How Tos - Page 77

When you set up a new iPhone, iOS gives the handset a generic name that includes the first name of the owner – "Tim's ‌iPhone‌," for example. This default name is used for identifying the device when you plug it into a computer, when someone wants to AirDrop file to you, or when you set up a Personal Hotspot. But there are good reasons why you might want to change it. If the iOS network...

If you add your personal contact information to your iPhone or iPad, it allows Siri to carry out more complex queries and offer better suggestions, such as giving you directions home or reminding you about your scheduled meeting when you arrive at the office. For best results, you need to make sure your self-identifying contact card – called My Card in the Contacts app – includes...

If the photos on your Mac are taking over your hard drive, or you just want to start your photo and video collection afresh, the good news is that Photos for Mac allows you to delete all the media in the Photo Library in just a few short steps. Before you go down this route, make sure you've backed up any photos or videos that you want to keep. iCloud will only let you restore all your deleted ...

In macOS, Apple includes a feature that allows you to establish relationships for different contacts, which makes getting in touch with the people close to you much more personable. The Contacts app's relationships feature goes hand in hand with Siri, so rather than asking it to "Text Hannah," you can say "Text my sister" and the voice-activated assistant will know that Hannah is your...

In iOS, Apple includes a feature that allows you to establish relationships for different contacts, which makes getting in touch with the people close to you much more personable. Once you've set it up, the Contacts app's relationships feature goes hand in hand with Siri, so rather than asking it to "Text Hannah," you can say "Text my sister" and the voice-activated assistant will know that...

If you're a new Mac user with a Windows PC background, you're probably wondering how to use the typical copy and paste commands in macOS. In Windows, the Copy and Paste key combinations are Control-C and Control-V, respectively. On the Mac, it's very similar – all you do is use the Command (⌘) key instead of Control. You can find the Command key immediately left of your keyboard's space bar. ...

Since macOS Sierra, Apple has included Siri on the Mac, enabling desktop users to ask the virtual assistant general queries and give it spoken commands. ‌Siri‌ for Mac can do most of the same things ‌Siri‌ can do on iOS. It can give you sports scores, tell you about the weather, schedule an event in your calendar, remind you what you need to get done today or even find movie times. It can also...

As regular users of Siri will know, Apple's virtual assistant doesn't always interpret spoken queries and commands with one hundred percent accuracy, even after you've trained it to recognize your voice. Certain words and phrases that you say may even be repeatedly misheard by ‌Siri‌, usually ending up with the same useless responses. Fortunately, you can edit what ‌Siri‌ heard on both iOS and...

Siri is by no means universally loved by iPhone and iPad users, so it's a good thing that Apple provides a simple way to turn off the virtual assistant completely. Here's how it's done. How to Disable ‌Siri‌ in iOS Launch the Settings app on your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌. Scroll down and tap ‌Siri‌ & Search. Under the Ask ‌Siri‌ section, tap the switches next to Listen for "Hey ‌Siri‌" and Press Side...

One of the main features of Apple's HomePod is its "Hey Siri" function, which allows you to invoke Apple's voice-activated assistant handsfree and get it to answer queries and control functions related to other devices and services. If you don't find ‌Siri‌ particularly useful on ‌HomePod‌ or you just don't like the idea of your speaker constantly listening for the words "Hey ‌Siri‌," you can...

If you recently switched from a Windows PC to a Mac, you may be wondering how to right-click in macOS. Apple mice and trackpads have never had a secondary button, but there are actually several ways you can right-click on Mac, giving you access to a plethora of contextual menus and options throughout Apple's desktop operating system. If you connect a third-party mouse with two buttons to...

All Mac systems contain hidden files and folders. These are often preceded by a full stop or a slash, and are kept out of sight of the user either to prevent them from being deleted because they perform some essential function, or because they're irrelevant to everyday tasks. Occasionally however, you might need to reveal these files and folders to fix a problem you're having with your Mac....

In macOS, the library folder is used to store user account settings, preference files, app support files, caches, and other important data that allows your Mac to function as it should. Making haphazard changes to the library folder can cause damage to your system, which is why Apple hides the folder by default. However, sometimes troubleshooting solutions require that you have access to the...

Find My is an Apple feature that enables you to locate lost or misplaced Apple devices – including your Apple Watch. If you've already set up ‌Find My‌ on your paired iPhone, it's automatically enabled on your Apple Watch too. When you sign in to iCloud.com or the Find app, you can see your Apple Watch on a map and play a sound to locate it if it's nearby. ‌Find My‌ also has a Lost Mode to...

In November 2018, Spotify released an official app for Apple Watch that allows Spotify subscribers to access and control their favorite Spotify music and podcasts from their wrist. This article shows you how to get the Spotify app up and running on Apple Watch and explains how the interface works. What the Spotify App for Apple Watch Can't Do As great as it is that Spotify released an Apple ...

Find My Mac is a macOS feature that enables you to locate your machine if it's lost or missing. When you sign in to iCloud.com or the ‌Find My‌ iPhone app in iOS, you can see your missing Mac on a map and play a sound to locate it if it's close by. It also has a Lost Mode to lock, track, or remotely erase all of your personal information from your machine. For these reasons, Apple recommends...

Find My iPhone (or ‌Find My‌ iPad) is an iOS feature that enables users to locate a lost or missing Apple device. When you sign in to iCloud.com or the ‌Find My‌ ‌iPhone‌ app, you can see your missing device on a map and play a sound to locate it if it's close by. It also has a Lost Mode to lock, track, or remotely erase all of your personal information. For these reasons, Apple recommends that...

Apple News keeps track of all the articles you read within the news app's interface to create a personal reading history. This provides you with a handy way of returning to a story, and avoids you having to trawl through the news to look for it. To access your reading history in the ‌Apple News‌ app on iPhone or iPad, simply tap the Following tab, scroll down, and then tap History. In ‌Apple News‌ ...

The Apple News app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac automatically recommends stories for you based on your reading habits within the app. You can find these stories in the Today tab under the For You section, divided into topics and channels you've selected. The recommendations feature isn't infallible, and it can become confused if a friend or family member uses the ‌Apple News‌ app on your device or ...

The latest version of Apple's "Hey Siri" feature works hands-free without being plugged into power, and it can be found in several recently announced Apple mobile products, including the fifth-generation iPad mini, third-generation iPad Air, and second-generation AirPods. What's perhaps less well-known is that many of Apple's new Macs also support "Hey ‌Siri‌" hands-free, meaning that users...