iOS & iPhone Features
Apple Music 101: How to Share Songs with Nearby Friends Using AirDrop on Your iPhone
Apple Music's name reveals a lot about itself — it's made by Apple, and it has a lot of music. 40 million songs, in fact, if the iPhone-maker is to be believed. With that many songs, you may find a gem before any of your friends or family do. How can you share that song with them?
How To: Turn Off Your iPhone in iOS 11 When You Have a Broken Power Button
Though its necessity is less frequent compared to Android devices, iPhones still need to be shut down from time to time. Whether it's to help correct a buggy app, prevent overheating on a hot day, or conserve battery life in a pinch, the power button on any device is an indispensable tool that can't be taken for granted. So when it's busted, what do you do?
News: 31 New Features for Camera & Photos in iOS 13
While iOS 13 introduces over 200 new features for your iPhone, one of the biggest focuses this year is Photos and Camera. The update completely overhauls the Photos app, creating a more organized and natural way to interact with your pictures and videos. You'll also find a few new tricks in the Camera app. In all, Apple has added over 30 new features to your shooting, editing, and viewing experience.
How To: Cannot Connect to the App Store in iOS 11? Here's How to Fix It on Your iPhone
As with any new releases, full updates that completely revamp the look and feel of your iPhone's operating system will have teething problems that eventually get ironed out with incremental updates. iOS 11, with its issue of not being able to connect to the App Store on some iPhones and iPads, is no exception.
How To: Create Your Own Shortcuts in iOS 12 to Get Things Done Faster with Siri
Apple is putting their Workflow acquisition to use with the new Shortcuts feature, integrated right into Siri. It allows you to connect commonly-used actions to a phrase that you activate with Siri. In addition to some of the other speed improvements in iOS 12, Shortcuts helps streamline your mobile experience.
How To: All the New Swipe Gestures on Your New iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR
If the iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR is your first Home button-free iPhone, you might have some questions, such as "How do I access the app switcher?" and "How do I use reachability?" While iPhone X owners have had over a year of practice, newcomers to Apple's buttonless revolution might feel a bit confused when it comes to actions they used to perform on iPhones with ease.
How To: Use Portrait Lighting Mode on the iPhone X & iPhone 8 Plus
Apple introduced Portrait Mode with the iPhone 7 Plus, a feature which utilized the iPhone's dual cameras to create a shallow depth of field around a subject. This effect replicates the look of DSLR cameras, making your photos look more professional. Apple, of course, carries Portrait Mode to the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus in iOS 11, however, with it comes a twist — Portrait Lighting.
News: 20 Things That Suck About iOS 11 for iPhone
There's no denying that there are some seriously useful new features in iOS 11 for iPhone. But there's also no denying that Apple got a few things wrong with the latest iOS update, as well as left a few important features out.
News: 22 New Features in iOS 13.1 for iPhone You Won't Want to Miss
Apple released iOS 13.0 on Sept. 19 and announced on the same day the release of iOS 13.1 on Sept. 30. But that deadline was pushed up to Sept. 24, and that's why we have 13.1 just five days after 13.0. But that's good news since we don't have to wait any longer for some of the features promised in iOS 13 that didn't make the first cut.
How To: Print These iPhone XR, XS & XS Max Cutouts to See Which Size Is Right for You
Combined, the new iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max are the largest suite of iPhones that Apple has ever released at once time. While the XS remains the same size as last year's iPhone X, the XR and XS Max are even larger. But which size is right for you? We can help you decide which will fit your hand best with printable cutouts to compare the sizes of Apple's latest and greatest.
How To: The Easiest Way to Make Calls from Your iPhone's Lock Screen
Before phones became mobile-gaming, music-playing, app-downloading devices, they were used simply to make convenient, cordless phone calls. There's so much on phones these days that a passcode is needed to keep everything secure, and making calls is now more complicated.
How To: Find & Fix Missing Contacts in iOS 7.1.2
Apple released iOS 7.1.2 just over three weeks ago, mostly to address some big security issues and a few minor bugs. Unfortunately, the update came with a problem of its own regarding missing contacts and iCloud syncing.
How To: Stream Your Google Play Movies & TV Shows on an iPad or iPhone
Apple and Google are not only two of the biggest names in the tech world, but also two of the biggest competitors. So, it's no surprise that you can't watch movies or TV shows purchased from iTunes on an Android device. Likewise, you can't watch any videos purchased on Google Play with your iPad or iPhone—until now.
