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Apple users are urged to change these settings after installing iOS 18.3.
Just days ago, Apple released its newest iOS update to iPhone users, bringing a mix of new features, tweaks and security updates.
While there aren’t any major changes, there are a few settings you might want to adjust to get the most out of your iPhone.
If you haven't yet installed iOS 18.3 on your iPhone, simply go to the Settings menu and then go to General.
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Tap Software Update to install the patch.
Only compatible phones will be able to download the update. Also, keep in mind that the Apple Intelligence features are only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 16 series.
1. Apple Intelligence is now the default
One of the biggest changes to come out of 18.3 is probably that Apple Intelligence is not enabled by default. This means users will instantly have access to AI-powered tools like upgraded Siri, Image Playground, Smart Replies and audio summarisation.
Beforehand, users had to go into the iPhone settings and manually turn this on.
Apple Intelligence has greatly advanced the user experience, offering audio recording summarisations, tidying up photos, and creating Smart Replies to emails.
However, there is a catch to this life-enhancing tool. Apple Intelligence takes up 'about 7GB of storage' and can drain your battery faster.
Thankfully, this change is not permanent and if you’re not a fan or want to save space, you can turn it off.
To do so, go to the iPhone's settings menu, tap the Apple Intelligence & Siri entry, and toggle the switch for Apple Intelligence.
2. Limiting news notifications
Apple Intelligence includes a feature that summarises notifications to highlight key info.
However, it hasn't been perfect.
In December 2024, the BBC reported that one of Apple's news headlines was summarised inaccurately.
The tech giant seemingly took this feedback on board and has temporarily disabled notification summaries for news and entertainment apps while they work on improving the feature.
It's not certain when this feature will return. However, according to online reports, the company will inform users who opted into Apple Intelligence when it’s back. Once they do, these summaries will appear in italicised text to make them easier to distinguish from regular notifications.
3. Camera Control improvements
Following the efforts of iOS 18.2, iOS 18.3 introduces another set of changes to Camera Control.
The iPhone's Visual Intelligence can now 'identify plants and animals' seen through the camera lens, along with objects and restaurants.
If pointed at a poster, flyer or plane ticket, the feature automatically adds the event to your Calendar app - meaning that you don't have to manually add the event info into your calendar.
Unlike Apple Intelligence, you can’t turn these features off, but you can tweak how Camera Control works.
For example, you can modify whether a single or double click of the camera button activates Visual Intelligence.
The rest of the iOS 18.3 update focuses on security patches and bug fixes. If you were hoping for bigger changes, you might have to wait for iOS 18.4, which is rumoured to arrive in April this year.
