iOS 15 brings many new features and tweaks to the iPhone experience, including Focus, Notification Abstract, an updated FaceTime experience, and more, but with so many tweaks available, where do you start?
Once you've downloaded Apple's latest software update, we've listed below some important suggestions and methods that will help you get the most out of iOS 15.
Use Face ID with masks
Of course, you know this right, you can use Face ID while wearing a mask in iOS 15 – but there are caveats. First, you just need to make sure you are running the iOS 15.4 software update, but the biggest problem is that it is only compatible with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 collection, which means they have an iPhone X with Face ID. , Xs or 11 are out of luck.
When you missed rescanning your face to use Face ID with Masks during the initial setup, go to the Face ID & Passcode section of the Settings menu and tap 'Organize Face ID with Masks'.
You'll go through an identical process as the initial Face ID setup, but the phone will focus on the area around your eyes. Glasses wearers may even need to repeat the step with all glasses they use repeatedly.
Once you make your appointment, you should be able to unlock your iPhone and even use Apple Pay while wearing a mask. We define the method in an additional element, along with a video tutorial, in our tutorial on
how to use Face ID with masks on iPhone .
Essentially get the most out of the redesigned Safari browser
One of the most radical changes in iOS 15 comes in the form of the redesigned Safari browser – and while it may seem unusual initially, there's logic to many of the changes available.
The biggest one is that the default location of the address bar has changed from the top to the bottom of the web page, and the new edition of the type is much more compact than most are used to. If stored on the back, you can swipe left and right on the address bar to quickly switch between tabs, just like you can with apps on current iPhone models. There are also new tabbed groups, helping to keep your various pages more organized.
There are many adjustments to insert elements here, but we received detailed information about
how to use Safari on iOS 15 for people who want to learn more.
FaceTime Android and Windows Home clients
FaceTime has seen big improvements in iOS 15, offering not only a redesigned interface that lets you use the secondary rear cameras (if available), but SharePlay performance and, more importantly, the ability to FaceTime with Android and Windows users.
Given the heavy reliance on video calling during the pandemic, it's no surprise that Apple has finally allowed Android and Windows users to join in the fun — but it's not as easy as you might think.
Instead of providing a FaceTime app for Android and Windows 10 that allows anyone to name anyone else, calls can only be initiated by iOS 15 users. Once you start a name – or schedule one through the FaceTime app – you can generate a link that can be shared with Android and Windows users, which allows them to access it through a browser version of FaceTime.
So while it technically helps FaceTime Android and Windows Home users, it's not the full integration we'd like. However, it's a start and if you want to know more, we explain
how can you FaceTime Android and Windows Home users on iOS 15 into additional elements individually.
Arrange focus modes
Focus is a big new feature in iOS 15 that appears to help you focus more on the work at hand. Based on Do Not Disturb, you can have multiple focus modes in iOS 15 that let you handle specific tasks.
Take work focus, for example: you can mute incoming messages from all other coworkers, disable distracting social media notifications, and even disguise entire pages of your home display screen in an attempt to keep you focused. These focus modes are also built into iMessage, letting family and friends know you're busy and never want to be disturbed, they'll also sync between your various Apple devices.
To configure your focus modes, go to Settings > Focus. You'll find preset modes for generic do not disturb, including sleep (formerly bedtime), private, and work, with the latter two available. Tap both and follow the on-screen instructions to customize the main focus mode, and once it's full, you can activate it through the Management Center.
There are nuances to the focus system, which is why we clarify
how can you use focus modes in iOS 15 in additional depth individually for these applications.
Use the notification summary
In addition to focus modes, iOS 15 introduces notification summary. The idea is that irrelevant, non-urgent notifications are collected in your notification center to be sent at pre-defined occasions, allowing you to get on with your day without your phone constantly pinging.
To set it up, go to Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary and turn it on. You will then be asked to organize the system, including the apps you prefer to contribute to the notification summary, and set the time(s) you prefer it to appear.
