7 Most Exciting Features on iPhone with iOS 18

If you can't afford a new iPhone every year, iOS updates are a great way to refresh your phone. iOS 18 (and iPadOS 18) bring a host of productivity, entertainment, and AI-focused features to iPhone XR and later, as well as the 2022 iPhone SE. Here are the big new features expected in iOS 18.

1. Schedule messages

Text messages are a primary form of communication for many people, but on the iPhone, they're just real-time conversations. Before iOS 18, there was no option to schedule a send like email, but now there is. Just compose a message and choose a time to automatically send it.

2. Add tapback option

On Instagram, you have a ton of emoji to react to memes and Reels. In Messages, you're limited to a handful of Tapback reactions: hearts, likes/dislikes, exclamation points, question marks, or laughs. You can drop emojis into your chat instead of attaching them to specific messages, but that can get messy. With iOS 18, you can react with more emoji and stickers.

You can also emphasize messages with formatting like bold , italics , or special effects like Shake or Ripple . (Think of the balloons that appear in iMessage when someone says 'Happy Birthday' or the fireworks that appear when someone says 'Happy New Year.')

3. Satellite Texting on iPhone

Apple introduced Emergency SOS with the iPhone 14, which connects to emergency services via satellite in areas without cellular coverage. However, this feature is only for emergency assistance and has limited functionality. With iOS 18, Apple is expanding the satellite service to the Messages app for use when cellular connectivity is lost.

The feature is advertised as helping you 'stay connected when you don't have Wi-Fi or cellular.' For iPhone 14 and later users, Messages will prompt you to connect to a satellite and show your status on Dynamic Island. It supports text, emoji, and Tapbacks. One question is whether Apple will charge for the service. Emergency SOS was initially free for a year, then extended for another year; Apple didn't mention charging for iMessage over satellite at WWDC.

If you find yourself in an emergency situation, Apple says that Emergency SOS in iOS 18 will support live video, allowing you to share live or recorded clips from your emergency call. "The rescuer will send a request to share live video/photos over a secure connection, helping you get help faster," Apple explains.

4. Customize control center & arrange apps

Control Center gives you quick access to common iPhone features: Airplane mode, flashlight, Wi-Fi, even song recognition with Shazam. But it's just a single menu with little customization. In iOS 18, you can create multiple Control Centers to swipe through. For example, create a separate panel for your smart home devices. This might be familiar to Android users, but Apple has tight control over its technology. Part of the change is letting users place app icons anywhere on the home screen in iOS 18—the top/bottom row or the edge of the screen. You can also overlay a color over the entire screen to give it a yellow or red tint.

5. Hide apps

Want to hide some apps from your home screen? iOS 18 adds the ability to lock apps in a Hidden folder that can only be accessed via Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. You could already do this with Photos, and now you can do it with Tinder or Google Docs if you have sensitive logs you don't want to see. When apps are locked, they also won't show up in search results, notifications, or other areas of your system.

6. Passwords application

Apple enters the password manager market with the Passwords app , which syncs passwords across Apple devices, Windows, iCloud, and even Vision Pro. All information is stored in a standalone app and encrypted end-to-end.

Apple already has a password storage service via iCloud Keychain, but it's difficult to parse and mostly runs in the background. Notably, Apple emphasized at WWDC that Keychain was "introduced over 25 years ago," so it wants users to focus on more modern Passwords.

7. Tap to cash

Apple Cash is Apple's version of money transfer apps like Venmo and Zelle, allowing users to transfer money between iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch users. With iOS 18, the company is simplifying the process: Just tap two compatible iPhones to send money. If you're worried about someone nearby draining your account, Apple says each owner will need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode before tapping.

Apple introduced a similar contact sharing feature with iOS 17 called NameDrop , which raised initial security concerns but has not had any major issues.

Marvin Fry

Update 27 May 2025