iOS 16 Now Available: Six New Features Worth Checking Out

Apple released iOS 16 on Monday, September 12 as a free software update for the iPhone 8 and newer. iOS 16 includes plenty of new features, ranging from a customizable Lock Screen to the ability to temporarily edit or unsend iMessages.

ios 16 lockscreens
To install iOS 16, open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap General → Software Update. After you update your iPhone to iOS 16, check out our list of six useful new features to try out below.

Customize the Lock Screen

The headline new feature of iOS 16 is the ability to personalize the Lock Screen with multi-layered wallpapers, widgets, custom fonts for the date and time, and more. You can also select a set of photos to shuffle on the Lock Screen throughout the day.

iOS 16 Lock Screen Customize
The new Lock Screen gallery showcases a range of Lock Screen options, including a new Weather wallpaper with live weather conditions and an Astronomy wallpaper that provides views of the Earth, Moon, and Solar System. iOS 16 includes support for multiple Lock Screen designs, allowing you to switch between your favorites with a swipe.

Related: How to customize the Lock Screen on iOS 16

Edit or Unsend an iMessage

iOS 16 introduces the ability to temporarily edit or unsend iMessages, as well as mark iMessage conversations as unread after opening them.

Apple allows you to edit an iMessage for up to 15 minutes after sending it, with up to five edits allowed per message. Recipients are able to see a record of edits made to the message, and on devices running iOS 15 or earlier, edited messages are received as a new message that says "Edited to [new message]."

ios 16 imessage edit unsend
To edit or unsend a message, simply tap and hold on a bubble and select the appropriate option in the menu that appears. iMessages that have been edited are marked as "edited" below the message bubble. SMS messages (green bubbles) cannot be edited or unsent.

Use the Full-Screen Music Player

iOS 16 reintroduces a full-screen music player on the Lock Screen with large album art and a color-matched wallpaper.

ios 16 lock screen music player
Apple last offered a full-screen music player on the Lock Screen on iOS 10 in 2016. If you don't like the feature, you can tap on the bottom of the display to minimize the music player and revert to your standard Lock Screen wallpaper.

Game With Nintendo Joy-Cons

iPhones feature support for many additional Bluetooth game controllers on iOS 16, including the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons and Pro Controller. iPhones running iOS 16 can be used with either single left or right Joy-Cons, or both at once as a singular controller.

nintendo joy cons
This is on top of the iPhone's existing compatibility with PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers since the release of iOS 14.5 last year.

Track an Apple Pay Order

Apple Pay on iOS 16 features new built-in order tracking information in the Wallet app for online orders completed via Apple Pay. The tracker provides an order's estimated delivery date and indicates when a package is out for delivery.

ios 16 apple pay order tracking

Close Your Rings Without an Apple Watch

Starting with iOS 16, the Fitness app is now available on the iPhone for all users, even without an Apple Watch. The app features a daily Activity ring that relies on the iPhone's motion sensors to estimate a person's calories burned and steps per day.

fitness app ios 16
During its iPhone 14 event, Apple announced that its Fitness+ service will be available for iPhone users without an Apple Watch later this year in the 21 countries where the service is available. Fitness+ is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...

Top Rated Comments

Someyoungguy Avatar
37 months ago
Wow, so customizable, and yet I can’t get rid of the flashlight or camera buttons that I constantly activate by accident.

On that topic, why the hell do we need a camera button AND a swipe left for the camera?
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ian87w Avatar
37 months ago
Now the real beta testing phase starts ?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
snak-atak Avatar
37 months ago
Track medications on iPhone ('https://9to5mac.com/2022/07/29/track-medications-on-iphone/') is an underrated feature that, to me, is a much more important feature than Nintendo Switch controllers.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SW3029 Avatar
37 months ago
After having used iOS 16 for several weeks now, I think it's a pretty minor – even "meh" – upgrade. Maybe that's good if it means fewer bugs. And it's hard to introduce killer features year after year. But overall, once you spend 2 minutes customizing your first lock screen, there's not much different than iOS 15.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jack Neill Avatar
37 months ago
Not sure if I want to subject my XS to this or not..
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
37 months ago

Oooh hell noo not updating my iphone 12 its lagging already on ios 15
Really? My iPhone 12 still runs fast on iOS 15. Zero lagging on any app.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)