Turn Your Lock Screen Into a Live Weather Dashboard

Turn Your Lock Screen Into a Live Weather Dashboard

See current conditions the moment you pick up your iPhone. iOS 26.3 makes weather more visible, faster to access, and easier to customize. iOS 26.3 adds a dedicated Weather category to the Lock Screen wallpaper picker with new preset layouts. Here’s how to turn your iPhone into a real-time weather dashboard in under a minute.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 12, 2026

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How many times a day do you check the weather? 

Before a walk. 

Before a meeting. 

Before school pickup. 

Before a flight.

Now imagine seeing current conditions, animations, and forecast details the instant your screen wakes up. 

No app tap required.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use the Weather Lock Screen.

With iOS 26.3, Apple separates Weather from Astronomy in the Lock Screen customization menu and introduces new preset Weather layouts, making it easier to create a glanceable, live weather dashboard right on your Lock Screen.

This is not just cosmetic. 

It changes how quickly you access useful information throughout the day.

Visual Intelligence Turns Your iPhone Camera Into a Real-Time Research Tool

Visual Intelligence Turns Your iPhone Camera Into a Real-Time Research Tool

Your iPhone camera can now recognize what you are looking at and surface useful actions in real time. Visual Intelligence in iOS 26 blends camera input with on-device intelligence so you can copy text, identify objects, translate languages, and look up information without opening a browser.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 5, 2026

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Have you ever pointed your phone at something and wished it could simply tell you what it is, translate it, copy it, or explain it? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use Visual Intelligence on the iPhone.

Visual Intelligence in iOS 26 treats the camera as an input device for understanding the world.

This is not a new app. 

It is a system capability built into the camera experience that works whenever text, objects, landmarks, plants, animals, or products appear in view.

Feature Explanation

Visual Intelligence uses the iPhone camera, on-device processing, and Apple Intelligence services to analyze what you are seeing and offer context-aware actions.

In plain terms, when the camera detects something meaningful, iOS overlays actions such as:

• Copying text from signs, labels, or documents
• Translating foreign language text instantly
• Identifying plants, animals, landmarks, books, and products
• Opening links or phone numbers found in the real world
• Searching for additional information without typing

It matters because it removes friction. 

You do not take a photo, switch apps, and paste content. 

The action appears while you are still looking at the subject.

What You’ll Gain

• Faster research without typing searches
• Instant translation from real-world text
• Frictionless copying of text into notes or email
• Real-time object and location identification

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's how to do it.

1. On supported models with Camera Control: click and hold the Camera Control.
2. Use the visual intelligence tools at the bottom of the screen to do any of the following:
• Tap the Search button to search the web for similar items.
• Swipe your finger on a specific item to highlight it and search for that particular item.
• Tap the Ask button to ask Apple Intelligence (or ChatGPT if configured) a question about what’s onscreen.

Note: The Camera Control lets you quickly open your iPhone camera and access common camera settings.  See supported models.

fig. 1 - Your Camera Just Got Smarter

On iPhone 16e, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can choose any of the following options as an alternative to using the Camera Control for visual intelligence:

• Action button: Customize the Action button on the left side of your iPhone to use visual intelligence. 
• Lock Screen: Add a visual intelligence control to the bottom of your Lock Screen to use visual intelligence. See Edit your Lock Screen or create a new one.
• Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center, then tap the visual intelligence button to use visual intelligence.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Removes steps between seeing and using information
• Excellent for travel, education, and business note taking
• Works inside the Camera app without extra setup
• Strong for multilingual environments

Cons

• Depends on lighting and camera clarity
• Requires supported iPhone running iOS 26
• May not recognize obscure objects or stylized fonts

Feature Access

Visual Intelligence is available on compatible iPhones running iOS 26. Apple describes this as part of the camera and system intelligence features and notes that availability may vary by region and device capability. 

Score

Criterion  |  Score (0–10)  |  Justification

Value 10

Eliminates multiple steps between seeing information and using it.

Usability 9

Works directly in the camera with intuitive overlays.

Wow Factor 9

Feels like augmented reality for everyday tasks.

Total: 28/30 🌟 Excellent

Visual Intelligence is one of the most practical camera upgrades in years and more useful day to day than many headline features.

Key Takeaways

Visual Intelligence turns the camera into a research and productivity tool. 

