20 iPhone and iPad tips to become a pro: Everything to know about iOS and iPadOS 13.5

From trackpad support to a dedicated dark mode, there’s a lot to learn about Apple’s phone and tablet software.

We’re just days away from watching Apple reveal iOS and iPadOS 14 at WWDC 2020, but don’t let that stop you from exploring and learning all you can about what iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 add to your iPhone or iPad. When Apple released iOS 13 last September, the update came with a ton of useful features and it’s continued to add more over the last nine months. It’s a good idea to make sure you know them all before Apple expands on this foundation with iOS 14 in the fall. 

Are you using the dedicated dark mode to your advantage, or a feature to stop unknown callers from ever ringing your phone? How about the feature Apple added in March to bring trackpad and mouse support to iPadOS 13.4? More recently, the release of iOS 13.5 introduced improvements to using Face ID while wearing a face mask. That shortlist doesn’t even begin to cover features like iCloud folder sharing and general performance boosts included in each update.

If you’re not sure if your device will run iOS or iPadOS 13, scroll to the bottom for a complete list of compatible devices. Otherwise, here’s everything you need to know about iOS 13, from getting it on your iPhone or iPad to its best features. And stick with CNET on June 22 when Apple announces what’s next for iPhone with iOS 14. 

Install iOS 13 if you haven’t already

If you’ve been holding off on updating your phone or tablet, don’t worry — you won’t have to install every single iOS 13 update one by one. You can update directly to the latest available version. But before you update, it’s a good idea to get your iPhone ready to update by removing old apps and creating a current backup of your phone. Then, you’ll be OK to install iOS 13. 

1. Stop unknown callers

With a single button, you can effectively stop unknown callers from making your iPhone ring ever again. With the feature enabled, iOS 13 will only allow calls through from your contacts and numbers found in Mail or Messages. Everyone else, like robocallers, will go straight to voicemail. 

2. Quicker Wi-Fi, Bluetooth selection

For years we’ve thought it would make sense for there to be some way to connect to Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices from Control Center, instead of having to open the Settings app and tap several times. 

With iOS 13, Apple has finally made it possible to view and connect to available networks or devices without ever opening Settings. Hallelujah. For us, this fixes one of the iPhone’s most annoying quirks. 

3. That swipey keyboard

Android users have been swiping on their keyboards to type for years, using a number of third-party apps, like Swype and SwiftKey. Google later added swiping to its own Gboard. At long last, Apple has added the capability, letting you trace a word to spell it out. 

Apple calls it QuickPath Typing. In theory, it’s faster than pecking away at the virtual keyboard, and just as accurate — and you still get spelling suggestions as you go along.

The feature is especially useful for one-handed typing and is ready for use as soon as you install iOS 13. Here’s how to use QuickPath on iOS 13. And we found a workaround that lets you cuss on the iPhone keyboard. 

4. Dark mode for all

Dark mode, which replaces the usual light screen with a dark screen, is available across core apps in iOS 13, including the calendar, music and photo apps. 

This appears to be systemwide, but we’ll need to see if there are any exceptions. Dark mode is a popular trend across apps, with Android 10 adding official support for a dark theme too. Here’s everything we know about dark mode for the iPhone.

5. Deleting apps is a little different

Now that Apple has fully ditched 3D Touch on the iPhone 11, the way we delete and move apps around the home screen of our iPhones and iPads has changed. 

6. Photos app adds video editing tools

The Photos app received a pretty significant overhaul. Organizing and surfacing photos are both now easier, and the edit tools have a new look. But most impressive is the ability to use all of the picture editing tools you’re familiar with on videos in the Photos app.

Yes, that means you can apply filters, adjust brightness and even crop a video right in the Photos app. This is what you need to know about photos in iOS 13.

7. iPadOS gestures

The iPad is growing into its own computing platform, and with that comes plenty of new gestures used to get around apps and the homescreen. Whether it’s opening multiple apps or quickly switching between workspaces, we have you covered on iPad gestures. 

8. Trackpad support for iPad

Apple added official trackpad and mouse support to its iPad lineup with the release of iPadOS 13.4. The update checks another box in converting the tablet into a true laptop replacement, joining other features like a desktop-class Safari browser and better multitasking.

9. Hidden features

One of the best parts about using new software is finding features that weren’t announced. Often these features are the most notable in a major update, and iOS 13 has its fair share of hidden features. 

10. The volume indicator gets out of the way

Know how iOS has always had an annoying volume indicator that took over the screen, disrupting whatever it was you were watching? Well, on iOS 13, that’s gone. The volume indicator is minimal and gets out of the way — there’s even a cool new trick for adjusting the volume.

11. Custom fonts inside apps

Apple will still limit font selection for iOS as a whole. However, the company is opening up iOS 13 to allow custom fonts inside apps. The added flexibility is perhaps an indicator that Apple is loosening its grip on controlling every aspect of the user experience. This is everything we know about installing, managing and downloading custom iPhone fonts.