You Don't Need iOS 26 to Do Math in Your iPhone's Messages App. Here's How

Apple is set to release iOS 26 this fall -- I'm predicting in less than two weeks -- and it will bring Liquid Glass , call screening and more features to your iPhone . But iOS 18 upgrades your Messages app so that it can solve tricky equations without your Calculator app, and it doesn't need Google to look up conversion rates, either.

Prior to iOS 18, if you wanted to figure out how to split a bill with your texting group from afar, you'd have to use your calculator app or Spotlight and then switch back to Messages. With iOS 18 you can perform multistep calculations in Messages, as well as convert things like currency and temperature, without switching apps.

Here's how to make Messages perform calculations. You can also see other hidden features iOS 1