iOS 14 Update: How To Use New Control Center Features

Apple added a slew of enhancements, improvements and new features to the iPhone's latest and greatest operating system version yet, iOS 14. These include major improvements to Home Screen customization, new features in Messages and some new apps that will prove useful to many users.

With all the new features in iOS 14, it's easy to miss the changes Apple made in the Control Center. That's right – the Cupertino tech giant also introduced a few improvements to the Control Center, making it more useful to those who know how to customize it.

One of the major changes Apple made in the Control Center is the addition of Home controls. Now, whenever iOS 14 users swipe down from the top-right corner of the iPhone screen, they'll have easy access to Home controls, which can be used to operate HomeKit devices such as HomeKit lights.

The number of Home control buttons that a user will find on the Control Center depends on his or her preferences or available HomeKit devices. Users can add or remove buttons as they please.

Regardless of the setup, however, users will always find one big Home Favorites button. They can then choose up to six small buttons, each giving them direct control over one HomeKit device.

Customizing the buttons

Users will need to specify which HomeKit device the buttons will operate. Here's how to do it.

• First, users should access the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the iPhone screen.
• Second, once there, tap on the Home Favorites button.
• Third, tap on the Home icon at the top right. This will take users to the Home app.
• Fourth, once there, users should tap on the Home button at the top left and choose a room where the device is located.
• Fifth, press and hold on a device from the list of HomeKit devices shown on the screen, then tap on the gear icon at the bottom right.
• Sixth, users should toggle the switch beside Include in Favorites on, then tap on the “X” button when done.

This will add specific HomeKit devices to the Control Center, making it easier for users to operate them.