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iOS 26 is arguably the most significant visual refresh we’ve seen on iPhone in years. There’s a new Liquid Glass UI, an improved file system, and complete camera app changes. Everything that Apple showcased and highlighted. But after using iOS 26 and iOS 26.1 for a few months, it seemed like Apple had decided not to tell us about some of the coolest features, like the default audio input, camera enhancements, and even an update to Alarm, which hasn’t changed in 20 years. So here are the best hidden features of iOS 26 that Apple didn’t tell you about.
If you want to see all these features in action in real time, be sure to watch the video below.
1. Select text in iMessage
This is one feature that should have been there from the beginning. If you wanted to select a portion of text within an iMessage, it wasn’t possible. I had to copy the entire message, type it into a text field or notes app, and then select the parts I actually wanted to copy. Thankfully, iOS 26 fixes this issue.
- long press on message
- Tap “Select”
- Highlight the text you want
- Cut, copy and paste to your heart’s content
2. Live translation in iMessage
We have been able to translate messages for several years now. However, Live Translate can now perform translations in real time and automatically adapt when you receive a message in one of the supported languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. In that case, you will be asked to start live translation. You’ll need to download the language, but once it’s downloaded, you’ll see a small notification at the bottom of the message thread letting you know it’s been translated into your specific language. Then, type your native language into the message and it will show you your native language and the translated version in real time. I really like it because it really breaks down the language barrier.
3. Use AirPods as a microphone for camera apps
If you use your iPhone to create a lot of content, this new feature is a game-changer. The iPhone’s built-in microphone is great if you’re in a quiet room or environment, especially if you’re close to your phone. However, when ambient noise or other vocalists come in, the mic starts to lose a bit of its effectiveness. Now, if you record video natively on your iPhone and use the AirPods’ microphone as the default microphone, it will sound great. I hope fewer people are holding tiny microphones to their faces when creating vertical content. Here’s how:
- Open camera app
- Please put on your Airpods
- Swipe down to go to Control Center
- Tap the green microphone section at the top
- Please select a microphone
You can also choose to isolate your voice directly from it. Again, it sounds better than it should. Give it a try.
4. Custom alarm snooze time
This made me laugh when it was first released. It’s been about 20 years since the iPod had an alarm. The default snooze time is 9 minutes and could not be changed. Now, you can now change the snooze time. You can choose as little as 1 minute or 15 minutes.
- Go to Clock app
- Tap the alarm
- Tap snooze period
- Please select a time
The default is always 9 minutes, so you have to go into each alarm to change it. But it’s nice to know that you can finally change it.
5. Reminder apps are everywhere now
I feel like reminder apps don’t get a lot of love. Well, iOS 26 changes that in a big way. You can add reminders literally anywhere in the iOS 26 UI. You can add it to your control center, add it to your lock screen, or even add it to your action buttons for quick access. We also added the ability to sync reminders to your calendar app. This is my first time.
6. Auto/manual hold assist
I feel like we sometimes forget that iPhones are PHONES. So when I realized how much better the calling experience was on iOS 26, it put a smile on my face. There are so many nuances in what you can do with a phone. The best part is the ability to put a call on hold and have the phone ring when someone is on the line again. Not only that, but transcribe what they’re saying and see if it’s what you want to respond to.
7. Type into Siri during a call
Another fun feature is the ability to interact with Siri during calls. I know Siri gets a lot of hate, especially when compared to other AI assistants like GPT and Gemini, but it’s still the best choice for fact-based, single-answer questions. So if you’re talking to someone and need a response, just double-tap at the bottom of the call and Type to Siri will appear.
final thoughts
There are hundreds of new features in iOS 26 and 26.1, but the features listed above are the real “quality of life” improvements that most people will actually use. The video above also explains a total of 20 features. Therefore, we highly recommend giving a watch. Most importantly, there are more features we haven’t mentioned here, such as security updates, Spotlight, and system-level AI features. Part 2 will be released soon, so stay tuned!
What do you think? Have you tried any of these? What new features do you use all the time?
