5 new options have been added to the iOS 18.1 public beta

The official model of iOS 18.1 that can embody the primary Apple Intelligence features nonetheless hasn’t arrived, with the replace anticipated in the direction of the latter half of October. In case you could not wait to check out Apple’s new AI options, nonetheless, then you would set up the general public beta of iOS 18.1, which Apple lately launched, and which incorporates among the long-awaited Apple Intelligence instruments.

The second model of the iOS 18.1 public beta has now been launched, and this provides much more options to supported iPhones. In iOS 18.1 beta 2, there are some adjustments to Writing Instruments, the Management Heart, and the Digital camera Management choices, in addition to a very helpful new addition to iPhone Mirroring. Listed here are 5 of the brand new options which have been added to iOS 18.1 beta 2.

1 Drag and drop in iPhone Mirroring

It is even simpler to maneuver recordsdata between your Mac and your iPhone

The iPhone Mirroring function has already proved extremely helpful, permitting you to work together along with your iPhone instantly out of your Mac desktop with out the necessity to choose up your iPhone in any respect. You are able to do the overwhelming majority of issues utilizing iPhone Mirroring that you are able to do along with your bodily iPhone, though there are some limitations. It is not potential to open the Management Heart, for instance, or to make use of your iPhone digicam out of your Mac.

With iOS 18.1 beta 2 and macOS 15.1, a brand new means has been added that makes iPhone Mirroring much more helpful. It is now potential to drag-and-drop recordsdata out of your Mac desktop into your digital iPhone, and the recordsdata will magically be transferred to your bodily iPhone. You are able to do the identical in reverse, dragging recordsdata out of your iPhone onto your Mac, with out the necessity to begin an AirDrop session.

Entry Writing Instruments transfer shortly when utilizing Notes

The primary public beta of iOS 18.1 launched Apple Intelligence options, together with the brand new Writing Instruments. Accessing these instruments is not all the time really easy, nonetheless. You are required to spotlight the suitable textual content after which choose Writing Instruments from the context menu.

In iOS 18.1 beta 2, Writing Instruments is added on to the toolbar within the Notes app. If you choose the entire textual content in a notice, you will see the choices for Proofread and Rewrite seem above the keyboard, alongside the Apple Intelligence icon that can open the opposite Writing Instruments choices.

The Apple Intelligence icon additionally seems on the backside of the display, alongside different Notes instruments such because the Attachment device and Drawing device, however throughout my testing to this point, tapping this icon has no impact. Hopefully sooner or later, tapping this icon will give entry to the Apple Intelligence Writing Instruments.

3 New Wi-Fi and VPN controls for Management Heart

You possibly can lastly add a devoted Wi-Fi management

One of many greatest gripes with the brand new Management Heart in iOS 18 was the choice to dump all of the connectivity controls right into a folder. It meant that if you happen to wished to show off Bluetooth, for instance, you needed to open the Management Heart, then faucet the folder, after which faucet the Bluetooth management, which added an extra faucet to a standard motion.

With Bluetooth, it was potential so as to add a devoted management to the Management Heart in order that you would flip Bluetooth off with one faucet as an alternative of two, however the identical wasn’t potential with Wi-Fi. Fortunately, iOS 18.1 beta 2 contains devoted controls for each Wi-Fi and VPN, so now you can add a devoted button to show off Wi-Fi or to toggle your VPN connection, saving you from extra faucets.

4 A Management Heart motion for Shortcuts

Open or shut Management Heart through a shortcut

There’s one other addition in iOS 18.1 beta 2 that is targeted on the Management Heart. Within the Shortcuts app, there may be now a brand new Present Management Heart motion that can be utilized to launch the Management Heart from a shortcut. You possibly can edit the motion in order that it hides the Management Heart as an alternative of opening it or set it to toggle the present state.

There are quite a few makes use of for this motion, nevertheless it implies that it is now potential so as to add a shortcut to the Motion Button that opens the Management Heart. With my muscle reminiscence nonetheless not tailored to the brand new Management Heart, I nonetheless discover myself swiping down too far and ended up on the underside web page of the Management Heart, having zoomed straight previous the management I truly wished to make use of. Opening Management Heart through the Motion Button ensures that it opens straight onto the primary web page the place all my most used controls are discovered.

5 A selfie choice within the iPhone 16 Digital camera Management

Change to the entrance digicam along with your new button

Apple

The brand new Digital camera Management button on the iPhone 16 models can already carry out a variety of totally different duties. You need to use the button to open the Digital camera app, take a photograph or video, alter the publicity or depth-of-field, change to a distinct Photographic Style, zoom out and in, and extra.

The iOS 18.1 beta 2 replace provides another use to the combo. It is now potential to modify from the rear-facing digicam to the front-facing digicam by the Digital camera Management button. Within the Cameras menu is a brand new Selfie choice that can change to the front-facing digicam so you may extra simply take a photograph of your self. The Selfie choice is discovered by swiping all the best way to the very left when within the Cameras menu.

It is nonetheless a lot simpler to entry the front-facing digicam by utilizing a long-press on the Digital camera app icon and deciding on Selfie, however if you happen to’re already utilizing the digicam with the Digital camera Management button, then it is useful to have the ability to entry the front-facing digicam by these choices.