Everything You Should Know About iOS 17

iOS 17 is finally here, and I’ve spent a good deal of time with it over the past couple of weeks. Now that it’s out for the wider public, more and more people will be downloading the update to see what it’s all about. This time around, Apple focused more on making changes to already existing features, although some big additions also make an appearance.

The Phone app gets a facelift

Image: Apple

One of the first things you’ll notice when you update to iOS 17 is Apple’s changes to the Phone app. Not only has the company introduced new Contact Posters—a full-screen system that showcases who is calling—they’ve also added Live Voicemail, which automatically transcribes a voicemail in real-time. This makes it easier than ever to keep up with who is leaving a message, something that avid phone users will probably find extremely handy.

Contact Posters let you customize what appears on other iOS 17 devices when you call, and you can set up Contact Posters for other people. You can think of them as fullscreen business cards, making it easier than ever for folks to tell who’s calling. You can use a picture of yourself, change up the font style, or even use a Memoji instead. Ultimately, they aren’t that useful, but some folks will find them fun to mess around with.

Apple has also redesigned how the Phone app itself looks. When you make a call now, you’ll see many of the buttons have moved locations. They’re all situated at the bottom of the call screen now instead of towards the middle. It’s a change that takes some getting used to, but once you do, it’s a lot easier to navigate, especially on larger iPhones.

Messages improvements

Image: Apple

I’m a big fan of the changes Apple made to Messages. For starters, the way you access Stickers, Emoji, and Images in Messages has changed. The App Drawer is now tucked away in a (+) button which shows up next to the message field. Once you tap the (+), you can scroll through the different apps and options, but when you’re done, you can hide them away, which cleans up the main messaging window.

Another change is how Messages handles autocorrect now. Apple says iOS now learns from what you type, so autocorrect shouldn’t kick in incorrectly as frequently. Another change, though, is it now also showcases which word was autocorrected with an underline, so you can more easily see what was changed. It’ll also add an undo arrow with a popup about the autocorrections, letting you easily change them back if it got something wrong.

Messages also has a new Check-In function, so you can easily keep track of family and friends when going to events. When set up, it works in the background, sending a message to the other end when you reach your destination. It’s very reminiscent of the old Facebook Check-in system, and will definitely bring peace of mind to anyone who goes to events often—especially big families.

You can also now create your own sticker from any photo. Go ahead: Scroll through your photo library, and pick something you think would make a great sticker, whether that be your dog, your friend, or even yourself.

I’m so thankful for iOS 17’s ability to automatically delete SMS verification codes after you use the built-in autofill function. This is great for deleting those emails and messages automatically, especially if you rely on email or text verification codes quite a bit. As someone who can’t stand having a bunch of clutter in my email or text messages, this feature is a huge lifesaver.

“StandBy” for more features

Image: Apple

Of course, the changes in iOS 17 are more than just Messages and Phone apps. Apple also introduced a new level you can toggle within the camera to help ensure your photos and videos are perfectly straight. You can also use it to check the level of other items, like pictures and furniture.

Another notable addition is StandBy mode, which lets you turn your iPhone into a simple smart display, equipped with an alarm clock as well as several widgets and features. It kicks in whenever you plug your iPhone into power and turn it on its side, but, ultimately, this feature will only be useful if you have a setup for it, such as a MagSafe stand. If you like having a ton of information at your fingertips, though, it can be really handy. I’d love to see more features included in Standby. But for now, it’s a solid place to start.

I’m also excited by the new Grocery Lists in Reminders, which automatically shifts different items into their respective categories. As someone who has manually done this in the Notes app over the past few years, this addition is a game-changer for my partner and me. It can even recognize different brands and sort them where they belong.

Apple also made improvements to Shortcuts, allowing you to open apps more easily and trigger actions without as many button presses. The Shortcuts homepage now shows some premade options, and the new layout is a bit more welcoming. I will admit, though, I don’t use Shortcuts much on my iPhone, so I’m not the target audience. However, with the layout being more welcoming, I might have to try them out a bit more.

As with any iOS update, iOS 17 also has some big features that haven’t been released just yet. The biggest example is the new Journal app, which I’m particularly interested in. The Journal app should make it easier to journal on your device without the need for third-party options, and since it’s all happening on your phone, it’s also encrypted and protected, so none of your private information ever leaves your device.

Also keep an eye out for the catch-up arrow in Messages, coming in an iOS update later this year, which quickly jumps you to the start of the messages you haven’t read yet. This is definitely going to prove handy for people who talk to their families and friends in massive group chats.

iOS 17 isn’t a huge upgrade, but it’s well worth the download

Apple hasn’t reinvented the wheel with iOS 17, but it has done a great job of tweaking some of its older features and improving them immensely. StandBy offers a great way to keep up with different information without picking up your phone, and the changes to the Phone and Messages app really help with their overall functionality.

If you’re sporting an iPhone XS or newer, you can download iOS 17 right now. Despite not being the flashiest upgrade, the changes here are still meaningful and represent a continual forward progression for Apple’s ongoing efforts to make iOS one of the best operating systems.

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