The Top New Features in Apple’s iOS 17 and iPadOS 17

NameDrop, StandBy, Contact Poster. These aren't rad band names, but rather some of the top new features available with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Apple's latest mobile operating systems come jam-packed with useful new capabilities—all of which we break down below. We've also included instructions on how to download the software update to get these features on your iPhone and iPad. Be sure to check out our macOS Sonoma feature roundup for all the new features available for Macs.

Updated May 2024: We've added a section on iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5.

Jump to a topic: Device Compatibility, How to Install, iOS 17 Features, iPad-Exclusive Features

With iOS 17, Apple is ending software support for the following devices: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. If you have an iPhone XR and iPhone XS or newer (including the second- and third-gen iPhone SE), you can download and run iOS 17. If you're unsure what model iPhone you have, head to the Settings app, tap on General > About and look at the Model Name. This still doesn't mean every feature is available, as some require more modern processors.

It’s a little more complicated for iPads since the naming scheme is dependent on which generation the hardware is rather than on specific device names. Here are the generations that support iPadOS 17. You can figure out which model you have by following the directions here.

• iPad: 6th-gen and later
• iPad Mini: 5th-gen and later
• iPad Air: 3rd-gen and later
• iPad Pro: 2nd-gen and later

Check out our roundups of the Best iPhones and Best iPads to learn more about current models.

Before downloading the new operating system onto your iPhone or iPad, we strongly recommend backing up your devices. You can do this via iCloud—go to Settings, tap on your name at the top, and select iCloud. Then, tap on iCloud Backup, toggle it on, and tap Back Up Now to start a new backup. On the previous iCloud page, you also have the option to toggle off certain apps that you don't want to include in the backup. Don't have enough iCloud storage, or want to use another method? Check out our How to Back Up Your iPhone or iPad guide for alternative options.

Once that’s out of the way, you’re officially ready to install iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Since this is a substantial update, you should plug your devices into a charger and make sure they’re connected to Wi-Fi before starting the update. Next, go to Settings > General > Software Update. You’ll then see an option to download the update. Tap Download and Install and, when the download is complete, tap Install Now to begin the update. You’ll know the update is complete when your device restarts. Since the whole process can take some time, we suggest running it when you don’t need to use your device.

The top features in iOS and iPadOS 17 are listed below, but Apple releases additional updates throughout the year. These include security patches, bug fixes, and new features that weren't included in the initial launch. To update your iPhone to the latest version of the operating system, go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the same instructions listed above.

iOS 17.5: This update includes the new word-puzzle game Quartiles in Apple News+, alerts that tell you when a third-party Bluetooth tracker is detected, a color-changing Apple Podcasts widget, and the ability for users in the EU to install apps outside the official App Store. We've added details about all these features below.

iOS 17.4: This update includes new emoji, Apple Podcast transcripts, the ability to add songs identified via Music Recognition to your library on Apple Music, new Battery Health information for iPhone 15 models, the option for Siri to announce messages in any supported language, a post-quantum cryptographic protocol in iMessage, a virtual card number for Apple Cash, and more. You can see the full list here. We've added details about these features below.

iOS 17.3: This update includes Stolen Device Protection, Collaborative playlists with Apple Music, AirPlay hotel support, and the ability to see AppleCare and Warranty coverage via Settings. You can see the full list here. We've added details about these features below.

iOS 17.2: This update includes the all-new Journal app, enhanced AutoFill for PDFs, the catch-up arrow in Messages, Contact Key Verification, Live Sticker reactions in Messages, a Translate feature for the Action Button (on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max), Spatial Video Recording (on the iPhone 15 Pro models), the option to change your default notification sound, a focus filter in Apple Music, and more. We've added details about these features below.

iOS 17.1: This update includes an upgrade to AirDrop transfers, new display settings in StandBy mode, and new Music features. Apple also included several bug fixes, including crash detection optimizations for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models, an issue that causes the keyboard to be less responsive, Home Key support for Matter locks, and more. You can see the full list here. We've added details about these features below.

