Apple has officially released iOS 26, bringing a ton of exciting new features and a fresh look to your iPhone. But with all these updates comes a slew of new settings that can greatly improve your daily experience—if you know where to find them. Here are 10 iOS 26 settings you should change right now to make the most out of your iPhone!
1. Home Screen Customisation
iOS 26 introduces a new frosted glass look for your app icons. To try it:
- Long press on your home screen to enter edit mode.
- Tap Edit in the upper-left corner and select Customise.
- Choose Clear for a subtle, translucent effect, or stick with Light, Dark, or Automatic modes.
You can also adjust your lock screen clock size by long-pressing the lock screen, tapping Customise, and dragging the clock using the small bar in the bottom right corner. Position it to make your lock screen truly yours.
2. Change Alarm Snooze Duration
The default 9-minute snooze has been a standard for years, but now you can set your own:
- Open the Clock app and tap Alarm.
- Edit an existing alarm or create a new one.
- Set the snooze duration anywhere from 1 to 15 minutes.
Finally, snoozing your alarm can fit your morning routine perfectly.
3. Tone Down Liquid Glass
The new iOS 26 design includes a liquid glass effect that looks stunning but can make text harder to read. Fix it:
- Go to Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size.
- Toggle on Reduce Transparency.
This makes menus like Control Center and the App Library more solid and easier on the eyes.
4. Power Mode: Low Power & Adaptive Power
Your battery settings have had a visual refresh:
- Low Power Mode is still here.
- Adaptive Power is new—it uses AI to optimize performance and battery life by dimming your screen or delaying background tasks when needed.
Go to Settings → Battery to enable it and stretch your battery further without sacrificing performance.
5. Keep Music in Headphones
Tired of your music switching from AirPods to your car or speakers unexpectedly?
- Go to Settings → General → AirPlay & Continuity.
- Toggle Keep Audio with Headphones.
Your iPhone will now prioritize staying connected to your headphones unless you manually switch devices.
6. New Screen Capture Options
iOS 26 gives you more control over screenshots and screen recordings:
- Full Screen Previews: Screenshots appear full-screen for quick editing.
- Automatic Visual Lookup: Your phone can detect useful info in screenshots.
- CarPlay Screenshots: Capture CarPlay or disable it to avoid clutter.
- HDR vs SDR: Choose between high detail and storage-friendly options.
Find these in Settings → General → Screen Capture.
7. Screen Incoming Calls & Call Filtering
Handling unknown callers is smarter now:
- Go to Settings → Apps → Phone.
- Screen Incoming Calls lets your iPhone screen unknown numbers automatically.
- Call Filtering sends unknown calls and voicemails to a dedicated list.
- Detect Call Waiting alerts you when a real person comes on the line.
This drastically reduces spam calls and gives you control over who reaches you.
8. Blocked Contacts Made Simple
No more hunting through multiple apps to manage blocked numbers.
- Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Blocked Contacts.
- View all blocked contacts in one place, unblock, or add new ones manually.
Everything is now centralized, saving time and hassle.
9. CarPlay Widgets
iOS 26 finally brings widgets to CarPlay. Swipe left from the split-screen view to see them.
- Go to Settings → General → CarPlay → My Car → Widgets to customize.
- Rearrange stacks, add new widgets, or remove ones you don’t use.
You can even control apps like a coffee machine remotely—right from your car’s display!
10. Lens Cleaning Hints
Keep your photos crisp with Lens Cleaning Hints:
- Go to Settings → Camera.
- Toggle Lens Cleaning Hints.
Your iPhone will now notify you when your camera lenses may need cleaning, perfect for keeping your shots clear and sharp.
In Conclusion
iOS 26 brings some subtle changes and some game-changing features. From home screen customisation to adaptive power and smarter call handling, these settings can make your iPhone more personal, efficient, and fun to use.
Have you tried any of these settings yet? Some of them can dramatically improve your daily iPhone experience—don’t wait, go explore!