Apple rolled out iOS 16 with the launch of the new iPhone 14 series last year. While iOS 16 grabbed the headlines for Always On Display and lock screen customisations, there were a lot of features that went under the radar. Some of these were a long time coming and others pleasantly surprised us with their practicality and ease of use. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 hidden features in iOS 16 that you should check out right now!
Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: A true flagship
Remove background and copy objects from images
Earlier, you needed a third-party tool to remove the background from your images. Now, on iOS 16 you can do that with just one tap. Simply open the image on the Photos app and long-press on the object your want to isolate. Your iPhone’s software will recognise the edges of the object and extract it from the image, allowing you to paste it anywhere. You can easily create stickers and emoticons using this trick. Need to quickly save the extracted object? Simply paste it on a Note and edit it later.
Keep your Notes password protected
Talking about Notes, iOS 16 now lets you secure them with your iPhone’s pin. If you store all your passwords and login credentials in your Notes folder, now you won’t have to worry about someone accessing them without authorisation. All you need to do is launch the Notes app on your iPhone, tap the ellipses (three dots) at the top right corner of the screen, and select ‘Lock’.
New improved Dictation
For a lot of people, the Dictation function on iPhone comes in clutch when they need to send an important text while also focusing on the road while driving. Dictation allows speech-to-text functionality for your iPhone, which greatly improves its ease of accessibility. In iOS 16 you can use Dictation while you’re typing on your phone. This wasn’t possible in the previous versions of iOS 16, as Dictation would halt as soon as you touched the screen.
Metric conversions made easy
iOS 16 instantly recognises any measurement units and allows you to instantly convert them to the unit of your choice without leaving the app. While texting on iMessage, all units of measurement are underlined in the chat thread. Simply tap the figure and you will get the option to convert it into the unit of your choice. While typing a text, press and hold the unit and tap on the arrow at the end of the popup menu to convert it into the unit of your choice. If you find a foreign currency mentioned in a menu, all you need to do is point the camera at it and tap on the scan icon on the screen. This will allow you to convert it into your desired currency.
Translate any language
The Live Text feature on iOS 16 doesn’t just convert measurements and currencies, it can even translate a language! This will come in handy when you’re travelling abroad and having trouble understanding the menus or city maps. Simply point your camera at the text, tap on the scan icon on the screen, and translate it into your desired language. You can also translate the text on saved images using Live Text. The translations may not be 100% accurate but they will be helpful in getting the basic message across.
See the battery percentage in the status bar
This may be the tiniest of upgrades but it is certainly one of the most useful ones. Previous iOS versions did not display the battery percentage in the status bar itself, making you swipe down to view the amount of charge left on your iPhone. iOS 16 displays the battery percentage in the battery icon at the top right corner of the screen. To activate this feature, go to Settings>Battery and turn the toggle bar on for Battery Percentage.
Merge Duplicate Images
We’ve talked about this feature in the past, but it is too good to not mention it in this list. If you take multiple images at once and pick the best of the lot, deleting the additional images can be a daunting chore. Now, you can let your phone take care of it. iOS 16 intelligently selects the best images out of the bunch and eliminates the rest. To merge duplicate images, go to Photos>Albums>Duplicates and select Merge. Earlier, you would need a third-party app to do this task.
Schedule Mails and Undo send ones
Another handy feature that you will be using a lot on iOS 16 is scheduling your emails. After you’re done writing an email in the Mail app, simply press and hold the arrow icon and select ‘Send later’. Accidentally sent the email to the wrong person? Now you can undo it within seconds. To activate this feature, go to Settings>Mail and select ‘Undo Send Delay’ to set the time limit to undo send emails.
Send screenshots without saving them
Screenshots may not take a significant portion of the storage space, but they make your image gallery look like a mess. Most of the time, you only take a screenshot to send to a friend. Now you can do this without having to save the screenshot on your phone. Simply tap on the preview popup upon taking a screenshot and select ‘Copy and Delete’. Paste the screenshot in the conversion thread and send it to your friend without saving it to your phone.
Prevent the side button from ending the call
Do you accidentally hang up on people by pressing the side key? Now you can avoid this problem. Go to Settings>Accessibility>Touch and turn the toggle bar on for Prevent Lock to End Call. Now you won’t have to worry about accidentally pressing the side key while you’re on a call.
Read Also: Lenovo announces ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 laptop in India
Conclusion
These are the top 10 hidden features in iOS 16 that you need to check out right now. The best part of these features is that they eliminate the need for any third-party app and bring a lot of convenience to the software experience on your iPhone. Which is your favourite feature on iOS 16? Let us know in the comments!
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App. You can find the latest car and bike news here.
