After more than a month of testing, Apple today made iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 available to the general public. The update is substantial and includes a number of significant new features. You should upgrade right away to take advantage of the new features and significant bug fixes.
For additional videos, subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel. We have listed every change that is available in iPadOS 16.2 and iOS 16.2.
Freeform App In iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1, Apple introduced a brand-new cross-platform Freeform app. Freeform, which was made for teamwork, can be used to take notes, sketch, draw, save links, and more.
Freeform lets multiple people work on the same document at the same time, and real-time updates are shared with all participants. According to Apple, Freeform can be used as a creative space for project sketching, mood board design, and idea generation.
Apple Music Sing Apple Music Sing is a karaoke feature for Apple Music subscribers that lets iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users sing along with real-time lyrics. Real-time lyrics that move with the rhythm of the vocals, background vocal options, and a duet view for tracks with multiple singers are some of the features. Adjustable vocals can change the volume of the original singer.
Apple has released more than fifty playlists that are ideal for Apple Music Sing and include songs, duets, choruses, and anthems.
The iPhone 11 and later, the third-generation 11-inch iPad Pro, the fifth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the fourth-generation iPad Air, the ninth-generation iPad, and the iPad mini are all supported by Apple Music Sing.
Advanced Data Protection’s expansion of end-to-end encryption to additional iCloud data categories was announced last week. Encryption of iCloud backups, Message backups, iCloud Drive content, Voice Memos, Safari Bookmarks, Siri Shortcuts, and Wallet Passes is possible with opt-in Advanced Data Protection.
With the update, almost all iCloud data is safe. Mail, Contacts, and Calendar, on the other hand, can’t be protected because they need to work with systems that use older technologies.
Advanced Data Protection is opt-in because it prevents Apple from restoring your data in the event that you forget your password and disables iCloud.com by default.
Stage Manager on M1 and M2 iPads can now be used with external displays once more thanks to iPadOS 16.2’s support for Stage Manager. This feature was removed by Apple in the initial release of iPadOS 16 to accommodate the A12X and A12Z iPad Pro models.
Stage Manager now supports up to eight apps instead of just four for multitasking with support for external displays. The M1 and M2 iPads are the only ones that can use this feature.
There is also the option to drag and drop a window from the iPad to the external monitor that is connected to your device for iPads that are M1 or M2 capable. In the iOS 16.2 update, dragging a window from one device to another is new.
New Home Application Engineering
Matched with HomePod 16.2 programming, iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 add support for a refreshed Home application engineering that comes following the option of the Matter brilliant home norm.
Apple claims that the new Home app architecture improves performance in homes with a lot of smart accessories by making it faster and more reliable. However, the HomePod 16.2 software and iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, and watchOS 9.2 updates are required for every device that connects to the home.
Disable Wallpaper and Notifications for Always On Display iOS 16.2 now includes two toggles that can be used to disable notifications and wallpaper when always on display is turned on. The feature results in a simpler, always-on display interface that displays only the time and enabled widgets.
$img Contacts Only AirDrop With the release of iOS 16.2, AirDrop will only be available to contacts by default rather than to everyone. AirDrop can still be opened to everyone in the area, but it will go back to Contacts Only after ten minutes.
According to Apple, this was done to reduce AirDrop spam.
Software Updates The Software Updates section of the Settings app, which can be found under General, has seen a minor update from Apple. The installed software version’s text is now bolder, making it easier to see.
Lock Screen Sleep Widget iOS 16.2 adds a Sleep widget to the Lock Screen that uses information gathered by the Apple Watch or other sleep tracking devices and stored in the Health app. It comes in three different versions and provides data on things like the amount of time spent in bed and the quality of one’s sleep.
A simple widget with one tile shows how long you spent in bed, while two multi-tile options show either a bar chart that shows how well you slept or a larger widget with a visual representation of how long you spent in bed. The Health app’s Sleep section appears when the widget is tapped.
Lock Screen Medication Widget Apple has added a Medications widget in addition to the Sleep widget. There are two choices: one that displays a single pill icon and another that indicates when a medication must be taken. It will notify you if all of your medications have been recorded or if you no longer have any for the day.
Game Center Game Center now supports SharePlay, letting iPhone and iPad users play games while on a FaceTime call with friends and family.
Additionally, a brand-new Activity Widget allows users to view the games and achievements of their friends from the Home Screen.
Messages Search Apple has improved the Messages app’s search for photos based on content, such as a person, a pet, a car, or a text.
Turn off Hide IP Address There is a new setting in iCloud Private Relay that allows you to temporarily disable it for a particular Safari site.
5G in India iOS 16.2 allows for 5G service, and a number of Indian carriers now support 5G speeds.
Television Application Live Games Scores
iOS 16.2 re-adds Live Exercises combination for select sporting events for the underlying television application on the iPhone. Games can be followed continuously on the Lock Screen or the Unique Island on the iPhone 14 Master models.
TV App Updates Apple has modified the TV app with the iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1 updates. Users will now have to work harder to get to the TV shows they want to watch because there are now large movie and show previews above the “Up Next” interface.
Weather App News The Weather app now integrates with Apple News, displaying localized weather-related news.
Live Activities in the TV App You can choose to receive more frequently from the TV App Live Activity updates for sports games. If you’re worried about your battery life, you might want to disable it because frequent updates can drain your battery faster.
Siri Silent Responses In the Accessibility section of the Settings app, select “Prefer Silent Responses” to instruct Siri to confirm requests silently on the device rather than over the speaker.
ProMotion Lag Fix Apple claims that SwiftUI animated layout changes will now be able to refresh at a rate of 120 Hz on ProMotion-capable devices.
Additionally, it appears that ProMotion issues affecting the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models have been resolved in the iOS 16.2 update. Multiple reports from beta testers indicate that the update has improved performance, as these devices can experience lagging and stuttering system animations when closing and switching apps.
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AirTag Cautions
On the iPad, following warnings are currently accessible to inform clients as to whether an AirTag isolated from its proprietor is close by and has as of late played a ring to show that it is moving.
Crash Detection Optimizations Crash Detection optimization for iPhone 14 models is included in iOS 16.2, which was first made available in iOS 16.1.2. Crash Detection optimization may include enhancements to stop iPhone 14 models from calling emergency services while users are riding intense rides like roller coasters.
Unintentional SOS Calls As a result of the update, Apple is now collecting information about accidental SOS calls. One user has reported that Apple inquired about the call, which collects system data.
Battery Status Shortcut There is now a new Battery Status Shortcut that tells you everything you need to know about the iPhone’s battery and any connected chargers.
Other New Features Are you aware of a new feature that we did not include in iOS 16.2? Tell us in the remarks underneath.
Related Summaries: Related Forum: iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and iOS 16
Hazel Yu 
