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    What's New in the iPhone 16: Key Features Explained

    The iPhone 16 brings a new Camera Control button, Apple Intelligence AI features, and a bigger Action Button — here's what they do.

    4 min read 4 stepsApril 20, 2026Verified April 2026
    1

    Learn the Camera Control button

    ~29s
    On the right edge of your iPhone 16, find the Camera Control button below the power button. Tap it once to open the camera. Press it to take a photo. Swipe left or right across the surface to adjust zoom level. Press and hold to record video. When in the camera app, a second swipe lets you cycle through other settings like exposure.

    Quick Tip

    You can also use Camera Control to launch the camera directly from the lock screen without unlocking your phone first — useful for capturing quick moments.

    2

    Customize the Action Button

    ~17s
    Go to Settings > Action Button. Swipe through the available options to choose what the button does. Options include: silent mode toggle, focus modes, camera, flashlight, Voice Memos, translate, magnifier, a specific shortcut, or nothing. Press and hold the Action Button (left side of the phone) to activate your chosen function.
    3

    Enable Apple Intelligence features

    ~26s
    Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. If your iPhone 16 is running iOS 18.1 or later, Apple Intelligence should be available. Tap "Turn On Apple Intelligence" and follow the prompts. Features appear gradually — writing tools appear in any text field, notification summaries appear in Settings > Notifications > Notification Summaries.

    Warning

    Apple Intelligence requires the device language and Siri language to be set to English (US) in early releases. Some features roll out over time through software updates.

    4

    Transfer photos quickly with USB 3 (Pro models)

    ~18s
    If you have an iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max, use a USB-C cable that supports USB 3 speeds (not all USB-C cables are equal — look for one rated at 10Gbps or higher). Connect to your Mac or PC to transfer large video files much faster than older iPhones allowed.

    You Did It!

    You've completed: What's New in the iPhone 16: Key Features Explained

    Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

    The iPhone 16 lineup includes four models: the standard iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus with a larger screen, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. If you are considering an upgrade or you already have one, this guide explains the most important new features in plain terms.

    The most visible hardware change on all iPhone 16 models is the Camera Control button. It sits on the right edge of the phone, below the power button. Tapping it once opens the camera app. You can swipe across it to zoom in or out, and pressing it takes a photo or starts a video. It also supports more advanced gestures like adjusting exposure and switching camera modes without tapping the screen. For people who take a lot of photos, this is a genuinely useful addition.

    The Action Button, which was previously exclusive to the Pro models, is now on all iPhone 16 models. You can customize it to do almost anything: turn on the flashlight, open a specific app, start a voice memo, translate something, or run a shortcut. Press and hold the button on the left side of the phone to activate whatever function you have assigned to it.

    Apple Intelligence is a set of AI features that require either an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model. These features include writing tools that can proofread and rewrite text, an image generation tool called Image Playground, notification summaries that condense a stack of notifications into one brief, and a smarter version of Siri that understands context better than before.

    The iPhone 16 Pro models have larger displays than their predecessors — 6.3 inches on the Pro and 6.9 inches on the Pro Max. Both Pro models also support USB 3 speeds through the USB-C port, meaning transferring photos and videos to a computer is dramatically faster.

    If you are upgrading from an iPhone 13 or older, you will notice major camera improvements, the new USB-C port, Dynamic Island (which replaced the notch), and significantly better Face ID performance in addition to everything above.

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    What's New in the iPhone 16: Key Features Explained — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure