How Tos

Apple today is releasing iOS 18.2, which introduces a major change to the Mail app with its new Categories feature. Categories automatically sorts your emails into four distinct sections: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. However, while this organizational system aims to help manage email overload, not everyone is going to prefer the new layout. Mail Categories attempts to...

In iOS 18.2, which Apple is releasing today, Apple's new Genmoji feature lets you create personalized emoji that aim to perfectly match what you want to express, going far beyond the limitations of standard Unicode emoji. Want an emoji of a break-dancing astronaut or a dog playing bagpipes? With Genmoji, you can make it happen. Unlike standard emoji that are fixed Unicode characters, Genmoji ...

If you've ever been reading, following instructions, or watching video on your iPad only to have the screen dim at the most inconvenient moment, you're not alone. Automatic dimming helps preserve battery life, but it can be frustrating when you need your screen to stay bright and active. Fortunately, you can prevent your iPad screen from dimming automatically, and all it involves is a...

With iOS 18, Apple introduced its first dedicated Passwords app, which corrals all of your saved logins and passwords within a simple interface and secures them behind your biometric authentication. The Passwords app is automatically added to your device when you update to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia, and it replaces the passwords section in the Settings app on iPhone/iPad and in...

In iOS 18, Apple includes a dedicated option to lock and even hide individual apps on your iPhone. This means that even if your device is unlocked, you can add an extra layer of privacy and security to specific apps that contain sensitive data. The lock and hide options mean you can unlock your iPhone and hand it to someone for them to look at something, knowing they won't be able to open...

With iOS 18.1, Apple has introduced AI-powered notification summarization across all apps, which means your iPhone will automatically condense your alerts to show just the key details. The feature aims to reduce notification overload, but it doesn't always work as advertised. Keep reading to learn how to manage the feature. Image credits: r/AppleIntelligenceFail Powered by Apple Intelligence, ...

When you go to share something on your iPhone, iOS tries to be helpful by displaying a row of suggested contacts at the top of the Share menu. Keep reading to learn how to get rid of them. Whenever you go to share something on your iPhone or iPad using the Share button, iOS brings up a Share menu – often called the Share Sheet – at the top of which is a row of suggested contacts with...

In watchOS, the Smart Stack for your Apple Watch is pretty clever. The collection of widgets can be pulled up with a scroll of the Digital Crown, and shows you relevant information throughout your day. But sometimes, its eagerness to help can be a bit much, especially when it comes to Live Activities. You're probably familiar with this scenario: You raise your wrist expecting to see your...

Flight tracker apps are a popular way to keep tabs on planes in the sky, because when you're preparing to fly or when someone you know is on board a flight, you can use them to check that things are still on schedule. But if you have an iPhone, you don't need to download and install a third-party app to track a flight – it's a handy built-in feature of the operating system. The ability to ...

In iOS 18, Apple added several new accessibility features, and one feature in particular that is likely to have widespread appeal among car passengers is Vehicle Motion Cues, which aims to prevent motion sickness when looking at an iPhone or iPad. According to Apple, research shows that motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel,...

Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models include a multi-functional Double Tap gesture that you might not know about or haven't yet got around to trying. Here's everything Double Tap can do, and how you can make the most of it on your Apple Watch. Double Tap is a gesture-based feature for Apple Watch models that lets you control watch functions by tapping your thumb...

In iOS 18, Apple has introduced a clever new way to identify if your iPhone charging setup is running at less than optimal speeds. The new feature appears directly in Settings, making it easy to spot when you're not getting the fastest possible charge. The Battery section displays a Slow Charger message when your iPhone detects a "slow" charger in use. You'll also see charging periods with...

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a messaging standard Apple adopted in iOS 18 that is significantly enhancing the messaging experience between iPhone and Android devices. Think of it as SMS 2.0 – a major upgrade to the traditional text messaging we've been using for years. Key Features of RCS Apple's decision to embrace RCS came last year after persistent persuasion from Google, which...

Ever fumbled with your iPhone's buttons trying to remember the right combination to power it off? Whether you have mobility challenges or just prefer simpler controls, Apple in iOS 18 includes a much-welcome solution in the form of a dedicated power button right in Control Center. Using the New Power Button in Control Center Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone screen to...

Apple occasionally releases firmware updates for its AirPods and AirPods Pro wireless earphones that can include performance improvements, feature tweaks, and bug fixes. If you're having a particular issue with your AirPods or AirPods Pro, or if you just want to make sure they're up to date with the latest software, then follow the steps below. How to Update Your AirPods or AirPods Pro I...

As an Apple Music subscriber, you're able to download songs, playlists, and albums from the Apple Music catalog to your iPhone or iPad for offline listening, but this can gradually eat up your device's storage space over time. Fortunately the Music app includes a handy feature that can spring into action whenever your device's storage space runs low, and automatically offload songs you...

People compress electronic files for different reasons – to make them easier to transport electronically, to organize their backups, or to save device storage space, for example. That's why Apple's native Files app supports the common ZIP compression format, which means you can uncompress zipped files downloaded in Safari, or compress several files into one neat zipped package ready for...

If you're concerned about hearing loss and own AirPods Pro 2, Apple in iOS 18.1 offers a convenient new clinical-grade hearing test that's easy to use. Here's everything you need to know about checking your hearing health with this new feature. Note that Apple's Hearing Test feature is not available in all regions, likely due to differing regulatory laws. Apple maintains a list on its website...

This article explains how to erase and factory reset your Mac if you plan to give it away, sell it, or trade it in. Apple silicon Macs and Intel Macs with a T2 security chip (2017-2020 models) have an "Erase All Content and Settings" option available in macOS Monterey and later. If you have an older pre-2017 Mac, it's a more convoluted process – follow this link instead to erase and factory reset ...

Apple's iPhone 16 and ‌‌‌iPhone 16‌ Plus‌‌ come in the same size options as their equivalents in last year's iPhone 15 series, while the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌‌‌iPhone 16 Pro‌‌‌ Max have ever so slightly bigger screens than their predecessors. All ‌iPhone 16‌ models now also come with a Camera Control button, but otherwise share similar design elements with Apple's 2023 flagship smartphone ...