iOS 13

Here’s a list of 269 new changes in iOS 13, and the list’s increasing!

Don't count, else you'll be baffled. Enjoy!


Update: 10:38 AM, 12th June 2019, Craig Federeghi, Apple’s VP of software, invalidated the misconception that 3D touch was removed from some places in the UI saying that it’s just a bug.

Update: 12:08 PM, 8th June 2019, removed the line stating that disabling control center in apps individually is a new feature. It exists since iOS 12.

Update: 5:54 AM, 8th June 2019, added more changes. The list is now 270 changes strong, up from 252.

Update: 4:49 AM GST, 8th June 2019, removed the line that said “Find My could notify you when a user leaves an area” because it already existed way well before iOS 13.

Update: 12:00 AM GST, 8th June 2019, corrected the previous claim that only AirPods 2nd Gen can work with Siri’s Natural Text announcements.

Update: 9:50 PM GST, 7th June 2019, 253 changes found so far.


Unlike most keynotes, Apple’s WWDC 2019 Keynote was a blast. Most keynotes reach up to the limit of a series of applause at the most. At Apple’s keynote, however, people wooed, screamed, clapped, and jumped in excitement.

This level of enthusiasm wasn’t visible last WWDC.

So why did that extra “woo” emerge from the crowd when Craig Federeghi announced Dark Mode in iOS?

It’s clearly because Apple performed way well over everyone’s expectations when it released new software on the stage. And the iOS 13 announcement, combined with the newly separated iPadOS, was de facto the showstopper. The Mac Pro came close but you won’t be buying it for your household needs or, let’s face it, be buying it at all. So I let that slide.

WWDC 2019 Mural

iOS 13 comes with a lot of sexy improvements, including a dashing new dark mode, enhanced privacy features, updated apps, and faster app load times coupled with smaller app update sizes in the App Store.

While these updates don’t read out to be a lot when put in the form of a paragraph as above, you won’t believe the number of additional features that Apple decided not to showcase at the event on the stage. But convincing you and making you believe is, as I figure out; my job. And I think this conclusive list containing probably every new change in iOS 13 will do my job for me.

Note: Chances are, I’ve missed some features that you already know about. Just let me know about them in the comments section at the end of this post. Also, note that I have culminated this list from different websites, YouTube videos, forums, and Reddit and I have not discovered all these changes by myself. However, I have put the effort of fact-checking each new feature/change. Regardless, if you spot anything incorrect or some change that isn’t new, leave a comment below. Lastly, thank you to the people who unknowingly contributed to this list.

Here are the 130 new features coming to your iPhone and iPad in iOS 13!

Reading Tip: Important and big changes have been marked boldly to distinguish them from the smaller changes in iOS 13. This list is minimally organized for better readability. Sometimes, less is more.

iPad-centric features and changes (iPad OS)

  • Ethernet connection on iPad via iPhone USB.
  • USB-C Dongle indicator in the status bar on iPad.
  • Tabs have a universally new look.
  • Multitasking titles on the iPad have a short description below them.
  • The desktop version of Safari on the iPad gives an option to play youtube videos in PIP.
  • Multiple Apps in SlideOver on iPad.
  • Ability to run the same app in multiple tabs.
  • App Expose comes to iPad.
  • Tighter app grid on the home screen on iPad.
  • Ability to add widgets on the home screen on iPad.
  • Ability to access Apple Pencil tool palette anywhere on iPad.
  • You can now use your iPad as your second Mac display.
  • Compact floating keyboard added on iPad.
  • Desktop class browsing in Safari on iPad.
  • Full Safari toolbar in split view on iPad.
  • New Gallery view in Notes app on iPad.
  • Floating keyboard on iPad also works for third-party keyboards like Gboard, etc.
  • The icon grid at the Home Screen on iPad in iOS 13 maintains its dimensions and size, regardless of its orientation. Portrait mode just gets rid of the widgets instead of resizing the app icons or cramming them.

General iOS 13 features and changes

Keyboard

  • Separate Emoji and Globe keys.
  • Swipe Keyboard, finally.
  • 38 new language keyboards.
  • Alternate word options now appear in the suggestions bar above the keyboard.
  • Automatic language detection while dictating.
  • Hindi and English bilingual keyboard.
  • Typing prediction for Hindi.

Control Center

  • WiFi selectors in Control Center upon tapping and holding the WiFi icon.

Network and Data

  • Low data consumption mode over cellular.
  • Download Large apps over cellular.
  • Auto-join available hotspot option, potentially allowing you to always stay connected to the internet.
  • Option to toggle auto-join saved WiFi.
  • WPA3 Support.
  • Option to allow member’s devices in your iCloud family sharing account to connect to your personal hotspot without a password.
  • Data showing which devices used how much data using your Hotspot.
  • Low Data Mode on WiFI.
  • You can now connect a Bluetooth mouse to your iPhone and iPad.
  • Persistent personal hotspot- your iPhone won’t turn off the hotspot automatically, allowing other devices to receive push notifications.

UI Changes

  • Bluetooth volume HUD.
  • You can now slide over the scroll bar to scrub respective interfaces faster.
  • Revamped WiFi page under settings.
  • New animation in the status bar while searching for network.
  • System-wide dark mode.
  • App icons are rounder in TestFlight.
  • Brightness slider in Control Center adapts to the color of external lights that the iOS 13 device controls via HomeKit.
  • New copy, paste and edit menu when long pressing text.
  • New display zoom page with added animations.
  • Slightly revamped Alarm clock icon in the status bar in iOS 13.
  • Revamped Share sheet.
  • You can control the volume from the Volume HUD by swiping up and down from it.
  • New silent mode indicator.
  • Screen recording icon is now displayed in the status bar beside the time when the screen is recording.
  • Removing icons from the dock evenly spaces out the remaining icons in the dock.
  • New animation near the battery icon in the status bar while enabling/disabling battery percentage.
  • New animation while connecting AirPods.
  • 3D touch initially seemed to be gone, but Craig Federeghi confirmed it’s just a Beta 1 bug in an email to an Apple user. It still works on supported iPhones inside apps like WhatsApp. Everywhere else, it’s just long tap to mimic what the original 3D Touch was used for.
  • New dynamic wallpapers that change when dark mode is toggled on or off.
  • iOS no longer shows an obtrusive status bar that squishes apps and takes on some potential screen real estate when the hotspot is enabled on notch less devices.
  • There’s a new shadow under the cursor when moved using the keyboard. It’s barely noticeable, but it’s there.
  • A new spinning wheel showing up on the “Downloaded Music” tab in Apple Music while downloading a track.
  • Similar to the less intrusive hotspot bar on notch less devices, the green calling indicator in the Status bar is also less intrusive.
  • Dark Mode shows dark maps in location notifications.
  • New QR Code scanning animation in the camera app. And it’s quite visually appealing.

Siri/Shortcuts

  • Conversational Siri Shortcuts.
  • Popup asking to use “Hey Siri” to access phone while driving.
  • Set wallpaper action in shortcuts.
  • Ask Siri with text from spotlight search.
  • SiriKit for audio added, allowing third-party app developers to embed Siri commands to play audio from their apps. You could possibly control Spotify from Siri if it updates its app with SiriKit.
  • Shortcuts can now be accessed individually from the share sheet.
  • Siri now speaks more naturally.
  • Siri Shortcuts can now be added to automation.
  • Ability to speak in natural language while navigation in the Maps app.
  • You can now ask Siri to play Radio.
  • New Indian English voice added.
  • Conversational Shortcuts
  • Shortcuts app now suggests automation.
  • Siri on HomePod can now detect individual member’s voices in your family.
  • You can now Handoff music, podcasts, and phone calls to your HomePod.
  • Now you can add Siri Shortcuts in Assistive Touch.
  • Siri suggestions, based on your system-wide habits on iOS 13, now proposes suggestions in the Safari app itself.
  • Siri shortcuts now uses the icon for the related app.

