Apple Releases iOS 11.1 With New Emoji, 3D Touch App Switcher, and More

Apple today released iOS 11.1, the first major update to the iOS 11 operating system available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 11.1 comes more than a month after iOS 11 was first released to the public and its launch comes after several rounds of beta testing.

The update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings --> General --> Software Update. Eligible devices include the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad Air and later, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.

ios 11
A range of new Unicode 10 emoji like crazy face, pie, pretzel, t-rex, vampire, exploding head, face vomiting, shushing face, love you gesture, brain, scarf, zebra, giraffe, fortune cookie, pie, hedgehog, and more have been introduced in the iOS 11 update, expanding the number of emoji available to iOS users.

ios11emoji1
Several emoji also feature some small design changes in iOS 11.1, including the dolphin, bee, snail, and whale characters, among others. The new designs are more detailed and realistic than existing designs.

ios11newemoji
Along with these major features, iOS 11 introduces a fix for a Reachability bug that's been present since the release of iOS 11 and it brings back the popular 3D Touch App Switcher gesture that lets iPhone users perform a 3D Touch gesture at the left edge of the display to bring up the multitasking App Switcher interface.

The built-in keyboard in iOS 11.1 now offers up multiple emoji symbols when using an emoji-related word, there's a new camera icon under Restrictions, a new animation when tapping the status bar to scroll upwards, and a faster unlock animation.

There are also many bug fixes and security improvements in iOS 11.1. Most notably, the update addresses a major vulnerability in the WPA2 Wi-Fi standard that is used to protect many modern Wi-Fi networks. The exploit, which is now fixed, let attackers use a key reinstallation attack or "KRACK" to decrypt network traffic to sniff out sensitive information. Full release notes for the update, including all of the bug fixes, are available below:

Emoji
- Over 70 new emoji characters including new food types, animals, mythical creatures, clothing options, more expressive smiley faces, gender-neutral characters and more

Photos
- Resolves an issue that could cause some photos to appear blurry
- Addresses an issue that could cause Live Photo effects to playback slowly
- Fixes an issue that could cause some photos to not display in the People album when restoring from an iCloud Backup
- Fixes an issue that could impact performance when swiping between screenshots

Accessibility
- Improves braille support for Grade 2 input
- Improves VoiceOver access to multi-page PDFs
- Improves VoiceOver rotor actions for announcing incoming notifications
- Improves VoiceOver rotor actions menu when removing an app from the App Switcher
- Fixes an issue for some users where alternative keys would not display when using VoiceOver with Touch Typing
- Fixes an issue where VoiceOver rotor would always return to default action in Mail
- Fixes an issue where VoiceOver rotor would not delete messages

Other improvements and fixes
- Adds back support for accessing the app switcher by pressing on edge of display with 3D Touch
- Fixes an issue that caused cleared Mail notifications to reappear on Lock screen
- Fixes an issue in enterprise environments that prevented data from being moved between managed apps
- Fixes an issue with some 3rd-party GPS accessories that caused inaccuracies in location data
- Resolves an issue where settings for Heart Rate notifications were appearing in Apple Watch app (1st generation)
- Fixes an issue where app icons were not appearing in notifications on Apple Watch

For more on what's included in iOS 11.1 and the iOS 11 operating system in general, make sure to check out our iOS 11 roundup.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Top Rated Comments

jarman92 Avatar
83 months ago
But like... where is Apple Pay cash?
Or freaking iMessage in iCloud!!
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kybldmstr Avatar
83 months ago
But like... where is Apple Pay cash?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
budhardy Avatar
83 months ago
Still no apple pay on messages or messages in iCloud. The only two features I wanted. Apple is ****ing up so much this year.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Razeus Avatar
83 months ago
I knew 11.1 GM Would come on or around X release date
So did everyone else.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johncarync Avatar
83 months ago
Please make my experience faster on my iPhone 6. I have become quite frustrated with how much iOS 11 has slowed my phone down.

UPDATE: iOS 11.1 installed. On the whole, it is definitely faster than 11.0.3; not as fast as 10.X.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnyb098 Avatar
83 months ago
Finally new emojis, thats what matters most... yehaaa
Do we really need this comment 75 times in the thread....fact is the average user loves emoji and it’s a tangible feature for most since the messages app is the most used app.

Get over it.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
apple wallet drivers license feature

Apple Said iPhone Driver's Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
OLED iPad Air

iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

Friday March 15, 2024 3:30 am PDT by
The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on...
Walmart MacBook Air M1

Walmart Begins Selling MacBook Air With M1 Chip for $699 in U.S.

Friday March 15, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com, and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers...