Apple’s software design strives to be intuitive, but each iteration of iOS contains so many additions and tweaks that it's easy to miss some useful iPhone settings. Apple focused on artificial intelligence when it unveiled iOS 18 in 2024 and followed it with Liquid Glass in iOS 26 (the name is now tied to the following year), but many intriguing customizations and lesser-known features lurk beneath the surface. Several helpful settings are turned off by default, and it's not immediately obvious how to switch off some annoying features. We’re here to help you get the most out of your Apple phone.
Once you have things set up the way you want, it’s a breeze to copy everything, including settings, when you switch to a new iPhone. For more tips and recommendations, read our related Apple guides—like the Best iPhone, Best iPhone 16 Cases, Best MagSafe Accessories—and our explainers on How to Set Up a New iPhone, How to Back Up Your iPhone, and How to Fix Your iPhone.
How to Keep Your iPhone Updated AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron These settings are based on the latest version of iOS 26 and should be applicable for most recent iPhones. Some settings may not be available on older devices, or they may have different pathways depending on the model and the software version. Apple offers excellent software support for many years, so always make sure your device is up-to-date by heading to Settings > General > Software update. You can find the Settings app on your home screen.
Updated September 2025: We’ve added a few new iPhone tips and updated this guide for iOS 26.
Enable Call Screening
Apple via Simon Hill
Make cold-calling pests a thing of the past with Apple's new Call Screening feature. Go to Settings, Apps, and select Phone, then scroll down to Screen Unknown Callers and select Ask Reason for Calling. Now, your iPhone will automatically answer calls from unknown callers in the background without alerting you. After the caller gives a reason for their call, your phone will ring, and you'll be able to see the response onscreen so you can decide whether to answer. You should also make sure Hold Assist Detection is toggled on, so your iPhone detects when you are placed on hold, allowing you to step away, then alerting you when the call has been picked up by a human.
Turn on RCS
The texting experience with Android owners (green bubbles) got seriously upgraded last year when Apple decided to finally support the RCS messaging standard (rich communication services). RCS has been around for several years on Android, and allows for a modernized texting experience with features like typing indicators, higher-quality photos and videos, and read receipts. Group chats may still be wonky, but they're still a significant improvement. However, on a new iPhone, RCS is disabled by default (naturally).
Make sure you turn it on for the best messaging experience. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle it on.
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