You can select up to 12 summaries per day, and there are several configurable options, including one that allows time-sensitive apps to be stopped without Notification Summary – all of which we talked about elsewhere on
how to set up a Summary notification in iOS 15 .
Disguise your email address with
Available as part of the Enhanced iCloud+ available to all paying iCloud subscribers, you can hide your email address from social networks, online retailers, and almost anywhere else you used to send your email address. mail in iOS 15.
Instead of submitting your real email address, you can create an email alias in iOS 15 that will forward all emails to your real email address, and if you determine that emails become an excess amount of, you can simply disable the alias and silence those pesky emails.
You can create an alias by going to the iCloud section of the Settings app, tapping Disguise my email, and creating a new alias by following the onscreen instructions. We explain
how can you disguise your email address in iOS 15 on additional elements individually along with step-by-step instructions with screenshots and how you can use it in the Mail app as well.
Use Portrait Mode in third-party apps
Portrait mode first debuted on the iPhone with the iPhone It's a useful feature that really improves selfies, and in iOS 15 it's going to get even better.
That's because Apple is finally allowing the use of Portrait Mode in third-party apps, with the perfect half being that developers don't need to code in support like with other features – instead, just open the camera in the app in question, swipe to Enter the control center, tap Video Results, and tap Portrait mode to blur the background.
You can't use Apple's more advanced Portrait Mode features — like using different lighting settings and adjusting the blur — but at least it helps blur the cluttered room when recording TikToks.
There are also new microphone controls that come with the new Portrait Mode, which we explain in our dedicated how to use Portrait Mode and microphone controls on any device. tutorial
of iOS 15 app.
Drag and drop screenshots
While not as exciting as iOS 15's main options, one of the small additions to the iPhone experience is the ability to drag and drop screenshots once they're taken.
Once you've taken your screenshot in iOS 15, simply tap and hold the thumbnail that appears in the bottom left corner, open the app (or folder if you're using the Recordsdata app), and drop the thumbnail into place. It's a separate thread function, but for those of us who take a lot of screenshots (including this author), it might make a big difference to your overall mobile workflow.
We have integrated the feature into our dedicated tutorial
on how to drag and drop screenshots in iOS 15 for those who want to know more.
Use SharePlay to watch movies on FaceTime
Delayed since the preliminary release of iOS 15, SharePlay is among the biggest updates to return to FaceTime in years. In its main version, it lets you share your show with others via FaceTime name – great for tech support and viewing photos in the Pictures app – but where it really shines is when it comes to watching content together.
You can watch movies from companies like Apple TV+ and Disney+, as well as content from companies like TikTok in sync, making catch-up calls a lot more fun. To share content, simply open the app in question under a FaceTime name, start participating in the media, and have other people with the same name accept the sharing request.
We define the method in more detail about
how can you use SharePlay on iOS 15 for people who want to learn more.
Copy and paste textual content from photographs
Reside Textual content is another interesting addition in iOS 15 that leverages built-in AI to analyze images in your Images app for textual content.
Once it detects text content, you can copy and paste it into another app, tap numbers to name them, tap addresses to get directions in the Maps app, and more. It also indexes detected text content so you can quickly search for a phrase using the Featured menu and get image results.
It's a strong bit of technology with lots of uses, and all you have to do is double-tap the text content on any image in your photo library to work with it.
We define all the various uses of technology in
how can you use live content on iPhone and iPad .
Disable Auto Macro Mode on iPhone 13
Apple launched a new macro capture mode on the iPhone 13 variant, but instead of adding another camera to the back of the smartphone, it decided to use the existing ultrawide camera.
The concept is straightforward enough; Whenever you get close enough to a subject, the camera will switch to the ultra-wide digital camera to give you a magnified view. The problem is that it often switches prematurely when you're still about 10cm from the subject and there's no toggle in the Digicam app to stop it.
Fortunately, Apple added a toggle in the Settings app in iOS 15 to disable auto-switch technology. To disable automatic macro, go to Settings > Digicam and disable Automatic Macro.
When you want extra driving, we've laid out everything you want to know about
how to disable macro mode on iPhone 13 .
