Your choice is applied immediately, and you can see the change in the preview window. However, the difference isn't as pronounced as you might expect across every part of iOS. One place you can see it is in the Photos app: Try scrolling up and down through your photo and video library and look at the floating bar at the bottom.

Your Apple phone has some new AI powers with iOS 26 and Visual Intelligence. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By now you should've upgraded to iOS 26 on your iPhone, and the update is a big one. In addition to rolling out an entirely new look (called Liquid Glass), iOS 26 introduces a host of new and upgraded features, from a new battery saving mode to a mobile version of the classic Preview Mac app . Another change ushered in by iOS 26 is the introduction of an expanded Visual Intelligence tool, part of Apple Intelligence.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. If you own an iPhone 16 or an iPhone 17, you'll find different buttons around the sides of your smartphone. Older iPhones have fewer, depending on the model, but all of these buttons are multitaskers: They come with secondary functions as well as primary ones. For example, did you know you can use either of the volume buttons to snap pictures when you're in the Camera app? This can make it easier to capture photos, compared to trying to hit the circular button on screen.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. If you own an iPhone, you're never far away from a major or minor software update. So while iOS 18.4 doesn't introduce as many features as the main iOS 18 release, it does come with a few interesting new tricks. Specifically, there's now the option to open your favorite chat in Messages, right from the lock screen. It might be the group chat with your friends, for example, or the one-to-one conversation you've got going with your partner.

The iOS 15.6 launch comes just a few months before Apple's iOS 16 is set to be released – which typically happens in the fall. The tech giant is adding'automatic verification' with its upcoming iOS 16 that lets users to pass annoying CAPTCHAs CAPTCHAs – that's'completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart' – are these are the tests that ask you to select objects from a group of pictures Users can customize the lock screen by pressing and holding to bring up a selection of widgets, each showing a different photo, and swiping to the one they fancy. With the new lockscreen, notifications have been moved to the bottom of the screen, meaning they no longer cover the entirety of the display. They also now roll in from the bottom of the lock screen, and iPhone users can choose to hide them and look at them later. Information displayed on the lockscreen, such as time and date, also appear behind the subject in a photo rather than in front – meaning display info won't obscure the beloved lockscreen photo of your family member. Another feature that is set for iOS 16 is the ability to bypass the annoying CAPTCHAs that make users prove they are in fact human and not a robot. CAPTCHAs – that's'completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart' – are these are the tests that ask you to select objects from a group of pictures. The tech giant is adding'automatic verification' with its upcoming iOS 16, set to launch this fall, which automatically and privately verifies the device in use and its Apple ID account in the background.

About two weeks ago, we went hands on with an unofficial leaked build of Windows 11. Now, Microsoft has officially released Windows 11 to Windows Insiders, with many brand new features we haven't seen before, including entirely new looks for the gorgeous Settings app, File Explorer, the Notification Center, and more. If you're interested in downloading Windows 11 for yourself, the process is simple: Simply join the Windows Insider program, make sure that your PC meets the Windows 11 compatibility requirements, and then download the Windows Insider beta. In this report, we'll show you what we saw in the official build, and what's really new from the leaked beta. Microsoft has also indicated additional features that will show up under specialized conditions, such as after you reset your PC and start fresh.

If you've been having trouble unlocking your pesky iPhone while wearing a mask, you're not alone. As many of us are wearing facial coverings while out of the house to curb the spread of COVID-19, it's proving difficult to use the Face ID unlocking feature in newer iPhones, like the iPhone 11. Luckily, an upcoming software update from Apple is making it easier to deal with the frustration, though not in the way you might think. Among various bug fixes and improvements, Apple's upcoming iOS 13.5 update includes a minor but important change to the iPhone lock screen. When you pick up a Face ID-capable iPhone, it usually prompts you to show your mug to the front-facing camera to get inside your device.

Google Assistant, Google's omnipresent AI that can switch off connected lightbulbs and give a rundown of the day's events on command, is becoming more … ambient. Today at IFA 2019 in Berlin, the Mountain View company detailed Ambient Mode, a new visual overview that collates info and controls on select Assistant-enabled device lock screens. "With the Google Assistant, we're helping you get things done around the house -- whether your hands are full in the kitchen, you're too tired to get up from the couch after a long day, or you're rushing to get out of the door," wrote director of product Chris Turkstra in a blog post. "With the Assistant now available in more than 30 languages and 80 countries … you have even more ways to get help, whether you're at home or on the go." Whether you're using Google Assistant on a supported smart display, phone, or tablet like the newly announced Lenovo Smart Tab M8 HD, Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab, Nokia 7.2, and Nokia 6.2, Ambient Mode will bubble to the top relevant notifications, reminders, playlists, and settings toggles whenever your device is plugged in and actively charging.

Who wouldn't like to get more done in less time? That's the idea behind Siri Shortcuts, a popular Apple app for iPhone and iPad, and built into the upcoming iOS 13 operating system, out in beta release now with a full upgrade due this fall soon after new iPhones hit in September. As the name suggests, Siri Shortcuts link the voice-controlled personal assistant you already know with time-saving shortcuts for tasks you want to perform. By simply asking for it – or tapping the screen if you're not in a place to freely use your voice – your iPhone or iPad can quickly heed your request. In other words, Siri Shortcuts – previously known as Workflow – fuses small actions to yield big results.

Here's an easy thing you can do right now to improve your digital security hygiene. Pull out your iPhone, open Settings, go into the Siri settings, and turn off Access When Locked. Do it on your iPad while you're at it. Go ahead and do it for your family and friends, too, at holiday functions when you need to deflect personal questions. In the battle of the smart assistants, every tech giant hopes to hook you on its voice-activated helper.