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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to check your voicemail on iPhone

by Tyler Stephen

Use the Phone app to listen to, delete, read, share, or get a summary of your voicemail messages. You can also check your voicemail messages when Visual Voicemail isn’t available.

You can also share a message, or recover a deleted one. A transcription of each voicemail appears in the bottom half of the screen. Your messages stay until you delete them, unless your carrier erases them first when they aren’t stored in iCloud.

Play, share, or delete a voicemail message

Siri: Ask Siri something like, “Play the voicemail from Eliza.” Or without using Siri:

  1. Open the Phone app on your iPhone.
  2. Do one of the following, depending on which Phone app layout you’re using:
    • Unified layout: Tap Calls and tap a message in the Recents list. To view just your voicemail messages, tap the Filter button and tap Voicemails.
    • Classic layout: Tap Voicemail, then tap a message.
  3. Do any of the following:
    • Play the message: Tap the Play button. Messages are saved until you delete them (or until your carrier erases them, if they’re not stored in iCloud).
    • Share the message: Tap the Share button.
    • Read a transcript of the message: A transcription of the voicemail appears in the bottom half of the screen.
    • Delete the message: Tap the Delete button.

Important: In some countries or regions, deleted messages may be permanently erased by your carrier. Your voice messages may also be deleted if you change your SIM card. To recover a deleted message, tap Deleted Messages, tap the message, then tap the Undelete button.

Quick tip: With Apple Intelligence, you can see Siri suggested actions based on the transcript — like adding a reminder, or creating a calendar event. To choose whether these suggestions appear, go to Settings > Apps > Phone, then turn Suggestions in Voicemail on or off. Siri suggested actions are available in English. Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*

Check your messages when Visual Voicemail isn’t available

  • On your iPhone: Tap Voicemail, then follow the instructions.
  • On another phone: Dial your own mobile number, press * or # (depending on your carrier) to bypass your greeting, then enter your voicemail password.

*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.

Tag: Mail
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How to listen to News stories in News on iPhone

by Moses Johnson

If you subscribe to Apple News+, you can listen to audio versions of select News+ stories. You can also listen to select Apple News+ audio stories in the Podcasts app.

The Audio tab is where it starts, with stories you’re currently listening to in Up Next and stories recommended to you based on your interests in For You. You can add stories to Up Next, and read, share, or remove audio stories, too.

Here’s how to listen to News stories in News on iPhone.

Note: Apple News and Apple News+ aren’t available in all countries or regions.

The audio player for a story in Apple News+, with playback controls and a volume slider.

Browse audio stories

  1. Open the News app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Audio to show Apple News+ audio stories and Apple News Today.
  3. If you’re a subscriber, you see selections of audio content, including:
    • Up Next: Stories you’re currently listening to or have added to the Up Next queue.
    • For You: Stories recommended to you based on your interests.

To learn more about a story before listening to it, tap See Details.

Without an Apple News+ subscription, you can still hear previews of audio stories.

Play audio stories

  1. Open the News app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Audio, then tap a story to play it.
  3. As the story plays, use the mini player controls at the bottom of the screen to skip back, pause, or close the story.
  4. To access more controls, tap the mini player to open the full-screen player and then do any of the following:
    • Adjust the volume: Drag the slider at the bottom of the screen left or right.
    • Skip forward or back: Tap or touch and hold the rounded arrows.
    • Speed it up or slow it down: Tap 1x, then choose a speed.
    • Go to a specific time: Drag the slider below the image left or right.
    • Go to the next story: Tap the Forward button.
    • Go to your Up Next queue: Tap the Table of Contents Switch button.
    • Save, share, or read the story: Tap the More button.
    • Play on a different device: Tap the AirPlay button. Then choose an available device such as HomePod, Apple TV 4K, or Bluetooth® speakers.
    • Switch back to the mini player: Swipe down from anywhere on the screen, or tap the Close button at the top of the screen.
    • Close the full-screen player: Tap the More button, then tap Close Audio Player.
  5. To close the mini player, tap the Close button.

