Eight iOS 13 Tips to Get You Started

 IOS 13, the latest iteration of software that is optimised to run on the iPhone, was launched by Apple today. Annual software updates from Apple often bring long lists of fresh features and modifications that can make your iPhone feel like a foreign device.

It can be daunting to instal new updates, but installing them is always worthwhile because the updates from Apple ensure that your devices are secure, up-to-date, and have the latest feature upgrades.

If you are worried about performance hitting older devices, rest assured that in both iOS 12 and iOS 13, Apple has made an effort to make older devices more efficient. In iOS 13, for faster downloads and updates, Face ID is faster, apps launch up to twice as fast, and are generally smaller in size.

We're going to jump start you with the what you need to know to get up and running with iOS 13 right away with these iOS 13 tips:

1. Try Out Dark Mode

When you instal iOS 13, your iPhone won't look that different, with one exception - a new dark theme that's available if you allow it. When you first update your iPhone to iOS 13, Apple will ask you if you want to turn Dark Mode on and if you want to turn it on, plan for everything from apps to the home screen to change to a darker shade.

Dark Mode is one of the features iOS users have wanted for ages, and if you have light-sensitive eyes or want a darker theme for your apps at night, it's great. Most Apple apps, such as Mail, Messages, Health, Reminders, the App Store, Apple Music, and more, have dark themes that activate whenever you turn on Dark Mode, and developers from third parties can also create darker themes to switch to when Dark Mode is activated.

You can turn ‌Dark Mode‌ on permanently, toggle it on when you need it, or set it to come on at a set schedule, such as sunset to sunrise, all of which can be controlled via Settings or the Control Center. The opposite of ‌Dark Mode‌ is Light Mode, which is the same old mode that's been available on your ‌iPhone‌ for years, so that's an option too if you don't like the darker display.

Can't remember all these? If you tap and hold with three fingers, an edit bar appears with undo, redo, cut, copy, and paste.

For more on ‌Dark Mode‌, including how to access it and how it looks, make sure to check out our Dark Mode guide.

2. Learn These New Gestures

Some of the gestures on your ‌iPhone‌ (and iPad) are a little bit different in iOS 13, but they're easy to adjust to. Here's a quick list of what's been tweaked:

• Scrolling - Just grab the scroll bar and drag it upwards or downwards to get where you want to go instead of swiping.
• Selecting Text - Drag a finger right over text to select it. Double tap to select a word, triple tap to select an entire sentence, and quadruple tap to select a paragraph.
• Cursor Movement - To move the cursor when writing a note or an email, just stick your finger on it and drag it wherever you want it to go.
• Cut, Copy, and Paste - Pinch up with three fingers to copy, pinch up with fingers two times to cut, and pinch down with three fingers to paste.
• Undo/Redo - To undo and redo, swipe with three fingers to the left or the right.
• Selecting Multiples - To select multiple items, like messages, files, or folders, tap with two fingers and then drag.

Bonus for owners of iPhone XR and iPad: 3D Touch functionality in the form of a Haptic Touch or a long press (on the iPad) is available. Long press only where sponsored. Almost anywhere it is available, 3D Touch has been available. Instead of the 3D Touch, recent iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro users will also need to get used to the Haptic Touch.

3. Go Configure These Settings

• Silence Unknown Callers
• Automatic Safari Tab Closing
• Optimize Battery Charging
• Location controls for Shared Images

4. Set Up a Messages Profile

When you open Messages after installing iOS 13 for the first time, you will be prompted to set up your profile. Basically, your profile is just a name and a picture that is exchanged when you converse with others.

Your profile can be customized with an image you took, an Animoji, or just a letter, and you can choose to share it with your contacts, everyone, or no one at all.

5. Try Swiping Instead of Typing

iOS 13 has a new "QuickPath" keyboard, which is a fancy way for Apple to suggest that swipe gestures are added for typing. Instead of picking them up to type as you usually do you can now slide to type, drag your fingers over letters.

This is the same thing if you have ever used a swipe-based keyboard. To shape words simply swipe from letter to letter. Do not worry, you can always tap, or use swipes and taps interchangeably, if you hate it.

6. Memoji/Animoji Stickers for Everyone

On all devices with a Face ID camera, Memoji and Animoji are available, but Animoji and Memoji are expanding to stickers that anyone can use in iOS 13.

In the app drawer in Messages, there is a new Animoji Stickers app where you can choose from already available Animoji characters in a variety of poses or make new Memoji stickers that look just like you.

On all iOS devices running iOS 13, Animoji and Memoji stickers are available and function like all other stickers so that you can send them to people in messages. In other games, you can also access your Animoji/Memoji stickers via the "Recently Used" tab.

7. Edit Videos in the New Photos App

It will look a little different when you open the Images app for the first time. You can tap on the main tab 'Images' for new organisational choices for years, months and days.

Apple's aim with these new sections is to help you find your best photos so you can relive your memories whenever you want.

Editing images looks different too, but with some new editing software to make your photos look better than ever, all of the choices you're used to are there. For the first time ever, you can edit videos too, which is a fun new addition to iOS 13. It works much like editing images, so it's an easy and fast way to cut down or add cool effects to video footage.

8. Look Around in Maps

Maps in iOS 13 look more or less the same but Apple has continued to expand its updated Maps interface with more detail, so when you open the app, you will find some improvements.

The "Look Around" option, which is Apple's equivalent to Google Street View, is one neat new feature you may want to check out. Look Around helps you to look at what's around you or what you are looking for at street level, which is perfect for scoping out restaurants, shopping, and more.

Compatible Devices

Maps has other neat features like lists of Collections and Favorites, and when Siri gives directions, you'll notice that they're much more natural. ‌Siri‌ will say things like "turn left at the next stoplight" instead of "turn left in 500 feet."

If you have an iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XS (and the new 2019 iPhones will be pre-installed), you can instal iOS 13. It is not compatible with iPhone 6 and earlier, so you'll need to stick with iOS 12 (or earlier) if you have an older iPhone.

For iPads, the new iOS works on iPad Air 2, ‌iPad Air‌ (3rd Gen), ‌iPad‌ mini 4, iPad mini 5, ‌iPad‌ (5th-7th Gen), and any iPad Pro.

Learn More about iOS 13

We have a lot more information on every new feature in iOS 13, large and small. If you want to learn more about what's new and what you can expect when installing iOS 13, we recommend reading our full iOS 13 roundup.