I’ve been using iOS 27 since it launched, and there are quite a few settings I think you should check after updating your iPhone. Some are completely new, while others have been improved with Apple’s latest software.

From Siri AI and Live Translation to smarter Safari tools, expanded parental controls, and new camera options, these settings can help you get more out of your iPhone. If you’re setting up an iPhone 18 Pro, or planning to get the new iPhone Duo, here are the settings I recommend checking first after updating to iOS 27.

1. Turn on Siri AI

Apple has introduced a new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Siri AI can understand more natural requests, use personal context, understand what’s on your screen, and perform actions across apps.

For example, instead of giving Siri a simple command, you can ask it to find information buried in your apps, draft an email, or help you work with content on your iPhone.

Siri AI is available in beta on supported Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones and is currently rolling out in English. Availability varies by language and region.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Select Try Siri AI (Beta).
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Apple says Siri AI is available on iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 models and later, including iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Duo.

2. Customize Siri’s new voice

iOS 27 also gives Siri AI a more expressive voice experience on supported models.

If you’re using an iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Air, or supported iPhone 17 Pro models, you can adjust Siri’s voice, pace, and expressivity.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Tap Voice.
4. Choose a voice.
5. Adjust the Pace and Expressivity slider.
   

If Siri sounds too robotic or too slow for you, this is worth checking.

3. Enable Live Translation in Messages

Live Translation is one of the most useful iOS 27 features if you regularly communicate with people who speak another language. It works in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime, translating conversations in real time. Apple says the feature runs entirely on-device, although availability varies by language and region.

Use Live Translation in Messages

1. Open the Messages app and tap the conversation you want to translate.
2. Tap the person’s name at the top of the screen.
3. Turn on Automatically Translate.
4. If iPhone doesn’t automatically detect the language, tap Choose Language.
5. Select the language you want to translate.
6. Return to the conversation and start typing. Your message will be translated as you type.
   

When you send it, the recipient receives both the translated message and your original message. Messages you receive are also translated into your preferred language.

Live Translation in Phone calls

You can also use Live Translation during a phone call.

1. Start a call in the Phone app.
2. During the call, tap More.
3. Tap Live Translation.
4. Choose the language if it isn’t already selected.
5. Tap Start Translation.
6. Both people will hear spoken translations, and you can also read an on-screen transcription.
   

4. Turn on Call Screening

If unknown callers constantly interrupt me, Call Screening is one of the first Phone settings I’d enable.

With Call Screening, iPhone can ask an unknown caller for their name and reason for calling before I decide whether to answer.

How to set it up

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps and select Phone.
3. Scroll to the Screen Unknown Callers section, then choose your preferred option. I have selected Ask Reason for Calling.
4. You can also toggle on Unknown Callers.
   

This is particularly useful if you receive lots of calls from numbers you don’t recognize.

5. Turn on Adaptive Power

Adaptive Power is designed to extend battery life by learning how I use my iPhone and automatically adjusting on days when my usage is higher.

Apple introduced Adaptive Power with iOS 26, and it remains relevant for compatible devices in the current iOS generation. Apple says it learns typical battery usage and adjusts the system to help extend battery life.

To enable it, go to Settings → Battery → Power Mode, then toggle on Adaptive Power.

If battery life matters more to you than squeezing out every bit of performance, I’d leave this enabled.

6. Tweak the Liquid Glass effect

If you don’t like the transparency of Apple’s Liquid Glass interface, you don’t have to live with the default appearance.

To reduce transparency:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Appearance.
3. Select Liquid Glass.
4. Adjust the slider to make the interface more or less opaque.
   

I particularly recommend this if transparent menus or backgrounds make text harder to read.

7. Turn off full-screen screenshot previews

iOS continues to display screenshots as full-screen previews by default.

Personally, I prefer the old temporary thumbnail because I often take several screenshots in quick succession.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Screen Capture.
4. Toggle off Full-Screen Previews.
   

Apple confirms this setting remains available in iOS 27.

8. Set up automatic Tab organization in Safari

If you usually have dozens of Safari tabs open, iOS 27 can now organize them automatically. Safari’s Topics feature groups your open tabs based on their content, such as Technology, News, or Travel, making them easier to find.

1. Open Safari and go to the Tab Switcher.
2. Tap the Filter button at the top.
3. Tap Organize Tabs.
4. Select Automatically Create Topics.
   

Safari will then group your tabs into relevant topics. Tabs that don’t fit a topic will remain separate.

You can also try the Notify Me feature in Safari to get alerts when something changes on a webpage, such as a product becoming available or a price changing.

9. Customize the Action Button

The Action Button remains one of my favorite shortcuts on recent iPhones.

On supported models, it can launch features such as Silent Mode, Camera, Visual Intelligence, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Translate, Magnifier, Shortcuts, and Accessibility.

To customize Action Button:

1. Open Settings and go to Action Button.
2. Swipe through the available options and choose the one you use most.
   
   

If I were setting up a new iPhone 18 Pro today, I’d definitely revisit this setting rather than leaving it at the default.

10. Customize Camera Control

The iPhone 18 Pro continues to include Camera Control, and iOS 27 gives me more control over how it behaves.

You can access settings such as:

• Exposure
• Depth
• Zoom
• Cameras
• Photographic Styles
• Tone

You can also customize which controls appear and change their order.

1. Go to Settings → Camera → Camera Control.
2. Toggle on Camera Adjustments and tap Customize.
   
3. Now choose your preferred settings.
4. Get back and ensure Lock Focus and Exposure is enabled.
   

Camera Control also provides options to open the native Camera or Instagram Camera with a single click or double-click.

11. Explore the iPhone 18 Pro Camera Controls

If you’ve upgraded to an iPhone 18 Pro or 18 Pro Max, there are several camera settings worth exploring.

The new 48MP Fusion Main camera has a variable aperture with ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0 options. The Pro models also have 48MP Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras, with up to 8x optical-quality zoom.

Apple also adds Pro controls for:

• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• White balance
• Histogram
• Photographic Styles
• Customizable default lens

You can also put your favorite camera controls above the viewfinder:

1. Launch Camera and tap the Camera Controls button.
2. You will see an Edit option at the top.
3. Add tools such as Timer, Exposure, Styles, Aspect, or Depth, then drag them into the order you want.

12. Turn on Optimized Battery Charging

Optimized Battery Charging is still worth enabling if you plan to keep your iPhone for several years. It learns your charging routine and reduces the amount of time the battery remains fully charged.

1. Go to Settings → Battery
2. Tap Charging and toggle on Optimized Battery Charging.
   

I have set my Charge Limit at 80% to preserve battery lifespan.

13. Turn off personalized ads

If I want to reduce Apple’s use of my activity for ad personalization, I check this setting.

1. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising.
2. Then turn off Personalized Ads.
   

Keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily reduce the number of advertisements you see. It changes how personalized Apple’s ads are.

14. Disable In-App Ratings & Reviews

Those “Rate this app” pop-ups can get annoying.

To stop them:

1. Open Settings, scroll down, and tap Apps.
2. Select App Store and toggle off In-App Ratings & Reviews.
   

I usually turn this off because I prefer leaving reviews when I actually decide to do so.

15. Limit microphone and camera access

I don’t like giving every app unrestricted access to my microphone and camera, so I keep my private moments safe.

1. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
2. Review the apps that have access and disable anything you don’t trust.
3. Get back and select Camera. Toggle off unnecessary apps.
   

16. Turn off Lock Screen access to sensitive features

If you’re concerned about someone accessing features while your iPhone is locked, review your Lock Screen access settings.

1. From Settings, go to Face ID & Passcode.
2. Enter your passcode to authenticate.
3. Under Allow Access When Locked, review options such as:
   • Control Center
   • Siri
   • Home Control
   • USB Accessories
   • Reply with Message
   • Wallet
4. 

I personally recommend disabling anything you don’t need while the phone is locked.

17. Turn On Find My iPhone

This is one setting I never recommend skipping.

Apple’s Find My app lets you locate your iPhone if it’s misplaced, lost, or stolen. But it only works if Find My iPhone is enabled beforehand. Otherwise, you won’t be able to track your iPhone using Apple’s Find My network.

1. Go to Settings and tap on your name to access your Apple Account.
2. Select Find My and tap Find My iPhone.
3. Turn on:
   • Find My iPhone
   • Find My Network
   • Send Last Location
     
4. 

18. Optimize Storage with High-Efficiency Format

High-quality photos take up a lot of space, and a large collection can quickly strain your iPhone’s storage. Switching to the High-Efficiency format (HEIF/HEVC) reduces file size while maintaining image quality.

1. Go to Settings → Camera → Formats.
2. Select High Efficiency.
   

This is especially useful if you’re taking lots of high-resolution photos and 4K video.

19. Turn off auto-correction

Auto-Correction can be helpful, but I know I’m not the only person who has had an iPhone “correct” a perfectly intentional word.

1. Go to Settings → General → Keyboard.
2. Toggle off Auto-Correction if you prefer to control your own typing.
   

20. Customize dark app icons

If you’re using Dark Mode, I recommend checking your Home Screen customization too.

1. Touch and hold an empty area on the Home Screen.
2. Tap Edit icon at the top.
3. Tap Customize.
4. Choose Dark.
   

You can also explore the other appearance options available in iOS 27.

21. Set up Emergency SOS

I hope you never need this setting, but it’s worth configuring before an emergency happens.

Go to Settings → Emergency SOS, then review options such as:

• Call with Hold and Release
• Call with 3 Button Presses
• Call After Severe Crash

Make sure you have set up emergency contacts.

22. Update parental controls

Apple redesigned Screen Time and added several new controls for parents.

Parents can now use Time Allowances for categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media, while Schedules can control which apps are available at particular times.

To access the new controls, open: Settings→ → Family → [Child’s Name].