Audio stories can also appear in a feed. To listen to the story, tap the Play button (Apple News+ subscription required). You can also tap the story to read it, then tap the Play button at the top of the story.

Add stories to Up Next

  1. Open the News app on your iPhone.
  2. In the Audio tab or a news feed, tap the More button. Choose Play Next or Play Last.

To reorder stories in the Up Next queue, tap See All, touch and hold the Reorder button, then drag stories to the order you prefer.

Read, share, and remove audio stories

  1. Open the News app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Audio and then do any of the following:
    • Read, share, and more: Tap the More button and then choose an option.
    • Remove stories from the Up Next queue or For You: Touch and hold the story and select Remove.

Note: Several of these options also appear when you swipe a story left or right.

Tag: News
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How to view Live Activities in the Dynamic Island on iPhone

by Tyler Stephen

On supported models, you can check alerts and Live Activities, such as a Voice Memo recording in progress, an AirDrop connection, and directions from Maps, in the Dynamic Island. It works on the Home Screen or in an active app whenever your iPhone is unlocked.

You can expand an activity to see more detail, collapse it to make the Dynamic Island smaller, or switch between activities. iPhone 18 Pro models can show up to three Live Activities there at once.

An iPhone Home Screen, showing a live Voice Memo recording in the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen.

In the Dynamic Island, you can do any of the following:

  • Expand the activity to see more detail: Touch and hold the activity.
  • Collapse the activity to make the Dynamic Island smaller: Swipe the expanded activity up.
  • Switch between two activities: Tap the activity you want to view.
  • Move between activities: On iPhone 18 Pro models, the Dynamic Island can show up to three Live Activities at the same time. Swipe across it to move between them.
Tag: iPhone
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How to search for websites in Safari on iPhone

by Kevin Hollington

Enter a URL or a search term to find websites or specific information.

Search suggestions can help as you go, and you can also search a webpage, choose a search engine, and see your favorite websites while you search. And if you don’t want to see suggested search terms, you can turn off Search Engine Suggestions in Safari’s settings on your iPhone.

Here’s how to search for websites in Safari on iPhone.

A Safari search screen, with the onscreen keyboard at the bottom of the screen. Above the keyboard, the search field contains text, and related search suggestions are listed above.

Search the web

  1. Start the Safari app on your iPhone.
  2. Enter a search term, phrase, or URL in the search field.
  3. Tap a search suggestion, or tap the Go button on the keyboard.

If you don’t want to see suggested search terms, go to Settings > Apps > Safari, then turn off Search Engine Suggestions.

See your favorite websites while you search

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Apps, then tap Safari.
  3. Tap Start Page Favorites and select the folder with the favorites you want to see.

Search a webpage

Looking for a specific word or phrase on a webpage? You can find it.

  1. Start the Safari app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Page Menu button. Tap the Search Document button.
  3. Enter the word or phrase in the search field.
  4. Tap the Next Result button to jump to other mentions.

Choose a search engine

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Apps, then tap Safari.
  3. Tap Search Engine and then choose a search engine.

Search for objects in your photos

Visual Look Up helps you identify and learn about popular landmarks, plants, pets, and more in your photos and videos.

A photo is open in the Photos app. At the bottom of the screen, the Info button displays an icon indicating that Visual Look Up information is available.

Quick tip: The same feature can also scan text and search online.

Tag: Safari
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How to use Stolen Device Protection on iPhone

by Dave Johnson

You can use Stolen Device Protection to protect against the rare instance when someone has stolen your iPhone and knows your passcode. It prevents the person from performing critical device and Apple Account operations, like changing your device passcode or Apple Account password, by requiring biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID. There is no passcode to fall back on, either.

More sensitive operations require a Security Delay: a successful Face ID or Touch ID, a one-hour wait, then an additional successful biometric authentication. Security Delay helps prevent someone from making changes to settings that can lock you out of your iPhone or Apple Account.