Jump to a topic: Device Compatibility, How to Install, iOS 17 Features, iPad-Exclusive Features

Below we've listed many of the top features in the new version of the operating system, and we'll continue to add notable changes as Apple releases smaller updates throughout the year. For the full list of changes, you can read Apple's website.

To help protect your personal information and accounts in case your iPhone ever gets stolen by someone who knows your passcode, Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection. To turn it on go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and tap Turn on Protection. Some actions (like access to credit cards and stored passwords) will require Touch ID or Face ID authentication—without the ability to enter a passcode as an alternative.

Other actions, like changing your Apple ID password, will require waiting an hour and then performing a second biometric authentication. With the new iOS, you have the option to pick whether this security delay is required when “Away from Familiar Locations” or “Always.” If you pick the first option, it will trigger a delay when you're not at a familiar location—like your work or home—to change security settings. When it's set to “Always,” then a delay will be required at all times.

Contact Posters are like pretty business cards but for when you're calling someone already in your address book. You can customize the screen that will pop up when anyone gets your call (if they have an iPhone) with a photo or Memoji of yourself and throw in a custom font and color. These will work with third-party calling apps and will also pop up in your Contacts app and other areas where you share your information, such as NameDrop. You can edit your Contact Poster in the Contacts app. Tap your name, and tap Edit at the top right. We have a broader how-to on customizing your Contact Poster right here.

What's NameDrop? It's an AirDrop feature that lets you put two iPhones next to each other to share contact information with the other person. You can choose on the screen what emails and phone numbers you want to share. (It's very reminiscent of Bump and Android Beam, both of which are now defunct.) Bringing two iPhones together won't trigger only NameDrop, though. You can also use this action to share content or start SharePlay activities together, like listening to the same music. Soon, you'll also be able to send your contact information to an Apple Watch (as long as it's a Series 7 or later, Apple Watch SE 2nd generation, or Apple Watch Ultra or later).

Google has Call Screen on its Pixel phones which shows a live transcription of a call before you answer it. Now iPhones have a similar feature that's less about avoiding spam and robocalls, and more aimed at voicemails. When someone leaves you a voicemail, you can see it being transcribed on your screen in real time. You can then choose to answer the call immediately if it's important.

There are several nice small tweaks available on the Messages app. First, your iMessage apps no longer clutter the top of the keyboard. Now, they live inside a little “+” icon. Tap it to expand them, and it'll sort the list by the apps you use the most. You can swipe up to see the rest of your iMessage apps. When responding to messages, you can also now swipe to the right on any message to send a reply.

You can now check in with a friend or family member when you arrive at a destination. If you dillydally for some reason on the way to this destination, the system will try to check in with you. If you don't respond, it will share location data, battery level, and cell service status with your loved one. Apple says this data is end-to-end encrypted. You can press the “+” sign to find this feature in an iMessage conversation, then tap More until you see Check In.

When someone shares their location with you in iMessage, you'll now be able to see this directly in the conversation without having to leave the app. If they send an audio message, you'll see the transcription immediately under it, which is handy if you can't listen to it immediately.

As for FaceTime, you can now leave a video or audio message for anyone who doesn't answer your call (about time!). FaceTime is also making its way to Apple TV, and you can use your iPhone as a camera. During the call, you can create augmented reality reactions, like confetti, hearts, or fireworks, with certain hand gestures. You know, in case the person is bored with your normal reactions.

If you want all your vacation photos to have the same look, you can now batch-edit a whole bunch of photos and videos in one fell swoop. To do this, open a photo in your Photos app and press Edit. Make the changes you want, then save the photo. Press the triple-dot icon on the top right and tap Copy Edits, then go to the next photo, tap the triple-dot icon, and press Paste Edits. Once you have copied edits, you can select any number of photos and paste them, giving a collection of photos a cohesive look immediately.

