Now that we’re solidly into October, many people either have a brand new iPhone or have just upgraded to iOS 27 on their existing device. There’s lots to try, perhaps especially the revamped Siri AI.
1. Sign up for Siri AI
Siri AI is still in beta, so you’ll need to sign up to use it. If you were already using one of the beta versions of iOS 27, then you may have already done this. If not, I’d start there if you plan to try it out.
Also: I thought I had the new Siri AI in iOS 27 – until I found it hidden in my settings
Go to Settings and select Siri. Tap the link for “Try Siri AI (Beta)”. Tap Continue on each screen until you reach the one that asks whether you want to share your audio and text. If you agree by tapping the “Share Audio and Text” button, Apple will use your conversations with Siri for model training. Though the company promises that the data shared is anonymized, you may still balk at this. In that case, tap the Not Now button. Either way, you’ll then be signed up for the beta.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
2. Adjust Liquid Glass
Prior versions of iOS limited how much you could customize Liquid Glass. With iOS 27, Apple added a slider bar that lets you fine-tune the look from clear to opaque, and anything in between.
Also: My 5 favorite Siri AI ‘onscreen awareness’ tricks – and why
For this, head to Settings, select Appearance, and then tap Liquid Glass. With the slider bar button all the way to the left, you get the fully clear Liquid Glass effect. With the button all the way to the right, the look is tinted and opaque. Move the button across the slider to see how the small preview icon and window appear. When done, return to the Home Screen to see if you like the look you chose. If not, just go back and move the slider again.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
3. Keep your phone plugged and connected to speed up the search indexing
With iOS 27, the search index for all your apps and files needs to be rebuilt. Your phone’s Spotlight search and the new Siri AI use this index to quickly find the right information when you request it. The entire indexing process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. You’ll know that the index is being rebuilt if you see a banner at the main Settings screen that says: “Optimizing Search and Siri.”
Also: 7 iOS 27 features that make old iPhones exciting again (no Apple Intelligence needed)
You can continue to use your phone while the index is rebuilt, though you may find that performance is a bit sluggish and that the battery drains more quickly. Thankfully, you’re able to speed up the process so you don’t have to wait days for it to finish.
For this, keep your phone plugged in as much as possible. Make sure it’s connected to Wi-Fi. And the less you use the phone during the reindexing, the faster the process will go. Since you’ll likely be anxious to use your phone throughout the day, just be sure it’s plugged in, connected, and on the Lock screen during the night.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
4. Update all your apps
Certain apps will take advantage of the new settings in iOS 27. That means you’ll want to update them after the new OS is up and running. To do this, open the App Store app, tap your profile icon at the upper right, and then select App Updates. If no new updates appear, swipe down from the top of the screen to refresh. You’ll then see the number of apps ready to be updated. Tap Update All to proceed.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
5. Update your Apple Watch
Do you own an Apple Watch? If so, the next thing you’ll want to do is update it to WatchOS 27. But you can’t do that unless you’re already running iOS 27 on your iPhone.
Also: Want an iPhone Duo before 2027? Don’t preorder from Apple – try this instead
For this, open the Watch app on your phone. At the My Watch screen, go to General and select Software Update. Wait for the update to WatchOS 27 to appear and then tap the link for Download and Install. Alternatively, you’re able to do this directly on your watch. Go to Settings, select General, tap Software Update, and then run the update.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