How To: Remove the Microphone Icon from the Keyboard on Your iPhone
There's a good chance you've never used the Dictation function on your iPhone's keyboard, or even knew that it existed for that matter. That small microphone icon in between the emoji key and the space bar is great if you use dictation, but otherwise, it just gets in the way when you're trying to quickly type.
News: The 7 Best Secret Features of iOS 5
Just installed the new iOS 5 on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch? There's a lot of great features to check out and play around with. After messing around with it on my iPhone 4 for a few minutes, these seven additions caught my attention. Check them out below—and tell us what your favorite new features are in the comments below.
How To: Add a Folder to a Folder in iOS 7 to Save Massive Amounts of Space on Your Home Screen
With over a million apps available in the App Store, you'd think that Apple would have come up with a better way to organize them on your iPhone.
How To: Add a Dimmer Switch to Your iPhone's Flashlight in the Control Center
With the introduction of the Control Center in iOS 7, we finally had a way to access common system toggles like Wi-Fi, Airplane Mode, and best of all, Flashlight. Of course, there were plenty of adequate flashlight apps in the iOS App Store, but none that made it available straight from the lock screen.
How To: Get the OS X El Capitan & iOS 9 Wallpapers on Your iPad, iPhone, or Mac
Mac OS X 10.11 and iOS 9 won't be officially released until later this year, but that doesn't mean you can't get a taste of it today. And the easiest way to do that is to download the new El Capitan and iOS 9 wallpapers.
How To: Control Your Apple TV with Just Your iPhone
So, you've lost your Apple TV remote. Maybe it's busted. What are you supposed to do now? You could go out and buy a new one, but they're expensive if you have a newer Apple TV with a Siri Remote, and wouldn't you rather spend that money on a movie? You might be without a working dedicated remote, but you likely have the next best thing already in your pocket.
How To: Fix Cellular & Wi-Fi Issues on Your iPhone in iOS 12
The new iPhone XS and XS Max have more issues than just their hefty price tags. Customers have only had the phones for a handful of days, but some are already complaining of cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity issues on both models. If your experience is the same on your XS or XS Max, there are steps you can take to get your iPhone reliably back online.
How To: Get All the New iPad Pro Wallpapers on Your iPhone
Apple unveiled the iPhone X-like redesign of its iPad Pro line Tuesday, Oct. 30. Among the many new changes to the company's famous tablet was a glimpse at its new wallpapers. These images, while clearly intended to take advantage of the new iPad's striking screen ratio, are clearly well suited for any iPhone as well. That's why we've made it easy for you to download them all.
Four Isn't Enough: How to Add an Extra Application to Your iPhone or iPad Dock
Have you ever looked at your iPhone dock and wished you could place an extra, essential, or highly utilized app on there? Currently, with the basic settings you can only place four, but there's always that one that you wish could add to the mix.
How To: 12 Messages Features in iOS 14 You Need to Know About on Your iPhone
Messages is arguably the most important app on your iPhone, which is why it's always exciting when Apple pushes out new features for it. With the iOS 14 update, there a few critical changes as well as interface improvements and customization options that make the experience even more personalized than it already was.
How To: Measure Real-World Objects with Your iPhone in iOS 12
Thanks to Apple's ARKit 2.0 augmented reality framework in iOS 12, we now have a "Measure" app built right into our iPhones that can measure real-world objects. No more physical tape measure or ruler. No more guessing. Just whip out your iPhone, open the app, put your camera, and get measurements. Before you do, however, there are a few things you'll want to know.
News: 22 New Features & Changes in iOS 13.2 You Need to Know About
Apple's iOS 13 has been quite the disrupter. The initial update featured over 200 new features and changes, while its successor, iOS 13.1, brought another 22 to the mix. With the company's latest update, iOS 13.2, you'll see an extra 22 amendments on your iPhone, including new emojis, Deep Fusion on iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, and Announce Messages with Siri, just to name a few.
How To: Check Your iPhone's Battery Health in iOS 11
Before, the only way to really tell how your iPhone's lithium-ion battery was performing was to use tools such as Geekbench and Battery Life, but now Apple has included some quick battery health checks right into iOS 11.
How To: Open the iPhone's New HEIF Photos on Your Windows PC
Apple's iOS 11 release promises many improvements and fresh ideas. One of those new ideas is an image codec called HEIF (similar to HEVC for videos), designed to reduce the space photos take up on your iPhone. But it's so new that it's already causing issues with compatibility.
