iOS 18.3 Update: What’s New and What You Need to Know

iOS 18.3 is here, bringing another round of updates to Apple’s latest operating system. While it may not be packed with as many new features as iOS 18.1 or 18.2, it still introduces some changes to Apple Intelligence, along with several tweaks, bug fixes, and security improvements.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s new in iOS 18.3.

Apple Intelligence Gets Turned On by Default in iOS 18.3

After updating to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence is automatically enabled. Previously, users had to opt in to use it, but now it’s turned on by default. If you didn’t activate it before, you might want to check your settings. To turn it off, go to the Apple Intelligence section in the Settings app.

This change also applies to iPadOS 18.3 and macOS Sequoia 15.3.

Apple Intelligence is only available on select devices, including iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro models, iPad mini 7, and any Mac or iPad with an M-series chip. Once you install the update, Apple Intelligence is enabled automatically on these devices.

New Visual Intelligence Features for iPhone 16 in iOS 18.3

For those with an iPhone 16, the Visual Intelligence tool now includes new capabilities with Camera Control.

You can use it to:

• Add events to the Calendar app by recognizing dates and times from images.
• Identify plants and animals using the camera.

These small but handy features improve how the iPhone interacts with the real world.

Notification Summary Tweaks

Apple made some adjustments to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about misleading news headlines.

• News and Entertainment summaries are temporarily disabled while Apple works on improvements.
• In the Settings app, Apple now includes a warning that Notification Summaries are in beta and may have errors.
• Summarized notifications now appear in italics to differentiate them from regular ones.
• Users can now disable summaries for specific apps directly from the Lock Screen by swiping left on a notification and tapping Options.

iOS 18.3 Calculator Brings Back a Useful Feature

Apple restored a small but useful function in the Calculator app. You can now tap the equals (=) sign twice to repeat the last calculation.

This feature was removed in iOS 18 but is now back, making it easier for users who rely on the calculator for things like compound interest calculations or quick math repetitions.

New Black Unity Wallpaper

A fresh Black Unity wallpaper has been added to match the latest Apple Watch face and band released as part of Apple’s 2025 Black Unity Collection.

Important Bug Fixes

iOS 18.3 also squashes some annoying bugs:

• Siri Keyboard Issue Fixed – The update resolves a bug where the keyboard could disappear after using Type to Siri.
• Apple Music Playback Issue Fixed – A bug that allowed audio to continue playing even after closing the Apple Music app has been addressed.

Security Updates You Shouldn’t Ignore

This update includes 25 security patches, one of which was actively exploited. Some of the most important fixes include:

• CoreMedia Vulnerability – Apple patched a flaw that could let attackers elevate privileges, which was reportedly used on older iOS versions (iOS 17.1 and earlier).
• Photos App Security Flaw – Attackers with physical access to an unlocked iPhone could view photos even when the device was locked. This has been fixed.
• AirPlay Security Fixes – Some vulnerabilities allowed attackers to execute code or crash apps through AirPlay.
• Kernel Vulnerabilities Patched – Malicious apps could potentially gain kernel-level privileges, but Apple has addressed these issues.
• WebKit Updates for Safari – Several security holes in Safari’s WebKit engine have been patched.

With so many security fixes, it’s a good idea to install this update as soon as possible.

Final Thoughts

iOS 18.3 may not bring a ton of new features, but it still delivers some important changes. Apple Intelligence is now enabled by default, Visual Intelligence gets more useful tools, and notification summaries are being refined. Plus, the return of the Calculator’s repeat function is a small win for frequent users.

On top of that, the security fixes make this update a must-install. If you haven’t updated yet, now’s the time to do it!