Notch No More: How to Use the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15

On the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 14 Pro, the Dynamic Island can show alerts for Apple Pay purchases, low battery, AirDrop transfers, and more. How does it work?

The notch at the top of the iPhone has been there for a long time. But besides being a place for the True Depth front camera, the notch is just useless space that takes up space on your screen. Apple has turned the notch on the new iPhones into an interactive feature called the "Dynamic Island" to make better use of the room.
 

The Dynamic Island was only available on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, but it is now on all iPhone 15 models. Dynamic Island doesn't need to be turned on or set up for the feature to work. It starts working as soon as your phone is unlocked and any approved app is running. Here's how to use the Dynamic Island and how it can improve how you use your iPhone.
 

What Can the Dynamic Island Do?

The Dynamic Island can show notifications for Apple Pay transactions, low battery warnings, AirDrop transfers, Apple Maps directions, incoming phone calls, music being played, SharePlay sessions, and screen records. 
Most of the time, if you press down on the Dynamic Island, the action will open in a bigger window. In other situations, you can tap the Dynamic Island to start the game in its full-screen app. You can also use it to move the window up or down. Here are a few images of this in action.
 

1. Authenticate Apple Pay Transactions

You can use Apple Pay to buy things at stores or online. Double-clicking the side button confirms the transaction, and the Dynamic Island shows a swirling green picture to show that Face ID has been used to confirm the transaction. After your face has been verified and the purchase has been made, the picture of you changes into a green happy face.

2. Visualize AirDrop Transfers

The state of AirDrop transfers can be seen on the Dynamic Island. When someone gives you something, an indicator will show up on the Dynamic Island to show how far along the file sharing is. When the process is done, a tick appears in the same place.
 

3. Show Privacy Indicators

When an app or service needs to use your camera or microphone, your iPhone shows a privacy warning. On phones that can use the function, these lights show up inside the Dynamic Island. When you open an app that can use your camera, a green dot shows up on the screen. When you open an app that can use your microphone, an orange dot shows up. 
 

4. Set a Timer

Through the Dynamic Island, you can keep an eye on a timer. Open the Clock app first and set a timer. The Dynamic Island then shows how many minutes are left. You can see the timer and slow or stop it by pressing down on the screen to make the information bigger. If you tap the Dynamic Island, the full Clock app will open.
 

5. Control Phone Calls

When you are on a phone call and go to the Home screen, the Dynamic Island shows you how long the call is still going on for and how loud it is. Press down on the display to see how long the call will last, the caller's name or number, change the sound source, or end the call. To open the Phone app, tap the screen.
 

6. Follow Apple Map Directions

If you are using Apple Maps to get around, you can go back to the Home screen to see step-by-step steps in the Dynamic Island. If you press down on the screen, it will show you the next turn and give you the choice to end the route. If you tap the Dynamic Island, the Maps app will open to fill the whole screen.
 

7. Play Music or Other Audio

Play a song, an episode of a podcast, an audiobook, or any other audio material. On the Home screen, the Dynamic Island shows a small picture of the record art and a volume gauge. When you press down on the Dynamic Island, you'll see a bigger screen with the album art, the name of the song, and the artist, as well as buttons to stop, play, go back, go forward, and change the audio output.
 

8. Record Your Screen

If you've started recording what you do on your computer, the Dynamic Island shows a record button that lets you know what's happening. If you tap or press down on the Dynamic Island, a timer and a button to stop recording will appear. When you press the Stop button, your picture library will show that the recording was saved.