Apple today released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, the first major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 come six weeks after the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
The new software can be downloaded wirelessly onto eligible iPhones and iPads by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Apple Intelligence is the main draw in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, and some of the first Apple Intelligence features are available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPad with an M Series or A17 Pro chip. Please note that Apple Intelligence is launching in beta form and there will be a short waiting list initially. To sign up for Apple Intelligence, you’ll need to open the Settings app, go to Apple Intelligence and Siri, and turn them on.
Multiple Apple Intelligence features are available:
- Writing tools – You can use writing tools to proofread text, rewrite what you’ve written, and obtain summaries.
- Siri – Siri has a new look, a Type to Siri feature, and Apple product knowledge for answering support-related questions. Siri can also maintain better context between requests and stay informed if you stumble over your words.
- Summaries and smart answers – In Mail and Messages there are summaries and Smart Reply features, and for all apps you will receive summaries of notifications. In Safari you can get summaries of web pages, and in the Notes app you can also get summaries of transcripts, including phone calls.
- Photos – Photos has “Clean Up” for removing unwanted objects, and Memory Movie for creating slideshows of your images with just one sentence.
- Focus – There’s a focus mode to reduce interruptions that shows you only important notifications that need your attention.
To learn more about all the Apple Intelligence features available today, we have a dedicated guide.
There are also other new additions in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which will be of particular interest to those who don’t have an Apple Intelligence device.
Apple has refined Control Center so you can now break down more connectivity options, access the Measure app and more, and record phone calls. To record a call, just tap the button in the left corner while the call is in progress. Everyone is notified and it is added to the Notes app, where you get a transcript of what was said.
NFC access will be opened up to third-party apps, enabling a variety of new capabilities, including non-Apple Pay contactless payments. Apple’s full release notes for iOS 18.1 are available below.
Apple Intelligence (all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
Writing tools
– Writing tools are available almost everywhere you type, so you can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in
– Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best
– Proofreading allows you to view suggested improvements to what you write, such as grammatical improvements and language refinements
– Summarize lets you select text wherever you write and generate a high-quality summarySiri
– A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, responds to the sound of your voice and lets you keep scrolling or typing while talking to Siri
– If you don’t want to speak a request out loud, type to Siri by double-tapping at the bottom of the screen
– Better language understanding allows Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence
– Conversational context is preserved throughout the session, so you can more naturally reference something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response
– Product knowledge gives you answers to thousands of questions about the functions and settings of your Apple products
– Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive and clearPhotos
– Photo Search makes it easy to find photos and videos by describing what you’re looking for
– Cleanup removes distractions from your photos
– Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to seeNotifications
– Notification summaries make it easy to keep track of your notifications with an easy-to-read summary of the most important information
– Reduce Interruptions is a new focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while suppressing potential distractions– Smart Reply in Mail and Messages lets you quickly respond to messages with suggested replies
– Priority messages in Mail understand the content of your messages and prioritize the messages that need your attention, showing them at the top of your inbox
– Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently crafted summary of the transcription of your audio recording or call recordingTelephone
– Call recordings and transcriptions allow you to record live calls and transcribe them in the Notes app, with an automatic announcement that the call is being recordedCamera
– Camera controls can quickly switch to the TrueDepth front camera (iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)
– Spatial photo recording, along with spatial video recording, is available in a new spatial camera mode (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)AirPods
– Hearing test feature provides scientifically validated hearing test results from the comfort of home (intended for users 18 years or older)
– The hearing aid feature provides clinical-quality, personalized assistance that is automatically applied to sounds in your environment, as well as music, videos and calls (intended for users 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss)
– Hearing protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud ambient noise in different listening modes (available in the United States and Canada)
– These features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. Not all features may be available in all countries or regions. For more information, visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
– Control Center has new options to add connectivity controls individually and reset your configuration
– RCS Business Messaging allows you to connect to businesses via RCS (requires carrier support)
– App Store Search lets you use natural language to more easily find what you’re looking for
– Game Center friend invitations can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions, and recipients can see the invitations in the inbox in Settings
– Fixed an issue in podcasts where unplayed episodes were marked as played
– Fixed an issue where videos recorded in 4K 60 while the device is warm may experience stuttering while scrubbing video playback in Photos
– Fixed an issue where digital car keys may not unlock or start a vehicle with passive access after being restored from a backup or transferred directly from another iPhone
– Fixed an issue where iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models would restart unexpectedlySome features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. For information about the security content of Apple software updates, visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100
Keep in mind that some Apple Intelligence features, like Genmoji, Image Playground, and the much smarter Siri, won’t be available until later.
