This Hidden iOS 18 Beta Feature Is Key to Customizing Your iPhone's Controls

Apple released the second public beta for iOS 18 on July 29, more than a month after the tech giant announced the software at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

The update brings many new features to the iPhones of developers and beta testers, like the ability to lock and hide certain apps on your iPhone and more ways to customize your lock screen and Control Center. And one feature that lets you fully customize these features is a control called Open App.

I recommend downloading a beta only on something other than your primary device. Because this isn’t the final version of iOS 18, the update might be buggy and battery life may be short, and it’s best to keep those troubles on a secondary device.

Since the beta is not the final version of iOS 18, there could be more features to land on your iPhone when iOS 18 is released. Apple said iOS 18 would be released to the public this fall, but there’s no definitive date yet.

Here’s what you need to know about Open App and how to access it.

What is Open App?

Open App is a prebuilt shortcut that lets you open any app. It lets you create new controls for your Control Center and lock screen that aren’t included in the Controls library. That means you can create a control to launch your favorite game, social media platform or other app from your lock screen or from your Control Center.

How to use Open App for your lock screen

The iPhone Lock Screen with the Hello Kitty Island Adventure and Quick Notes function — You could remove your lock screen controls, or you can put your favorite game there, like Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

Apple/Screenshot by CNET

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Wallpaper.
3. Tap the screen you’d like to customize — your lock screen is always on the left.
4. Tap the minus (–) sign next to the control you want to remove across the bottom of your screen — you can only replace these two controls, you can’t add more.
5. Tap the plus (+) sign in the newly open space.
6. Tap Open App.
7. Tap Choose in the shortcut menu.
8. Tap the app you want to create a shortcut for.
9. Tap a space around the shortcut menu.
10. Tap Done in the top right corner of your screen.

Now you can access whatever app you want from your lock screen once you input your FaceID or passcode. So if you get a lot of emails sent to your phone for work or otherwise, you can go right to your Mail app from your lock screen without getting distracted by another app.

How to use Open App in your Control Center

1. Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPhone to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) symbol in the top left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control across the bottom of your screen.
4. Tap Open App. You can find it under Shortcuts or search for it in the search bar at the top of your screen.
5. Tap Choose in the shortcut menu.
6. Tap the app you want to create a control for.
7. Tap a space around the shortcut menu.
8. Press and hold the new control to move it where you want it.
9. Tap a blank space in your Control Center or lock your screen to finish.