This clever iOS 14 hidden feature will make your life easier

ios 14
(Image credit: Apple)

While Apple duly ticked off the big improvements coming to iPhone and iPad users with iOS 14 during last week’s official unveiling, eager users have been finding their own improvements not flagged during the company keynote. And one of these fixes an issue that iPhone users have had for some time.

Now iPhone users can add captions to their photos directly from the handset. Previously, this was something that could only be done via the Photos app on Mac, but now people can write descriptions immediately, without waiting for pictures to sync.

While this may sound like a minor addition, writing a short description of photos makes a big difference, because the data is indexed for use with the Photos search interface. In short, tracking down certain shots should be that bit easier, as long as you’ve been diligent with your captioning.

How to add a caption to photos in iOS 14

Adding a caption is fairly straightforward, as MacRumors explains. Just tap a photo to see it full screen, then swipe up to access the caption field. Tap the field, write your caption, press enter and it’s saved. 

It's little ‘quality of life’ changes like this that should make your iPhone more pleasant to use. And we can see why Apple didn't have time to announce this feature. iOS 14 packs a ton of other features, from widgets for the home screen and a redesigned Siri redesigned to picture-in-picture mode and App Clips – Apple’s answer to Google’s Instant Apps.

All of this will be coming in iOS 14, due out as a public beta in July and as a final release this fall. If you really can’t wait that long, here's how to download the iOS 14 beta for developers right now. But we wouldn't recommend running the software on your primary device.

Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

Latest in iPhones
iPhone 17 Pro render
iPhone 17 Pro Max leak claims it’s ready for production — and seems to confirm its new design
iPhone 16e review.
iPhone 16e is facing Bluetooth problems — here's what's going on
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Everything we know so far
iOS 19 logo on an iPhone
iOS 19 risks turning Apple Intelligence into the new Siri — and that's not good
A photo of Apple CarPly in use
Apple CarPlay just got a welcome upgrade in iOS 18.4 — what you need to know
iOS 19 logo on an iPhone
5 biggest iOS 19 rumors — here’s how Apple could transform your iPhone
Latest in News
Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso in Ted Lasso season 3
‘Ted Lasso’ season 4 is official — here’s what Jason Sudeikis revealed
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 shipments rumor hints at possible release window
android 16 logo on a samsung galaxy smartphone
One of Apple’s most controversial AI features could be coming to Android phones
iPhone 17 Pro render
iPhone 17 Pro Max leak claims it’s ready for production — and seems to confirm its new design
Cristin Milioti in "Black Mirror" season 7 coming to Netflix
‘Black Mirror’ season 7 trailer teases some of the darkest episodes yet — here’s when you can stream it
Google Gemini vs GPT 4o
ChatGPT just got a massive update that lets you replace Gemini on your Android phone