Got a New iPhone 17? How to Use All the New Features

[MacRumors]

Apple's iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been available to buy since September, and a fair few will have been gifted over the holidays. If you're the proud owner of one of Apple's latest models, then keep reading. Whether you're upgrading from an older iPhone or completely new to the devices, this article will help you get the most out your new iPhone.

MacRumors has put together the following series of iPhone 17 how-to articles explaining all the new features that can be found on Apple's newest models.

All iPhone 17 Models (Incl. iPhone Air)

• Dynamic Island Explained: What It Does and How to Use It
• iPhone 17 Camera Control: Everything You Need to Know
• Action Button: What It Does and How to Customize It
• How to Use the New Center Stage Front Camera
• How to Rotate the Front Camera Without Changing iPhone Orientation
• How to Disable Center Stage Front Camera Auto-Zoom
• How to Disable Center Stage Front Camera Auto-Rotate
• How to Enable Dual Capture Video Recording
• How to Disable Adaptive Power Mode (On by Default)
• How to Hard Reset or Force Restart All iPhone 17 Models

iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max

• How to Use 8x Optical Zoom
• Shooting Video in Apple's New ProRes RAW Format

iOS 26

• Ultimate iOS 26 Walkthrough: Guides and How Tos for Every New Feature
• Tone Down Apple's New Liquid Glass Design for Improved Legibility
• iOS 26 Setup Guide: 10 Things You Should Do First
• Tint App Icons to Match Your New iPhone 17 Color
• Tint App Icons to Match Your iPhone's Case Color
• iOS 26: All the New iPhone Lock Screen Customizations
• All the New iPhone Ringtones in iOS 26
• iOS 26 Camera App: New Features and Design Changes

Happy holidays!

Article Link: Got a New iPhone 17? How to Use All the New Features

 

[macfacts]

but it just works.

 

[MakeAppleAwesomeAgain]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 17, and it’s a wonderful phone (battery, screen, USB-C, Action Button). Plus, I don’t mind iOS 26. But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

 

[Slash787]

I know the battery is bigger in the Pro when it comes to the Esim models, but what about the Base 17, is there a battery difference in the Esim and Non Esim models?

 

[Paddle1]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 17, and it’s a wonderful phone (battery, screen, USB-C, Action Button). Plus, I don’t mind iOS 26. But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

You can adjust/disable various Camera Control functionality in the Settings app.

 

[Moukee]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 17, and it’s a wonderful phone (battery, screen, USB-C, Action Button). Plus, I don’t mind iOS 26. But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

Settings > Camera > Camera Control to disable features of the button. You can essentially just dumb it down to a physical button or even completely disable it.

 

[Thisismattwade]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 17, and it’s a wonderful phone (battery, screen, USB-C, Action Button). Plus, I don’t mind iOS 26. But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

What a great upgrade, Merry Christmas!

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 17, and it’s a wonderful phone (battery, screen, USB-C, Action Button). Plus, I don’t mind iOS 26. But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

The camera control isn’t great. I disabled all the swipe and adjust features and now it’s just a shutter button. It works well for that.

 

[Slash787]

Bigger battery for all 17s that are eSIM only.

is it? because for the base 17 model in esim and non esim I am seeing that the battery life is upto 30 hours whereas in the Pro esim it is 33 hours and Pro non esim is 31 hours.

 

[FILIPSN007]

What we REALLY need: "How to configure your iPhone to avoid all bugs and resprings"

 

[Paddle1]

is it? because for the base 17 model in esim and non esim I am seeing that the battery life is upto 30 hours whereas in the Pro esim it is 33 hours and Pro non esim is 31 hours.

I don't know why that got posted as I tried to remove the erroneous battery part of my post before posting. 17 Pro and Pro Max eSIM models have bigger batteries.

 

[Digital Dude]

What we REALLY need: "How to configure your iPhone to avoid all bugs and resprings"

Like everything else with Apple, they lead the industry in hardware quality while somehow managing to deliver the buggiest operating system on the planet. The constant latency issues became so maddening that the only solution I could find was to switch to an Android device. Yeah I know, but at least it works. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Gix1k]

but it just works.

You know…..as funny as a statement that is, it’s annoyingly true. Three days ago I bought a Pixel 10 Pro XL since they figured out how to get iMessage, FaceTime, etc. working on Android. After a couple days of using the phone it just didn’t have the software polish the iPhone has. Many times it was just frustrating. One thing I didn’t think would be an issue that was huge was password input on sites and apps that was so cumbersome on android. Any how, I returned the P10 today.

 

[Digital Dude]

You know…..as funny as a statement that is, it’s annoyingly true. Three days ago I bought a Pixel 10 Pro XL since they figured out how to get iMessage, FaceTime, etc. working on Android. After a couple days of using the phone it just didn’t have the software polish the iPhone has. Many times it was just frustrating. One thing I didn’t think I would be an issue that was huge was password input on sites and apps that was some cumbersome on android. Any how, I returned the P10 today.

