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This new iOS 16 feature is so useful, but no one knows about it

Published Jun 24th, 2022 9:01AM EDT
iPhones showing various iOS 16 features.
Image: Apple Inc.

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With WWDC 2022 now firmly in the rearview mirror, developers have been busy getting their hands dirty with iOS 16. The second beta of iOS 16 dropped just this week and, as is typically the case, developers are fast discovering all sorts of cool and nifty features Apple didn’t have time to cover during its keynote address.

As a prime example, iOS 16 will make it easier for users to bypass annoying CAPTCHAs and verify their identity using their Apple ID instead.

Autofill your CVV when using a credit card online

Another iOS 16 feature Apple didn’t have time to cover involves the ability to autofill your CVV number when using your credit card online. As it stands now, most people who use credit cards online are familiar with how autofill works.

If you have a credit card number saved, you can simply enter in the CVV (the 3-digit number on the back) and the rest of your credit card information will populate. Adding the CVV isn’t exactly a headache, but sometimes people don’t have it memorized.

With iOS 16, you can now have the CVV saved automatically when using your credit card.

To get this to work, you’ll have to make sure that iCloud Keychain is toggled on. This tip first came to light via Mark Gurman who notes that “Apple had been reluctant to store that [information] previously.”

We’re not sure what prompted Apple to change its mind, but some suggest there may have been some regulatory hurdles that prevented Apple from doing this sooner. Either way, we’re definitely not complaining.

If you have the iOS 16 beta, you can access this by opening up the Settings app. From there, go to Safari> Autofill> Saved Credit Cards.

Other iOS 16 features

Apple with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura is really trying to reduce any type of online friction. To this end, one iOS 16 feature Apple did mention during its keynote is passkeys, a new feature that will make it easy to sign in to websites and apps without typing in a password.

One of the benefits of passkeys is that it relies upon a unique key that can only be unlocked via FaceID. As a result, Apple is all but making it impossible for malicious websites to steal sensitive login information.

Apple notes:

Passkeys introduce a new sign-in method that is end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks. This makes passkeys stronger than all common two-factor authentication types. 

Another iOS 16 feature worth mentioning is the ability to see your WiFi network password. This is a welcome feature that is long overdue. In short, iOS 16 will allow users to see WiFi passwords for saved networks.

This will make it easier to share WiFi passwords with non-iPhone users. It will also make it easier to enter WiFi password information on devices like smart TVs and video game consoles.


More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.