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New iPhone 17 Owners: Key Settings and Features to Try Now

A late-December primer steers new buyers to customization that saves time in daily use.

Overview

  • Apple’s September lineupiPhone 17, 17 Pro, Pro Max, and the lighter iPhone Air—is now in users’ hands after holiday gifting.
  • Dynamic Island surfaces live activities for music, navigation, and sports, with tap or swipe gestures to expand controls without opening apps.
  • Camera Control adds direct focus, exposure, and zoom adjustments, and the front camera supports an improved Center Stage for video calls.
  • Auto-zoom and auto-rotation can be disabled to maintain consistent framing for creators and casual shooters.
  • The Action Button can trigger shortcuts, launch the camera, start voice recordings, or enable accessibility tools, while iOS 26 brings deeper Lock Screen options, color-matched app icons, new ringtones, and clearer menus.