iOS 18 brings a lot of new features to iPhones, such as better home screen and control center customization, a redesigned Photos app, and more. Apple showcased most major features that will be coming to supported devices but some features don't make it to the Keynote. One such feature that went under the radar and was discovered later on by a Reddit user is the one we're talking about now.

This feature lets you view the time even when your iPhone is dead. Until now, this feature was only present on the Apple Watch but it seems like Apple is bringing it to iPhones as well. Earlier, when Apple launched iOS 15, it allowed users to locate their iPhones using Find My even when they were powered off or dead.

While the new feature may seem like a minor update, it can be pretty handy for people whose phone gets discharged and dies and they do not have a charger close by.

[iOS 18 DB1] You can now see the time even after the phone is dead or charging.
by u/ant_t99 in iOSBeta

iOS 18 shows the time even when your iPhone is dead.

How does it work?

Starting with the iPhone XS, all iPhones have a Power Reserve feature built into them that lets users locate their phones using Apple's Find My network. It works for a certain time after the battery dies, allowing it to be used with student ID cards, digital keys, and travel cards supporting express mode. So, even when your iPhone dies, there is still some juice left in it.

In such a state, pressing the Side button on the device will show you that the Power Reserve feature is on. It will show a message indicating your iPhone is findable and a low-battery icon along with available express keys and cards. You will also see the time in the upper left corner where it usually appears. Keep in mind that this requires your iPhone to have enough charge to enter the Reserve Mode.

Completely discharging your iPhone is not recommended as it can damage the device, which is why it will turn off before that happens. That said, it is possible to discharge your iPhone completely.

Does it work on all iPhones?

Since the feature was not announced officially, we do not know whether it will be available on all iPhones having Power Reserve and compatible with iOS 18. So far, the feature has been seen working on the iPhone 15 Pro Max but did not work on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, so it might only work with the latest iPhone 15 series.

However, since iOS 18 is only available in Beta right now, the stable version might bring support to other models also.

Apple is bringing several interesting features to iPhones with iOS 18 this year, though many of these have been present on Android devices for some time. However, the ability to show the time even after your iPhone is dead is something that has so far only been present on the Apple Watch.

The only question now remains is which devices will get support for it, and we'll only find out when Apple releases the final version of iOS 18 this fall. While we wait for it, we hope Google brings something similar to Android devices with future updates.