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The Complete Guide to Every iOS 27 Feature

How to take a Live Photo during a FaceTime call on iPhone

by Abigail Shilets

When you’re on a video call in the FaceTime app, you can take a FaceTime Live Photo to capture a moment of your conversation (not available in all countries or regions). The camera captures what happens just before and after you take the photo, including the audio, so you can see and hear it later just the way it happened.

You can take one during a one-to-one call or a Group FaceTime call, as long as FaceTime Live Photos is on.

Note: Check that FaceTime Live Photos is turned on in Settings > Apps > FaceTime.

  1. During a video call in the FaceTime app, tap the screen to show the FaceTime controls (if they aren’t visible).
  2. Do one of the following:
    • During a call with one other person: Tap the Take Live Photo button.
    • During a Group FaceTime call: Tap the tile of the person you want to take a picture of. Then tap the Take Live Photo button.

Once the photo’s taken, you both get a notification, and the Live Photo is saved in your Photos app.

Tag: FaceTime
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How to organize your notes with tags on iPhone

by Emily Long

In the Notes app, you can use tags as a fast and flexible way to categorize and organize your notes. You can add one or more tags to a note, such as #shopping and #work, and easily search and filter your notes across folders using the Tag Browser or Smart Folders.

Adding a tag is simple: it starts with #, followed by the tag name, and the tag turns yellow when it’s active.

Add tags to notes

To add a tag to a note, type # followed by the tag name, then add a space after the tag to activate it. Active tags turn yellow. You can also choose an existing tag from the menu above the keyboard. Tags must be one word, but you can use dashes and underscores to combine words. If you save a note without activating your tag, it won’t be saved as a tag. You can add multiple tags to a note. Tip: You can use your finger to handwrite a tag in a note. Tap the underlined tag, then tap Convert to tag.

View notes with tags

Under the Tags section at the bottom of the folders list, you can do any of the following:

  • View all notes with tags: Tap All Tags.
  • View notes with specific tags: Tap one or more tags. To exclude a tag, tap the tag until the name has a line through it.

Rename or delete a tag

To rename or delete a tag, do any of the following:

  • Below the Tags section at the bottom of the folders list, touch and hold a tag, then tap Rename Tag or Delete Tag.
  • Tap Edit (at the top of the folders list), scroll down to the tags, then tap a tag to rename it or tap the Delete button. When you delete a tag, it’s also removed from all Smart Folders that use it.
Tag: Notes
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How Apple Intelligence protects your privacy on iPhone

by Moses Johnson

Apple Intelligence delivers intelligence that is relevant for you and grounded in your personal context while protecting your privacy. In many cases, Apple Intelligence models run entirely on device, so a task can be completed without data leaving your iPhone.

For more complex requests that require more computational capacity, Apple Intelligence can use Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of your Apple products like iPhone into the cloud. Private Cloud Compute uses larger, server-based models, but your data isn’t stored there or made accessible to Apple. It’s processed only to fulfill your request, the results are returned securely to your device, and nothing is retained by Private Cloud Compute.

And you don’t have to take Apple’s word for it. Independent privacy and security researchers can verify this privacy promise at any time, and you can generate a report of the requests your iPhone has sent to Private Cloud Compute.

Note: 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.*

About Private Cloud Compute

When a user makes a request, Apple Intelligence analyzes whether it can be processed on device. For more complex requests, it can draw on Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of your iPhone into the cloud. With Private Cloud Compute, only the data that is relevant to your request is processed on Apple silicon servers, before being removed. The data being processed in Private Cloud Compute is not stored or made accessible to Apple.

It is processed only to fulfill your request, after which point the results are returned securely to your device and are not retained by Private Cloud Compute. Independent privacy and security researchers can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers that enable Private Cloud Compute to verify this privacy promise at any time.

