iOS 17

The latest iOS version

iOS 17 is the latest version of iOS, released on September 18, 2023. It was a smaller update, but there are still plenty of awesome features you can check out.

Top iOS 17 features

  • Contact Posters are a redesigned screen that shows up when you call someone. It’s really easy to set up if you’ve customized your Lock Screen before.
  • NameDrop is an easier way to give someone your contact information — just touch the top of your phones together.
  • Standby activates when your phone is charging and sitting horizontally. Your phone can be used like a smart display that you can set up on your night stand or desk.
  • When you get an incoming phone call, you can send it to voicemail and see a live transcription. At any point, you can choose to answer and take the call if it turns out to be important.
  • You can create a shared folder of passwords for friends and family, so you don’t have to keep texting someone the new Netflix password.

New emoji in 2024

Update to iOS 17.4 to get the new emoji. The new emoji include a face shaking up and down, a face shaking left and right, a phoenix, a lime, a brown mushroom, a broken link, updated family icons and a set of people icons that are now facing right instead of left.

iOS 17.4 was released on March 5, 2024. Other features in this update include alternate app marketplaces and browser engines in the EU, podcast transcriptions and updated security in iMessage.

iOS 17 supported devices

iOS 17 runs on the iPhone XS and newer, dropping support for the iPhone X and iPhone 8.

  • iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone SE (3rd generation)
  • iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation)
  • iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone XS and XS Max

iOS 17 Jailbreak

Jailbreaking an iPhone has gotten harder every year. The only jailbreak exploit for iOS 17 is known as palera1n, which only works on iOS devices with an A11 chip and older.

Unfortunately, Apple dropped support in iOS 17 for all iPhones with an A11 chip, the iPhone X and iPhone 8. As such, you can only jailbreak iOS 17 on the basic iPad (6th generation) and iPad (7th generation).

When does iOS 18 come out?

Based on previous releases, the next version of iOS will most likely be announced in the first week of June at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, WWDC24. That same day, it is due to be available in beta testing for app developers. Likely in July, a public beta will be available for those who want to try out the features early.

iOS 18 will undoubtedly be released to everyone in September.

M3 MacBook Air benchmarks sound amazing, but what’s next? [The CultCast]

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M3 MacBook Air promo image with The CultCast logo (episode 637).
These new MacBook Airs sound like absolute screamers.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Surprise! Apple drops new MacBook Airs with M3 chips inside. The new laptops’ specs and first benchmarks make the performance boost sound quite impressive indeed. But what should we expect next for the MacBook, and when should we expect it?

Join us for a titillating conversation about the current state (and future) of Apple’s laptops.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple launched the M3 MacBook Airs with amazing specs, but nothing but a press release. Sounds like it’s about to do the same with new iPads. There’s a lot to look forward to if you’re a fan of Apple tablets.
  • An inside look at the canceled Apple car project offers fascinating details about crazy prototypes, dashed dreams and crushing indecision.
  • How cool would a MacBook with a folding 20-inch screen be?
  • The European Union demands a cool 1.8 billion euros from Apple over its dealings with Spotify. Sounds like a shakedown!
  • iOS 17.4 brings some useful new features to your iPhone, and Griffin tells us all about the best ones.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

How to autofill passwords, email addresses and more on iPhone

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Instantly Autofill Anywhere
No more futzing around, looking up a password or email to copy and paste.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

AutoFill on iPhone is supposed to help you out when you’re entering a password or typing in your email. When it doesn’t work, it can be incredibly frustrating — especially if you don’t know some complicated password offhand. The phone’s supposed to remember it so you don’t have to!

Now, in iOS 17, AutoFill has been put on steroids. The new AutoFill is much more expansive than the old, and unlike previous versions, works anywhere you can input text, including third-party browsers. To autofill passwords, credit cards, contacts and more, you no longer have to dig through Settings > Passwords or through the Contacts app to pull out the information.

You can even autofill scanned text from documents, signs and more using the camera. Here’s how it’s done.

How to read auto-generated transcripts in Apple Podcasts

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Apple Podcasts transcripts
Every episode on Apple Podcasts now has a written transcript, ready for you to read.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It just became a lot easier to read along with a podcast, or pull an interesting quote out of one. The Apple Podcasts app now automatically generates transcripts for series and episodes.

Here’s how to find and read these transcripts in the iPhone Podcasts app.

Try these exciting iOS 17.4 features on your iPhone now

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iOS 17.4 release notes
iOS 17.4 is here with several major changes and features.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple just dropped iOS 17.4, bringing a plethora of new features — some of which fundamentally change how the iPhone works.

The biggest point update to iOS 17, iOS 17.4 comes almost six months after the operating system’s initial release. It enables support for third-party app stores, browsers and payment apps on the iPhone. The bummer? These major changes are only coming to the European Union. Still, there are a lot of new iOS 17.4 features that will enhance the experience of every iPhone user.

How to make a shared, collaborative Apple Music Playlist

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Playlists With Your Friends
Come together.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A hot new feature in iOS 17.3 is Apple Music playlist collaboration. In advance of a party, road trip or any kind of themed event, you and others organizing the music can build a playlist together.

This isn’t to be confused with a similar feature, SharePlay, which lets people in the same room add songs to a live queue. SharePlay is more ephemeral; it lets others nearby play songs in the car or to a Bluetooth speaker without passing around your unlocked phone.

A shared Apple Music playlist is saved and can be replayed at any time. To find out everything you need to know about Apple Music playlist collaboration, keep reading or watch our quick how-to video

iOS 17.4 beta 4: All the new features and changes

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iOS 17.4 logo
iOS 17.4 beta 4 surprisingly packs some major changes.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple recently seeded the fourth beta of iOS 17.4. Despite this late into the beta cycle, iOS 17.4 beta 4 packs several notable changes.

Below are all the changes we have come across in the latest iOS 17.4 beta along with an archive of all the changes in the previous beta builds.

Shopping online with Apple Cash is about to get a whole lot easier

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Shopping online with Apple Cash is about to get a whole lot easier
Apple Wallet will soon be able to turn Apple Cash into a virtual debit card.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple Cash will soon give shoppers everything they need to make purchases online. Starting with iOS 17.4, a debit card number can be created for the financial service, along with the usual associated details.

This will be a boon for those who depend on the digital payment system, especially teenagers.

Vision Pro reviews: The good, the bad, the ugly, the insane! [The CultCast]

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Apple Vision Pro reviews on The CultCast episode 632. In the image, a man wears one of the new headsets.
The reviews are in!
Photo: Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: A new round of Apple Vision Pro reviews gives us greater insight into what to expect from the high-priced headset. Is it utterly mind-blowing? Clunky and weird? So addictive that we’re doomed to a flat life in the boring 2D world when we take it off?

Sounds like all of the above!

Also on The CultCast:

  • A rundown of new features coming soon to iOS 17.
  • A respected analyst says iPhone can’t compete without these two key features … but at least one of them is nowhere in sight!
  • Is that an unreleased iPad in a Vision Pro cover story?
  • We’re giving away two rugged and waterproof Apple Watch bands from Lululook for all you sporty types.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

First iOS 17.4 beta brings new emoji plus huge changes for EU

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iOS 17.4 logo
iOS 17.4 will bring changes, but you'll have to live in Europe to get most of them.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 17.4 to developers Thursday, offering a first look at new emoji coming soon to iPhone. For Europeans, the update will be a major one, as it will allow users to sideload apps (among other big changes).

Also on Thursday came the initial betas of iPadOS 17.4 and tvOS 17.4. There’s no sign yet of macOS 14.4 beta 1, however.