From there, you can manage options including:

• Time Allowances
• Screen Time Schedules
• Apps & Websites
• Communication settings
• Content restrictions
• Ask to Browse

Apple says the new Screen Time experience requires the relevant family devices to be updated to iOS 27 or the corresponding new operating systems.

23. Turn on Stolen Device Protection

I strongly recommend checking this after setting up a new iPhone.

Stolen Device Protection adds a one-hour delay when you’re away from trusted locations and requires Face ID to change critical details like your Apple ID password. So, no one can change sensitive settings on your iPhone—even if they know your passcode.

1. Go to Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Stolen Device Protection.
2. Then turn it on and set a preferred Require Security Delay option.
   

24. Hide App Store purchases

There’s always one app you once had on your iPhone, but you don’t want your partner to find out you did. In that case, you can replace the Cloud icon next to the App’s name on the App Store with the Download icon.

Once you’re done, no one will ever know that you downloaded the particular app in the past.

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap your profile picture at the top.
3. Select Apps & Purchase History.
   
4. Tap Your Apps and find the app.
5. Swipe left and tap Hide.
   

25. Set up Live Voicemail

Live Voicemail lets you see a transcription of what someone is saying while they’re leaving a voicemail. So, you can decide whether to answer immediately.

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Phone.
2. Scroll down and toggle on Live Voicemail
   

This is useful when I don’t recognize the number but still want to know why someone is calling.

26. Lock private apps

If you have sensitive apps on your iPhone, iOS lets you lock them with Face ID to keep them secure from prying eyes.

1. Touch and hold the app icon on your Home Screen.
2. Select Require Face ID.
   

This is particularly useful for banking, messaging, photo, and note-taking apps.

For better security, I choose Hide and Require Face ID. It moves the app to the Hidden folder in the App Library.

27. Turn on Vehicle Motion Cues

If looking at your iPhone in a moving vehicle makes you feel nauseous, try Vehicle Motion Cues.

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Motion → Vehicle Motion Cues.
   
2. Select Automatically in Vehicle.
3. You can also customize their appearance.
   
   

The feature displays animated dots along the edges of the screen that correspond with vehicle movement.

28. Set up a Legacy Contact

With Legacy Contact, you can designate a trusted friend or family member to access your data—like photos, videos, notes, and other important information—after you pass away. This ensures your loved ones can preserve cherished memories.

How to set it up:

1. Open Settings, and go to Apple Account → Sign-In & Security → Legacy Contact.
2. Tap Add Legacy Contact and choose someone you trust.
3. Follow the setup process.
   

29. Turn off App Tracking

I recommend reviewing app tracking permissions after every major iOS update.

Many apps track your activity across websites and other apps to build profiles and serve targeted ads. Disabling tracking stops this data collection, protecting your privacy.

1. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking and toggle off unnecessary apps.
2. You can disable Allow Apps to Request to Track completely or review individual apps.
   

30. Review Background App Refresh

Background App Refresh can be useful, but I don’t necessarily need every app updating in the background.

Disabling Background App Refresh saves battery, reduces data usage, and boosts performance by stopping apps from updating when not in use.

1. Go to Settings → General → Background App Refresh.
2. Select Background App Refresh.
   
3. You can turn it off completely or enable it only for Wi-Fi.
   

I prefer reviewing the app list and disabling unnecessary ones rather than automatically turning the feature off for everything.

31. Customize Lock Screen controls

iOS lets you replace the default Lock Screen controls with other options.

1. Touch and hold the Lock Screen.
2. Tap Customize.
3. Tap the minus (-) button to remove a control.
4. Tap + to choose another control.
   

This can be a convenient place to put shortcuts to the features you use regularly.

32. Enable Screen Distance

Screen Distance can warn you when you hold your iPhone too close to your face for an extended period. It helps reduce eye strain and the risk of myopia.

1. Go to Settings → Screen Time.
2. Select Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Screen Distance and toggle it off.
   

If you’re comfortable with the feature, I’d leave it enabled. If you find the warnings disruptive, you can turn it off here.

33. Enable Reduce Loud Audio

Finally, if you frequently use AirPods or headphones, check your headphone safety settings.

1. Go to Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Headphone Safety → Reduce Loud Audio.
2. Then choose a decibel limit.
   

This can help prevent headphone audio from exceeding the level you’ve selected.

iPhone experience enhanced!

iOS 27 is much more than another visual update. Apple has pushed Siri much further, expanded Apple Intelligence into everyday apps, added useful Safari automation, introduced new parental controls, and made the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera hardware more configurable.

The biggest change for me is that the iPhone is becoming more context-aware. Siri can work with what I’m typing, what’s on my screen, what’s in my camera view, and information inside my apps.

And with iPhone Duo arriving October 23, Apple’s iOS experience is about to extend to a completely new form factor.

If you’ve just installed iOS 27, I wouldn’t change every setting on this list blindly. Instead, go through it once and enable the features that actually fit the way you use your iPhone.

Which iOS 27 feature did you like the most?

Read More

• IOS 27 camera features
• iOS 27: All the new Safari features you need to know
• iOS 27 Lock Screen features