 26, I have to endorse Duck Detective and A Little To The Left as two cute but brain-stretching puzzle games that are well worth your time. Some of the subtler changes to iOS 26 require more time to observe. That includes Apple Music's AutoMix, which places automated transitions between each song as other music streaming services offer. It's seamless like you'd hope it to be, and gives a nice sense of cohesion to playlists of varied tracks. It's a little odd when it appears in familiar albums though, probably because I'm used to the static transitions these often have. The Camera app is effectively no different than before if you pull your iPhone out for a quick snapshot. The shutter button's still in the bottom center, and your camera zoom options above it. But if you want to change any other settings, you'll have to interact with the new menu bar and hidden icons for timer or aspect ratio options. This does look neat, but it'll there will be a learning process for anyone who's been regularly using their iPhone's camera over the last decade. Apple took a similar approach with updating the Photos app, using three top-level navigation tabs to direct users. But unlike with Camera in iOS 26, this change actually puts more up-front than the previous software version, iOS 18. Easy switching between your collections and album and the camera roll has returned, and I imagine lots of people, myself included, will be excited to gain their previous image navigation options back. I've not yet had a look at everything iOS 26 has to offer. But I'm excited for the first time I get to see Hold Assist or Call Screening in action, or try out Live Translation on my next vacation. Plus, Apple Maps' new commuting alerts and Visited Places menu have piqued my interest, and I'm hoping that over time, its personalization powers will be able to rescue me from otherwise bad trips to work. Of course I should emphasize once more that this is currently a developer beta, which means you need an Apple Developer account and either a spare iPhone or a really good reason to install it on your main device. We have a guide on installing the iOS 26 developer beta if you need it, but I'd recommend most readers wait until the public beta comes in July, or until the stable release appears as an automatic update this fall.
