iOS 17 doesn’t really have any standout features, but it does have something even better: a number of small tweaks and changes that make your iPhone or iPad a much more pleasant to use.

With every iOS update, some features get stuck and you wonder how you ever lived without them (copy and paste in iOS 3). And then there are those that seem great on paper, but you try once and forget about (Stage Manager, in last year’s iPadOS update, though it’s actually improved this year). Today, we’re looking at the new and improved iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 features that you’ll actually use, in no particular order.

"Favorite feature? The 'nightstand mode' has definitely been a game-changer for me. It's a simple yet impactful feature that transforms the device into a nightstand while it charges," Chris No, head of design at Demand.io, told Lifewire via email. "This mode provides usability and encourages users to charge their devices overnight so they can start the day with a full battery. It's a testament to Apple's dedication to improving the user experience in subtle yet meaningful ways."

First, we have interactive widgets. Now, developers can place buttons, checkboxes, and the like inside home screen widgets. For example, the excellent Albums app now offers playback controls alongside the widget’s album art, and the Things app lets you check off items on your to-do list right from the widget.