Apple is placing a big emphasis on Stickers in iOS 17, so much so that they're now built into the emoji keyboard, making them more accessible in third-party apps. Last year's iOS 16 brought the ability to cut out a subject from any image you capture by just tapping and holding it, and now you can turn these into your own stickers for big meme potential. You can add effects to these stickers and even create Live Stickers with Live Photos. Make embarrassing stickers of friends on demand. Truly, we're on the best timeline. You can also react to individual message bubbles with a sticker.

Google Pixel phones have a feature that turns them into a smart display when placed on one of Google's wireless chargers. Apple is going even further with StandBy. This enables any iPhone to turn into a more useful display while charging in landscape mode. You can have it show the clock (with different clock designs available), photos from your library, or interactive widgets. If you specifically place it on a MagSafe charger, your iPhone will remember your preferred view. Be sure to check out our Best Apple 3-in-1 Chargers guide if you want to take advantage of this feature.

Before iOS 17.1, anyone using an iPhone with an Always-On Display (iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max) would have to tap the screen whenever they want to turn the feature off. Now Apple has added a bit more customization. When you head to Settings > StandBy > Display, you can choose between Automatically, which will turn the display off when the iPhone isn't in use and the room is dark, After 20 Seconds, or Never.

Do you late hate Apple's autocorrect? You're not alone. The company is finally making it better. Autocorrect now uses a “transformer language mode” for better word prediction. It corrects more types of grammatical mistakes than ever before, and you can see predictive text recommendations as you type (you can also disable this feature), just like what you'll find using Gmail's Smart Compose. These improvements also extend to voice dictation, which uses a new speech recognition model that purportedly makes it more accurate.

Apple's Communication Safety feature, which helps prevent kids from seeing nude images in iMessage, has expanded its reach in iOS 17. Now, it brings these protections to other services and apps in iOS, from AirDrop and Contact Posters to FaceTime messages and Live Stickers. It works with video content too. Adults can also take advantage of the feature, as it can blur sensitive videos and photos and let you choose whether to view them. Apple maintains that all image and video processing for these protective features happens on your device, and nothing is sent back to Apple.

If someone is sharing high-res media with you and it's going to take some time to transfer, you don't need to stand next to them and wait for the transfer to complete. You can step away and the files will be sent over the internet.

When you join a chat with dozens of new messages, you're now able to tap on a new “catch-up arrow” to jump to the first new message. That way, you don't have to spend time scrolling to find it.

Apple originally announced this feature last year, and it's finally here. With Contact Key Verification you have the option to verify who you're messaging to avoid communicating with someone impersonating a friend or family member. Users will receive a Contact Verification Code they can then cross-reference with the person they're texting to make sure the codes match.

There's a new app in iOS called Journal, and as the name suggests, the idea is to write down your thoughts and memories. You can add photos, audio recordings, and music to your journal entries and even make goals. Apple says Journal uses on-device machine learning to suggest moments to write about during your day. You can read more about it here.

If you're frequently working in PDFs, you'll be excited to use this feature. The software uses machine learning to identify the fields in a PDF so you can quickly add details, and the Notes app now lets you organize, read, annotate, and collaborate in PDFs too.

Apple is letting you log your daily moods in the Health app, with access to depression and anxiety assessments typically found in clinics (and other resources). Also, if you are using Apple's Screen Time feature for your kids, there's now a Screen Distance tool that will use the TrueDepth camera to encourage children to move further away if they are holding the phone closer than 12 inches from their face for an extended period. Apple says this can help lower the risk of myopia and reduce digital eyestrain in adults. Additionally, the Health app is finally available on the iPad. You can use Siri to ask Health app-related questions like “What's my blood oxygen?” or “How much have I slept this week?”

Apple is bringing AirPlay to hotel rooms. You can just scan a QR code from the TV to share videos, photos, and music from your device to the big screen. Apple says it's starting with brands from IHG Hotels & Resorts.

In addition to songs, you can now “favorite” albums and playlists. You'll then have the ability to filter those favorites based on category.

Any songs you “favorite” will also be added to a Favorites playlist. There's also a new Focus Filter that will automatically turn off Listening History. That way, you don't have to worry about certain songs appearing in Recently Played or impacting future song recommendations. It's a useful feature if you're often using the Music app to play songs for your kids and don't want to mess up your algorithm.

