iOS 17 Features: 23+ Top New Enhanced Capabilities

Standby, Namedrop, Contact Posters; What do these terms have in common? It’s definitely not music, even though they sound like cool band names. They are some of the best new features in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. These operating systems have a slew of new features, which I have covered in detail below to help you get acquainted with iOS 17.

iOS 17: New Features

#1. Lock Screen Improvements

Apple made significant modifications to the Lock Screen in iOS 16, and there are even more tweaks and features in iOS 17 to make your Lock Screen more useful.

StandBy

StandBy is a new iPhone Lock Screen mode that appears when your iPhone is in landscape mode (horizontal) and charging with a MagSafe, Qi, or Lightning charger. It’s comparable to the Apple Watch’s Nightstand mode in that it turns the iPhone into a handy information hub when it’s not in use.

Through widget support, your iPhone can show the time, a calendar, favourite photographs aggregated with the Memories feature, incoming alerts, music playback controls, Siri responses with rich visuals, Live Activities, the weather, and more when in StandBy mode. You can navigate between different choices by swiping left or right and customize by long-pressing.

You can adjust the style of the time, the photos you see, and which widgets appear on the StandBy screen. All your Lock Screen widgets are available, allowing you to create a StandBy hub tailored to your exact requirements.

StandBy works best with an always-on display, but it activates with a tap for iPhones that do not support always-on technology.

Interactive Widgets

Widgets on the Lock Screen and Home Screen are interactive, allowing you to use them without opening an app. You can check off a task using Reminders, for example, or control your smart lighting with Home. Apple apps use interactive widgets, and developers will be allowed to use interactive widgets in third-party apps.

We have a dedicated Lock Screen guide with screenshots, lessons, and an analysis of every feature for an in-depth look at the iOS 17 Lock Screen.

#2. Keyboard Modifications

For enhanced autocorrection, iOS 17 has updated machine learning technologies. Predictions are improving, and autocorrect is learning more about your patterns as you use it. In addition to spelling suggestions, Autocorrect can provide grammar suggestions.

Autocorrection

Tapping on the space bar now allows you to use inline predictions to finish words instead of reaching up and tapping to insert a word, and it can also finish entire sentences.

When autocorrected words are mended, the iPhone and iPad highlight them so you can see what’s changed and return to what you initially typed with a short tap.

#3. AirDrop Updates

NameDrop, a new AirDrop function, allows you to exchange contact information by holding your iPhone near another iPhone or Apple Watch. You can share specific phone numbers and email addresses, as well as transmit your Contact Poster to someone.

Other AirDrop Features

Holding your iPhone next to another iPhone initiates an AirDrop file transfer, allowing you to exchange images and other documents with someone nearby.
Internet Transfers: Later this year, you’ll be able to start an AirDrop transfer using the proximity function and finish it with iCloud if you need to move away from the individual. This is best suited for larger shared files. It should be noted that for this to work, both participants must be signed into iCloud.
Initiation of SharePlay: Holding two iPhones together activates SharePlay, allowing you to listen to music, watch a movie, or play a game with someone right next to you while using separate devices.

#4. App Updates

Apple upgrades its built-in apps with each iOS version; iOS 17 is no exception. Almost every stock iOS app has new functionality, from Phones and Messages to Photos, Notes, and Reminders.

Phone

Contact Posters have been added to the Phone app, allowing you to customize what people see when you call them. You can pick a backdrop image from your collection or your Memoji, and you can change the font and colour of your name.

Contact Posters

It’s similar to the ability to select a Contact photo from iOS 17, which is utilized throughout Messages, but this time, it’s for the full call screen. You have the option of sharing your Contact Poster with only contacts or with anybody you call. This function necessitates the use of an iPhone in order for the person on the other end to see your personalised image.

When someone leaves a message, you can see a real-time transcription of what they say on your Lock Screen using Live message. You can then select whether to pick up the phone if the message is important or ignore it. Keep in mind that Live Voicemail modifies your voicemail message.

Live Voicemail

When Silence Unknown Callers is on, unknown numbers are sent to Live Voicemail, while calls flagged as spam by carriers are automatically denied.

Other App Features

Call Log – If the caller left a voicemail, you can now see it and listen to it in the Recents call log for missed and received calls.
Dual-SIM – Dual-SIM support is growing, with Apple introducing the ability to categorize messages by SIM, create separate ringtones for each SIM, and select a SIM when calling back an unknown number.

