Add Custom Backgrounds to Messages in iOS 26

Apple’s iOS 26 finally brings custom conversation backgrounds to the Messages app, letting you personalize your chats with photos, colors, or images generated by Image Playground. Third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp have offered this kind of feature for years, so finally iPhone owners can now also add their own visual flair to text conversations in Apple’s stock messaging app.

Custom backgrounds can help you organize conversations at a glance and add a personal touch to your most important chats. You might choose a sunset photo for family group chats, a solid color for work messages, or a fun AI-generated image for conversations with friends. Just note that when you change the background, everyone in the conversation will also see it.

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Automate iPhone low power mode based on Battery Level

If your iPhone regularly runs out of battery later in the day, Low Power Mode is one way to make it last longer. You can also make Low Power Mode automatically turn on when your battery reaches a certain custom level. Keep reading to learn how.

Most iPhone users are familiar with the way iOS throws up a prompt to turn on Low Power Mode when the battery reaches 20%. Low Power Mode can also be turned on manually at any time by going to Settings -> Battery and toggling on the switch next to Low Power Mode.

If you find yourself constantly having to turn on Low Power Mode late in the day, you can save some time by setting it up to run automatically when your battery is depleted to a specific custom level. This can be done in the Shortcuts app, as the following steps show.

Bear in mind that Low Power Mode reduces your iPhone’s performance and cuts out some background activities. For example, mail must be fetched manually, background app refresh is disabled, and motion and brightness are reduced. If you’re okay with those limitations, follow the steps below to automate the setting on your iPhone.

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Use Apple watch backtrack to retrace your steps

On Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Series 6 and later models running watchOS 9 and newer, you can use the Compass app’s Backtrack feature to track your route and then help you retrace your steps in case you get lost.

Backtrack uses the GPS on your Apple Watch to create a virtual breadcrumb trail of your route so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of where you’re going. According to Apple, Backtrack is designed to be used in remote settings, away from familiar places like your home or workplace, and outside densely populated areas without Wi-Fi, but there’s nothing stopping you from using it anywhere you need it.

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Use your iPhone as a Microphone for your Mac

When Apple released macOS Ventura in October 2022, it introduced a new take on its Continuity Camera feature by letting users use their iPhone’s camera as a webcam for their Mac. Continuity Camera works wirelessly or wired in FaceTime, Zoom, and other apps, and delivers video directly from a user’s nearby ‌iPhone‌ camera, which has significantly better quality than the built-in camera on Macs.

Another function of Continuity Camera is the ability to use a nearby iPhone as the microphone input for your Mac. As long as the iPhone is running iOS 16 or later and signed into the same Apple Account, you can speak into it and the audio will be seamlessly delivered to your Mac, sans video.

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Get creative with Sound by Layering Tracks in voice memos

On iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the Voice Memos app includes a recording feature that lets you record a second audio layer – like vocals, narration, or an extra instrument – over an existing memo, all without needing headphones. Keep reading to learn how it’s done.

Thanks to the A18 Pro chip’s advanced audio processing, iPhone 16 Pro models can play an original Voice Memo recording through the speakers while simultaneously isolating and capturing new audio cleanly. Whether you’re capturing a quick harmony, adding context to a saved memo, or simply experimenting with sound, layering recordings like this offers a seamless way to capture richer ideas.

Once finished, layered recordings can be edited, separated, and fine-tuned directly on the iPhone or easily transferred to apps like Logic Pro for more advanced mixing. For musicians, podcasters, or anyone who regularly records voice notes, it’s a bit like having a mini studio setup right in your pocket. Here’s how to make your first layered recording.

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Open your favorite Messages chat from your iPhone Lock Screen

In iOS 18.4, Apple added a new Shortcuts action to open a specific conversation in the Messages app. This means it’s now possible to open a chat thread with someone important to you straight from your Lock Screen, for example. Keep reading to learn more.

If you’d like to reduce the time it takes to chat with a frequently contacted person, this new shortcut action is for you. Placing a shortcut on your Lock Screen to a spouse or family member’s chat thread allows you to contact them without navigating through the app, making it perfect for quick updates, urgent communications, or daily check-ins.

The feature also streamlines interactions by minimizing distractions, since it lets you bypass the Messages interface, so you won’t be tempted to engage with other messages or notifications. It could be handy in situations where rapid access matters, such as emergencies or business communications. The following steps show you how it’s done.

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How to find your Apple TV Siri remote using your iPhone

In iOS 17 and tvOS 17 and later, Apple includes a feature that lets Apple TV users locate a misplaced Siri Remote using their iPhone.

Prior to the launch of the latest ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, there were rumors that Apple would build ‌Find My‌ functionality into the ‌Siri‌ Remote. That didn’t happen. Instead, Apple introduced a new iPhone option that does essentially the same thing.

If a ‌Siri‌ Remote becomes lost, the ‌Apple TV‌ remote control available in the Control Center on an ‌iPhone‌ can be used to locate the missing remote. When enabled, users will see a Find My-like interface on their iPhone that guides them toward the remote, with an onscreen circle that changes in size to guide movement in the right direction.

Note that Find My for the ‌Siri‌ Remote is available on the second and third-generation ‌Siri‌ Remotes, and the feature is limited to the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K models released in 2021 and 2022 with updated firmware.

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