The Apple silicon servers that form the foundation of Private Cloud Compute provide unprecedented cloud security, Apple says. This starts with the Secure Enclave, which protects critical encryption keys on the server just as it does on a user’s iPhone, while Secure Boot ensures the OS running on the server is signed and verified, just like in iOS.

Trusted Execution Monitor makes sure only signed and verified code runs, and attestation enables a user’s device to securely verify the identity and configuration of a Private Cloud Compute cluster before sending a request. And to verify Apple’s privacy promise, independent experts can inspect the software that runs on Private Cloud Compute servers.

Note: Private Cloud Compute isn’t available in all regions.

Create an Apple Intelligence Report

Want to see what your iPhone has sent to Private Cloud Compute? You can generate a report of those requests.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Tap Apple Intelligence Report. Then choose a report duration for the last 15 minutes (default) or last 7 days. Choose off to disable the report. Note: The report may be empty if there haven’t been any Private Cloud Compute requests since you changed the duration.
  4. Tap Export Activity and choose a place to store the file. Tap Export. The report is saved as a file named Apple_Intelligence_Report.json.
  5. Open the file with a text reader.

*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: Apple Intelligence
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How to make a slideshow on iPhone

by Kevin Hollington

In the Photos app, you can create a slideshow to view a selection of photos and videos that you choose from your photo library. You can also turn any album or collection into a slideshow. Slideshows are automatically formatted and set to music.

You can still make it your own. As the slideshow plays, you can change the transition style, speed, and time per slide, choose a song, or play it on loop.

Make a slideshow from selected photos

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Library.
  3. Tap Select and tap each item you want to include.
  4. Tap the More button, then tap Start Slideshow.
  5. As the slideshow plays, tap the screen to do any of the following:
    • Change the transition style, speed, and time per slide: Tap Customize and tap Transition & Duration.
    • Choose a song: Tap Customize, tap Music, and then tap Choose Song.
    • Mute the song: Tap the Mute button.
    • Play on loop: Tap Customize and tap Loop.
    • Share: Tap the More button, tap Share, and select a sharing option such as Messages or Mail.
    • Play on a connected AirPlay device: Tap the More button and tap AirPlay. Select a device.

Make a slideshow from an album or collection

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Collections.
  3. Open any album or collection and tap the More button. Tap Start Slideshow.
Tag: Photos
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How to use News widgets on iPhone

by Tyler Stephen

You can easily check the day’s top and trending stories from the News app, as well as stories about a topic of your choosing, right from the Today or Topic widget. Any story headline in the widget opens the story in News, so you can read it in full.

Access stories from News widgets

In the Today or Topic widget, tap a story headline to open the story in News.

Tag: News
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How to check your email in Mail on iPhone

by Tyler Stephen

In the Mail app, you can read emails yourself or have Apple Intelligence summarize them for you. You can also add contacts and preview an email’s contents without opening it.

If you don’t have time for a primary message right away, Remind Me brings it back to the top of the list at a time and date you choose. You can also quickly mark multiple emails as read, right from the message list.

Quick tip: Apple Intelligence might suggest actions you can take when you check your email, like adding a reminder or creating a calendar event.

Click the suggestion to accept it.

Note: Suggested actions in Mail on iOS 27 or later is an Apple Intelligence feature available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models or later in supported regions when device language is set to English.*

Read an email

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the message you want to read.

Use Remind Me to come back to a Primary message later

Can’t handle a primary message right away? Set a time and date for a reminder, and the message comes back to the top of your inbox.

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap a Primary message, tap the Reply button, tap Remind Me, and then choose when to be reminded.

Quickly mark multiple emails as read

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. While viewing a message list, tap the More button, tap Select, and then select the messages you want to mark.

    Important: When you select a Transactions, Updates, or Promotions message, you’re selecting all the messages in that category from the sender.

  3. Tap the Mark button at the bottom of the message list and then choose Mark as Read.

    Note: The number of unread messages shown on your Home Screen reflects the number of unread messages in your Primary category.