Apple opens iPhone tap-to-pay to third parties in EU

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Hold Near Reader payment sheet for third-party NFC tap-to-pay implementation on iPhone in the EU.
Soon, third-party developers can offer tap-to-pay options utilizing the iPhone's NFC chip ... but only in the European Union.
Image: Cult of Mac

To comply with EU mandates, Apple will open the iPhone’s NFC payment chip to third parties, the company said Thursday. Starting in March, users in the European Economic Area will be able to utilize tap-to-pay services other than Apple Pay when making purchases.

The new payment option, part of sweeping changes forced on the iPhone and iOS by the EU’s Digital Markets Act, could cut into Apple’s services revenue. And the company warns that it could put users at risk.

How and why to use iPhone Stolen Device Protection

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How and why to use iPhone Stolen Device Protection
Activate Stolen Device Protection to make your iPhone less valuable to criminals.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhone Stolen Device Protection offers increased safety for your accounts and financial information if someone steals your handset and its passcode.

Here’s how to activate the security feature that just debuted in iOS 17.3, and — more importantly — why you should do it now.

What to try first in iOS 17.3

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iOS 17.3
iOS 17.3 introduces a major new security feature for iPhones.
Image: Cult of Mac

iOS 17.3, the third major release of iOS 17, arrived Monday. It packs several new features, one of which is Stolen Device Protection. It also brings the much-delayed Apple Music playlist collaboration.

Once you install iOS 17.3 on your iPhone, check out the new features you must try below.

How to tweak your iPhone’s Home Screen

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Edit Your Home Screen
It's easy to customize your iPhone's look by adding widgets and removing app icons you don’t want to see.
Image: Kristin Hardwick/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Your iPhone doesn’t need to look like it came from 2012. You can easily swap out wallpapers and/or customize iPhone Home Screen layouts by adding widgets and folders (and by hiding unwanted apps from your view).

This guide will help set up your iPhone screen so it looks exactly how you want it to.

How to leave a FaceTime voicemail

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Leave A Message After The Beep
More like “videomail” or “videomessage.”
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can send a FaceTime voicemail to someone if they don’t answer when you need to video chat. It’s better than leaving a regular voicemail, because it’s video — you can relay a message quickly or show something off on camera.

For instance, if your dog or your human child is doing something cute, or if you want to get a second opinion on an outfit, you might want to show someone. If they don’t answer your FaceTime call, you can record a video to send them to watch later.

Here’s how FaceTime voicemail works.

How to set up your new iPhone the right way

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Set Up Your New iPhone: We can get your new iPhone set up easily — no need to phone it in.
We can get your new iPhone set up easily — no need to phone it in.
Image: Apple

How do you set up your new iPhone the fastest way possible? The iPhone setup process gets easier every year. So easy, in fact, that there are only a few things you need to do to move from your old iPhone to a new one. You can even directly transfer your data from an Android phone. Setting up a new iPhone from scratch isn’t much harder — you just have a few extra steps you need to go through.

There are still a few tricks that will help things run smoothly, though.  Let’s see how to set up your new iPhone the right way.

iOS and macOS updates delete mystery bugs

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iOS 17.2.1 fixes mystery iPhone bugs
Take a couple minutes and install iOS 17.2.1. Your iPhone will be free of some bugs.
Image: Cult of Mac

iPhone users can now install iOS 17.2.1. And macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 is out as well. These are minor bug fix updates, though. The changes are so small Apple didn’t bother to describe them.

These are the only updates introduced Tuesday. There’s no iPadOS version, nor one for Apple Watch. And no new betas, either.

Hands-on with the 10 best new features in iOS 17.2

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iOS 17 promotion artwork with a sticky note that says
A bunch of new features are coming in this big update to Apple’s latest.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

iOS 17 brought dozens of great features and changes, but the latest 17.2 update adds even more.

The headline feature is the new Journal app — other new tweaks come to iMessage stickers, NameDrop and Apple Music. If you have a new iPhone 15 Pro, you can record Spatial Videos and use the Translate app directly from the Action button. You can also customize more notification sounds and StandBy.