There's also a new collaborative playlists feature where you can invite friends to join a playlist, giving them the ability to reorder, add, or remove songs. You can react to specific tracks within those playlists with Emoji too. And, you can add music you've identified via Music Recognition to your Apple Music Playlists and Library.

With iOS 17, you'll have access to over a ton of new emoji, including a lime, a phoenix, a broken chain, a brown mushroom, and a shaking head. There are also four new family emoji, four non-gender family emoji, and six people emoji that are now available in both directions (such as “Person Walking Facing Right” and “Person in Manual Wheelchair Facing Right”).

Also known as PQ3, Apple says its post-quantum cryptographic protocol is the “most significant cryptographic security upgrade in iMessage history.” Essentially, these post-quantum protections are meant to safeguard against any potential quantum-computing-based attacks. The protocol will automatically apply once you update your device, so you don't need to tinker with any settings. You can read more about PQ3 here.

To comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is permitting app sideloading, which allows users to install apps outside the official App Store on their devices in the European Union. But to protect against malware, security threats, as well as frauds and scams, Apple is enforcing approval guidelines for developers.

With iOS 17.5, a new Web Distribution feature allows developers to distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from the developer's website. According to Apple, it will “provide authorized developers access to APIs that facilitate the distribution of their apps from the web, integrate with system functionality, back up and restore users's apps, and more.” There are some requirements, though: Developers need to be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years (or more), must agree to the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, and also have an app with more than 1 million first annual installs on iOS in the EU within the past calendar year.

If you're a fan of word games like Wordle and Connections, then Apple's Quartiles is right up your alley. You'll need an Apple News+ subscription to play. Located under the Puzzles section within the app, you'll have to form words using the available tiles. Words can be one to four tiles long, but the four-tile words are known as Quartiles—if you find all five, you'll get a 40-point bonus. Meanwhile, one-tile words are worth one point, two-tile words are worth two points, and three-tile words are worth four points. You'll need to score a total of 100 points to win the game.

There's also a new leaderboard feature that allows you to see scores and stats between friends, family, or globally. It's available across Quartiles, Crossword, and Crossword Mini.

In collaboration with Google, Apple has created an industry specification—Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers—that allows Bluetooth trackers from third-party companies to include support for unauthorized tracking detection and notifications across both iOS and Android.

As a result of this, those with iOS 17.5 users will now receive an “[Item] Found Moving With You” alert if a compatible third-party tracker is traveling with them. You'll receive these notifications regardless of whether the tracker is paired with iOS or Android.

Other New Changes

There are quite several small improvements worth noting:

• Adaptive Audio: If you have the second-generation AirPods Pro, there's a new listening mode called Adaptive Audio. This is a blend of Apple's Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation, so you can block out annoying sounds but hear important ones. If you start speaking, Conversation Awareness will automatically lower the media volume, reduce background noise, and enhance the voices in front of you. Also new is the ability to tap the stem of the AirPods Pro (first and second generation), AirPods (3rd gen), and the Digital Crown on AirPods Max during a call to mute and unmute.
• CarPlay gets SharePlay: On a road trip? If the car has CarPlay and everyone inside has an iPhone, anyone can control the playlist.
• Offline maps: Google Maps has had it for years, and Apple has finally caught up. You can now save an area of a map to your device and use it, including turn-by-turn navigation, when you don't have an internet connection.
• Accessibility updates: There's a new feature called Assistive Access that adds a customizable interface to make the iPhone easier to use for people with cognitive disabilities. Live Speech offers a way for people who can't speak to have their words spoken in person or on the phone. Personal Voice lets people “at risk of speech loss” create a voice similar to theirs. And then there's Point and Speak, which helps blind people and those with low vision read text on physical objects by pointing the phone at the item.
• Visual lookup: When you tap on a subject in a photo to lift it out (to create a Sticker or paste it anywhere else), you can also press Look Up to get more information about it. This works in paused video frames too.
• Simpler Siri: You no longer have to say “Hey Siri" to trigger the voice assistant; just say “Siri." Similarly, you no longer have to keep saying it when making back-to-back commands. Just add another command.
• Family of AirTags: You can share your AirTag with up to five people, and everyone will be able to keep track of the item in the Find My app.
• Fur friends in Photos: The People album in the Photos app is now the People and Pets album because it can finally identify your furry friends. No, it won't show photos of just any cats and dogs, but will smartly know your pet.
• Translate with the Action Button: If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, iOS 17 allows you to translate languages using the Action Button.
• Spatial video recording: Also available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, this feature allows you to record spatial video to watch in 3D on Apple Vision Pro.
• Change default notification sound: You can now finally change the Default Alerts sound via Settings to one of the many different tones Apple offers.
• Apple Care & Warranty: You can now check your coverage for all devices signed in with your Apple ID through Settings.
• Battery Health: If you have the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, you'll now be able to see additional information on your phone's Battery Health, including battery cycle count, manufacture date, and first use.
• Send Messages with Siri in different languages: Siri now can send and read messages in languages other than English. Go to Settings > Siri & Search > Messaging with Siri. Then, tap Add Language and pick the specific language you want.
• Transcripts with Apple Podcasts: You can now simultaneously listen to a podcast and read the transcripts when using Apple's Podcasts app. You can also search within the transcript for specific lines or keywords. It's currently available for English, French, Spanish, and German-language podcasts.
• Apple Cash Virtual Card Number: If you're shopping online and Apple Pay isn't available, you can use Apple Cash via a virtual card number with Safari AutoFill. It will generate a new security code for every transaction.
• A Color-Changing Apple Podcasts Widget: If you use Apple Podcasts, and have the dedicated widget on your home screen or the Today View, it will change color depending on the specific podcast's artwork. It's a very minor feature, but a fun one.

Jump to a topic: Device Compatibility, How to Install, iOS 17 Features, iPad-Exclusive Features

As usual, iPadOS 17 has many of the same features we went over in iOS 17, but there are a few exclusive tablet-specific updates too. For the full list, check out Apple's overview page.

Google's Pixel Tablet turns a standard tablet into a smart display, and Apple is thinking along the same lines with some of its lock screen changes in iPadOS 17. You can customize a whole lot more on the lock screen now, from new wallpapers to Live Photo wallpapers, and even add Live Activities so you can monitor certain events like timers, scores of a game, and the status of your Uber Eats order. Finally, you can add interactive widgets on the lock screen so you can do more without having to unlock the screen and launch an app.

There are a few changes to Safari in iPadOS 17; this is another one that also affects iOS 17. In Safari, you can now create work and personal profiles (and more) to keep your browsing separate, segmenting your history, cookies, Tab Groups, and Favorites. Using Apple's Private Browsing feature? Now you can lock the tabs with Face ID or Touch ID, instead of closing them out completely in case you have to step away from your machine.

If you save your passwords and passkey with Safari, you can now create a group of people to share certain accounts with. You can remove someone from the group at any time, and the passwords stay up to date. Speaking of, if you receive a one-time verification code in Mail, it'll get filled in automatically in Safari, so you don't have to go hunting for the email.

Apple's Stage Manager feature from iOS 16 has been given a few refinements. You get more flexibility in moving and resizing windows to customize your app layouts. Stage Manager also now supports built-in cameras on external displays.

Freeform, the collaborative whiteboard app Apple debuted last year, is getting a few new tools. (This applies to Freeform on all Apple platforms, including iOS 17.) The new tools are a watercolor brush, calligraphy pen, highlighter, variable-width pen, and ruler. You can also now draw any shape and the software will perfect it, so you don't have to be embarrassed about your circles.

Freeform also now has a feature called Follow Along that lets you track which area of the whiteboard your collaborators are working on. The screen will show you what they're looking at as they move through the canvas. Handy for really big whiteboards!

Jump to a topic: Device Compatibility, How to Install, iOS 17 Features, iPad-Exclusive Features