    To show your total number of unread messages in all categories, go to Settings > Notifications > Mail > Customize Notifications, then turn on All Unread Messages.

Preview a Primary message and a list of options

To see what a Primary message is about without opening it completely, preview it.

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.

    In the Primary message list, touch and hold a message to preview its contents and see a list of options for replying, moving it, and more.

Show a longer preview for every email

By default, Mail shows two lines of text for each email message in your inbox.

Without opening the message, you can choose to see more lines of text.

  1. Open Settings, tap Apps, tap Mail, tap Preview (below Message List), and choose up to five lines.

Show the whole conversation

  1. Open Settings, tap Apps, tap Mail, and then turn on Organize by Thread.

    Tip: You can also change other settings here—such as Collapse Read Messages or Most Recent Message on Top.

Show To and Cc labels in your Inbox

  1. Open Settings, tap Apps, tap Mail, and turn on Show To/Cc Labels (below Message List).

    You can also view the To/Cc mailbox, which gathers all mail addressed to you.

    To show or hide it, tap the Mailboxes button in the Mail app until you see Mailboxes, tap Edit, then select “To or Cc.”

Add someone to your contacts or make them a VIP

Saving someone to your contacts makes their email messages easy to find again in the future. Or make them a VIP, and any message you receive from them is automatically starred.

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. In a message, tap a person’s name or email address and then do one of the following: Add a new contact: Tap View Contact Card, then tap Create New Contact.

    Fill in any other contact information, then tap the Done button.

  3. Add the email address to an existing contact: Tap View Contact Card and tap Add to Existing Contact.
  4. Select a contact and then tap the Done button.
  5. Add to your VIP list: Tap Add to VIP.

Show or hide contact photos

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. In an inbox, tap the More button at the top of the screen. Select or deselect Show Contact Photos.

Summarize your email

To catch up on a long email thread in seconds, or summarize a complex email, you can get help from Apple Intelligence.

Note: 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.

According to Apple, Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions.

Usage limits may apply.* Go to the Mail app on your iPhone.

Under each email in your inbox, a short summary appears automatically.

  1. Tap an email, then tap Summarize.

    A summary appears at the top of the screen.

    If the message is part of an email thread, the contents of the thread are summarized.

    *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.

  2. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.
Tags: Apple Intelligence, Mail
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How to import contacts on iPhone

by Chris Smith

You can import contacts from a SIM card, vCard, or from a directory. Importing from a SIM card works on GSM models, and a vCard arrives as a .vcf attachment in an email or message. You can also add a contact from a directory, like a GAL, CardDAV, or LDAP directory, right in the Contacts app.

Import contacts from a SIM card (GSM)

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Apps, then tap Contacts.
  3. Tap Import SIM Contacts.

Import contacts from a vCard

Tap a .vcf attachment in an email or message.

Add a contact from a directory

  1. Open the Contacts app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Lists button and tap the GAL, CardDAV, or LDAP directory you want to search.
  3. Enter your search.
  4. Tap the person’s name to save their information to your contacts.
Tag: Contacts
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How to search through all your lists in Reminders on iPhone

by Stacey Butler

In the Reminders app, you can easily search through all your lists for items that contain specific text. You enter what you’re looking for in the search field, and Reminders shows matching items from every list.

Here’s how to search through all your lists in Reminders on iPhone.

Search for items in all your lists

  1. Start the Reminders app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Search button
  3. In the search field, enter a word or phrase.
Tag: Reminders
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How to use Weather widgets on iPhone

by Emily Long

Use Weather widgets to check the forecast and other weather conditions at a glance on your iPhone Home Screen. You can choose from a variety of widget sizes and displays when you add a widget to your Home Screen.

You can change the location a Weather widget displays by searching for a city or choosing one from your list, and you can even add more than one Weather widget to check conditions in different locations. It’s also possible to put Weather widgets on your iPhone Lock Screen.