These measures give you more time to turn on Lost Mode for your iPhone using the Find My app or find devices on iCloud.com.

Turn on Stolen Device Protection

  1. Open Settings and then do one of the following:

    • On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
    • On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode and enter your passcode.
  2. Scroll down and tap Stolen Device Protection.

    Note: If you don’t see Stolen Device Protection, you may need to set up Face ID or Touch ID first.

  3. Turn on Stolen Device Protection.
  4. Do one of the following:

    • Use Stolen Device Protection when you’re away from home or work: Tap Away from Familiar Locations.
    • Use Stolen Device Protection everywhere: Tap Always.

Turn off Stolen Device Protection

  1. Open Settings and then do one of the following:
    • On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
    • On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.
  2. Scroll down and tap Stolen Device Protection.
  3. Turn off Stolen Device Protection.

If you have Stolen Device Protection set to Away from Familiar Locations and you’re not at home or work, or you have Stolen Device Protection set to Always, a Security Delay is required to turn off Stolen Device Protection. Tap Start Security Delay, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Tag: Privacy & Security
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How to get started with Preview on iPhone

by Abigail Shilets

You can use the Preview app to fill out and sign PDF forms, scan documents, and make changes to PDF documents and images. When you scan a document, the pages are combined into a single PDF that you can save and edit, and you can sign with your finger.

A screen showing a PDF form with fillable fields highlighted. At the bottom of the screen are the Add Annotation, Markup, AutoFill, Crop, Info, Share, and Search buttons. The AutoFill button is selected.

Fill out PDF forms

Open a PDF form, tap the Form Filling button, then select a field. Enter text, or tap an AutoFill suggestion that appears above the onscreen keyboard. In signature fields, you can use your finger to sign.

The main screen of the Preview app. The New Document and Scan Documents buttons are in the middle of the screen. At the bottom of the screen are the Recents, Shared, and Browse tabs.

Scan a document to create a PDF file

Tap Scan Documents on the Preview start screen, position each page in the camera to capture it, then tap the Done button. Preview combines the pages into a single PDF that you can save and edit.

A locked PDF form in the Preview app showing a password field. At the bottom of the screen are the Markup, Info, and Share buttons.

Protect a PDF with a password

Open a PDF, tap the Actions Menu button next to the filename, then tap Lock. Enter a password, then tap the Done button.

A screen showing an image with grapes in the foreground. A menu shows the Remove Background option. At the bottom of the screen are the Markup, Crop, Info, and Share buttons.

Edit an image

Open an image, then tap the More button to rotate or flip it, adjust its size, or remove the background. To crop an image, tap the Crop button, adjust the borders, then tap Crop.

A fillable PDF form with options to highlight and underline text.

Highlight or underline text

You can highlight or underline text in a PDF. Open a PDF, then select text. Tap Highlight, then choose an option.

Tag: Preview
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How to export or compress PDFs and images in Preview on iPhone

by Kevin Hollington

You can export a PDF or image as a HEIC, JPEG, JPEG-2000, PDF, PNG, or TIFF file. You can also compress the file.

Depending on the format you selected, you’ll be able to choose a smaller file size or higher quality, flatten transparency or keep transparency editable, and set the resolution. For a PDF, you can optimize the PDF for fast web loading, make the PDF searchable, or save embedded images as JPEG for a smaller file.

  1. Start the Preview app on your iPhone.
  2. Open a PDF or image.
  3. Tap the Actions Menu button next to the filename. Then tap Export.
  4. Select a file format. Available formats are HEIC, JPEG, PDF, PNG, and TIFF.
  5. Depending on the format you selected, adjust any of the following:
    • Size (HEIC, JPEG): Drag the slider left for a smaller file size or right for higher quality.
    • Alpha (PNG, HEIC, TIFF): Turn off to flatten transparency, or leave on to keep transparency editable.
    • Resolution (available when exporting a PDF to an image format): Enter a value and choose pixels per inch or pixels per cm. Higher values produce larger, more detailed images.
    • Create Linearized PDF (PDF): Turn on to optimize the PDF for fast web loading.
    • Embed Text (PDF): Turn on to run OCR on images and make the PDF searchable.
    • Optimize Images for Screen (PDF): Turn on to reduce image resolution for screen viewing. (This creates a smaller file.).
    • Save Images as JPEG (PDF): Turn on to save embedded images as JPEG for smaller file size.
  6. Tap the Done button.
  7. Choose a location for the file.
  8. Optionally, tap the Save As field and then rename the file.
  9. Tap Save.
Tag: Preview
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How to use Face Recognition in Home on iPhone