It reduces friction between real-world information and digital use. 

Once you start using it, you will reach for it constantly.

Cool Tip Snapshot

• Feature Name: Visual Intelligence.
• Platform(s): iOS 26.
• Quick Benefit: Copy, translate, and identify objects in real time.
• Access Type: Built-in, currently rolling out.

Try It Yourself

Open your camera today, point it at a sign, label, or document, and tap the overlay that appears. 

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READ MORE

• Turn a Screenshot into a Calendar Event in iOS 26
  
• How to Select and Copy Part of a Text Message in iOS 26
  
• Alarm Reminders in iOS 26.2: Turn Reminders Into Can’t-Miss Alerts
  
• How to Take a Photo With Your AirPods
  
• MORE iOS 26 Cool Tips

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How to Select and Copy Part of a Text Message in iOS 26

How to Select and Copy Part of a Text Message in iOS 26

Trimming down a long text to just the essential lines used to require workarounds on iPhone. With iOS 26, Apple finally added a way to select and copy only the words you need.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 29, 2026

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If you’ve ever wanted to grab just a phone number, address line, or specific snippet from a message without copying the entire bubble, you know how frustrating it has been. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Copy a Part of a Text Message in iOS 26.

Prior versions of iOS forced you into awkward edits or managing a pasteboard cleanup after pasting everything you didn’t want. iOS 26 changes that by letting you highlight and extract the exact text you need straight from the Messages app.

Alarm Reminders in iOS 26.2: Turn Reminders Into Can’t-Miss Alerts

Alarm Reminders in iOS 26.2: Turn Reminders Into Can’t-Miss Alerts

In iOS 26.2, Apple added a practical upgrade to Reminders: mark a task as Urgent and your iPhone schedules an alarm when it’s due. If you rely on Reminders for time-critical work, this change makes missed tasks a lot less likely.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 22, 2026

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If you’ve ever had a reminder fire while your phone was silenced, you know the problem: you get a polite notification at the exact wrong moment, and it disappears into the chaos. 

For some tasks, “polite” is not good enough. Paying a bill. Joining a call. 

Taking medication. 

Leaving for the airport.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Try the new Urgent Alarm feature in the Reminders App.

iOS 26.2 lets Reminders schedule an alarm for tasks you mark as Urgent, including when your device is silenced or a Focus mode is active. 

How to Take a Photo With Your AirPods

How to Take a Photo With Your AirPods

Take hands-free photos using your AirPods as a remote shutter, perfect for group shots, presentations, and solo content without awkward timers.  

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 8, 2026

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Have you ever tried to squeeze into a group photo, sprint back from a timer, or quietly snap a picture without touching your phone? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use Your AirPods as a Remote Shutter.

Built into iOS and AirPods is a camera trigger feature that turns your earbuds into a hands-free photo button, and most users never discover it.

5 Cool Tips for a Better New Tech Year

5 Cool Tips for a Better New Tech Year

Small, deliberate resets can dramatically improve your security, speed, and sanity across every device you use. These five practical moves take less time than you think and pay off all year long.  A new year is the perfect moment to clean up the digital clutter that quietly slows you down. 

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

January 1, 2026

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When technology starts feeling sluggish or risky, the cause is rarely a single big failure. 

It is usually dozens of small issues piling up quietly. 

Old passwords reused too often. 

Browsers bloated with cached data. 

Your overloaded inbox masks what you need to read.

The start of a new year is the rare moment when people are willing to reset habits, not just devices. 

That makes it the ideal time to fix the fundamentals that shape every workday and every login.

Most Popular iPhone Cool Tips of 2025

Most Popular iPhone Cool Tips of 2025

Three iPhone features quietly reshaped how people communicate, collaborate, and customize their devices in 2025. If you use your iPhone every day for work or life, these Cool Tips explain why these changes matter and how to use them well.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

December 30, 2025

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Most iPhone updates add polish. 

A few change behavior. 

In 2025, Apple crossed that line. 

Visual strain dropped, phone calls became searchable, and event planning finally stopped feeling like a workaround. 

