🕵️ Watch out for the AI scam surge: Phony apps are multiplying like gremlins. Triple on iOS, six-fold on Android. They mimic legit apps, steal logins, fake traffic and drown stores in bot-written reviews. Using AI, anyone with Wi-Fi and bad intentions can cook up a scam app. PSA: Only download apps that you really need and know come from a legit source.
Over 500 million
That’s how many images have already been edited with Nano Banana. The AI tool is part of Google’s Gemini, which is the #1 iPhone app in the U.S. App Store. The hook? It keeps character likeness and lets you mash multiple pics together, like putting your face into a suit. Try it now on iOS and Android. You can generate or edit up to 100 images per day.
🍏 Change app icons on iOS 26: Long-press an empty spot on your Home Screen, tap Edit in the top left and hit Customize. At the bottom, choose Dark, Clear or Tinted icons. You can also switch between small and large icons by tapping the two-square button in the top right of the same menu.
Blur your lock screen: Don’t want your full wallpaper showing when your iPhone’s locked? In iOS 26, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display. Toggle on Show Wallpaper and Blur Wallpaper Photo. Your wallpaper stays sharp when unlocked but blurs on the lock screen for extra privacy.
Try callback reminders: In iOS 26, you can finally remind yourself to return missed calls. Open the Phone app, tap Recents, then switch to Missed. Swipe left on a call and tap the little blue clock icon. Choose a reminder like “in 1 hour” or “tonight,” and never forget to call back again.
🌐 iPhone Safari shortcuts: iOS 26 made opening tabs a bit clunkier, but there’s a faster way. Normally you’d tap the ellipsis in the bottom right, then choose New Tab or All Tabs. Instead, swipe left on the address bar to open a new tab, or swipe up (or double-tap the ellipsis) to view all tabs.
🔗 Find links in Messages: Can’t find that link someone texted you? In iOS 26, open their chat, tap their name at the top, and choose the Links option. You’ll see every link they’ve shared with you. Tap one to open it, or long-press and select Show in Conversation to jump to where it was sent.
📂 Choose default apps on iOS 26: Got multiple apps that can open the same file? Long-press it, tap Open With and pick your favorite (say Chrome instead of Preview). Want that app every time? Long-press again, tap Get Info, select Always Open With, choose your app and hit the blue tick in the top right.
🦆 Ducking autocorrect: Nothing’s worse than your phone “fixing” words you meant to type. On iOS, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement to add your own. On Android, go to Settings > System > Keyboard > Personal dictionary. Or just type the word, tap it in the suggestions bar, and teach your phone who’s boss.
Ears the catch: Apple’s new Live Translation feature is finally coming to older AirPods (yay!), but there’s a catch. It only works if you also have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer. So unless you’ve got a $1K+ phone and the right earbuds and iOS 26, it’s back to Google Translate and hand gestures. Or get the new AirPod 3s. The heart sensing and live translation is so good.
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🍏 Stop iPhone from switching audio: Ever had your AirPods cut out because your iPhone jumped to your car’s Bluetooth or a speaker? iOS 26 has a fix. Go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity and toggle on Keep Audio with Headphones. Lovely.
📱 Switch layouts in Phone app: In iOS 26, the Phone app looks a little different. Tap the Filter button (three lines) in the top-right corner and choose between the Classic layout or the new Unified view. Unified puts your recent calls, voicemails and contacts on a single screen so everything’s together.
📱 iOS 26: Go to Settings > Battery and you’ll see new tricks. When charging, your iPhone now shows how long it’ll take to hit 80% and 100%. Scroll down to Power Mode and try Adaptive Power. Instead of Low Power Mode, it automatically makes small performance tweaks during heavy use to stretch battery life.
📱 iOS 26: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers. You’ll see two options: Silence, which has always been there, or the new Ask Reason for Calling. With it on, your iPhone will auto-answer unknown numbers, ask the caller to state their name and reason, then ring your phone with that info so you can decide whether to pick up. The best.
📱 iOS 26: Screenshots work differently now. First, go to Settings > General > Screen Capture and toggle on Full-Screen Previews. When you take a screenshot with Side + Volume Up, you enter full-screen edit mode. Crop the image, use the markup tool at the top to draw or write, then tap the Tick button to Save.
📱 iOS 26: The Camera app’s been fully redesigned. At the bottom, everything revolves around two main buttons: Video and Photo. Swipe left from Video for capture modes like Slo-Mo, or right from Photo for modes like Portrait. Once you’ve picked a mode, swipe up for options like Flash and other controls.
📱 iOS 26: The new Photos app can turn a regular 2D picture into one with a 3D effect. Open a photo, tap the Spatial button under the ellipses icon, then hit Share > Use as Wallpaper. Tap the Spatial button again. Now when you lock and wake your phone, your wallpaper will pop with a 3D effect. Super cool.
📱 iOS 26: iPhones got a visual overhaul with liquid glass. Search bars now sit at the bottom in apps like Messages, Mail and Photos, while ellipses menus return in the top right with floating options. Not a fan of the see-through look? Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce Transparency.
📱 Apple ups privacy: Websites can still track you by stitching together your IP, device info and time zone into a “fingerprint.” No opt-out. iOS 26 (out tomorrow) will auto-block that in Safari. Add in spam call screening and link-tracking protection, and Apple’s getting a privacy facelift.
📱 Check your iPhone: Apple is days away from rolling out iOS 26, so make sure your device makes the cut. If you’ve got an iPhone 11 or newer (or a second-gen iPhone SE), you’re good to go. Not sure which model you own? Go to Settings > General > About > Model Name.