I'm starting to get questions from friends, family members and strangers about the iPhone 17, iOS 26 and even the new AirPods Pro 3. Maybe I just look like a knowledgeable guy, or they see my bright orange iPhone 17 Pro and are compelled to ask. So now I'm fielding queries such as, "How do you do that thing with your AirPods that I saw on TikTok?" and "What's a good iPhone feature that I should try?" After testing the new Apple phone and accessories for the past two months, I've amassed my share of hidden tips and tricks.
These tips may not be new to everyone or exclusive to the iPhone 17 line (most require iOS 26), but they're the less obvious ones that I use the most.
1. Photos app Wallpaper Suggestions
Your iPhone's lock screen has been more customizable since iOS 16. Apple
Over the years, Apple has given the lock screen and home screen a major visual overhaul. There are endless options to customize the look of your apps, the lock screen clock, and add trippy spatial effects to bring your wallpaper to life.
However, one of my favorite recent discoveries is Wallpaper Suggestions in the Photos app, which selects wallpaper-worthy photos from your library and crops them to fit your screen. There is even a 3D animation effect that can be added to really give your wallpaper some pizzazz. Above is a photo of my phone with a wallpaper of one of my cats (from the Suggestions), for example. It delights me to no end that it looks like her head is popping up from the corner of the screen as if to say, "Are you unlocking your phone?!"
If you don't see Wallpaper Suggestion in the Photos app, go to Settings, then to Photos, and check that Show Featured Content is enabled. Subsequently, if you don't want to see Wallpaper Suggestions, you can turn them off here. But why would you?
2. Use raw photos to make the moon pop
Here are three photos of the moon taken within seconds of each other. The left and center photos are JPEGs, with the left one exposed for the moon and the center one exposed for the buildings. The photo on the right was taken as a raw image and edited later to balance the exposure for both. Patrick Holland/CNET
This tip is for you, iPhone Pro owners and is an easy way to ensure you get a great photo of a high-contrast scene. Think of a bright subject in a dark environment, such as the Mineral Point Opera House marquee lit up at night, or a dark subject in a bright environment, like the black cat wallpaper shot from my previous tip.
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