How To: Make Your iPhone Look & Feel Like Android
The competition between iOS and Android is fierce. Each operating system offers unique and powerful features, so it can be hard to choose which one you want. However, for iPhone users, a little tweaking and some themes can give your iPhone some of the key features and aesthetics of an Android.
News: 13 Reasons Not to Update Your iPhone to iOS 12 Right Away
Apple officially released iOS 12 to everyone on Sept. 17, and while the new iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max will come with the software by default, you have a choice on whether or not to update your current iPhone model from iOS 11. There are a lot of tempting features to want to update right away, but there are also some compelling reasons to wait it out and install at a later time.
How To: Don't Waste $8 — Play This Free Version of NBA 2K on Your iPhone Instead
NBA 2K18 has been out for the iPhone for months, but its $7.99 price tag put it out of reach for many mobile gamers. There's light at the end of the tunnel now, as a free-to-play version is in the works as a soft-launch in New Zealand. If you can't bear the wait, you can play the free NBA 2K Mobile right now in any country.
How To: Set Apple Music Songs as Alarm Sounds on Your iPhone So You Don't Hit Snooze Anymore
Don't like how Apple's default Radar ringtone — or any other tone — wakes you up in the morning? Then don't use them as your alarm sound. Instead, use your favorite song to get you out of bed. Whether you enjoy an acoustic tune or a heavy, energetic jam, you can choose any Apple Music song you want, or any track in your personal Music library, to get you going each day.
How To: Block Popups in Safari on Your iPhone
Safari for iPhone is generally a good mobile browsing experience — except when it isn't. Popup ads are a real issue, and they cause both great annoyance as well as concern over iOS security. How do you stop these nuisances and return to a web without fear of popups?
How To: Unlock Virtual Reality 'Flyover' Cities in Apple Maps to Navigate & Tour Places in 3D on iPhone
A little-known feature in Apple Maps for your iPhone lets you tour big cities like you're Godzilla, and it's actually quite easy to access — if you know the secret.
News: 15 Awesome 'Reminders' Features in iOS 13 That'll Make You Actually Want to Use the App
While the Reminders app has been largely ignored by Apple for years, iOS 13 finally makes it a force to be reckoned with. The app has been completely redesigned with easier navigation and more useful features that can compete with other task managers. After giving the new Reminders a shot, you may want to ditch that third-party to-do app you've been using.
How To: 9 New Features in Apple Maps That'll Make Navigating on Your iPhone a Breeze
While Apple Maps didn't receive as huge of an update on iOS 17 as other apps such as Safari, Camera, Photos, Notes, Weather, and Messages, there are still some very important new features and changes you need to know about.
News: There's a Simple Solution to Getting Older iPhones Running Fast Again
Technology ages rapidly. We're conditioned to refresh our iPhones every one or two years, and why wouldn't we? New iPhones are fast, and our old ones inevitably slow down, sometimes to an unusable degree. However, it turns out, there's something we can do about that, and it doesn't involve buying a new iPhone at all.
How To: Locate Nearby Friends & Enemies Using Your iPhone So You Can Avoid Them
I never want to bump into my ex-girlfriend while out in the city (talk about a buzz kill), so if I could get an alert telling me that she's at Shortstops down the street, I'll avoid that area completely. This is where the new, interesting app Cloak - Incognito Mode for Real Life from dev Brian Moore comes in.
How To: This Is by Far the Easiest Way to Set Up a Free VPN on Your iPhone
A VPN service is almost an essential these days. Good ones can block ads, prevent tracking cookies, encrypt your internet traffic for better security, and even spoof your device's location to bypass geo-restrictions — all things you should be concerned about in the age of NSA snooping and Facebook data mining.
How To: Find & Remove Files from Deleted Apps on Your iPhone to Free Up More Storage
Since iOS 11, your iPhone has been capable of offloading hardly used apps to free up storage space for more useful data. But offloading only gets rid of the app's binary, meaning its documents and data are stored on your device in case you reinstall the app. That can take up a lot of space itself, so it's good to periodically review files for offloaded apps and purge the content you no longer need.
How To: The 6 Best Third-Party Keyboards Available Right Now for iPhone
Third-party keyboards have been available for iPhone ever since iOS 8, but which ones are worth checking out? There have been many options over the years, and if you want keyboard features like swipe-typing and themes, you're going to have to put Apple's stock QuickType keyboard on the backburner and try out these top hits.