6 Hidden iOS 27 Settings and Features You Should Know About
iOS 27 is packed with massive updates. Some of the best new tricks are actually buried deep in the settings. From seamless bill splitting to supercharged Wi-Fi, there are plenty of gems to uncover. Let's dive in.
Split the bill right in Messages
When you are out at a restaurant, you can easily split the bill with friends directly in a group chat. The Apple Cash feature now handles the math for you.
Here is how to try it
- Open a conversation and tap Apple Cash.
- Select the Split Bill option.
- Point your camera at the receipt to take a picture.
- Choose Pay Your Share to select your specific items, or select Split Evenly.
Pro tip: This works perfectly in group chats. You can select exactly which items are yours. The app even calculates the tip for you.
Smarter phone calls with on-screen context
Your phone screen now provides helpful context when you are on a call. If it is your friend's birthday, you will see a festive banner with fireworks right on the call screen.
It gets even better when calling hotels or airlines. If you have a reservation, your confirmation number appears right on the screen.
Give it a spin
- Call an airline or hotel you have a booking with.
- Look at the on-screen card displaying your reservation number.
- Tap the message icon button next to the number. Siri will read the confirmation aloud to the agent.
A massive upgrade for Shared Albums
Shared photo albums finally support full-resolution images. Plus, you can now share albums with friends on Android or Windows. Non-Apple users can interact with the photos without needing an iCloud account.
How it works
- Open an existing album and tap the three dots.
- Select Upgrade Shared Album.
- Go to Sharing Options and choose Anyone with the Link.
- Copy the link and send it to your non-Apple friends.
Pro tip: You can toggle on Make Album Temporary. After 30 days, the shared album automatically expires and clears out for everyone.
Temporarily hide your location in Find My
Sometimes you just want a little privacy without permanently turning off your location sharing. The Find My app now lets you hide your location temporarily.
Here is how to use it
- Open the People tab in the Find My app.
- Tap the three dots next to a friend's name.
- Select Hide Location. Your location will stop sharing until 4:00 AM the next day.
Pro tip: Hiding your location will not notify the other person. They simply will not see your updated whereabouts until the time expires or you unhide it.
Never drop a call due to weak Wi-Fi
We all know the frustration of leaving the house and having a call drop. Your phone tries clinging to a weak Wi-Fi signal instead of switching to cellular. A new toggle fixes this entirely.
How to set it up
- Open the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi.
- Scroll down and toggle on Connectivity Assist.
What this unlocks for you
- Seamlessly transition from Wi-Fi to cellular data when leaving home.
- Prevent FaceTime calls from dropping or freezing when you walk out your front door.
- Use both connections simultaneously when your Wi-Fi signal drops.
Spot AI-generated images with Siri
It is getting harder to tell what is real and what is fake online. Thankfully, Siri can now scan images on your screen and tell you if they are AI-generated.
Give it a test
- Open an image you are suspicious of.
- Activate Siri and ask, "Does this look AI generated?"
- Siri will read the visual cues and give you a detailed breakdown of artificial inconsistencies.
A few more things
iOS 27 includes a few other handy additions worth checking out.
- Apple Maps trip planning: Tap Plan on a location to get directions starting from a completely different origin point. This is perfect for planning a route from an airport you have not flown into yet.
- Mail snooze: Move emails directly out of your inbox and into a Remind Me folder. You can set them to reappear tonight or tomorrow.
- Apple Card recurring charges: View a dedicated calendar in your Apple Wallet. It highlights exactly when all your subscriptions will hit your account.
- Automatic password fixes: The Passwords app can now automatically update weak or compromised passwords for you in the background.
Go explore
These hidden features make a massive difference in how you use your iPhone every day. Take a few minutes to toggle on Connectivity Assist and upgrade those shared albums. You will wonder how you ever lived without them.
