iOS 26: Switch back to the classic Phone App layout
Apple’s redesigned Phone app in iOS 26 introduces a unified view that combines recents, favorite contacts, and search on a single screen. But if you prefer the familiar tabbed interface from iOS 18, you can easily switch back to the classic layout.
The new unified design consolidates recent phone activity into one streamlined view in which your favorite contacts appear at the top for quick access. You can navigate to Contacts, Keypad, and Search through the bottom tab bar, while screens for voicemail and missed calls can be accessed via the three-line icon in the top-right corner.
Switching Back to the Classic View
If you don’t get on with the new look in iOS 26, here’s how to revert to the traditional Phone app layout:
iOS 26: See your full Call History with any iPhone contact
Buried within iOS 26 is a hidden history that lets you see every call you’ve ever exchanged with a specific contact, potentially going back years. You might not know it, but you can access this detailed call history on your iPhone in seconds.
Viewing the new extended history screen can come in handy when you need to recall when you last spoke with someone. It’s also pretty useful when you want to verify a call duration for whatever reason. Here’s how to get there.
Access Extended Call History
[mai mult...]Apple Maps may be Logging Places you visit – how to disable
In iOS 26, Apple Maps has a feature called Visited Places that when enabled automatically logs where you’ve been, with the aim of making it easier to revisit your favorite spots or to share locations with friends. While it can be useful for tracking your travels, you might prefer to keep your location history private.
[mai mult...]iOS 26: Track Emailed Orders in Apple Wallet
In iOS 26, Apple Intelligence makes the Wallet app’s order tracking feature genuinely useful by scanning your email for shipping details.
The ability to track orders in Apple Wallet isn’t new – it’s actually been around since iOS 16. But if you’ve never noticed it before, don’t worry. Most people haven’t used it either.
The feature initially struggled because it relied on merchants to actively support it, but not many bothered. In fact, despite being available for years, order tracking in Apple’s Wallet app remained largely unused. But there’s a decent chance iOS 26 will change all that.
Order Tracking Meets Apple Intelligence
In iOS 26, Apple Intelligence now scans your emails to automatically extract order tracking information. This means virtually any online purchase that generates a confirmation email can now appear in the Wallet app.
The on-device AI identifies shipping details from emails sent by merchants or delivery carriers, then consolidates everything in the Wallet app’s Order Tracking page.
Just note that you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 17, or iPhone Air to access the improved order tracking, since Apple Intelligence isn’t available on older devices.
Enabling Order Tracking in Settings
You can enable the AI-enhanced order tracking feature in the following way:
iOS 26: Screen and Filter Messages from Unknown Senders
In iOS 26, Apple has introduced enhanced message filtering that gives you more control over unwanted texts, separating spam messages from unknown senders into distinct categories. Here’s how to set up and use these new filtering options to keep your Messages app clutter-free.
Enable Message Filtering Settings
Before you can filter messages from unknown senders in iOS 26, you need to enable the filtering options in your Messages settings.
iOS 26: Use Live Translation in Messages
In iOS 26, seamless multilingual conversations in Messages are just a few taps away, thanks to Apple’s new Live Translation feature. When chatting with friends or colleagues who speak different languages, you can now see instant translations without breaking the flow of your conversation.
Live Translation is an Apple Intelligence feature, so you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 model to use it.
Tranlsation works with nine languages including Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified), French, German, Italian, English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain). Your messages appear in both languages on your device, while recipients see everything in their preferred language, provided they are using a device running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe.
To enable automatic translation for a conversation:
[mai mult...]iPhone 17: using the New Dual Capture Video Feature
The iPhone 17 lineup brings a new video feature that lets you record from both the front and rear cameras simultaneously. Dual Capture creates picture-in-picture recordings that should be perfect for reaction videos, tutorials, or any scenario where you want to capture both yourself and the action in front of you.
Dual Capture works across the iPhone 17 series, including the iPhone Air. Here’s how to get up and running with the new feature.
[mai mult...]iPhone 17: Disable Center Stage Camera Auto-Zoom
On the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air, the new 18-megapixel Center Stage front camera features a square sensor that offers more flexibility in framing and composition. Center Stage will also auto-zoom to include everyone in a group selfie, but if you don’t like it, you can turn it off.
The Center Stage camera automatically adjusts its view depending on what’s happening in front of it. If you’re the only person in the shot, it keeps the frame tight for a more personal feel. As others join, the view zooms out to fit everyone in, with no need to adjust it yourself.
This dynamic feature reduces the chance of friends being cropped out in group photos. However, you may find that Center Stage is not zooming adequately for your particular needs, in which case you can disable the auto-zoom feature.
[mai mult...]iOS 26: use AirPods as Microphone when Shooting Video
In iOS 26, you can use AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3 as a wireless microphone with supported camera apps. Think of it as turning your AirPods into a lapel mic – you get professional-quality audio capture as well as the freedom to move around during recording.
Setting Up AirPods as Your Camera Microphone
Using AirPods as a microphone in iOS 26 requires just a few quick steps through Control Center. Make sure your AirPods are connected to your iPhone or iPad before you begin. Note that using AirPods as a camera microphone isn’t available in all countries or regions.