5 super cool hidden iOS 26 features no one’s talking about

While the internet can’t stop talking about iOS 26 and its big, flashy upgrades, the real magic lies in the smaller stuff. These are the tweaks that don’t make it into Apple’s keynote slides, but a few days in, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.

They make your iPhone feel smoother, smarter, and way more personal – the kind of upgrades that quietly become your new everyday essentials.

Ringtones are finally easy again

Gone are the days of wrestling with iTunes and GarageBand, or shady third-party apps just to get a custom ringtone. With iOS 26, it’s finally effortless. Now, you can pick any song or sound, and set it as your set it as your ringtone in seconds. You can even download music tracks off of the internet and set them directly as your ringtones.

Adaptive power learns how you use your phone

Do you often get into a panic whenever your iPhone hits an alarmingly low level? Well, you won’t come across such situations that often, not anymore. iOS 26 brings Adaptive Power, a clever feature that studies how you typically use your phone, and then manages power in the background.

The best part is, that instead of simply throttling your phone when the battery’s low, Apple’s AI now figures out when you’ll actually need that extra boost. So whether you’re deep into a gaming session or stuck on a long video call, your iPhone stays snappy and smooth right when it matters most.

Charging is now smarter and stress-free

No more guessing games when you plug in your phone. iOS 26 now shows the exact time it’ll take to fully charge, right on the lock screen. If you’re someone who likes to stop at 80% for better battery health, the Battery menu even shows estimates for both 80% and 100% charging points. It’s a tiny but brilliant quality-of-life tweak.

Apple Music gets AutoMix – your pocket DJ

Music fans are in for a treat. Apple Music’s new AutoMix feature turns any playlist into a smooth, DJ-style set by blending tracks and matching tempos automatically. No jarring gaps, no awkward stops – just one continuous vibe that feels effortless.

Dynamic Lockscreen is a breath of fresh air

With iOS 26, the lock screen finally feels alive. You set your wallpaper in such a way that colours shift through the day. It can even change with the weather, or react when you’re on the move.

My favourite bit though, is how you can now turn any photo into a 3D-style wallpaper that actually feels like it has depth. It’s seriously cool when you see it in person.

These aren’t the big stage features Apple brags about, but they’re the ones that actually make using your iPhone fun again. It’s the little touches like this that make iOS 26 feel fresh without trying too hard.