Here are the ten best features in 17.2.

iOS 17.3 beta 1: All the features and changes

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Stolen Device Protection in iOS 17.3 beta
Your iPhone can better protect itself from data thieves with a new iOS 17.3 feature.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The first beta of iOS 17.3 is now available. It comes a couple of days after Apple released the stable iOS 17.2 update with plenty of new features to the public.

iOS 17.3 beta 1 does not pack many changes but brings an important new security feature to iPhones. Below are all the changes we have spotted in iOS 17.3 beta 1.

How to switch back to the old notification sounds on iPhone [Updated]

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Did You Hear That?
Yes, the sounds in iOS 17 are a bit different. Here's how to get the old sounds back.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

In iOS 17, many of the default sounds for notifications, alarms and timers have been changed — but how do you get back the old sounds if you don’t like the new ones?

A lot of people get deeply attached to the sound effects. If you want the old noises back, you can change (most of them) back manually. I’ll show you how.

Update: The new iOS 17.2 makes a nice change to alerts in third-party apps. Read on for more details.

How to use grocery lists in Reminders on iPhone

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Faster Shopping
Find your way around the store faster by converting your Reminders list into a grocery list.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

In iOS 17, you can use Apple’s Reminders as a grocery list app on your iPhone — and items you add are automatically sorted into common sections.

This proves incredibly helpful when you go shopping. Just open the Reminders app, and you can easily see if you’ve got everything you need as you’re making your way through the store.

I’ll show you how to use it, including how to share your Reminders app grocery list with someone else so you can both add items and check them off the same list.

How Apple plans to ramp up iOS security for stolen iPhones

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Stolen Device Protection in iOS 17.3 beta
Your iPhone can better protect itself from data thieves with a new iOS 17.3 feature.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The just-released iOS 17.3 beta 1 includes a surprise feature: Stolen Device Protection. The option makes it harder to reset the passcode on a stolen device if the thief already knows the current passcode. There are also new password protections.

Apple also seeded the initial betas of macOS 14.3, iPadOS 17.3, watchOS 10.3 and tvOS 17.3.

How to start journaling with the new iPhone Journal app

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Scrapbooking on your iPhone
Journal lets you build a scrapbook or a diary on your iPhone.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A diary can be a great and invaluable record of your life, but who has time for that? Well, now you do: Apple’s new iPhone Journal app makes keeping a diary a breeze. Really, it couldn’t be any easier.

The new Apple Journal app released in iOS 17.2 lets you build a record of your life into a multimedia digital diary. Your iPhone will pull together details from your photos, locations and events to give you prompts for memories worth writing about.

Here’s the nitty gritty on using the new Journal app.

Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch get new features in OS upgrades

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MacBook, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Apple Watch, HomePod
All these have new operating system updates ... and most of them include new features.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

If you own an Apple computer of any shape or size, odds are it just got an operating system upgrade. Monday brought the public launch of macOS Sonoma 14.2, iPadOS 17.2, iOS 17.2, watchOS 10.2 and tvOS 17.2.

And these aren’t simple bug fixes. There’s new features.

iOS 17.2 brings these amazing new features to your iPhone

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Apple Journal on iPhone 15
Apple's Journal application arrives in iOS 17.2.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Nearly two months after iOS 17‘s release, Apple released the iPhone operating system’s second major point build Monday. iOS 17.2 introduces several new features and changes, with many that Apple first demoed at WWDC23 in June.

iOS 17.2’s marquee feature is Apple’s new Journal app, though it enhances several other aspects of the OS. Find out everything new in iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 below.

iOS 17.2 will bring NameDrop-like sharing for passes

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The new iOS 17 AirPlay feature called NameDrop will help you easily share your contact info and more.
Apple builds on NameDrop in iOS 17.2 to deliver an even better way to share passes.
Photo: Apple

iOS 17.2 will introduce a new way for sharing boarding passes, tickets and other passes stored in the Wallet app.

Like NameDrop, the iOS feature that lets owners easily share contact info, the new way to share passes will require bringing your iPhone close to the top of another iPhone with the Wallet app open.