iOS 18 has great features, but these 3 are super annoying

I’ve been an iPhone user since Apple launched the very first model in 2007, and I currently own the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Needless to say, I’m a huge iPhone fan.

But nothing is perfect, especially when it comes to iOS: the mobile operating software that powers the iPhone. With every new release there are always a few features or settings that I’m not too excited about, and that includes the recent release of iOS 18.

Read more: 7 iOS 18 Features Every iPhone User Should Change Now

There’s a lot to like in iOS 18 — I’m a big fan of what’s new RCS supportmaking text messaging with Android users much better. I like that I can also ship Text messaging via satellite if I don’t have mobile reception. And I’m very happy that I can finally do that swap the two lock screen buttons (which honestly we should have been able to do for a while).

But there are also things I hate, as always. (I’m looking at you, the new Control Center.) Here are the three new features I like least in iOS 18, and how to fix them.

To learn more, check out the nine hidden iOS 18 features you need to know about.

Get rid of all the clutter from the Photos app on iOS 18

Okay, I’ll just say it right away: I really don’t like the overhaul Apple gave the Photos app in iOS 18. I understand what it’s intended for, but it feels very cluttered by default. I don’t want my main camera reel to constantly remind me of vacations or suggest backgrounds with photos and videos that I’m not looking for.

Fortunately, Apple does give you the option to customize the Photos app to your heart’s content.

When you open the Photos app for the first time, you’ll see a grid of all your photos and videos. This is the library view you’re used to, but at the bottom you’ll notice the navigation bar is gone. and instead replace it with collections of photos and videos you’ve recently taken and that you have of friends, family, and pets.

If you swipe down, you’ll continue to see random collections and albums, such as pinned collections, shared albums, memories, trips, featured photos, and wallpaper suggestions, all of which were previously in the Albums and For You tabs. Now they’re all in one place on iOS 18, which is the main view. And while that may be helpful to some, I don’t need to see it all at once. I just want to see my camera roll and a few albums.

To customize the Photos app, swipe all the way down and tap Adjust and reorder. Here you can uncheck any collections you want to hide from the main view. You can also arrange the order in which they appear. I don’t want background suggestions and most other options, so I turned off everything except Media types (organizes your media into videos, live photos, etc.) and Utilities (albums for hidden, recently deleted, receipts, documents and so on).

Sure, you won’t be able to see the collections that Apple created for you anymore, as well as some other albums, but if you don’t use them, you’re better off this way, because you can still see any photo or video you want through your camera roll or use the search button at the top.

Remove all new Control Center pages on iOS 18

I use Control Center all the time to quickly connect to Wi-Fi, turn on Do Not Disturb, enable dark mode or low battery mode, and discover new songs with the music recognition controls. However, with iOS 18, Apple has expanded the way Control Center is designed, and it now has multiple pages of controls, some out-of-the-box and others you can create yourself.

The thing is, I don’t need multiple Control Center pages – I just need the one. I don’t want the clutter of multiple pages because I can put all the controls I need on one page. But that’s not the only problem. I also notice that when I try to swipe out of Control Center now, I accidentally scroll through Control Center pages, so I get stuck… and irritated.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to make Control Center look like it used to, with just one page.

In Control Center, which you can access by swiping down from the top right corner of your screen, swipe up to access the additional pages and press your finger on an empty part of the page. This will highlight the control. Press the delete controls button (-) at the top left to delete the control and the page.

Do this for any other additional Control Center pages you have until you have just the main Control Center.

Now when you try to swipe out of Control Center, you are no longer stuck on the other pages. Instead, you can simply exit as before.

Stop Accidentally Activating the New Siri on iOS 18.1 (Public and Developer Beta Users Only)

The big AI upgrade to Siri that everyone has been waiting for isn’t coming until sometime next year, but if you’re using the public beta (or developer version) of iOS 18.1 (here’s a full guide on that how to download) and have a compatible iPhone with Apple Intelligence, you’ve probably noticed that Siri has taken on a shine.

Instead of the Siri bubble you’re used to, the edges of your iPhone screen glow different colors when the assistant is listening to you. It’s a welcome design change, even if Siri still doesn’t have the expected Apple Intelligence features, but one aspect of the new Siri continues to annoy me.

If you double-tap the bottom center of your iPhone, the Type to Siri feature will appear. This allows you to type into Siri instead of talking, with a keyboard appearing at the bottom of your screen. It’s a handy feature if you’re in a situation where you need to be discreet, but I always seem to accidentally enable the feature, especially when I tap or swipe on my phone.

However, there is a way to disable Type to Siri without completely disabling the assistant. In Institutionsgo to Apple Intelligence & Siri > Talk and type to Siri and switch off Type to Siri.

To learn more, check out how to break through muddy movie dialogue with this new iOS 18 audio feature.