These were not headline features, but they became the most read and shared iPhone Cool Tips on OneCoolTip.com for a reason.

iOS 26 Finally Shows When Your iPhone Will Finish Charging

iOS 26 Finally Shows When Your iPhone Will Finish Charging

With iOS 26, Apple stops guessing games and tells you exactly how long your iPhone needs to finish charging. iPhone users can see a time-based charging estimate instead of relying on battery percentages alone. It is a small change that makes everyday charging far more predictable.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

December 25, 2025

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You plug in your iPhone at 41 percent and glance at the clock. 

Will it hit 80 percent before you leave? 

Is ten minutes enough, or do you need to change plans?

Until iOS 26, iPhone charging was mostly guesswork. 

Battery percentages told you how full your phone was, not how long it would take to finish charging. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use iOS 26 to Estimate Your Charging Time.

iOS 26 now adds a charging time estimate that reflects real-world conditions.

New Adaptive Power in iOS 26

New Adaptive Power in iOS 26

Apple’s new Adaptive Power mode in iOS 26 quietly reshapes how your iPhone manages energy throughout the day. It promises longer battery life with fewer compromises, especially when your phone senses heavy use ahead.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

December 18, 2025

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Have you ever watched your iPhone battery plunge faster than expected on a busy day and wished it would adapt before things got critical? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Turn On Adaptive Power on the iPhone.

Instead of waiting for you to flip on Low Power Mode, your iPhone now makes proactive adjustments based on how you actually use it.

View and Manage Visited Places in Maps on iPhone

View and Manage Visited Places in Maps on iPhone

Your iPhone keeps a quiet record of the places you visit and gives you a simple way to review, organize, or delete that history. If you travel often or jump between work sites, this tool can save time and help you stay organized.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

December 4, 2025

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Think about the last time you tried to remember every stop you made on a weekend trip or a busy workday. 

Most people guess or search old receipts. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use the Visited Places in Apple Maps.

The Visited Places feature in Apple Maps gives you a clean way to see where you have been and tidy up your history whenever you want.

How to Add Your Passport to Apple Wallet and Speed Through Travel

How to Add Your Passport to Apple Wallet and Speed Through Travel

You can now store your passport digitally in Apple Wallet if you live in a supported region. This guide shows you how to set it up and use it for faster, smoother identity checks.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

November 27, 2025

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Think about the last time you stood in a long airport line while shuffling for your passport. 

Imagine presenting a secure digital version from your iPhone with a quick tap. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Add your US Passport to your Apple Wallet.

Apple has begun activating official digital passports inside Apple Wallet for supported regions, and the experience changes how you move through airports, secure buildings, and border control kiosks. 

It feels natural and saves real time.

How to Add Backgrounds in Messages on iPhone

How to Add Backgrounds in Messages on iPhone

Apple now lets you place colorful or themed backgrounds behind entire conversation threads in iOS. It is a simple way to highlight a point, add energy to a conversation, or help readers follow key updates.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

November 20, 2025

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Every group chat eventually reaches that moment when the important information disappears into the noise. 

Apple introduced a subtle but useful Messages upgrade that solves this problem by letting you add backgrounds behind your messages. 

It feels like a small tweak, yet it changes readability and adds style in a way that standard text bubbles never could.

How to Disable Apple Wallet Promotions in iOS 26

How to Disable Apple Wallet Promotions in iOS 26

Stop Unwanted Card Ads and Focus on What Matters Most in Your Wallet

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

November 13, 2025

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Have you ever opened Apple Wallet to pay for coffee only to find Apple pushing its latest card or financing offer instead? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Disable Apple Wallet Promotions.

With iOS 26, Apple finally gives users control to silence these intrusive Wallet promotions. 

It’s a long-requested privacy and focus feature that puts you and not the marketing team back in charge of your digital wallet.

How iOS 26.1’s Liquid Glass Setting Fixes Apple’s Most Divisive Design

How iOS 26.1’s Liquid Glass Setting Fixes Apple’s Most Divisive Design

The new Liquid Glass interface in iOS 26 brings some sleek visual changes. If the ultra-transparent acrylic look isn’t for you, iOS 26.1 introduces a setting to tone it down. 

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

November 6, 2025

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Have you just updated to iOS 26 and thought: “Cool aesthetic, but wow, everything looks like frosted acrylic and I can’t read these menus in sunlight”? 

You’re not alone. 

Apple’s new design language, Liquid Glass, is one of the boldest visual changes to the iPhone in years. 

