Apple's next big iPhone update will let you automatically bypass CAPTCHA requests

Trying to figure out if one photo that kinda sorta has a mountain in the corner counts for a CAPTCHA request isn’t the worst part of using the internet, but it’s certainly one we could do without.

Thankfully, it looks like Apple is about to do something about it. TechCrunch reports the upcoming iOS 16 update for iPhones will bring about a new feature that lets iPhone users automatically bypass those pesky requests (which usually involve typing in a code or solving a picture puzzle) by instantly proving they’re human. Is it actually as cool and sci-fi as that sounds? Not particularly, but it does sound like a real time-saver.

When iOS 16 launches later this year, you’ll be able to go to the "Apple ID" section of the Settings app to find a new "Automatic Verification" heading. The in-app text says the new feature will "bypass CAPTCHAs" using iCloud verification in both apps and websites. In other words, load up a CAPTCHA on your phone and the operating system will take care of it for you.

Sounds pretty handy! It sounds like it’s just for iOS for now, but hopefully features like this can roll out to other platforms over time. Filling out CAPTCHA requests is annoying, even if it serves a good purpose. If there’s a way to make it less of a hassle for users without compromising on the original goal of CAPTCHAs, then that’s great. 

Anything to get computers to stop asking if I’m really human. That’s creepy, man.