#5. Messages

Apple altered the design of the Messages app to make it more visually appealing. By tapping on the “+” button, you can access all Messages apps and tools, such as the camera and photo settings.

With the new Check-In safety feature, you may notify friends and family that you’re going somewhere, and they’ll be notified when you arrive.

If you stop moving while traveling, Messages will check in with you to see what’s up, and if you don’t respond, useful information like your battery level, location, and cellular status will be communicated with your friend or family member.

There are settings for how much data you disclose. Limited shares location, network signal, and battery level, whereas Full provides all of that, as well as route traveled, location of the last iPhone unlock, and location of the last Apple Watch removal.

The Stickers experience has been updated, and all emojis are now considered stickers and are kept in the same location. In the redesigned Messages app experience, the Stickers option allows you to see emoji, stickers you’ve downloaded from the App Store, stickers you’ve generated from photographs, and Memoji all in one place. Emojis can now be used as stickers and can be placed anywhere on a message.

Other New Messages iOS 17 Features

Sticker Creation: With iOS 16, you may create and save your own stickers by using the Remove Subject from Background feature. You may add extra effects like borders and colour; your sticker can animate using a Live Photo.
Sticker Reactions: Emojis and stickers can be used to react to messages by placing the sticker directly on the bubble from the tap back menu.
Stickers in More Places: Stickers (and emoji) can be used in any application that supports emoji, including App Store apps, photographs, emails, and more.
Swipe Reply: To respond to a message in a chat, simply swipe to the right. This brings up the reply interface, which is faster than long-pressing and tapping replies.
Search Criteria: Because you can mix search criteria, it’s easier than ever to locate what you’re looking for in a search. For example, you might type cat to locate a message about your cat, but if you want to be more specific, type “cat” or “April”, and it will show messages from that era. This function allows you to search for messages by a specific person, which is convenient.
Location Sharing: From the Messages “+” button, select the Location option to send your location or request a friend’s location. If you’re going to be relocating, you can also share a pin at a specific spot.
Transcriptions of Audio Messages: If someone gives you an audio message, you can view a transcription so you can read it right away if you are unable to listen at the moment it is received.
Auto-Delete Verification Codes: You can configure one-time passcodes received in the Messages app to auto-delete after usage, preventing these messages from cluttering up your app.
Memoji: New halo, smirk, and peekaboo Memoji stickers have been released.

#6. FaceTime

When someone misses your FaceTime call, you may now leave a video or audio message, similar to how you can leave a voicemail for a missed phone call. FaceTime video messages, such as portrait mode and Studio Light, support the same capabilities as FaceTime calls.

FaceTime reactions use hand motions to provide interesting 3D augmented reality effects. There are motions for hearts, confetti, and fireworks, among other things. Gestures are available when using the front-facing camera on an iPhone 12 or later.

Users of the iPhone and iPad who have an Apple TV can use Continuity Camera to FaceTime on the big screen. A call can be initiated on the iPhone and transferred to the Apple TV, or it can be initiated on the Apple TV via the FaceTime app. The iPhone serves as the camera (similar to how the iPhone may be used as a webcam for a Mac), while the FaceTime interface appears on the Apple TV. An iOS 17 device and an Apple TV 4K with tvOS 17 are required.

Other FaceTime iOS 17 Features

Missed Calls on Apple Watch: If you receive a FaceTime video or audio message, it may be viewed on both the Apple Watch and the iPhone.

#7. Journal

Apple intends to release a journal app later this year, allowing iPhone and iPad users to record their daily thoughts and activities. The Journal app will import information from your iPhone, such as images, music, workouts, and more, and recommend themes for you to write about.

Photos, music, and audio recordings can be used in entries, and noteworthy occasions can be underlined. The Journal app is password- and Face ID-locked, so you’ll need to scan your face to access it. All suggestions are made on-device, and all entries are encrypted end-to-end.

#8. Passwords and Safari

In iOS 17, Safari supports profiles, which means you can have profiles for different activities, such as work and personal use. Profiles have their own histories, extensions, cookies, favorites, and tab groups; switching between them is as simple as a tap.