I hear you brother, as I did the same damn thing. I’ve been with Apple since the Cretaceous Period, so just a few days of tinkering with the Pixel 10XL, the Watch and Buds isn’t nearly enough. I figure it’ll take me at least a month or so to really get in sync with Android. Sure, I ran into the same stubborn quirks, but most of that stubbornness is really just me expecting it to behave like iOS. For me, there’s enough interesting stuff on Android that’s far more fun to tinker with than anything on iOS. 🦖

 

[Gix1k]

I hear you, brother. I did the same damn thing. I’ve been with Apple since the Cretaceous Period, so just a few days of tinkering with the Pixel 10 XL isn’t nearly enough. I figure it’ll take me at least a month to really get in sync with Android. Sure, I ran into some of the Pixel’s stubborn quirks, but most of that stubbornness is really just me expecting it to behave like iOS. There’s enough interesting stuff on Android that’s far more fun to tinker with than anything on iOS. 🦖

I think that’s the problem is expecting iOS behavior. Apple may be slow adopting features that Android has but I see now they wait and make sure it’s rock solid before it makes the iOS cut verses putting it in and adjusting in real time in the wild.
I wanted so badly to love the Pixel. I thought I was bored with iOS only to realize it’s really superior in terms of software.

 

[macfacts]

I think that’s the problem is expecting iOS behavior. Apple may be slow adopting features that Android has but I see now they wait and make sure it’s rock solid before it makes the iOS cut verses putting it in and adjusting in real time in the wild.
I wanted so badly to love the Pixel. I thought I was bored with iOS only to realize it’s really superior in terms of software.

one issue my mom had with her iPhone, that took me a while to fix , was that she some how had turned off turn by turn voice navigation in apple maps. who is wanting/asking that customization feature? "it just works" fail.

 

[StoneJack]

Like everything else with Apple, they lead the industry in hardware quality while somehow managing to deliver the buggiest operating system on the planet. The constant latency issues became so maddening that the only solution I could find was to switch to an Android device. Yeah I know, but at least it works. 🤷‍♂️

Bye bye gl

 

[svish]

Good article with links to all the important information! The 17 series iPhones are fantastic ones. Have the 17 Pro Max in beautiful orange color. The base 17 is excellent and is possibly the best base iPhone in years. Cannot go wrong in purchasing any of the models from the 17 series.

 

[InnSuu]

"How to Use 8x Optical Zoom"

It's bullet points like this that keep me glued to MacRumors

*not that I contribute much else!

Happy Post Christmas!

 

[Newbie67]

Can I downgrade it to IOS 18 FML 🤦

 

[Digital Dude]

Bye bye gl

Oh, I’m not gone by a long shot. I’m still using the iPad M1, AppTV and nine HomePods, but I gifted my M2, M5, and 12Max. I simply could not deal with iOS 26 anymore, as it finally pushed my patience beyond its limit. Granted, adapting to the Pixel way of doing things is no walk in the park, but I have wanted to learn Android for years, so it became the perfect storm for me. ⛈️

 

[StoneJack]

Oh, I’m not gone by a long shot. I’m still using the iPad M1 and nine HomePods, but I gifted my M2, M5, and 12 Max. I simply could not deal with iOS 26 anymore, as it finally pushed my patience beyond its limit. Granted, adapting to the Pixel way of doing things is no walk in the park, but I have wanted to learn Android for years, so it became the perfect storm for me. ⛈️

Well, gift the remaining Apple things and bye, bye, gl. Grass is always greener on the other side, u'll know

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 17, and it’s a wonderful phone (battery, screen, USB-C, Action Button). Plus, I don’t mind iOS 26. But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

The Camera Control button itself is actually excellent, potentially a big upgrade in photographic competence. However the software components that "enables some crappy filter or weird setting" is "really Apple-unworthy." Apple needs to look at Nikon, Canon, etc. to see how a shutter release works after many decades of UI evolution.

The other thing iPhone cameras desperately need is the ability to lock into a single capture method. Constantly inadvertently switching from photo to video, RAW to Live (yech) or worse still switching from photo to selfie is infuriating. It would be an easy software fix, just requiring a menu dive to unlock a set of choices.

 

[switz]

At least there was silver for a iPhone 17 Pro Max

 

[zenmacx]

But the Camera Control button is terrible. I really tried, but it’s even annoying when I don’t try to use it and accidentally touch it, and it enables some crappy filter or weird setting. Really Apple-unworthy.

Yes indeed the Camera Control button is dreadful.

Although Apple never admits a mistake, the proof is revealed in the current dialogue about “improving it” on the upcoming iPhone 18. They just don’t “improve” a feature that is well designed and well accepted.