The Best IOS 18 Features for Parents
Apple’s latest iPhone update was released last week , bringing with it a ton of new features to make life easier for you and your family. Here are a few changes parents should be aware of to help them manage privacy or screen time issues and communicate with each other.
Lock and hide your apps with Face ID
This happens every time I’m in the waiting room with my kids: I give them my phone to play Angry Birds and they open another app.
One of the most useful updates to iOS 18 is the ability to block certain apps using Face ID. The easiest way to implement this feature is to press and hold an app until a menu appears. Then select “Require Face ID.”
Another pop-up window will appear, allowing you to confirm your decision or “Hide and Require Face ID.” If you choose the latter, the app will move from the Home screen to the App Library under the Hidden category, which you can only open using Face ID. So the app that stores your holiday shopping list is now protected from prying eyes.
Improved messaging between iPhone and Android.
The green bubbles won’t go away, but if your kids have Android phones, they can’t say they didn’t receive a message you sent from their iPhone. When you select “RCS Messaging” in the Messages app settings, you get features like read receipts, typing indicators, and location settings, so they can no longer say they didn’t receive that curfew message.
However, this feature only works if the Android phone also uses RCS. Otherwise, you will see the “SMS” tag in the text field and your messaging will be the same as before.
Satellite iMessage
We’ve all experienced those stressful moments when Wi-Fi and cell service were unavailable. In iOS 18, Apple expanded the Emergency SOS satellite feature to allow iPhone 14 and later users to send messages via satellite . To see how it works, select the “Show satellite connection” option in the Messages app settings. You also don’t need to know how to use this feature when it comes down to it: when you run out of service, you’ll simply be prompted to send messages via satellite. It also works for SMS, so you can send messages on both iPhone and Android.
You will also be able to use this feature in the Find Me app and request roadside assistance .
Apple Cash
Before this recent update, if you wanted to send money using an iPhone, you needed to have the recipient’s contact information or phone number to begin the process. Now, if anyone in your family needs a few dollars for a movie, you just need to tap each other’s iPhone to send money using Apple Pay.
Schedule text
If you don’t want to forget to remind your child that it’s time to go home, you can use the Send Later feature in the iMessage app to let them know that curfew is imminent. Just tap the “+” symbol in the bottom left corner of the Messages app and tap “Send Later.” The default send time will appear, but simply click on it to select the date and time you want to send the message.
After you send a message, it appears as a transparent chat bubble with a dotted outline. You can adjust the sending time by clicking “Edit” next to the chat circle, or select “Delete message” if you no longer want to send it.
SharePlay on FaceTime
In iOS 18, you can interact with another person’s device during a FaceTime call, which will be useful when you’re showing grandparents how to use their iPhones, for example.
When you start a FaceTime call, tap the SharePlay button, then tap Ask to Share. Once the other person approves the request, their screen will appear on your display as a window and you can help them resolve any issues. If you want to take control, tap the hand icon in the corner of the screen. Once they approve the request, you can control their iPhone display remotely. You can learn more about this feature in our guide here .
Passwords app
All passwords stored in your iCloud Keychain have been moved to a new app called Passwords. In the app, you can share specific passwords with general groups, including other family members, so if your kids want to log into Disney+, they don’t have to call you at work—they can just look it up in the app.