iOS 16 Hidden Features You Might Not Know About

Set to come out this fall, iOS 16 is the next-generation version of iOS, and it is laden with tons of major changes, such as an all new customizable Lock Screen. There are also a number of smaller, lesser known features, and in our latest YouTube video, we highlight some neat additions that you might not know about.


  • Pinned Safari Tabs - You have been able to pin a Safari tab on Mac for some time, but pinned tabs didn't work with iOS 15 That's changed in iOS 16, and now you can have your favorite tabs pinned, including within Tab Groups.
  • Merge Duplicate Contacts - Tired of having multiple contact cards for the same person? In iOS 16 you can merge duplicate contacts together right from the Contacts app.
  • Get Rid of Duplicate Photos - The iOS 16 Photos app can let you know if you have multiple photos of the same thing, giving you the opportunity to delete the extras to save space. Duplicate photos are listed in a new "Duplicates" album that appears if you have duplicates to deal with.
  • Copy and Paste Photo Edits - Want all of your photos to have the same aesthetic, or have improvements you want to make to an entire batch of images? That's possible with the new copy and paste feature for photo edits, which lets you copy edits from one photo and apply them to another photo with a tap.
  • AirPods Updates - It's simpler to manage AirPods settings in iOS 16 with a new dedicated section that pops up in the Settings app when AirPods are connected. iOS 16 also adds a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature that uses the TrueDepth camera to scan your ears and the area around you, providing a unique listening experience tuned just to you.
  • Face ID in Landscape Mode - iPhone models running iOS 16 support Face ID in landscape mode, making it easier to unlock the ‌iPhone‌ when it's not held in the standard portrait orientation. The feature is limited to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and later.
  • Notes Passcodes - Rather than creating a new password for a note, you can now simply use your device passcode or Face ID/Touch ID to lock a note, which is much easier.
  • Haptic Feedback for Keyboard - There's a keyboard setting in iOS 16 that lets you enable haptic feedback that can be felt when you're typing. The vibrations are for each key tap, offering users a physical confirmation that a letter has been pressed.
  • Hidden and Deleted Photo Protection - In iOS 16, you need to authenticate with ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ before the Hidden and Recently Deleted photo albums can be accessed. This essentially locks these albums from view should someone have your device passcode.
  • WiFi Password - If you've ever been frustrated by an inability to access the WiFi password of the network you're using, that's changing in iOS 16. In the ‌iPhone‌'s WiFi settings, you can see the password of the network that you're connected to.

More iOS 16 Coverage

For a full rundown on everything that's new in iOS 16, we have a dedicated iOS 16 roundup. Have a favorite iOS 16 feature? Let us know what it is in the comments.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

smoothride Avatar
39 months ago
Does anyone know why the Face ID in Landscape Mode has to be limited to iPhone 13 models and newer only?

This is becoming more and more annoying. Stop trolling Apple, not funny anymore.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sebosz Avatar
39 months ago
You can add CVV of your saved credit cards in safari settings.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
simody Avatar
39 months ago
Landscape FaceID is not limited to iPhone 13. It works on my 12 Pro too.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dorv Avatar
39 months ago

Today I learned a new word: Ellipsis
...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
YankeeSR23 Avatar
39 months ago
Just a heads up on the duplicate photo feature: it is not perfect by far and is still being worked on so definitely look at the individual pics before hitting the merge button. I was taking daily screenshots for a work thing and each image clearly said the date and the feature thought all those pics were duplicates despite each pic saying that day’s date in the image.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DanteHicks79 Avatar
39 months ago
Here, I fixed it for you:


* Face ID in Landscape Mode - iPhone 13 models and later running iOS 16 support Face ID in landscape mode ('https://www.macrumors.com/2022/06/06/ios-16-landscape-face-id/'), making it easier to unlock the iPhone when it's not held in the standard portrait orientation.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)