17 Essential Apps to Customize Your iOS 18 Control Center

Apple’s iOS 18 version brought detailed changes to the Control Center that is meant for vertical access to frequently used options on the iPhone device. In this case, the most significant change is that third parties will be able to design custom controls within their applications, thereby enhancing the user experience.

A number of apps did get on board and have started offering various Control Center widgets that are helpful. Some of the best are as follows:

• Bulletin: An AI-powered news reader app that summarizes articles, with nine Control Center widgets for quick access to news categories, summaries, and other features.
• CARROT Weather: A weather app with snarky forecasts, offering two Control Center widgets for quick access to weather and map information.
• Crouton: A recipe organizer and meal planner app that allows users to import new recipes with one tap from the Control Center.
• Cheatsheet Notes: A widget that lets users write down important reminders such as hotel room numbers, license plate numbers, and lock combinations to quickly access from their iPhone home screen.
• FitBee: A nutrition-tracking app that lets you log a meal by taking a photo of it, and AI can estimate the meal’s calories and macros. It recently released two features that take advantage of the new Control Center, including the ability to scan barcodes and snap photos of food items, letting users log even faster.
• Focused Work: A time management app that helps users focus, with new control widgets that allow people to start a focus session and access the “Scratch Pad,” or notes section for writing down thoughts that can be revisited after the session.
• LookUp: A dictionary app that teaches users one word a day, with several actions added to the Control Center, such as the ability to search for a word, scan a word with the phone camera to see its definition, or set up the app’s “Reading Mode,” which turns on a Live Activity to quickly look up a word from the Lock Screen.
• Mango Baby: An app designed for newborn care, offering parents five useful widgets that can be added to their Control Center. The app allows users to log diaper changes and set up different timers such as a sleep timer, pumping timer, bath timer, and tummy time timer to help parents keep track of their baby’s daily routine.
• MediSOS: An app with an emergency siren that activates when users press the SOS button, notifying people around them that they’re in need of medical attention. Now, people can start the medical emergency alarm from the Control Center thanks to the iOS 18 update.
• Dark Noise: An app that plays ambient sounds, with multiple options added to the Control Center so users can choose a type of noise, start playing rain sounds, and set a timer all without opening the app.
• Pedometer++: An app that lets people track their step count, walking distance, active calories, and heart rate. The app’s new widgets let users instantly start a walk, run, and hike. They can also open the app with one tap.
• Sofa: An app that allows users to create lists of different things, from apps to download to things to watch, read, play, and listen to. 
• Spark: An AI email assistant designed to help people handle and sort emails while connecting multiple accounts into one inbox. The app offers four widgets that can be added to the Control Center, allowing users to easily access the app for composing emails, conducting searches, accessing attachments, or checking the calendar.
• Tripsy: A travel planner app that lets people plan a list of activities for their next trip, receive real-time flight updates, and even track expenses. Its new control actions allow people to quickly access their trip itinerary or create their upcoming travel plan.
• TV Remote: A fully customizable remote app for LG, Samsung, Roku, and Sony televisions. One of the most helpful new actions for the Control Center is “Remote Command,” letting users quickly access the remote whenever they want without having to launch the app.
• Waterllama: An app that tracks daily water intake to ensure people stay hydrated, with a new Control Center widget that lets users quickly add a custom amount of water or other beverages to the daily total. 
• Zenitizer: An app that allows users to create meditation timers, listen to relaxing sounds, track daily goals, and set reminders. Now, people can add the app’s widget to their Control Center to set a meditation timer with one tap.