Apps

  • New option in reminders to remind when messaging someone.
  • Look around feature in Maps.
  • Share ETA in maps.
  • YouTube video downloader works with Safari.
  • Safari includes a new download manager allowing you to download files from the internet.
  • You can add subtasks inside Reminders.
  • “Love” button for an article in News app changed to “Suggest More”.
  • Safari home page redesign.
  • Customization options for individual webpages in Safari.
  • Option to preset customization options like text size, etc for individual webpages in Safari. So for each time you load a website, those settings will be retained. For example, if preset, articles in NYTimes will always load into reading mode.
  • Scan documents directly from the files app and save it.
  • New prompt in Messages when not signed into iMessage.
  • Headphone audio level in the health app.
  • Timer in the clock app now shows at what time it will go off.
  • Environmental sound levels from Apple Watch Shown in the Health app.
  • Siri Suggestion pop ups in Messages app.
  • Option to select the app or service you want to save files into while downloading them from Safari.
  • Apple music now notices you if the song you’re trying to add is already there in the playlist, thereby preventing duplicate tracks.
  • Dark mode also enabled in websites in Safari when it’s enabled systemwide.
  • Blurred background in Music app moves when playing a song in auto-lyrics mode.
  • Separated media types in iMessage in the info tab in a conversation. (segregated according to links, images, videos, etc).
  • Support for assigning profile pictures to contacts in iMessage.
  • Automatic HTTPS upgrade toggle inside Safari experimental features settings.
  • iMessage search now allows you to search for text in conversations as well.
  • New “Remind me this afternoon” option for reminders.
  • New star rating look for places in Apple Maps.
  • Addition of color flags in the mail app.
  • Files can be renamed before saving in the files app.
  • Ability to create a folder in the “on my iPhone” section in the Files app.
  • New keyboard toolbar in Mail.
  • Two finger tap on a message in iMessage brings up the edit/select menu.
  • Find my iPhone and Find my Friends combined into Find My.
  • Mute thread in Mail.
  • Zipping and unzipping feature in files app.
  • Ability to add file servers to the files app.
  • Improved Maps app with realistic details.
  • Ability to build a collection of your favorite places in the Maps app.
  • Added Junction view which provides more detailed navigation at junctions and lanes in Maps.
  • Ability to provide customer feedback to businesses via the Maps app.
  • Real-time transit support in Maps.
  • Flight status in Maps.
  • Informative place cards added in Maps.
  • iMessage can now automatically share your photo and name when you start a conversation in iMessage.
  • New relationship labels in the Contacts app.
  • Ability to create and assign Memoji to contacts in the Contacts app.
  • Quick toolbar in Reminders app.
  • Reminders will now understand natural language text and convert it into the required data to set a reminder.
  • Ability to attach attachments in the Reminders app.
  • Ability to customize list appearance in the Reminders app.
  • Ability to block a sender in Mail.
  • Easily mute notifications in Mail.
  • Extended reply menu in Mail.
  • Desktop-class mail text formatting.
  • Updated address autocomplete in Mail.
  • More powerful search in Notes, allowing you to also search inside images in Notes.
  • Ability to reorder checklist items using drag and drop.
  • Ability to organize notes into folders.
  • View-only collaboration added in Notes, so you’re the only one who can edit the notes.
  • Cycle tracking in the health app.
  • Period prediction in the Health app.
  • Fertile window prediction in the Health app.
  • Period notifications will remind you to log your periods.
  • Receive a notification when your fertile window is approaching.
  • View your entire cycle history in the health app.
  • Highlights feature pans out your health information in charts, and graphs so that you can understand it better in the Health app.
  • Search and browse health data in the Health app.
  • Interactive charts and filters in the Health app.
  • Health app will now educate you about your menstrual cycle and hearing health.
  • New profile page in the Health app.
  • View the environmental audio levels captured through your Apple Watch in the Health app.
  • Headphone audio level indicator in the Health app.
  • You can now track audiograms for hearing tests.
  • Track your toothbrushing time in the Health app using the Oral health data type.
  • You can now view activity trends in the Health app.
  • You can now resize photos before uploading anywhere on the web in Safari.
  • Per-site settings- you can control what data the website takes from you.
  • Added page zoom in Safari.
  • Ability to bookmark all the open tabs in Safari.
  • Ability to jump to the tab open from the smart search field in Safari.
  • Expanded email sharing options in Safari.
  • Safari will now warn you if you enter a weak password anywhere online.
  • Sync data is now protected with end-to-end encryption in Safari.
  • Rich metadata now displayed in column view in the Files app.
  • New downloads folder in the Files app.
  • iCloud Drive folder sharing now available in the Files app. You can now allow your friends to contribute to a folder you created.
  • New keyboard shortcuts in the Files app.
  • Search suggestions in the Files app.
  • Reading goals in Books app.
  • Business chat suggestions- allows you to continue business calls that put you on hold by chat.
  • Time-synced lyrics in the Music app.
  • You can now easily see the songs in a queue in the Music app.
  • Apple News+ content now smartly appears in the Stocks app if the content is related to the theme of Stocks.
  • New Reality Composer app for developers lets them create stunning 3D games without experience in 3D design.
  • You can now pinch to zoom into the waveform while editing voice notes in the Voice Memos app, allowing you more precision.
  • Live Public transport location in Maps.
  • Emergency contacts are labeled as so in the contacts app.
  • You can swipe up on the Safari URL bar to lock it into the collapsed view so that you can unobtrusively browse the web. Tap on the URL bar to bring it back to its original size.

