Ranked: The 10 Most Useful iOS 26 Features

[Cervisia]

It doesn't entirely disappear; I agree with MR that this feature is kind of neat and almost seems like it should have always been there. Everything is still there once you tap the URL, which if you're navigating to a new one you'd have to do anyway (well, everything except a one-tap way to see tabs -- I turned more back on), and there have always been gestures for things like Back without needing the navigation bar, though it's there if you want it. So, it leaves a bit more room for content on small screens. (Not exactly groundbreaking, but...I don't hate it like I thought I might. Still wish tabs weren't two taps or mysterious swipes away without me turning more back on, though.)

But that's how it worked like always? If I scroll in Safari, the nav bar disappears. So what's new? I'm still on the old layout (nav bar on top), did the newer one work differently?

 

[henkie]

The Preview app on iPhone/iPad is a total ********!

I agree, but being able to finally sign PDFs easily without some (paid) third party app has been very useful already! Also, the signature syncs with the signature on your Mac. However, it took way too long for me to find the button to add the signature to a PDF: "too many damn taps" seems to be the credo of iOS26.
And why oh why does it open like it does: "new document" is just a damn scrabble doodle thing. Who uses this on an iPhone? Nobody, absolutely nobody.

 

[henkie]

The top 10 ranking is a little weird. How is knowing how long to recharge your battery not on this list but chat backgrounds are along with that silly image playground crap?

Agreed. I know MR is an USA-based and catered site, but iMessage is hardly a thing outside of that bubble. While knowing how long it will take to charge your phone is

 

[Sputman99]

When some clunky tweaks a messy window system and a horrible inconsistent implementation of transparency constitute a new operating system - this is starting to get into windows wrappers now - I can see my email between horrible gaps those HUGE rounded corners leave.

 

[Chomp81]

After updating to iOS 26 and WatchOS 26, I no longer have the option to see the watch battery in the battery widget of the iPhone 16 PM lock screen. It only shows the AirPods battery.

Apparently, the AirPods take priority over the watch, which is not very helpful.

 

[wanha]

I second the point about the Shortcuts app. It's powerful, but difficult to learn and navigate, especially for new users and older folks.

Apple used to be great at simplifying the UX of apps, but it seems like with Shortcuts, they've just let the engineers take care of the UX while the designers just made it look pretty.

 

[tfigs]

I would agree with Spam detection. Since I've upgraded, I seem to be getting more spam calls detected and silenced. As for the useless ones, yep - Games and Preview. Totally useless.

 

[paulushe]

The ability to change mic input in iOS 26 is sooo underrated. For me, it is life changing.

Now, I can have crystal-clear calls in noisy environments. The iPhone's microphone array, with its excellent "voice isolation" feature, ensures that the other person can hear me clearly. Meanwhile, my noise-cancelling earphones allow me to comfortably hear what they're saying. This is another reason I'm considering cancelling my switch to Android. If I spend hundreds of dollars on a smartphone, it better be capable of performing "phone tasks" well! 🤭

Yes, the AirPods Pro 2/3 do have a high-quality microphone, especially after the iOS 18 update. However, you can't beat physics: their microphones are located far away from your mouth, while you can pull your iPhone closer. Additionally, iPhones have multiple microphones, which is why the "voice isolation" feature can easily distinguish your voice without needing to "guess" using AI.

 

[CATiNTHESTORE]

Let's be honest. All that really matters is how hard it spies on you. And I suspect it's the most advanced ios ever.

You are not wrong, mister, at all. Let’s think only about how much data they have in terms of face recognition and fingerprint… they are literally the second public CIA… and Apple can easily have remote access to all information on your device, like 100%… And with the “NEW” IA era it will be even more creepy

 

[Jaspers dog]

"Messages Live Translation

Live Translation is a little niche if you're not regularly chatting with people who speak another language, but it comes in handy"

What!?! I havent been this excited about a new feature for years, if this works as advertised it will be game changing for travelling.

 

[wanha]

for the love of god, please don't start another "ranked" series

- ranked: the top 5 Apple Watch Faces
- ranked: the most exciting rumors of 2025
- ranked: the most legible fonts in MacOS Tahoe

I know it's easy endless content but just... please no

 

[citysnaps]

A great set of useful features!

