Every major iOS release comes with dozens of new settings and menu adjustments, but you do not need to spend hours searching submenus to make the most of iOS 27.
From instant on-screen Siri actions to automated tab grouping and custom AirPods EQ, taking two minutes to enable a few key settings makes an immediate difference. If you just finished updating, here are the seven iOS 27 features you should try first.
1. Dial in your Liquid Glass transparency
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
Apple’s translucent Liquid Glass design language receives a major readability update in iOS 27, replacing rigid toggles with a continuous customization slider.
Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and selectLiquid Glass. Then drag the opacity slider. Pull it left if you want your custom wallpaper to show through menus and notification banners. If you prefer high contrast and maximum text readability, slide it right.
You can preview how the system-wide blur reacts in real time before exiting the menu.
2. Fix your photos with Reframe and Extend
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
The Photos app receives powerful generative AI tools that allow you to alter the perspective of your shots long after the shutter closes.
Open any photo in editing mode and select Reframe under the Apple Intelligence menu. Touch and drag the imageto shift the camera angle as if you had physically moved before shooting.
If a photo is cropped too tightly,choose Extend in the menu and pull outward on the borders.
Apple Intelligence analyzes the surrounding texture, lighting, and colors to generate brand-new background detail around the edges.
3. Remove photobombers and objects using the updated Clean Up tool
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
Alongside reframing options, the built-in Clean Up feature receives a major intelligence upgrade designed to erase photobombers and unwanted distractions effortlessly.
SelectClean Up inside the Photos editing menu and tap or brush over the object you want to remove. The updated AI recognizes background depth, shadows, and textures, filling in the erased space with contextually matching detail.
4. Chat with Siri AI and pin your frequent prompts
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
iOS 27 introduces a dedicated Siri app, turning Apple’s assistant into a full conversational AI workspace complete with thread history, file uploads, and cross-device iCloud sync.
Open the Siri appon your home screen to start a conversation using text or voice. You can ask follow-up questions, upload files or photos for instant analysis, and scroll back through past request threads across your devices.
To save time on repetitive tasks, press and hold any previous response and tap Pin.
5. Customize how you share your location
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
Sharing your location with friends or family no longer requires choosing between permanent access or short, rigid time presets.
Open the Find My app, select a contact, and tap Share My Location. iOS 27 allows you to specify an exact expiration date and time — such as four days and six hours, ideal for trips or temporary meetups.
A new stealth option also allows you to temporarily pause location sharing until the end of the day without sending a notification to the recipient. To do this, tap the three dots next to the contact andHide Location.
6. Generate instant automation routines
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
Creating custom automation routines used to require manually them inside the Shortcuts app. In iOS 27, Apple Intelligence builds them for you using plain language prompts.
Open the Shortcuts app, tap the + icon in the top corner to create a new routine, and select Describe a Shortcut. The rest is as simple as typing out exactly what you want your phone to automate and tapping the arrow button to generate.
7. Fix weak and reused passwords
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
Tracking down compromised logins across dozens of websites used to take an entire afternoon. In iOS 27, the Passwords app uses Safari and Apple Intelligence to handle the reset process for you.
Open the Passwords app, authenticate using Face ID, and tap Security. Then select Fix Passwords to review any flagged accounts. When prompted,tapAllow to give Apple Intelligence temporary access to verification codes sent
Once authorized, Safari signs into each account, generates a new strong password, and saves the updated credentials directly to your iCloud Keychain.
- I’ve been testing Siri AI in iOS 27 for 3 weeks: 7 things to try first (and the feature that won me over)
- iOS 27 finally fixes the most annoying <a href="https://myappsplus.com/how-to-block-time-wasting-apps-on-iphone-using-screen-time/” title=”How to block time-wasting apps on iPhone using Screen Time”>iPhone workaround we all use
- iOS 27’s safety filter was ruining my FaceTime calls — here’s how I turned it off