Performance

  • Apps open twice as fast.
  • 30% faster FaceID unlocking.
  • Smaller app downloads
  • Smaller app updates

Photos/Camera

  • Live photos stitched automatically when accessing via photo.
  • Option to create an iCloud link in the share sheet while choosing to share more than three photos.
  • You can finally un-mirror/flip photos captured by iPhone/iPad’s front camera by editing them using the flip tool in the photos app.
  • Video editing features now baked right into the Photos app, including the ability to rotate videos.
  • New portrait lighting effects and adjustment options.
  • A much organized, redesigned Photos app.
  • Live photos and videos now auto-play in the app grid.
  • Photos app now automatically hides duplicates, similar photos, and clutter.
  • Smart photo previews
  • Ability to organize and show photos per significant events in months view in the Photos app.
  • Ability to assign birthdays to people in the photos app, which will then showcase that person’s photos as previews in the Months tab.
  • Ability to zoom in and out on your photo library
  • Separate album for Screen recordings
  • Photo search enhancements
  • The soundtrack for memories in the Photos app is selected based on your Apple Music listening trends.
  • Ability to control the intensity of any filter in the Photos app.
  • Nondestructive video editing inside the Photos app.
  • You can now pinch to zoom while editing to review your changes.
  • Photos can be directly imported from external devices to their respective, concerned applications.
  • High-Key mono- new portrait lighting effect added.

Privacy & Security

  • Bluetooth protection API which allows you to authenticate apps to use Bluetooth.
  • Authenticate location access in apps every time you open them.
  • Use Apple ID to sign in to most of your accounts instead of individually signing in to each, thereby protecting your privacy.
  • Ability to redirect all unknown/spam calls to voicemail in phone settings.
  • Enhanced anti-fingerprinting support in Safari.
  • Ability to hide your email and generate a fake one to provide to apps which ask for one.
  • HomeKit video is now securely stored in iCloud servers until you review it.
  • Support for HomeKit enabled routers
  • Robust accessory controls in the Home app.
  • iOS now shows at which places apps on your iDevice have collected location data.

