How to Fix iOS 16 Annoyances

When Apple introduced iOS 16 back at WWDC ’22 it was clear that we’re in for a period of “customization.” This trend began with the release of iOS 14, as Shortcuts made it possible for you to change the way your Home Screen looked thanks to custom icon packs and the ability to simply launch apps with Shortcuts. But iOS 16 took things even further, as you can finally customize the way your Lock Screen looks, complete with the ability to add widgets above and below the clock.

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However, while iOS 16 is arguably one of the most important updates that Apple has ever released, it’s also been a bit of an annoyance for some. There are some changes that Apple has implemented that don’t “jive” with how you want to use your iPhone. And for one reason or another, some of the “features” are enabled by default, forcing you to find ways to bring back the “old” way that something worked. Here are a few of the most common iOS 16 annoyances and how you can fix them.

Remove the Search Button From Your iPhone’s Home Screen

Until now, the easiest way to activate Spotlight (or Search) on your iPhone, was to simply drag down on Home Screen. Doing so presented you with a search box at the top of the window, along with a few suggestions. But Apple has also made a slight tweak to the Home Screen, as you can now activate Search with just a tap.

The obvious goal is to provide another way to perform searches on your iPhone without needing to perform a gesture on the Home Screen. Sometimes those stackable widgets can get in the way, and you end up swiping through the stack of widgets as opposed to performing your intended task.

However, this new change to Spotlight might not be for everyone. Thankfully, Apple thought of that and has included a way to turn off search on iPhone.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Home Screen.
3. Under the Search section, tap the toggle next to Show Spotlight to the Off position.

After you go back to the Home Screen, the old page indicators will return at the bottom of your screen. You also won’t see the Search icon appear, but you can still swipe down to bring up Spotlight when you need to.

Stop Accidentally Ending Your Phone Calls

Have you ever been on the phone and find yourself pushing the Side button, continuing the conversation, only to discover that you actually ended the call? This is a convenient feature most of the time, but it can be really quite annoying, especially if you’ve been waiting on hold to talk to someone. Thankfully, iOS 16 offers the ability to make it so that your iPhone won’t end a phone call just by pressing the Side button.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
3. Under the Physical and Motor section, tap Touch.
4. Tap the toggle next to Prevent Lock to End Call to the On position.

Bring Back iOS 15 Lock Screen Notifications

Notifications themselves have also been revamped with iOS 16. Instead of going for an all-or-nothing approach, you can actually (and finally) hide notifications on iPhone Lock Screen in iOS 16. It’s a bit different than the granular notification settings that we can already tweak.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Notifications.
3. At the top of the page, tap Display As.
4. From the list of options, tap List.
5. Tap the < Notifications button in the top right corner.

Fix Your Battery Life

The Always-On Display is a feature that Android phones have had for years. It makes it easier than ever to glance at your phone and see what notifications are vying for your attention. Plus, with the all-new customizable Lock Screen with iOS 16, you’ll even be able to see your widgets and the clock.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.
2. Scroll down and tap Display & Brightness.
3. Scroll down and tap Always On Display.
4. Tap the toggles next to the following options:
   • Show Wallpaper
   • Show Notifications
5. In the top left corner, tap the < Back button.

Instead of having your Lock Screen wallpaper dimmed, this new option ditches the wallpaper altogether, only showing a plain black background. The apparent goal is to try and help extend the battery life of your iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, as there have been some complaints about subpar battery with the Always On Display enabled.

And if you want to try and save even more battery life, you can go ahead and turn off the Always On Display altogether. Just follow the same steps above until you reach the Always On Display panel within the Settings app. Then, tap the toggle next to Always On Display to the Off position. This will remove the new feature altogether, and should give you a bit more battery life.

Turn Off Featured Photos and Memories

While we all love reliving memories and reminiscing with our photos, it doesn’t necessarily mean we like those reminders letting us know “You have a new memory”. They tend to pop up at the wrong time and can be very distracting.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Photos.
3. Scroll down until you reach the Memories & Featured Photos section.
4. Tap the toggle next to Show Featured Content to the Off position.
5. In the top left corner, tap < Settings to save your changes.

For those who prefer to browse through their Memories in the Photos app on their own time, without a reminder, it’s nice that you can disable the feature. And, if you decide down the road to enable the Memories notification again, you can see how easy it is to turn off and on.

Show or Hide The Battery Percentage

When the iPhone X was released, complete with its notched display, Apple removed the ability to view your remaining battery percentage in the status bar. It’s still possible, but only from certain screens, as the precious space is reserved for things such as your network connections. Even after the iPhone 13 series introduced a more narrow notch, the expectation was that Apple would eventually bring back the ability to show battery percentage on iPhone.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Battery.
3. Tap the toggle next to Battery Percentage.

Unlike previous implementations of showing the battery percentage, Apple has now opted to put the number within the battery icon indicator. Additionally, that’s where it will remain, regardless of what screen you’re using, whether your iPhone is unlocked or not, and whenever your iPhone is charging or in Low Power Mode.