by Chris Smith

With a HomeKit Secure Video camera or doorbell, you can use the Home app to receive notifications when people you’ve tagged in the Photos app are within the camera’s view.

It works from your photo library, and from pictures of recent visitors your camera or doorbell captures, so you can identify recent visitors, too. You can also share faces with your household.

Here’s how to use Face Recognition in Home on iPhone.

Set up Face Recognition

To identify people, Face Recognition uses the faces that appear in your photo library or in pictures of recent visitors your camera or doorbell captured.

If you’re setting up a camera or doorbell for the first time, do the following:

  1. Start the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. Add the accessory to the Home app.
  3. In the Recognize Familiar Faces card, turn on Face Recognition. Then tap Continue.
  4. Choose who can access your photo library:
    • Never: Only faces you’ve added from clips in the Home app are recognized.
    • Only Me: Only the notifications you receive have the names of people in your photo library.
    • Everyone in this Home: The notifications for everyone in your home have the names of people in your photo library.
  5. Tap Continue. Then finish setting up the camera or doorbell.

If you have an existing doorbell or camera and want to use it to identify visitors, tap it on the Home tab, tap the Settings button, tap Face Recognition, then turn on Face Recognition. Tap your photo library, then choose who can access it.

Note: These notifications can appear on any device associated with your Apple Account.

Identify recent visitors

For people who aren’t in your photo library, Face Recognition can use a picture captured by your camera or doorbell to help identify them.

  1. Start the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. Turn on Face Recognition.
  3. On the Home tab, tap the camera or doorbell. Tap the Settings button.
  4. Tap Face Recognition and tap an unidentified person listed below Recent. Then tap Add Name.
  5. Add the person’s name or their relationship to you—Mom or Mail Carrier, for example.
  6. Choose whether to be notified when they’re seen by your camera or doorbell.

Note: People with a face mask don’t appear in this list.

Share faces with your household

Members of your household can see the names of visitors identified in your photo library if you allow it.

  1. Start the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. Turn on Face Recognition.
  3. Tap the More button, then tap Home Settings.
  4. Tap Cameras & Doorbells below Notifications and tap Face Recognition.
  5. Tap your photo library and tap Everyone in this Home.
Tag: Home
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How to control your home from CarPlay

by Stacey Butler

You can use suggestions from Siri that appear on CarPlay Dashboard, or use Siri directly, to control your Apple Home-enabled accessories, such as garage doors, lights, and door locks, from your car. Siri’s suggestions show up right on the Dashboard.

Tag: carplay
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How to get weather info in Maps on iPhone

by Moses Johnson

You can display data about the weather and air quality that affects the local area shown on your map. When you zoom in on a map far enough, a weather icon shows the current conditions for that area, and in some regions, the air quality index (AQI) appears, too.

Note: Air quality and weather data aren’t available in all countries or regions.

Find out about weather and air quality in a specific map area

  1. Start the Maps app on your iPhone.
  2. Zoom in on a map until the weather icon appears.

    The icon shows the current conditions for that area.

    In some regions, the air quality index (AQI) also appears.

  3. To get the hourly forecast, touch and hold the weather icon.

    Tap the hourly forecast to open the Weather app, where you can see even more details.

Remove local weather data from your map

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Apps, then tap Maps.
  3. Turn off Air Quality Index and Weather Conditions.
Tag: Maps
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