Passwords and passkeys in iCloud Keychain can be shared with friends and family members, allowing you to grant access to mutual passwords to trusted contacts. Once a password-sharing group is established, each participant can access, edit, and add to the same database of passwords, and passwords are kept up-to-date for everyone.

Other New Safari iOS 17 Features

Tracking URLs: In iOS 17, tracking parameters are automatically removed from URLs in Safari, Messages, and Mail, preventing cross-website tracking. iOS 17 will remove the tracking elements of a URL, allowing the link to function normally.
Private browser windows are now secured behind Face ID or Touch ID, so anyone with access to your phone will be unable to see your open tabs without a second scan or your passcode. In addition, Apple now completely prevents unknown trackers and eliminates tracking added to URLs while you browse.
Search is more responsive, which means you obtain your results faster.
More Relevant Search Results – Search results have been updated to be more relevant, with information displayed in a more readable style.
Listen to Page: If you tap the Listen to Page button, Safari will read the current webpage’s contents aloud.

#9. Maps

Maps can now be downloaded for offline use on iOS 17 for the first time. Offline, a specific location of the mapping app can be saved and explored. Saving information such as business hours and ratings, as well as turn-by-turn directions, is possible even without a cellular connection.

Other New Maps Features

Charging Stations: Real-time charging station availability is displayed along Maps routes for individuals who own electric vehicles. Users can pick their favorite charging station.

#10. Photos

The Photos app can now recognize humans better and can discriminate between different pets, allowing you to add your cats and dogs to the Humans album (now the Pets and People album).

Visual LookUp

Visual Look Up now supports food, so you can hit the “Info” icon on a photo of a dish to see related recipes.

It works across iOS, in the Photos app and other apps such as Safari.

Other Photo and Visual LookupiOS 17 Features:

Remove Subject From Background: When you utilize the Remove Subject From Background tool to remove a subject from a shot, you may look it up immediately from the Remove Subject From Background interface.
Visual Look-Up for Videos: Pause a video at any point and hit the info button to look up a subject, such as a plant or animal.
Visual Look-Up for Automobile Symbols: Visual Look-Up can now recognize automotive symbols such as hazard alerts, ventilation, and more on vehicle dashboards.
Laundry Symbols – Visual Look-Up can also be used to decipher laundry symbols on clothing.
Updates to the UI: The Cancel and Done buttons in the Photos app’s Editing interface have been moved to the top of the display, and tool icons now include text descriptions to make it obvious what they perform.
Screenshot Interface: There is now a Save to Photos option when taking a screenshot that saves the entire page of the screenshot. Previously, the feature that took a full-page snapshot could only be saved as a PDF.
When zooming into an image in the Photos app, you can tap the “Crop” button in the upper right corner to crop into that place without opening the editing interface.

#11. Healthcare App Updates

The Health app now includes new mental health capabilities, such as mood tracking. Using the iPhone’s Health app, you can choose your current mood or your general mood for the day.

You can select things that may be influencing your mood, such as work or family, and track your replies over time to determine what influences your mood.

Other Health App iOS 17 Features

Critical Medication Reminders: For critical medications, you can set up a reminder to notify you if you haven’t taken your medication 30 minutes after your original reminder time.
Screen Distance: The Health app can tell you if you’re holding your iPhone or iPad too close to your face, which increases your risk of myopia. The new Screen Distance function is intended for children and is powered by the TrueDepth camera.
Daylight Exposure for Children: The Apple Watch with Family Setup can be used to monitor a child’s exposure to daylight. Myopia can be reduced by spending 80 to 120 minutes each day outside, and this information can be tracked by parents using the Health app.
Mental Health Evaluations: The Health app offers clinical mental health evaluations for anxiety and depression so you can determine if you need to see a doctor. Apple will also make crisis materials and publications available.

#12. Mail

The Mail app has gotten a few new capabilities, including the ability to autofill one-time verification codes received in Mail in Safari without having to open the Mail app.

You can also have one-time verification codes automatically erased after usage.

#13. Apple Music

Later this year, the Music app will offer collaborative playlists, which will allow your friends and family to add to, reorganize, and delete music from a playlist. The tool allows all participants to use emoji to react to songs.

SharePlay for CarPlay also enables everyone in the vehicle to listen to and contribute to the songs that are playing.

