How-To Guides about iOS & iPhone

Imagine your iPhone adapting to each app you open — text that's always the right size, buttons you can spot at a glance, and a steady cursor that never blinks — all without touching your system-wide settings. It sounds like magic, but it's all thanks to a tucked-away feature.

Even if you don't know a gundark from a gonk droid, you can still sling Baby Yoda stickers and lightsaber emoji like a seasoned Jedi Master. And if you happen to be reading on May 4, may the 4th be with you.

Safari on iOS just got a little nosier — and it could unintentionally expose more than you'd like. With Apple's latest update, your recent searches appear front and center whenever you open a new tab or tap into the address bar.

Apple's iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates are here, packed with enhancements that take device intelligence to the next level. New Apple Intelligence features lead the release, offering smarter tools for creativity, productivity, and everyday tasks. However, there are also new features for all iPhone, iPad, and Mac models — not just those supporting Apple Intelligence.

One of the most significant changes to iPhone that came with iOS 18 lets you text Android users in the Messages app with iMessage-like features such as typing indicators, read receipts, large file sharing, high-quality photos and videos, and even emoji reactions.

Staying connected with the people who matter most is easier when you can instantly distinguish their calls or messages — even without looking at your iPhone. That's where custom vibration patterns for alerts come in handy. They're perfect when you need a tactile way to identify who's calling or texting while your iPhone is on silent or in your pocket.

Night Shift, Dark Mode, Reduce White Point, and Zoom's Low Light Filter all help reduce the harmful effects on your body's clock that bright iPhone and iPad screens have at night. But there's another option on iOS and iPadOS that turns your entire display red, and it's useful for so much more than just late-night browsing in bed.

The native dictionaries in iOS, which have been around since 2011, let you define words on your iPhone on the fly in Safari, News, Notes, and other apps. But if you read or write in more than just English, you won't be able to see accurate definitions unless you add those other languages to your list of dictionaries manually.

In a new update, the iPhone 16 lineup is finally getting Visual Intelligence, a feature that lets you instantly gather information about anything around you just by snapping a picture.

An invaluable button on your iPhone can do hundreds, even thousands, of amazing things, but most iPhone users don't even know it exists. You can't push it. You can't click it. You can't press it. But it's the largest button on your iPhone, more powerful than the versatile Side button, and it's hiding in plain sight.

It's no secret that you can quickly toggle the flashlight and open Camera from your iPhone's Lock Screen using the bottom left and right buttons. But what you may not know is that you can customize those buttons to perform different actions on your iPhone.

The physical Camera Control button on the side of the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, or 16 Pro Max is great for launching Apple's Camera app and adjusting settings like exposure, depth, and zoom with press and swipe gestures. But it's not just for the Camera app. Camera Control also works with supported third-party camera apps, allowing you to quickly snap photos, record videos, modify settings, and more.

Apple has completely redesigned its Calculator app for iPhone, and it's now powerful and practical enough to replace any third-party calculator you've been using.

In the latest software updates for iPhone and iPad, there's an even easier way to view all your saved Wi-Fi networks and credentials and share them with family, friends, and others who need access.

Apple announced the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro series models on Sept. 9, and the focus on this year's smartphones was Apple Intelligence with an even smarter Siri. But generative artificial intelligence isn't the only new feature these devices come with. There are improved cameras, more advanced processors, new buttons, and more.

There are a lot of great features for your iPhone with iOS 18, released Sept. 16, but one of the coolest features is also one of the simplest and most satisfying — one that you'll notice every day you use your iPhone. And for now, it's an iPhone exclusive, so you won't get the same gratifying experience on an iPad with iPadOS 18.

When iOS 17 first came out, the iPhone's Clock app received a giant new feature, one that lets you set multiple timers and keep track of them on the Lock Screen, Notification Center, and Dynamic Island. Now, the iOS 18 software update gives us something just as exciting for the stopwatch.

Apple Maps just received a major upgrade in its latest software update, and some of its new features are perfect for urban explorers, national park adventurers, and everyday travelers alike. Some of these enhancements provide more personalized and precise guidance, making every journey more enjoyable and efficient.