Quick tip: Add more than one Weather widget to your Home Screen, and you’ll see weather conditions and forecasts in different locations at a glance.

Change the location shown in the Weather widget

On your iPhone Home Screen, you can change the location a Weather widget displays.

  1. Add a widget to your Home Screen.
  2. Touch and hold the Weather widget on your Home Screen.
  3. Tap Edit Weather or Edit Stack.
  4. Tap My Location and then search for a city or tap a location from your list that you want to display.
  5. Tap the screen outside the widget to return to your iPhone Home Screen.

Display conditions at locations significant to you

Weather widgets can display conditions at locations significant to you.

  1. Turn on severe weather notifications when you set up notifications.
  2. Set up a widget stack with Smart Rotate and Widget Suggestions turned on.

You can also put Weather widgets on your iPhone Lock Screen.

Tag: Weather
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How to add formatting, photos, and more in Journal on iPhone

by Kevin Hollington

In the Journal app on iPhone, you can create multimedia journal entries by adding photos, drawings, videos, audio, and more. You can also adjust the color, style, and formatting of the entry text, with options like bold text, italics, bulleted or numbered lists, and block quotes.

All attachments, including photos, drawings, videos, locations, and recordings, can be reordered and placed inline with entry text. Here’s how to add formatting, photos, and more in Journal on iPhone.

Format text

Adjust the color, style, and formatting of the entry text to suit you.

  1. Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
  2. While composing an entry, tap the Format button.
  3. Apply bold text, italics, underline, strikethrough, bulleted or numbered lists, block quote, or font color.

Add a drawing

  1. Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
  2. While composing an entry, tap the Add Drawing button and then start drawing.

Quick tip: To place a drawing inline with text, touch and hold where you want the drawing to go, then choose Insert Drawing.

  1. To see other tools, such as Crayon, Reed Pen, or Watercolor Brush, swipe through the toolbar. Tap the one you want.

Tap any tool a second time to change its qualities, like the thickness or opacity of a stroke.

  1. When you’re finished drawing, tap the Add Drawing button.

You can resize and rearrange inline drawings. To resize, drag the handle on the bottom left. To rearrange, touch and hold the drawing, then drag it to a new location.

Add photos or videos to the grid or inline with text

  1. Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
  2. While composing an entry, do any of the following:
    • Choose photos and videos from your library: Tap the Choose Photo or Video button.
    • Take a new photo or video: Tap the Take Photo or Video button.
  3. To place photos and videos inline with entry text, touch and hold the photo or video and then drag it from the grid to the entry.

Dragging the handle on the frame resizes inline media.

Add a map location

  1. Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
  2. While composing an entry, tap the Locations button.

Adding a location makes the entry visible in Places.

Work with attachments

Photos, drawings, videos, locations, recordings, and State of Mind tiles are all attachments you can reorder, place inline with entry text, and more.

  1. Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
  2. While composing an entry, do any of the following:
    • Place attachments inline with text: Touch and hold the attachment and drag it from the grid to the entry.
    • Move inline attachments to the grid: Touch and hold the attachment, then drag it up to the grid.
    • Resize inline attachments: Drag the handle on the frame.
    • View an attachment in full screen: Tap the thumbnail.
    • Reorder attachments: Touch and hold a thumbnail, then drag it to a different position.
    • Remove an attachment: Tap the Delete button in the top-right corner of the thumbnail.

Record and transcribe audio

In a journal entry, you can record audio and have your words transcribed. It only works in English, though, excluding Singapore and India locales.

  1. Start the Journal app on your iPhone.
  2. While composing an entry, tap the Record Audio button, tap the Record button, and then start speaking.
  3. When you’re done, tap the Stop button.
  4. Tap the audio recording, then tap the Transcription button to review the transcription.
  5. To add the text to the entry, tap the More button and tap Add Transcript to Entry.
Tag: Photos
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