Other App Features for Music

Crossfade – When you enable crossfade, tracks will seamlessly transition into one another, ensuring that the music never stops.
Updated Interface – For albums that enable the functionality, full-screen animated artwork is now used, and the album art also merges seamlessly into the audio player where the controls are situated. The smaller version of the music player employs an enhanced hovering technique with a depth effect.
Lyric Updates – Lyrics that aren’t synced to the music are now shown in a larger, more legible font.
Song Credits – Viewing song credits is now possible by tapping on the three-dot icon next to a song that is playing, searched for, or in a playlist. All of the performers, composers, and those involved in production and engineering are listed in the credits.

#14. Weather App

The Weather app has a moon module that displays the current moon status, the time till the next full moon, moonset and moonrise times, and a moon calendar.

Other Weather App Features

Updates to the interface – The main Weather page now displays huge “My Location” lettering for the weather forecast in your current location, along with the city.
Yesterday’s Weather – In the 10-day forecast, the Weather app now displays the prior day’s weather.
Forecasts – In addition to the weather from yesterday, 10-day forecasts highlight the possibility of rain each day and provide a “daily summary” of the weather conditions.
Wind Module – The Wind module is a larger size that displays gust speed information at a glance, as well as a daily comparison and wind scale.
Averages Module – A new Averages weather module displays how the current temperature differs from the daily historical average.
Day-to-day comparisons are available for the UV index, humidity, the “Feels Like” rating, and visibility.

#15. Reminders

To make grocery shopping easier, the Reminders app can automatically arrange your groceries into categories. As you add goods to your shopping list, they are automatically arranged under distinct headers, such as fruit, milk, and breads. Fruits and vegetables, for example, are classified as “Produce,” whereas oatmeal and cereal are classified as “Breads & Cereals.”

Other Reminders Features

Categories – Categories are automatically added to grocery lists, but you can also manually add categories to other sorts of reminders.
Column View – Reminders can be grouped into columns and displayed side by side. Those who love Kanban-style organizing would appreciate this.
Reminders can be checked off immediately from the Lock Screen or Home Screen using interactive widgets.
Early Reminders – You can set an alert for a reminder up to six months in advance.

#16. Notes

The Notes app now enables interlinking, allowing you to create a Wiki-style system by linking one note to another.

Other Notes Features

PDFs and scans can be viewed and annotated directly in the Notes app. Enhanced Autofill also enables the iPhone and iPad to recognize fields in PDFs and fill them with your autofill information.

#17. Find My

AirTags and Find My network accessories can now be shared by up to five individuals, allowing family members to finally share AirTags. Anyone with an AirTag can utilize Precision Finding and play a sound to locate a misplaced item.

#18. Apple News Service

Apple News+ subscribers can access daily crossword puzzles in the Apple News app.

#19. Home

The Home app now has an Activity History feature that shows who locked or unlocked a door and when and recent activity for garage doors, contact sensors, and security devices.

There’s also a new interface for multi-colour lights, and HomeKit devices may be controlled via interactive widgets.

#20. Wallet App

Apple Pay order tracking now adds Apple Maps support, transaction receipts, the ability to add an order from an email attachment to the Wallet app, and a “track with Apple Wallet” button that can be used on apps and websites.

Later this year, iPhone users will be able to use a driver’s license or ID stored in the Wallet app to verify age and identity for alcohol, rental vehicles, and other services.

The Wallet app will allow parents to set up recurring Apple Cash payments for their children weekly, bimonthly, or monthly.

#21. Podcasts App

Apple debuted a new Now Playing screen design that displays full-display page art or episode chapter pictures. Apple has also updated the bottom-of-the-display playback controls, with the play speed button moved from the bottom left corner of the screen to the rewind button.

Other Podcast iOS 17 Features

Sleep Timer: For a more compact control bar, the sleep timer button has been relocated from the bottom right corner of the app to next to the fast forward button.
Queue Interface: There’s now a distinct queue button at the bottom next to the AirPlay button, and pressing it brings up a list of all queued episodes.

#22. Camera Application

iOS 17 includes an upgraded camera levelling mechanism. When you activate the new Level option, a horizontal line will appear on the screen, allowing you to ensure that landscape images are properly aligned and level.