 

[G725]

What's annoying for me is that notifications often disappear from the lock screen (without being unlocked). They still exist but I have to scroll down to not miss them.

 

[iGeek2014]

How do i flag messages as Spam? There is no option for that and none of my spam text messages land in the Spam folder. How is this supposed to work?

Hi there.

If you go into Settings>Apps>Messages and scroll down to 'Unknown Senders' is 'Screen Unknown Senders' and 'Filter Spam' toggled on?

It's worked for me - I keep getting mass RCS spam (TikTok HR are really wanting staff...!) and they've gone straight into my Spam folder.

 

[jayducharme]

I’m not running into this problem on my iPhone. Are you on an iPad?

No, a 13 mini. It’s the same on my 13 mini

 

[ghanwani]

What about PWM disable?

 

[Pooneil]

Call screening is the only useful new feature. Article could have been a lot shorter.

That is the one 'feature" that I expect to be truly useful. Call and text screening that is built into the OS could be of real value IF they are effective. I have third party apps for that right now. Will Apples implementation really work and what will the developers of blocking app do to improve their apps so that they are better in some way than Apples built in screening for calls and texts?

 

[jjk454ss]

The block button under phone app isnt available for verizon users yet. I heard if the phone providers havent updated their carrier settings then its not available yet. At first I thought it was cuz I had my phone in classice view and I thought maybe it was only available in unified view but apparently not. Apparently its not there if the phone carrier hasnt updated their settings. So I guess thatll be in another ios update maybe.

I wasn’t aware of this feature. I’m in VZW too

Does anyone have a screenshot of what this is? Or a link to more info?

 

[Pooneil]

There seem to be a lot of frustration with iOS 26's implementation of these features. Would you advise someone on iOS 18.7 to hold off on installing the new iOS? I have concerns that a big change like iOS 26 would my phone working with my car i.e. synching my Toyota app and being able to use Apple Play.

 

[ignatius345]

• Wallet order tracking - The Wallet app can in theory track any order you place even if it's not an Apple Pay purchase, but it's not great right now. It pulls order and shipment emails from the Mail app, so if you don't get an email with every step of the order process, the item just sits in a list in the Wallet app until you clear it out. Apple does say this feature is in beta, and for good reason.

Still a big fan Parcel for this. You do have to add orders manually, but it's very easy, and it also pulls Amazon orders automatically directly from your account.

 

[ignatius345]

There seem to be a lot of frustration with iOS 26's implementation of these features. Would you advise someone on iOS 18.7 to hold off on installing the new iOS? I have concerns that a big change like iOS 26 would my phone working with my car i.e. synching my Toyota app and being able to use Apple Play.

I updated the other day. Whether or not you like Liquid Glass, there are plenty of other bugs and it feels rough overall. I'd wait until 26.1 if I were you.

 

[Pooneil]

I updated the other day. Whether or not you like Liquid Glass, there are plenty of other bugs and it feels rough overall. I'd wait until 26.1 if I were you.

Thank you. I will do that. I have a new iiPhone 17 arriving in about two weeks and will need to update my current iPhone to iOS 26 in order to setup the new phone.

 

[ignatius345]

I literally do NOT set an alarm.

I have a sleep schedule in the Health App.

I have my alarm set up the same way (through Sleep Schedule). One thing I've learned is that once you are in the sleep focus, your wakeup time appears on the lock screen. If you tap it, it takes you straight to a screen where you can make adjustments.

 

[turbineseaplane]

If anyone is not loving 26 and would like to wait, make sure you go back to iOS 18 soon!

They'll stop signing it before too much longer and you'll be stuck.

 

[zonk44]

The compact menu is terrible, imo. Not being able to quickly close a tab makes it not worthwhile. Unless there’s some setting buried that I couldn’t find in my searching…

You can swipe up on the three dots next to the URL or on the URL itself to get back to the overview, where you close the tab using the x button as usual. To close the current tab you long press the URL and select “close” from the appearing menu.

You can also set it back in the settings from Compact to Bottom though.