But with great translucency comes new challenges: readability issues, and even battery and thermal impacts on older phones.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Change the Liquid Glass setting.

With the new iOS 26.1 setting, you now have more control over how “glassy” your UI looks.

How to Poll People in Messages on iPhone with iOS 26

How to Poll People in Messages on iPhone with iOS 26

Decide faster together.  iOS 26 now lets you create interactive polls directly in iMessage so everyone in your chat can vote, suggest ideas, and instantly see results.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 30, 2025

How many times have you texted your friends or coworkers endlessly trying to pick a restaurant or meeting time? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Poll People in the Message App in iOS 26.

Now you can collect votes without juggling texts, spreadsheets, or third-party apps. 

The feature is surprisingly powerful, especially for coordinating groups, planning events, or even quick daily decisions.

Record & Transcribe a Call on iPhone in iOS 26

Record & Transcribe a Call on iPhone in iOS 26

With iOS 26, your iPhone finally supports native call-recording and transcription, enabling you to capture business calls, client conversations or interviews directly and save them as searchable text in the Notes app.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

October 23, 2025

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Have you ever hung up a key client call and thought, “What exactly did they say about the deadline?” 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Record and Transcribe Calls on iPhone in iOS26.

Apple’s iOS 26 introduces a call-recording + transcription feature. 

Being able to revisit the audio and a searchable transcript is a game-changer.

Call Screening on iPhone with iOS 26

Call Screening on iPhone with iOS 26

iOS 26 gives iPhone users a smarter way to handle unwanted calls. The new Call Screening feature lets your phone ask unknown callers to identify themselves so you can see who’s calling and why before you decide to answer.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

October 16, 2025

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How many times this week did your iPhone ring with a number you didn't recognize? 

And how many of those calls were legitimate? 

If you are like most professionals, educators, or entrepreneurs today, that ratio is heavily skewed toward telemarketers, automated messages, and outright spam. 

Our phones have become essential tools, yet they are constantly hijacked by noise, eroding our focus and costing us valuable time.

Here's a Cool Tip:  Call Screening on the iPhone with iOS 26.

Meet the New Preview App in iOS 26: Edit, Sign, and Scan Without Leaving Your iPhone

Meet the New Preview App in iOS 26: Edit, Sign, and Scan Without Leaving Your iPhone

Apple’s iOS 26 introduces a dedicated Preview app for iPhone. It combines tools for viewing, editing, signing, and exporting both PDFs and images in one place, eliminating the need for multiple apps.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 9, 2025

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Imagine opening a contract or a scanned document on your iPhone and realizing you need to sign it or highlight a section. 

In the past, that often meant switching between Files, Notes, and third-party apps. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use the new Preview app in iOS 26.

With iOS 26, Apple adds Preview to the iPhone, giving users a single, reliable workspace for documents and images. 

It’s simple, quick, and saves time.

Turn a Screenshot into a Calendar Event in iOS 26

Turn a Screenshot into a Calendar Event in iOS 26

In iOS 26, Apple introduces a clever Visual Intelligence feature that can detect event info in a screenshot and offer to convert it into a calendar entry. It’s a subtle shift that can shave seconds off scheduling and prevent you from losing track of important details.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

October 1, 2025

Imagine you screenshot a concert poster, a meeting invite in a group chat, or a flyer with date, time, and location and then forget to actually enter it into your calendar. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Turn a Screenshot into a Calendar Event in iOS 26.

iOS 26 now watches for event cues in your screenshots and under the right conditions prompts you to create a calendar entry automatically. 

From a productivity standpoint, it's low-hanging fruit: you don’t have to juggle apps or copy & paste. 

This becomes one of those “I didn’t know I needed it” features until you can’t live without it.

Wake Up Smarter: How to Change Snooze Length in iOS 26 for Better Alarm Control

Wake Up Smarter: How to Change Snooze Length in iOS 26 for Better Alarm Control

Tired of the default 9-minute snooze? In iOS 26, Apple finally lets you customize snooze times for each alarm. Here’s how to use it, why it matters, and what to watch out for.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 25, 2025

You set your alarm for 6:30 a.m., press snooze, and the phone wakes you again at 6:39. 

The cycle repeats, and somehow the timing never feels quite right. 

For decades, the iPhone locked users into a 9-minute snooze window. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Pick your Alarm Snooze Length in iOS 26.