Other Camera App iOS 17 Features

QR Codes: While the Camera app has been able to read QR codes since iOS 11, the link button now appears at the bottom of the Camera interface, making it easier to tap.
Cinematic Mode Video Editing: A Cinematic API is available for third-party programs to support Cinematic Mode video playback and editing.

#23. App Store

Once the download has begun, the App Store app may inform you how long it will take to download an app. The time left is displayed when you tap the “Get” or “Purchase” button on an app, and the circular download icon appears.

#24. AirPlay

AirPlay learns your preferences over time by updating on-device intelligence. So, if you frequently AirPlay from an iPhone to an Apple TV, your iPhone learns this behaviour and prioritizes the Apple TV in your AirPlay list. Devices are displayed based on relevancy, and proposed connections are displayed proactively based on previous AirPlay usage.

Apple is collaborating with select hotels to enable AirPlay in hotel rooms. Later this year, participating hotel rooms will allow you to scan a QR code to connect to the TV in the room and securely share videos, images, music, and more.

Is Your iPhone or iPad Ready?

Apple is discontinuing software support for the following devices with iOS 17: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. You can download and install iOS 17 if you have an iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or newer (including the second-and third-generation iPhone SE). If you’re unsure which iPhone model you have, open the Settings app, go to General > About, and look at the Model Name. This does not mean all features are available; some require more current processors.

The naming process for iPads is a little more sophisticated because it is counted by generation rather than name. The following generations are compatible with iPadOS 17. Follow the instructions here to determine which model you have.

iPad 6th generation and after
Fifth-generation and later iPad Minis
iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
iPad Pro (second generation and after)

Installing iOS 17

We strongly advise you to backup your iPhone or iPad before installing the updated operating system. You can do this by going to Settings, tapping on your name at the top, and then selecting iCloud. Then, turn on iCloud Backup and choose Back Up Now to begin a new backup. On the previous iCloud page, you can also turn off specific apps that you don’t want to include in the backup. Don’t have enough iCloud storage or prefer a different method? Alternative alternatives can be found in our How to Back Up Your iPhone or iPad guide.

After that, you’re officially ready to install iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Because this is a significant update, you should charge your devices and ensure they are connected to Wi-Fi. Then, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. The update will then be available for download. Press Download and Install, then press Install Now after the download. When your device restarts, you’ll know the update is complete. Because the entire process can take some time, we recommend executing it when you are not using your device.

Top iPadOS Features

As is customary, iPadOS 17 includes many of the same features as iOS 17 but also includes a few tablet-specific changes. Check out Apple’s preview website for the whole list.

Lock Screen Updates

Google’s new Pixel Tablet transforms a normal tablet into a smart display, and Apple is following suit with some lock screen modifications in iPadOS 17. You can now modify the lock screen even more, from new wallpapers to Live Photo wallpapers, and even add Live Activities to monitor specific events such as timers, game scores, and the status of your Uber Eats order. Finally, you can add interactive widgets to the lock screen to accomplish more without unlocking the device and launching an app.

Safari Updates

Safari has a few modifications in iPadOS 17; this is another that affects iOS 17. You can now create professional and personal profiles (among other things) in Safari to keep your browsing distinct, segmenting your history, cookies, Tab Groups, and Favorites. Are you making use of Apple’s Private Browsing feature? You can now lock the tabs using Face ID or Touch ID rather than closing them altogether if you need to move away from your workstation.

If you save your passwords and passkeys in Safari, you may now form a group of people with whom you want to share certain accounts. You can remove anyone from the group at any moment, and the passwords remain current. In addition, if you receive a one-time verification code in Mail, it will instantly fill in Safari, saving you the trouble of searching for the email.

Stage Manager

Apple’s Stage Manager tool in iOS 16 has been improved. You have more freedom in moving and resizing windows to create app layouts that look precisely how you want them to. Built-in cameras on external monitors are now supported by Stage Manager.

Freeform

Apple’s collaborative whiteboard app Freeform debuted last year and is gaining a few more tools. The new tools are a watercolour brush, calligraphy pen, highlighter, variable-width pen, and ruler. You may also draw any form, and the software will perfect it, so you don’t have to feel self-conscious about your circles.

Follow Along is a new feature in Freeform that allows you to see the region of the whiteboard your teammates are working on. As they move through the canvas, the screen will show you what they are looking at. Ideal for extremely large whiteboards!

iOS 17 Features: References

Apple