More

  • Audio Splitting.
  • Xbox controller shows battery status in iOS battery widget.
  • You can now delete apps right from the update sections in the App Store.
  • Optimized Battery charging notifications.
  • Apps will scan using Face ID even if in multitasking mode.
  • Screenshot entire webpages in Safari.
  • Steam controller works as a pointing device.
  • Foreground detection in AR apps allowing people to naturally integrate with the AR environment.
  • Only headphones with Apple’s H1 chip work with Siri’s natural text announcements.
  • Game center has a new popup.
  • You can now set individual languages per app from settings, regardless of the system language.
  • 3D Touch-like features on iPhone SE.
  • Improved insights and suggestions in the battery tab inside settings.
  • FaceID now works in Landscape.
  • Dolby Atmos Playback support in the new TV app.
  • Triple tap for undo in iOS 13.
  • Option to extend using the app for one more minute after screen time limit reached.
  • Memoji support for all iPhones.
  • Memoji support in most chat apps.
  • Screenshots editor interface now lets you save screenshots to files.
  • Improved success rate when trying to move an app into a folder.
  • Toggling Bold Text option on or off in the settings no longer requires a respring.
  • 3 Finger pinch and spread gestures persistent on iPhone as well.
  • Optimized battery charging mode.
  • You can now install different fonts from the App Store.
  • Enhanced AR features.
  • Improved CarPlay experience.
  • Improved Memoji customization now allowing you to add props and makeup to your Memoji.
  • Three new Animoji characters- Mouse, octopus, and Cow.
  • Support for Arabic and Hebrew languages in the App Store.
  • Cursor navigation is now faster and easier. Just tap and move your finger over the text.
  • You can now double tap on addresses, phone numbers, etc. and iOS will intelligently select it for you.
  • You can now multi-select stuff in iOS by tapping with two fingers and dragging.
  • iOS will now suggest you people to share stuff with, in the share sheet.
  • Improved sharing row. Apps are intelligently placed based on the content you are sharing.
  • You can now customize options for the content you share. For example, you can remove location data from a photo before sharing.
  • Voice control now allows you to control your iOS device only via voice.
  • Accurate dictation added.
  • You can also add custom words to voice control.
  • All the audio processing that happens with voice control is done only on your device internally.
  • Rich text editing support via Voice Control.
  • Word and emoji suggestions in Voice Control.
  • Enhanced QR code scanning in China.
  • Typing predictions for Cantonese.
  • Adjustable handwriting keyboard height for Chinese.
  • Do Not Disturb won’t enable if you’re traveling via public transport.
  • PlayStation 4 controller support.
  • Xbox One S controller support.
  • Support for all Indian languages.
  • New Indian language system fonts.
  • New Indian language document fonts.
  • Video downloads optimized for congestion. This is really helpful in India since a colossal population uses streaming apps like Netflix and Hotstar and it could put a heavy load on even the best servers.
  • Combined app limits in Screen Time. So now you can set to use two apps in a sequence for a set time limit.
  • Communication limits- you can choose who your children communicate with and who can communicate with them.
  • Contact list for Children- parents can use Screen Time to manage the contact that appears on their children’s devices.
  • Non-3D Touch devices can now peek on links and other content to see a hint of them.
  • You can now add filters to contact photos. It’s really a liberating feature.
  • You can now swipe to group select stuff in most apps: Mail, Messages, Notes, etc. Previously, you were only allowed to do this with photos in the Photos app.
  • iOS now allows you to delete/save an individual screenshot in a group of screenshots. It doesn’t delete all the screenshots when tapped on the delete option as in pre-iOS 13.
  • You can now use your iPhone as a graphics tablet input for editing your photos on macOS Catalina. Here’s the reddit post describing how it works. (Make sure to check the comments section)

iOS 13 is a special upgrade, but it’s first beta is laden with bugs and glitches. So, it is advised not to install it on a device which you use as a daily driver.

Among all the iOS 13 features that Apple announced in its WWDC 2019 conference, some have the capability to change how we use our devices. The Cupertino-based company puts a lot of emphasis on privacy, and it’s reflected in the privacy features in the newly launched operating systems.

Not only that, Apple even uses cutting edge, intelligent technologies to make sure your privacy and security aren’t compromised. For example, the Find My app can find your lost or stolen iPhone, iPad, MacBook or Apple Watch even when these devices are offline. And to sustain this feature, Apple uses cryptography, which, WIRED magazine explains the best.

WWDC 2019 iOS 13 Mural

Dark mode has won hearts. Not because everything’s dark, but because it is incorporated well into the entire system. There are no loose corners, no glitches, nothing. Nada. Apple’s addition to iOS has successfully killed the argument that the dark mode is a gimmick rather than a feature.

Speaking of which, the dark mode looks even more fantastic on the iPad’s big screen. Couple that with awesome multitasking features and the newly acquired support for wireless mice and you have yourself a computer. If not, you can always use it as a secondary display for your Mac since iPad OS now supports that.

Keeping the excitement under wraps for a bit, you must know that the public beta for iOS 13 will be launched sometime in July and the final build will see daylight in September after the iPhone 11 launch.

Till then, there are a lot of bugs to swat.


Caught up with WWDC but don’t have an iDevice? Get your iPhone and iPad from here:

iPad Pro 2019

iPad Pro 2019

  • A True Tone OLED display
  • 256 GB Memory
  • A12X Bionic Processor
  • FaceID
  • 10 Hours of Battery life
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Stereo speakers

Check out other posts on iOS 13: