MacRumors

For MacRumors readers who were gifted an Apple Watch for the holidays, we've created a list of useful tips and tricks that you won't want to miss in order to get the most out of your new watch, whether you're new to Apple Watch entirely or upgrading from an earlier version.

Apple Watch Basics

New to the Apple Watch? We have some how-tos for beginners that will walk you through setup and basic features on your device so you don't miss out on anything.

• How to View Apps on Apple Watch as a List
• How to Force-Quit Misbehaving Apple Watch Apps
• How to Reset or Force Restart Your Apple Watch
• How to Add a Passcode to Your Apple Watch and What to Do if You Forget It
• How to Change Fitness Goals on Apple Watch
• How to Use Apple Watch to Get Directions
• How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones and Listen to Music on Apple Watch
• How to Answer and Make Phone Calls on Apple Watch
• How to Send and Respond to Messages on Apple Watch
• How to Choose the Right Apple Watch Band Size

Tips for New Apple Watch Owners

1. Track Your Sleep

If you wear your Apple Watch to bed, it will track the amount of time that you're asleep, providing insight into how long you're in bed, how much of that time you spend sleeping, and your heart rate.

With watchOS 9, Apple enhanced the sleep tracking feature on the Apple Watch, so now it can tell you how much time you spent in REM, Core, or Deep sleep during the night, as well as how often and when you were awake.

To have your Apple Watch automatically track your sleep when you go to bed, you need to set up Sleep Mode, which you can do in the Health app by following our tutorials.

• How to Track Your Sleep With Apple Watch

• How to Set a Sleep Schedule on iPhone and Apple Watch
• How to Use Sleep Mode on iPhone and Apple Watch

With Sleep Mode, you tell your devices what time you want to go to sleep and what time you want to start winding down for bed. Sleep Mode will automatically silence your notifications at your Wind Down time, though you can customize who can contact you in Sleep Mode using the Focus interface.

When you wake up in the morning, Apple will provide you with a summary of the notifications that you received while you were sleeping, the weather for the day, and more.

Sleep data that's gathered by Apple Watch can be viewed in the Health app by going to the "Browse" tab and selecting "Sleep." It will provide information on your sleep trends, such as how well you slept one night compared to another night, and how consistent your sleep is from night to night.

Tip: Wearing your Apple Watch to bed has a benefit in addition to sleep tracking - you can get woken up with a haptic alarm. The Apple Watch will gently tap you on the wrist until you wake up, which is useful if you sleep with a partner and want to wake quietly.

2. Extend Your Battery Life With Low Power Mode

With watchOS 9, the Apple Watch lineup gained a Low Power Mode that basically mirrors Low Power Mode on the iPhone. It extends your battery life by shutting down some power hungry features.

1. Swipe up on the watch face of your Apple Watch to bring up Control Center.
2. Tap the battery percentage button.
   
3. Tap the switch next to Low Power Mode.
4. After reading the on-screen prompt, scroll to the bottom and select from the following: Turn On, Turn On For..., and Dismiss.
   
5. If you tapped Turn On For..., select On for 1 Day, On for 2 Days, or On for 3 Days on the second screen.

When your Apple Watch is in Low Power Mode, a yellow circle icon appears at the top of the screen. Also, the battery percentage button in Control Center, the charging animation, and the time in Nightstand mode all turn yellow.

You can also set your Apple Watch to automatically enter Low Power Mode whenever you start a workout, which is particularly useful if you plan to work out for a long time without it draining battery. Note that when you use the Workout app in Low Power Mode, metrics such as heart rate and pace are still measured.

1. Launch the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down, then tap Workout.
3. Tap the switch next to Low Power Mode to enable the automation.

Note that when Low Power Mode is enabled without your iPhone nearby, and you open an app that requires a data connection, Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity will resume so that the app can function properly, which can cause impact battery life.

When you enable Low Power Mode, these are the features that are disabled:

• Always On display
• Heart rate notifications for irregular rhythm, high heart rate, and low heart rate
• Background heart rate measurements
• Background blood oxygen measurements
• Start workout reminder
• Wi-Fi and cellular connections (when iPhone is not nearby)
• Incoming phone calls and notifications (when iPhone is not nearby)

These features are impacted, but not entirely disabled:

• Making a phone call can take longer
• Background app refresh happens less frequently
• Complications update less frequently
• Siri can take longer to process a request
• Some animations and scrolling might appear less smooth

Other safety functions like Fall Detection remain on while in Low Power mode.

3. Set a Photo as Your Watch Face

You can set one of your own photos as your watch face so you can glance down at your favorite places, people, or pets whenever you go to check the time. It's easiest to set a photo as a watch face on iPhone, following these instructions:

1. Open up the Watch app on iPhone.
2. Tap on "Face Gallery."
3. Scroll down to "Photos" and tap it.
4. You can select an album of photos, such as your Favorites, or choose to select up to 24 individual photos from your Camera Roll. There's also an option for Dynamic, which uses photos from your Memories.
5. Tap on "Album" to choose an album, select "Choose ‌Photos‌..." to choose photos, or tap on "Dynamic" to have it pull from Memories.
6. If you want to add a tint to your photos, pick a color from the top bar.
7. Scroll down to "Time Position" and choose "Top" or "Bottom," and then select your Complications if you want to use them.
8. Scroll back up to see a preview of your watch face, and tap "Add" if it looks good.
9. Tap on the "My Watch" tab.
10. Tap on the "‌Photos‌" watch face that you created.
11. Choose "Set as Current Watch Face."

Tip: There's also a "Portraits" watch face that accompanies the ‌Photos‌ face. With the Portraits face, you can choose a photo that you've captured using Portrait mode and set it as a watch face. With the data from the portrait photo, there is a sense of depth to the watch face, with the time able to be placed behind the subject in some images. To set it, follow the steps above, but choose Portraits instead of ‌Photos‌ at step 3.

Note that this effect only works with photos of people, and not pets or objects captured in Portrait mode.

4. Set Up Express Transit

In select cities with robust transit options, there's a nifty Express Transit feature that lets you pass through a transaction gate with just a tap of your Apple Watch, with no need to wake your device or authenticate with a passcode.

Express Transit is super simple and convenient, whether you live in a city with the feature or are visiting. The feature can be set up through the Wallet app, and we have a how-to with full instructions. All you need is an iPhone and Apple Watch, and a debit or credit card linked to Apple Pay to pay for your fare.

• How to Set Up Express Transit With Apple Pay on iPhone and Apple Watch

In the United States, Express Transit is available in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington D.C. It's also available in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Sweden, the UK, and more, with a full list available on Apple's website.

Express Transit is well worth setting up if you're in an area where it's accepted because of how quick and convenient it is. In New York, for example, if you want to get on the subway, you just tap your wrist on the turnstile and pass through. The charge goes onto your linked ‌Apple Pay‌ card with no other interaction from you. You don't even need a MetroCard.

In some cities like San Francisco, you do need to add a card to your Wallet app first, which can be done by opening up the Wallet app, tapping the "+" button, selecting "Transit Card" and choosing the card for the city that you're in. After this, you can still use the Express functionality that lets you tap and go without authenticating.

You can use Express Transit with either the iPhone or the Apple Watch, but as with ‌Apple Pay‌, it's most convenient to use the Apple Watch as it's right on the wrist.

5. Track Your Temperature

With the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra, there is a built-in temperature sensor that can be used to track your temperature at night. Apple added this function primarily for women to monitor their cycles and fertility, but it can be used by anyone and can be an indicator if you're getting sick.

To get nightly updates on temperature, simply wear your Apple Watch to bed with sleep tracking enabled. Your device will take periodic temperature readings, which you can then view in the Health app.

1. On your iPhone, open the Health app.
2. Tap Browse, then tap Body Measurements.
3. Tap Wrist Temperature.

If you see "Needs More Data" at the top of the chart, your baseline temperature has not yet been established and you'll need to wear your Apple Watch for more nights. The number of nights required will be displayed below the chart.

Note that Apple warns that the Apple Watch temperature sensing feature is not intended for medical purposes as wrist temperature is not as accurate as other temperature sensing methods.

6. Control Your Apple TV With Your Watch

If you have an Apple TV set-top box, you can control it using the Remote app on your Apple Watch, which is useful if you lose your remote.

1. Press on the Digital Crown to get to your App List or App Grid, depending on your App View.
2. Find the "Remote" app, which is labeled as Remote and has a blue icon with a triangle in the center.
3. Tap it.
4. Wait a moment as the watch syncs to the ‌Apple TV‌ sets in your home.
5. Select the ‌Apple TV‌ you want to control.

From there, you can turn on the ‌Apple TV‌ by tapping on the little TV icon in the bottom left of the display, and scroll through the interface using swipe gestures. To launch an app or make a selection, just tap.

Tip: Tap on the "+" button to add an ‌Apple TV‌ that your watch is not linked to and go to Settings > General > Remotes on the ‌Apple TV‌ set. The Remote feature is compatible with the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ and later.

7. Get Help in an Emergency

If you want to be able to get help quick in an emergency, you can enable an SOS feature on the Apple Watch that calls emergency services with the press of a button.

1. Open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down to "SOS."
3. Enable "Hold Side Button."

With the SOS feature toggled on, your Apple Watch will begin dialing emergency services in the country where you're located if you hold down the side button. The side button is the rounded rectangular button below the Digital Crown.

Holding it down calls emergency services, but you will have a countdown to stop the call in case it gets activated by accident.

Tip: If you want the Apple Watch to be able to automatically call emergency services if you take a hard fall, enable Fall Detection in this same section, and make sure Crash Detection is turned on too. If you slip and are knocked unconscious or have an accident on a bike, skateboard, car or other mode of transportation, your Apple Watch can get you help.

8. Remove Apps From Your Apple Watch

If you have a bunch of apps on your Apple Watch that you don't need, you can get rid of them.

1. Unlock your Apple Watch and go to the App View.
2. Long press on the Apple Watch display.
3. Tap on "Edit Apps."
4. Scroll through the list or swipe through the grid (depending on your view choice) to locate apps you don't want.
5. Tap on the small "x" on the app to delete an app or swipe to get to the delete interface if you use the List view.
6. Confirm that you want to delete the app.

Note that there are core apps that cannot be removed from the Apple Watch like Activity, Compass, App Store, Heart Rate, Maps, Mail, and Messages, but there are a number that can be eliminated for a cleaner look.

You can remove Alarms, ECG, Blood Oxygen, Memoji, Find Items, Cycle Tracking, Mindfulness, Sleep, and other similar apps. If you want them back later after deleting them, you will need to redownload them from the ‌App Store‌.

9. Share a Photo From Your Watch

You can share photos right from your wrist without having to open up your iPhone, which is handy for a quick image transfer. If you come across an image on your watch that you want to share, you can send it to someone else right from your wrist.

1. Open up the ‌Photos‌ app on the Apple Watch.
2. Select a photo that you want to share and tap it.
3. Tap on the small share icon on the bottom right of the photo.
4. Apple will offer your most recent contacts to send it to, or you can scroll down and send it to anyone using Messages or Mail.
5. Select a contact, and then write a message if you want to add one.

Tip: The ‌Photos‌ app on Apple Watch can display one album from your iPhone photos. To change it, open up the Watch app on iPhone, scroll down and select ‌Photos‌, and tap on "Sync Album" to choose an album to sync to your Apple Watch.

You can sync up to 500 photos, but be aware that the number of photos that you choose affects the storage space on your Apple Watch. In the Watch app under ‌Photos‌, you can also choose to sync memories and sync featured photos. With these options enabled, your featured memories and images will show up in the ‌Photos‌ app, and the selection will change daily.

10. Make Apple Watch Text Larger

Apple Watch text can be tiny, especially on the smaller 40 and 41mm Apple Watch models. You can make it bigger by following these steps:

1. Open up the Settings app on Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down to "Display & Brightness" and tap it.
3. Tap on "Text Size."
4. Tap on the "Aa" on the right side of the display to make the text bigger, and tap on the "Aa" icon on the left side to make it smaller again.

When you adjust the text size, any app that supports Dynamic Type will show your preferred text size. If you want to make text even more visible, toggle on the "Bold Text" option below text size.

11. Get Even More Battery Life on Apple Watch Ultra

For those with Apple's high-end Apple Watch Ultra, you can get up to 60 hours of battery life, which is great for multi-day usage without needing to charge.

This functionality is enabled through a combination of Low Power Mode and additional battery saving settings for Workouts. 60 hour battery life is exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra thanks to its larger battery, and other models are limited to 36 hours maximum with Low Power Mode.

To get extended battery life, Apple Watch Ultra models need to have workout settings enabled for fewer heart rate and GPS readings.

1. Launch the Settings app on your Apple Watch Ultra.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Workout.
3. Toggle on the switch next to Low Power Mode.
4. Below "During Low Power Mode," toggle on the switch next to Fewer GPS and Heart Rate Readings.

(Note that these settings are also available on Apple Watch Series 8 and second-generation Apple Watch SE, but Apple has not stated that they will extend battery life on these models beyond the 36 hours offered by the system-wide Low Power Mode.)

With Low Power Mode turned on and these Low Power Mode options for workouts enabled, the Apple Watch Ultra is able to preserve battery life for walking, running, and hiking workouts by cutting down on the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings and disabling alerts, splits, and segments.

12. Use Night Mode on Apple Watch Ultra

The Apple Watch Ultra comes with an exclusive Wayfinder watch face that has a built-in Night Mode. ‌Night Mode‌ turns the display red, making it easier to see when lighting is poor. Red light also preserves night vision, so you won't be temporarily blinded when out on a hike if you look at your watch in the dark.

Here's how to turn on ‌Night Mode‌:

1. If it isn't already active, swipe to the new Wayfinder watch face, which is specially made for Apple Watch Ultra.
2. Turn the Digital Crown to engage ‌Night Mode‌.
3. To turn it off, rotate the Digital Crown in the opposite direction.

Note that Night Mode only works when the Wayfinder watch face is being used - it's an exclusive feature to Wayfinder and cannot be enabled when any other watch face is displayed.

13. Customize the Action Button on Apple Watch Ultra

The Apple Watch Ultra is equipped with an Action button that is not available on any other Apple Watch model, and it can be set to do whatever you need. It can start a workout, launch the stopwatch, set a waypoint in the Compass app, activate the Compass app backtrack feature, start a dive, activate the Flashlight, or activate any Shortcut.

There are even deeper functions available depending on what's assigned. If you have the Action Button set to start a Workout, for example, you can choose a specific workout. And in the middle of a compatible workout, it can perform a secondary function such as marking segments or laps in a track workout.

If you want to change the function of your Action Button after setup, here's how:

1. On Apple Watch Ultra, launch the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Action Button.
3. Tap the menu under "Action" and select one of the following options: Workout, Stopwatch, Waypoint, Backtrack, Dive, Flashlight, and Shortcut.
   
4. Tap the arrow in the left-hand corner to go back to Action Button settings.
5. Tap the menu under "App" if it appears, then select an app to perform the action. Some actions, such as Flashlight, don't show the App option.
6. Tap the arrow to go back.
7. Tap the menu under "First Press" if it appears, then select an action. Some features allow different actions to happen on the first and second press of the button.

Tips appear on the screen under "Gestures" explaining how the Action button works with the settings that you've assigned to it.

You're also able to configure your Action Button on the Apple Watch app on iPhone.

1. Launch the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the My Watch tab if it's not already selected.
3. Tap Action Button.
4. Under "Action," tap the currently selected action to change it.
5. Select from one of the following options: Workout, Stopwatch, Waypoint, Backtrack, Dive, Flashlight, and Shortcut.
6. Tap Action Button to go back to the previous menu.
7. Tap the menu under "App" if it appears, then select an app to perform the action. Some actions, such as Flashlight, don't show the App option.
8. Tap the arrow to go back.
9. Tap the menu under "First Press" if it appears, then select an action. Some features allow different actions to happen on the first and second press of the button.

Learn More About Your Watch

We have dedicated roundups for the Apple Watch Series 8, the Apple Watch Ultra, and the Apple Watch SE, both of which provide a complete overview of the different features available with each model. Our watchOS 9 roundup also offers a good look at the newest features introduced to the Apple Watch through software.

Despite optimizations made in an iOS 16 update in November, the iPhone 14's Car Crash Detection feature continues to accidentally call 911 when a user may be on a rollercoaster, skiing, or doing other physical activities the device misunderstands as a car crash.

The iPhone 14's Car Crash Detection feature uses an array of sensors on the device to call emergency services if it thinks a user has been involved in a car crash. Since the feature launched with the new iPhones and Apple Watch models in September, 911 and emergency dispatchers across the United States have noted an influx of calls from iPhone 14 devices that accidentally triggered Car Crash Detection, even though no car crash has occurred.

Amid reports of false calls, Apple released iOS 16.1.2 in November, which it said made "Crash Detection optimizations," without specifying what the changes were any further. Despite the update's optimizations, the issue continues to be a problem faced by law enforcement. As reported this week by local news outlet The Colorado Sun, 911 dispatch centers in counties across the state have been witnessing an increase in 911 calls from skiers after their iPhone 14 and newer Apple Watch models misinterpreted ski falls as car crashes.

Last weekend the dispatchers at the Summit County 911 Center fielded 71 automated crash notifications from skiers' iPhones and Apple watches at the county's four ski areas. None of them involved an emergency.

Dispatch operators in Grand, Eagle, Pitkin, Routt and Summit counties — home to 12 very busy ski hills — are fielding record numbers of the automated calls from skiers' Apple phones and watches, tying up emergency response resources. When a 911 call comes in, each call is handled in the order it arrives, so an automated call from a skier's phone could delay response to a 911 caller with a real emergency.

911 dispatchers are not trained to ignore a call, meaning even accidental calls caused by the iPhone 14's feature have to be dealt with and resources allocated towards, said Trina Dummer, the interim director of the 911 center in Summit County. "These calls involve a tremendous amount of resources, from dispatchers to deputies to ski patrollers. And I don't think we've ever had an actual emergency event," Dummer continued.

The accidental calls are putting a strain on emergency centers which have to reallocate resources away from genuine emergencies, especially since 911 calls are taken in order and after each other. "We are absolutely diverting essential resources away from people who need it toward a feature on a phone," Dummer noted. In Pitkin County, the 911 center is receiving up to 20 of these accidental calls caused by the iPhone 14's Car Crash Detection feature a day, according to the county's director.

The Pitkin County 911 Center gets about 15 to 20 of these automated calls a day from the county's four ski areas. Dispatchers try to return every call, but oftentimes a call to a skier with their phone deep in their pockets goes unanswered, said Brett Loeb, the director of the Pitkin County 911 Center.

Loeb usually has one or two operators taking 911 calls and existing emergency calls can be put on hold to field incoming calls from iPhones. While his team has helped fallen hikers and residents whose watches have notified emergency services when they have fallen and need help, so far there have not been any real emergencies from the automated calls coming from the ski slopes.

In one instance at the Vail Police Department in Vail, Colorado, the iPhone 14's Car Crash Detection successfully called 911 for a real car crash, noted Marc Wentworth, the director of the Vail Public Safety Communications Center, highlighting the feature does have potential to save lives.

In Summit County, the iOS 16.1.2 update did little, if nothing, to address the issue, according to the county's director. "But we have not seen our numbers change. We are seeing as many as 20 a day, and it's a tremendous drain on our resources," said County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons.

FitzSimons notes he has shared his concerns with Apple with reported responses that the company is aware of the issue, still though, FitzSimons says more is needed. We are communicating with Apple to get them to pay more attention to this, but it feels like we are trying to turn a battleship in a bathtub."

Car Crash Detection is available on all iPhone 14 models and the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and second-generation Apple Watch SE.

It's just after the holidays, and many people received an iPad as a gift. If that's you and you're new to the ‌iPad‌ or this is your first update in some time, make sure to check out the tips below to get the most out of your new tablet, whether it's an iPad mini, ‌iPad‌, iPad Air, or iPad Pro.

Basic Tips for Beginners

If you're new to the ‌iPad‌, we have some basic articles that will walk you through the fundamentals you need to know to get started with your ‌iPad‌.

• How to Set Up Your New iPhone or iPad Using Automatic Setup
• How to Update Apps
• How to Delete Apps on iPhone and iPad
• How to Back Up Your iPhone and iPad
• How to Factory Reset Your iPhone or iPad
• How to Shut Down or Force Restart Your iPad Pro
• How to Take a Screenshot on Your iPad
• How to Send and Receive SMS Messages on iPad via Text Message Forwarding
• How to Save or Share a Safari Web Page as a PDF
• How to Change the Default Web Browser on iPhone and iPad
• How to Use Quick Notes

13 Things to Know About Your New iPad

1. Use a Mouse and Keyboard With Your iPad

If you want to turn your ‌iPad‌ into a replacement for a Mac when you're working at a desk, you can do so with a mouse and a keyboard.

As with a Mac, you can connect any Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, or trackpad to your ‌iPad‌ to use those inputs as an alternative to the touch screen. It's really as simple as opening up Bluetooth and initiating the pairing process, but we've got how tos that cover all the ins and outs of using a keyboard and a mouse with an ‌iPad‌.

• How to Connect a Bluetooth Mouse or Trackpad to Your iPad
• How to Use a Bluetooth Mouse or Trackpad With Your iPad
• How to Control an iPad With an External Keyboard Using Accessibility Shortcuts

With Universal Control, a feature that Apple added with iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3, you can use a single mouse or trackpad across all of your iPads and Macs, making it even simpler to control your ‌iPad‌ if you're using it alongside a Mac.

2. Use App Library to Keep Your Home Screen Clean

Have an ‌iPad‌ Home Screen that's cluttered up with all manner of apps? The App Library can solve that problem, giving you instant access to a well-organized list of all the apps on your ‌iPad‌.

To get to it, just swipe all the way over to the end of your ‌Home Screen‌ pages. App Library automatically organizes your apps into categories like Games, Entertainment, Health & Fitness, Social, and more.

You can scroll through the categories and tap into each one to see all the apps listed there, or you can take advantage of the search feature.

Tip: If you want to delete your ‌Home Screen‌ pages in bulk or rearrange them, just long press on an empty area of the ‌Home Screen‌ and then tap on the row of dots at the bottom of the display. You can drag ‌Home Screen‌ pages to rearrange, or tap on the checkmark and then the "-" to delete them.

3. Drag and Drop Text Between Apps

If you want to move text from one app to another on the ‌iPad‌, such as pasting some text from Safari into Notes, you can do so with a drag-and-drop gesture.

1. Select the text that you want to move from one app to another by long pressing. Drag the two little bars to get exactly the text you want.
2. On the highlighted text, press and hold to pull it up from the page.
3. Keep your finger on the text while you use another finger or your other hand to open up the app you want to move the text to.
4. When the text is situated in the app where you want it to go, release your finger and it will be pasted over.

Tip: This drag-and-drop text gesture is easiest to use in multitasking mode, where you have two app windows open side by side.

4. Use an Apple Pencil

An Apple Pencil is hands down one of the best accessories that you can get to use with an ‌iPad‌, and all of Apple's modern iPads support one of the two ‌Apple Pencil‌ models. If you didn't get an ‌Apple Pencil‌ gifted with your ‌iPad‌, it's well worth considering.

With an ‌Apple Pencil‌, you can sketch and draw within drawing apps, note-taking apps, and more, but you can also navigate with the ‌Apple Pencil‌ and you can write in any text field on the ‌iPad‌, with the ‌iPad‌ translating it into typed text.

In the built-in Notes app, for example, you can open it up and just start writing with the Pencil. The same goes for Safari searches, Calendar events, Messages, and so much more.

There are two different versions of the ‌Apple Pencil‌, so the model you need will depend on which iPad you have. To determine your ‌iPad‌ model, open up the Settings app, tap on "General" and then tap on "About." Your model is listed under "Model name."

‌Apple Pencil‌ 1 Devices

• ‌iPad‌ (6th Gen and Later)
• ‌iPad mini‌ (5th Gen)
• 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (1st and 2nd Gen)
• 10.5-inch ‌iPad Pro‌
• 9.7-inch ‌iPad Pro‌
• ‌iPad Air‌ (3rd Gen)

‌Apple Pencil‌ 2 Devices

• 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (3rd Gen and Later)
• 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (All models)
• ‌iPad Air‌ (4th Gen and later)
• ‌iPad mini‌ (6th Gen)

Learn more about the ‌Apple Pencil‌ in our dedicated guide.

5. Take Advantage of Widgets

Many of Apple's apps and third-party apps come with widgets, which you can put on your ‌Home Screen‌ or view in the Today Center to get information at a glance.

Here's how to add a widget to your ‌Home Screen‌:

1. Long press on an empty space on the ‌Home Screen‌ to enter "Jiggle" mode where the icons are wiggling.
2. Tap on the "+" button in the upper left hand corner of the display.
3. Scroll through the widget suggestions, or search for a specific widget.
4. Tap on the widget you want, and then swipe through the the different options. For many widgets, you can choose a size, and for others, you can customize the function.
5. When you've customized your widget to your satisfaction, tap "Add Widget."
6. It will be placed on the ‌Home Screen‌, and from there, you can drag it into the position that you want.
7. Tap "Done" when you're finished.

Tip: On the ‌iPad‌, you have access to XL widgets, a larger-sized widget that's not available on the iPhone. You can also add widgets to the Today View by going to your first ‌Home Screen‌ page and then swiping again from left or right to open the Today View interface.

Add a widget by long pressing on the display and then tapping the "+" button as outlined above. You can drag and drop widgets to rearrange them, or pull one out from Today View to your ‌Home Screen‌.

6. Use Quick Notes

With iOS 15, Apple added a handy Quick Notes feature to the ‌iPad‌ that's designed for jotting down notes without having to open up the Notes app. Quick Notes can be used with or without an ‌Apple Pencil‌, and the interface can be accessed at any time with a simple gesture.

1. In any app, or on the ‌Home Screen‌, swipe up diagonally from the right hand corner of the screen.
2. You can do the diagonal swipe in either portrait or landscape mode - it works the same.
3. Type your notes or write with the ‌Apple Pencil‌.
4. Swipe to collapse the Quick Note to the side if you want to hide it temporarily and bring it back to look something up.
5. Tap "Done" when you're finished.

Tip: You can also get to Quick Notes through the Control Center by tapping on the Notes icon, or by using the Globe key + Q keyboard shortcut. If you have an ‌Apple Pencil‌, you can also tap it on the ‌iPad‌'s locked screen to bring up a note.

For more tips on how to get the most out of the Quick Notes feature, we have a dedicated Quick Notes how to.

7. Use Your iPad as a Second Screen

If you have a Mac and it's not too old, you can use your ‌iPad‌ as a second screen with Apple's Sidecar feature.

Using ‌Sidecar‌ is as simple as accessing the display section of the Control Center on your Mac and beaming your screen to your ‌iPad‌, but we have a detailed guide with full instructions below.

• How to use Sidecar to Turn an iPad Into a Secondary Mac Display

‌Sidecar‌ requires a Mac compatible with macOS Catalina or later, and it works with the following machines:

• MacBook Pro introduced in 2016 or later
• MacBook introduced in 2016 or later
• MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
• iMac introduced in 2017 or later, or ‌iMac‌ (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
• ‌iMac‌ Pro
• Mac mini introduced in 2018 or later
• Mac Pro introduced in 2019

Your ‌iPad‌ needs to be compatible with an ‌Apple Pencil‌ to use this feature, and it needs to be running iPadOS 13 or later. That includes the ‌iPad mini‌ 5 or newer, all ‌iPad Pro‌ models, the sixth-generation ‌iPad‌ or newer, and the third-generation ‌iPad Air‌ or newer.

8. Enhance Safari With Extensions

Safari on the ‌iPad‌ supports all of the same extensions that you might get on your Mac, so you can download extensions for turning all webpages to dark mode, using password managers, avoiding AMP pages, and more.

Getting Safari Extensions is as simple as opening up the Settings app, scrolling down to Safari, tapping on Extensions, and then selecting More Extensions to get to the Extensions section in the App Store.

We have a detailed walkthrough on installing extensions and a handy guide on some useful extensions that are worth checking out.

• How to Download and Install Safari Web Extensions
• Safari Extensions Worth Checking Out

9. Multitask with Stage Manager

iPadOS 16 introduces a new multitasking interface called Stage Manager, which is meant to be more like Mac multitasking. Some people like ‌Stage Manager‌, and some people find it to be too buggy to be functional, but you can try it out to see how it works for you.

‌Stage Manager‌ is system intensive and can be used with a limited number of ‌iPad‌ models, and it supports using up to four apps at once on the ‌iPad‌ itself.

• ‌iPad Pro‌ 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
• ‌iPad Pro‌ 11-inch (1st generation and later)
• ‌iPad Air‌ (5th generation)

Here's how to turn ‌Stage Manager‌ on and off on a compatible ‌iPad‌:

1. Swipe down from the right corner of the screen to open up Control Center.
2. Tap on the ‌Stage Manager‌ button that looks like a rectangle with three squares on the left of it. You can tap it to toggle ‌Stage Manager‌ on or off.

Alternatively, open up the Settings app, select ‌Home Screen‌ and Multitasking, and then Choose ‌Stage Manager‌ to turn it on or off.

‌Stage Manager‌ can also be used with an external display on select ‌iPad‌ models, and on these models, you can use up to eight apps at once by dragging four over to the external display. iPadOS 16.2 is required for this feature, as is an ‌iPad‌ with an Apple silicon chip.

• ‌iPad Pro‌ 12.9-inch (5th generation and later)
• ‌iPad Pro‌ 11-inch (3rd generation and later)
• ‌iPad Air‌ (5th generation)

10. Find Anything With Spotlight

If you don't already use Spotlight on your ‌iPad‌, it's the best way to find just about anything. To get to it, just go to the ‌Home Screen‌ and swipe down.

In addition to Siri Suggestions, which offers up apps you might want to access based on your usage history, there will be a search bar. Tap into it and you can search for all manner of things. Just some of what you can use Spotlight for:

• Finding and launching apps you have installed
• Finding new apps in the ‌App Store‌
• Rearranging apps (search for an app and then drag it out of Spotlight to the ‌Home Screen‌)
• Installing apps (after a search, tap on "Get")
• Deleting apps (long press and choose delete)
• Looking for photos (search by date, person, or object in the photo)
• Facts about actors, actresses, and other well-known people
• Information on contacts
• Web images (search for [subject] images)
• Converting measurements
• Converting currency
• Simple calculations
• Find content in Notes, Messages, and other apps

Tip: If you swipe down from the Lock Screen on your ‌iPad‌, you can get to a Spotlight Search interface without having to unlock your device.

If you want to see more on Spotlight Search and how it can be used, we have a dedicated guide highlighting all of the new features that came in iOS 15.

11. Use the Freeform App

After upgrading to the latest iPadOS 16.2 update, you can access Freeform, a blank canvas whiteboard style app where you can create anything. Freeform is installed automatically with iPadOS 16.2, and there's nothing else that you need to do besides open it up and experiment.

The app has various drawing tools that are similar to those available in the photo editing interface, along with options to add hundreds of shapes, stickies, photos, scans, documents, and more. You can have multiple boards and even collaborate on projects with other people, and all edits and changes are shown in real time.

For more on what's possible with the Freeform app, we have a Freeform guide that walks through all of the features and tools.

12. Try Some Karaoke With Apple Music Sing

The iPadOS 16.2 update also added Apple Music Sing, a feature that turns your ‌iPad‌ into a little karaoke machine if you're an ‌Apple Music‌ subscriber. Using the built-in lyrics feature, the ‌Apple Music‌ Sing option lets you sing along with a song, with your voice replacing the song's vocals.

Vocal volume can be adjusted, and there are settings for duets, plus a ton of playlist options highlighting the best ‌Apple Music‌ Sing songs in the ‌Apple Music‌ app.

‌Apple Music‌ Sing is available on these iPads:

• ‌iPad Pro‌ 12.9-inch (Fifth-generation and later)
• ‌iPad Pro‌‌ 11-inch (Third-generation and later)
• ‌iPad Air‌ (Fourth-generation and later)
• ‌iPad‌‌ (Ninth-generation and later)
• ‌iPad mini‌ (Sixth-generation)

Here's how to use ‌Apple Music‌ Sing:

1. Open the Music app on your ‌iPad‌ and start playing a track.
2. With the fullscreen playback controls open, tap the Lyrics button (the quotation mark speech bubble) in the bottom left corner (if it's available for the song).
3. Tap the Sing button (the mic and stars) on the right, just above the track progress bar. If you don't see it, the Sing feature isn't available for this song.
4. With the track playing, press and hold the Sing button, then drag the slider up or down to adjust the volume of the vocals.

13. Check the Weather

There's a dedicated Weather app on the ‌iPad‌ as of iPadOS 16, so you can get all the weather info you're used to seeing on your iPhone on your ‌iPad‌.

Just open up the Weather app to see the weather in your location or a location of your choice, with 10-day forecasts, precipitation charts, and other modules that show you in-depth information on metrics like humidity, air quality, wind speed, sunset/sunrise times, pressure, visibility, and more.

Learn More About Your iPad

We have dedicated roundups for each of Apple's iPads, with complete feature rundowns.

• iPad
• iPad mini
• iPad Air
• iPad Pro
• iPadOS 16

You'll also want to take a look at the iPadOS 16 roundup to learn how to use all of the ‌iPad‌ functions that were introduced with this year's software update.

Apple's main chip supplier TSMC will kick off mass production of 3nm chips this week, with Apple being the primary customer of the new process, which could first be used in upcoming M2 Pro chips expected to power updated MacBook Pro and Mac mini models.

According to the new report by DigiTimes, TSMC will start mass production of its next-generation ‌3nm‌ chip process on Thursday, December 29, in line with reports from earlier in the year that said ‌3nm‌ mass production would begin later in 2022. From the report:

TSMC is scheduled to hold a ceremony at Fab 18 at the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) on December 29 to mark the start of commercial production of chips using 3nm process technology. The pure-play foundry will also detail plans to expand 3nm chip production at the fab, according to sources at semiconductor equipment companies.

Apple currently uses TSMC's 4nm process in the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro series but could jump to ‌3nm‌ as soon as early next year. A report in August claimed the upcoming ‌M2‌ Pro chips would be the first to be based on the ‌3nm‌ process. The ‌M2‌ Pro chip is expected to debut first in updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros early next year and possibly updated Mac Studio and ‌Mac mini‌ models.

Later in 2023, according to another report, the third generation of Apple silicon, the M3 chip, and the A17 Bionic for the iPhone 15, will be based on TSMC's enhanced ‌3nm‌ process, which has yet to be made available. According to the DigiTimes report today, citing industry sources, production of ‌3nm‌ process chips is "unlikely to ramp up" until production of the enhanced version gets underway.

If you were lucky enough to be gifted an iPhone 14 for the holidays, we've got a series of useful tips and tricks for you that will help you get the most out of your new device.

First, if you're entirely new to the iPhone or you just want a refresher, we have a long list of basic tips on how to use your iPhone and iOS 16.

iPhone Tips for Beginners

• How to Set Up Your New iPhone or iPad Using Automatic Setup
• How to Update the Software on Your iPhone and iPad
• How to Secure Your Apple ID Using Two-Factor Authentication
• How to Move Multiple Apps on iOS
• How to Rotate Your iPhone Screen and Adjust Orientation Lock
• How to Back Up Your iPhone and iPad
• How to Factory Reset Your iPhone or iPad
• How to Change the Name of Your iPhone
• How to Take Screenshots on iPhone
• How to View and Delete Your Call History on iPhone
• How to Hide Home Screen App Pages on iPhone
• How to Use the App Library on iPhone
• How to Use Home Screen Widgets
• How to Hard Reset or Force Restart All iPhone Models
  
• What to Do If Your iPhone is Lost or Stolen

iOS 16 Guides and Tutorials

• How to Recover Deleted Messages
• How to Report Junk SMS and MMS Messages
• How to Use Focus Filters to Hide Content in Apps
• How to Customize Suggested Strong Passwords in Safari
• How to Unsend Emails in Apple Mail
• How to Use Multi-Stop Routing in Maps
• How to Add a Medication or Vitamin to the Health App
• How to Convert Currencies, Time Zones, Temperatures, and More in Inline Text
• How to Copy and Translate Text That Appears in Videos on Your iPhone
• How to Translate Text in the Camera App
  

• How to Lock Hidden and Recently Deleted Photo Albums
• How to Find, Merge, and Delete Duplicates in Your Photo Library
• How to Get Severe Weather Notifications

• How to Enable Live Activities on iPhone
• iPhone 14 Pro: How to Take 48-Megapixel ProRaw Photos

Want to know even more about iOS 16? We have a dedicated walkthrough that has guides and how tos that cover every new feature.

Tips and Tricks for your New iPhone

Beyond the basics, here are even more useful tips about your new iPhone:

1. Check Your iPhone Warranty

If you need a repair, want to pick up AppleCare+ for your new iPhone, or just want to see your warranty status and what's available to you, you can do it right on your device.

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Tap on "General."
3. Tap on "About."
4. Tap on "Limited Warranty" or "‌AppleCare‌+" to see your device status.

If you have ‌AppleCare‌+, the section will be labeled with ‌AppleCare‌+ and will let you know your ‌AppleCare‌ expiration date. If you don't, it will say "Limited Warranty" and it will let you know when it expires.

‌AppleCare‌+ is good for two years or indefinitely if you renew it monthly or yearly, and it covers manufacturer issues and two incidents of accidental damage per year so long as you pay the deductible. It's generally a good idea if you're accident-prone and want to make sure you can get an affordable fix if you drop or otherwise damage your phone.

The Limited Warranty is Apple's manufacturer warranty that lasts for a year after purchasing your iPhone. It entitles you to hardware support for any manufacturing issues, and it allows for a year of chat and phone support.

With the Limited Warranty, once that year is up, your iPhone is considered out of warranty. If you didn't purchase ‌AppleCare‌+ when you bought your phone and want to get it, you have 60 days to do so.

2. Auto Schedule Low Power Mode to Save Battery

Using the Shortcuts app, you can create an automation that will cause Low Power Mode to come on automatically at a certain battery percentage, so you won't need to turn it on manually.

1. Open up the Shortcuts app.
2. Tap on "Automation."
3. Tap on the "+" button.
4. Tap on "Create Personal Automation."
5. Scroll down to "Battery Level."
6. Tap on the parameter that you want. Options include "Equals x%," "Rises Above x%," and "Falls below x%." You'll want to use "Falls Below" or "Equals" for this Shortcut.
7. Use the slider to select a specific percentage.
8. Tap "Next."
9. Tap "Add Action."
10. Search for "Low Power Mode."
11. Tap on "Set Low Power Mode."
12. Tap on "Next."
13. If you want your iPhone to ask you before turning on Low Power Mode, leave the "Ask Before Running" toggle activated. If not, turn it off.
14. Tap "Done."

From there, your Shortcut will run any time your iPhone hits the threshold that you set for Low Power Mode. You can adjust the setting in the Automation section of the Shortcuts app.

If you want to set Low Power Mode to come on at a certain time, follow the above steps but use "Time of Day" as the first parameter, choose a time, and then follow steps 8 through 14.

Low Power Mode is designed to cut down on background processes to preserve battery life when your iPhone is low on battery, and your iPhone will automatically present a Low Power Mode pop-up suggestion when the battery dips below 20 percent. Using the Shortcuts app to create the Low Power Mode automation is a useful way to get Low Power Mode to come on when your battery is at a higher percentage.

3. Customize Your Lock Screen

With the iOS 16 update, Apple overhauled the Lock Screen, introducing customizable wallpaper, widgets, time, and date. You can select from all kinds of built-in wallpaper options, some that are even interactive, choose useful app widgets to show on the Lock Screen, and customize the look and color of the time.

We have dedicated guides and how tos on all of the Lock Screen features that are linked below, but it's easy to get to all of the settings so you can have a look.

1. On the Lock Screen, unlock with Face ID or Touch ID.
2. Long press on the display.
3. Tap on the "+" button to create a new Lock Screen.
4. Select your wallpaper from the available options.
5. Tap on the time to change the look.
6. Tap on "Add Widgets" to choose widgets to go on the Lock Screen.
7. Tap up above the time to customize the widget located in that spot.

That's all there is to it. There's plenty to explore on the Lock Screen, so you'll definitely want to browse through our guide to see all of the available options if you haven't used iOS 16 before.

• iOS 16 Lock Screen Guide: Widgets, Customization Options and More
• How to Customize the Lock Screen
• How to Add Widgets to Your iPhone Lock Screen

4. Set Up iCloud Shared Photo Library

If you're not using it already, iCloud Shared Photo Library is a hassle-free way to exchange photos with friends and family members. You're only going to want to use it with your closest friends and family, but it basically lets you share all of your images in a dedicated library that works just like the standard Photo Library.

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Scroll down to Photos.
3. Tap on Shared Library.
4. Tap on Set Up.

From there, you're going to want to go through all of the available setup steps, which includes adding participants and choosing the photos that you want to share.

You can expect ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library to work exactly like the standard library, but with more than one user. All participants can add and delete photos, and photos that you add to the library are moved to your personal library.

There are a lot of intricacies to deal with when it comes to ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library, so you are absolutely going to want to read our dedicated iCloud Shared Photo Library guide before setting it up.

5. Customize Your Safari Start Page

You can change what's displayed on your Safari start page, opting in to (or out of) sections like Frequently Visited, Shared With You, Siri Suggestions, and more, plus you can pick a custom wallpaper.

1. Open up Safari.
2. Open up a new blank page.
3. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page.
4. Tap on "Edit."
5. Toggle on the sections that you prefer.
6. Toggle on "Background Image" if you want to pick a custom background for Safari. You can choose from the available Apple-designed backgrounds or use your own photo by tapping on the "+" button.
7. If you want the same Start Page on all devices where you're signed into ‌iCloud‌, toggle on "Use Start Page on All Devices" at the top of the page.
8. When you're all done customizing, tap on the "X" button in the upper right hand corner.

Options that you can toggle on or off include Favorites, Frequently Visited, Shared With You, Privacy Report, ‌Siri‌ Suggestions, Reading List, and ‌iCloud‌ Tabs.

6. Change Your Safari Design

Apple attempted to introduce an overhauled Safari design in iOS 15 with floating tabs and an interface that merged the tab bar and the URL bar, but the changes were not well received and Apple ultimately reverted to the standard iOS 14 Safari design.

There are still remnants of that new Safari design, though, and you can elect to move your Safari Tab Bar to the bottom of the Safari interface, and you can chose to activate "Allow Website Tinting," a feature that blends the background color of the website with the URL bar.

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Scroll down to Safari.
3. Under Tabs, select the "Tab Bar" option for a tab bar located at the bottom of the Safari window. Choose "Single Tab" for the top bar.
4. Toggle on "Allow Website Tinting" if you want to have the color blending feature when using the top bar, and choose "Landscape Tab Bar" if you want to see your open tabs when the iPhone is held horizontally.

Note that "Allow Website Tinting" is a feature that shows up when using the top bar. It causes the URL bar to turn the background color of the website when you scroll down on a page for a more seamless look.

Tip: You can also swap between the top and bottom navigation bars in Safari itself. Just tap on the "Aa" icon in the URL bar and then choose "Show Bottom Tab Bar" or "Show Top Address Bar."

7. Rearrange Your Home Screen Pages

If you want to rearrange your various Home Screen pages that house apps, you can do so quickly and easily.

1. Press and hold in an empty space on the ‌Home Screen‌ to enter "jiggle mode," where the app icons are wiggling slightly.
2. Tap on the row of dots at the bottom of the page.
3. Your ‌Home Screen‌ pages will be shown in a grid view. Put a finger on one page and drag it to move it to a new position relative to your other pages.
4. Once you have your pages the way you want them, tap on "Done" in the upper right corner.

Tip: You can also delete ‌Home Screen‌ pages using this interface. At the grid view, tap on the checkmark under the page that you want to eliminate, and then tap on the minus (-) icon to delete it.

8. Edit and Undo Send Messages

If your new phone is the first time you're using iOS 16, you should know that there are new features in the Messages app to be aware of. You can both Edit and Undo Send on iMessages that you sent, as long as the person you're chatting with also has an iPhone and has iOS 16 installed.

Using these features is as simple as long pressing on a message you've just sent to see the options. Note that there are time limits to be aware of. You can unsend a message up to two minutes after sending it, and edit for up to 15 minutes.

There are a bunch of other Messages features for things like reporting junk, marking messages as unread, and recovering deleted messages, with info available in our iOS 16 Messages guide.

9. Store Two-Factor Authentication Codes in Passwords

It's a good idea to set up two-factor authentication for any online account where the feature is available, and with iOS 15, you no longer need a separate verification code app like Google Authenticator or Authy for storing one-time passwords. Two-factor authentication codes (or one-time passwords) are the secondary passcodes that you use when logging into a website, with these codes regenerated every 30 seconds, which makes it much more difficult for your accounts to be breached.

Apple now has a built-in feature for storing two-factor authentication codes right alongside your ‌iCloud‌ Keychain passwords. Here's how to add a code:

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Scroll down to "Passwords."
3. If you're adding a two-factor code for a login and password already stored in ‌iCloud‌ Keychain, search for the entry that you're looking for. Otherwise, tap the "+" button to add a new login.
4. After either accessing your login and password for the account you're interested in or adding new details, tap on "Set Up Verification Code."
5. Initiate the two-factor authentication process for the website or account where you're enabling two-factor verification.
6. For many services, you're provided with a QR code that you can scan to set up two-factor authentication, though this does require two devices. If you have a QR code to scan, tap on the "Scan QR Code" option. Alternatively, tap on "Enter Setup Key" and enter the number that you're provided from the website.
7. After the QR code is scanned or the Setup Key is entered, the login will automatically update with the verification key.

Once set up, you can use the verification code found in the Passwords app whenever you need to verify your identity with a one-time passcode for that website or service. If you hold down on the verification code, you can copy it and then paste it into the site where it's needed, and if you have ‌iCloud‌ Keychain enabled, it will autofill across your devices.

You will need to set this up individually for each website that uses two-factor authentication.

Tip: If you're setting up two-factor authentication on a website on your iPhone, when you see the QR code, long press on it with your finger. You'll see an option to "Add Verification Code in Passwords," and if you tap it, you can automatically add the two-factor verification to your site login without needing to scan a QR code.

10. Maximize Your Privacy With iCloud Private Relay and Hide My Email

Starting with iOS 15, Apple made web browsing and sending email more secure by cutting down on the ways that companies can track your online behavior. ‌iCloud‌ Private Relay, for example, obscures personal information like IP address and location, which can be used to track your browsing across different websites. ‌iCloud‌ Private Relay works in the background (if you want to know how, we have a guide) and it does require a paid ‌iCloud‌ account, priced at $0.99 and up per month.

On any new device, you're going to want to make sure you have ‌iCloud‌ Private Relay turned on by following these steps:

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Tap on your name to open up your Apple ID and ‌iCloud‌ settings.
3. Tap on "‌iCloud‌."
4. Tap on "Private Relay."
5. Make sure "Private Relay" is toggled on.

Hide My Email, which also requires a paid ‌iCloud‌ account, lets you create different email addresses for each site, so you can disable them if you start getting spam or other unwanted content from someone you've interacted with. Hide My Email temporary addresses all forward to your main Apple email address and can be easily managed.

You can use Hide My Email in two ways. It's as simple as opening up the Mail app and composing an email. In the From field, tap and then choose "Hide My Email" to automatically generate a random address that will forward to your inbox.

Alternatively, follow these steps:

• Open up the Settings app.
• Tap on your name.
• Tap on "‌iCloud‌."
• Tap on "Hide My Email."
• Tap on the "+ Create New Address" button.
• Choose a label for your Hide My Email address.
• Tap "Next," then tap "Done" and your randomly generated email address is ready to use.

This Hide My Email interface in the Settings app is also where you can manage all of the temporary email addresses that you've created. You can deactivate any of the temporary email addresses at any time and the company or person that has that email address will no longer be able to contact you.

Tip: You can change the email address that your Hide My Email addresses forward to by following our Hide My Email tutorial.

11. Set up Focus Modes and Link Focuses to Lock Screens

If you have customized Lock Screens you've created, you can link them to a specific Focus Mode, which means you can set up dedicated Lock Screen and ‌Home Screen‌ interfaces for your different modes like work, home, exercise, and more. Switching to that Lock Screen activates the Focus, and that Lock Screen will also come up if you have the Focus set to activate at a specific time.

1. On the iPhone's Lock Screen, unlock with ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌.
2. Long press to get to the Lock Screen customization interface.
3. On your Lock Screen of choice, tap on "Focus."
4. Choose one of your Focus modes to link it to the Lock Screen. If you already had a Focus mode set up, that's all you need to do. Swapping to the Lock Screen will now activate the Focus mode linked to it.
5. If you need to create a new Focus or customize an existing Focus, tap on Focus settings at the bottom of the page.
6. In the Focus interface, tap on "+" or one of the existing Focus modes to change it up. From there, follow the on-screen instructions.

Focus modes are super useful if you want to separate work life and home life or cut down on distractions when studying, working out, cooking, meditating, and more. You can set specific apps and in iOS 16, even choose specific Mail accounts and Safari tab groups to be accessible.

That said, Focus modes can be a lot, so we do have a dedicated Focus guide that walks through everything you need to know to get the iOS 16 Focus features set up.

12. Have Fun With Remove Subject From Background

Apple's iPhone 14 models (and all iPhones running iOS 16) have a fun feature that lets you pull the subject from any photo or image so you can copy it and use it in Messages, emails, and more.

1. Select a photo, Safari web image, or another image that has a clear subject.
2. Place your finger on the screen over the subject and hold it there gently.
3. You'll see a glowing border surround the subject.
4. Tap on the "Copy" option to copy it to your clipboard, or on Share to drop it into an email or a message.
5. Alternatively, drag the highlighted image with a finger and open up another app to drop it in.

Apple uses machine learning functionality for this feature, so it can be a way to create little stickers of your own from your photos or to add a new background for a subject image. It's not perfect and it works best when there's a clear color difference between the subject and the background, but it's fun to play with.

13. Use Your iPhone as a Webcam for Your Mac

If you have a Mac running macOS Ventura, you can use your iPhone 14 as a webcam, bypassing the lower quality built-in webcam of the Mac. You will need a little stand to attach your iPhone to your Mac, and Belkin sells options for both Mac notebooks and Mac desktops, plus you can get affordable stand options on Amazon.

Once you have a stand, with your iPhone 14 attached to your Mac, all you need to do is start up an app that uses the Camera like FaceTime, and your iPhone will automatically work as the Mac's camera.

There are features like Center Stage to keep you in frame as you move around, Portrait Mode to blur the background, and Desk View to show off what you're doing on your desk for demonstrations. If

14. Get Familiar with the Dynamic Island

If you have an iPhone 14 Pro, you have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch like the iPhone 14 models and prior-generation iPhone 13 models. The ‌Dynamic Island‌ is interactive, so you'll see apps and various iPhone features in that little pill-shaped box.

Here's some of what ‌Dynamic Island‌ can display by default:

• Apple Pay transaction confirmations
• Privacy indicators when microphone or camera is in use
• AirDrop file transfers
• AirPods connection status and battery life
• iPhone charging status and battery life
• Low battery alerts
• Silent mode turned on or off
• ‌Face ID‌ unlocking
• Apple Watch unlocking
• NFC interactions
• AirPlay connections
• Focus mode changes
• Shortcut actions
• Airplane mode/no data alerts
• SIM card alerts
• Accessories connecting
• Find My alerts
• Shortcuts
• Upcoming and turn-by-turn Maps directions
• Incoming phone call and duration of call
• Time remaining of playing song
• Active timers
• Live Activity info
• SharePlay sessions
• Screen Recording
• Voice memo recordings
• Personal Hotspot connection

You can also download apps that have support for the ‌Dynamic Island‌, and anything with a Live Activity can display that information in the ‌Dynamic Island‌. You can track car rides, keep an eye on sports games, track timers, and more. We have a list of third-party apps that support the Dynamic Island if you're looking for options.

We also have even more information on the ‌Dynamic Island‌ and what it can do in our dedicated guide.

15. Do a Safety Check

After you've set up your iPhone 14, whether you're setting it up as new or transferring info and settings from another device, you should do a Safety Check. Added in iOS 16, Safety Check is designed to walk you through all of the privacy and security features on your device, so you can see who you're sharing information and location with.

This feature is designed for people to quickly reset all of the data and location access they have granted to others, especially in a domestic violence situation, but it is also very useful for keeping track of which people and apps have access to your info.

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Tap on Privacy and Security.
3. Scroll down to Safety Check and tap it.
4. Tap on Manage Sharing and Access.
5. Authenticate with ‌Face ID‌.
6. From there, go through all of the steps to see what you're sharing with others, from location to photos and notes. If you want to change something, tap on the option, and if you don't, tap on skip to move on.
7. Make sure to take your time and go through all of the different options because you'll also see lists of all the apps that have access to your data, which devices are signed into your ‌Apple ID‌, and more.

Note that you'll also see an Emergency Reset option here, but unless you're in a situation where you need to immediately revoke all access to your location services, you're not going to want to use that. We have a more in-depth look at Safety Check in our privacy and security guide.

16. Test Emergency SOS via Satellite

All of the iPhone 14 models support Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite, which is designed to allow you to get help in an emergency even if there's no WiFi or cellular connection available. You're not going to want to try out Crash Detection, but you can test Emergency SOS via Satellite to get familiar with how it works.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Emergency SOS.
3. Under "Emergency SOS Via Satellite," tap Try Demo.
4. Follow the instructions to test it out.

Make sure to familiarize yourself with the steps that you'll follow in a real emergency, which actually just involves attempting to make an emergency call.

1. Launch the Phone app.
2. Dial emergency services (911 in the United States).
3. When the call fails, tap the green Emergency Text via Satellite button that appears.
4. Follow the onscreen prompts to communicate your emergency.

There is no way to make phone calls using the SOS via Satellite feature, but you can send short text messages, which is how help will arrive to you. The iPhone will ask you important questions to assess the situation, passing that along to emergency personnel who can then communicate further with you and get a rescue team to you.

Emergency SOS via Satellite has been used successfully in several emergency situations to date.

Bonus: If you're in a remote location and have no access to cellular service or WiFi, you can use Emergency SOS via Satellite to update your location with the ‌Find My‌ app, so friends and family can see where you are.

1. Open the Find My app on your iPhone 14.
2. Tap the Me tab at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. Swipe up on the card to reveal "My Location via Satellite."
4. Tap Send My Location.

17. Customize Always On Display (iPhone 14 Pro)

For those lucky enough to have an iPhone 14 Pro, there's an always on display option that mirrors the always on display on the Apple Watch. With always on display, you can continue to see your wallpaper, the time, widgets, and incoming notifications even when your iPhone is locked and not in use.

There are several customizations available, and if you have the latest version of iOS, you can turn off wallpaper and notifications if you want, for an even more minimal experience.

Here's how to get to your always on display settings:

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Choose Display and Brightness.
3. Scroll down to Always On Display.
4. Tap on the toggles for Show Wallpaper and Show Notifications to enable or disable these features.

Learn More About iPhone 14

We have dedicated iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro roundups that have a complete rundown of all of the features available in the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, and they're worth checking out if you're still getting to know your new iPhone.

We also have an iOS 16 roundup that's a great resource for getting familiar with everything the latest iPhones can do.

Did you just get new AirPods or AirPods Pro? If so, we've rounded up a handy list of tips, tricks, and features that you may not know about to get you acquainted with your new earbuds.

First up, if you're new to AirPods entirely, we have a list of helpful basic tips on how to use your AirPods.

AirPods Basics

• How to Set Up and Connect Your New AirPods
• How to Change the Name of Your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max
• How to Use Just One AirPod or AirPod Pro
• How to Clean Your AirPods or AirPods Pro
• How to Answer a Phone Call on AirPods and AirPods Pro
• What Does the Light on the AirPods Case Mean?
• How to Switch Devices When Using AirPods
• How to Reset AirPods or AirPods Pro
• How to Troubleshoot Problems with AirPods
• Only One AirPod Working? Here's How to Fix the Problem
• How to Customize Your AirPods Settings

8 Useful AirPods Tips for New Owners

1. Keep Your AirPods Safe With Find My

Apple's latest AirPods, including the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2, include Find My integration, so if they're stolen or misplaced, you can track them down with the Find My app. AirPods can take advantage of the ‌Find My‌ network so you can leverage the iPhones, iPads, and Macs of other people to track down a lost set of AirPods wherever they end up, so long as the battery holds out.

You're also going to want to make sure you enable "Notify When Left Behind" so you can get alerted right away if you're out and about and forget your AirPods somewhere. To turn it on, open up the ‌Find My‌ app, tap on your AirPods in the list, and toggle on the "Notify When Left Behind" option. These ‌Find My‌ features also work for the AirPods Max.

The AirPods Pro 2 go even further and include a built-in speaker in the case so that you can use the "Play a Sound" feature to track them down if they're lost somewhere nearby.

2. Activate or Deactivate Automatic Device Switching

Apple's AirPods have a feature that allows them to automatically connect to whatever device is in active use, so if you swap from your iPhone to your Mac, the AirPods connection is meant to transition from one device to another as you do.

Automatic Switching can be useful, but there are instances where you might not want it turned on if it's switching between devices inappropriately. You can manage it by following these steps.

1. Connect your AirPods to your iPhone.
2. Open up the Settings app.
3. Tap on your AirPods in the section below the Apple ID.
4. Tap on "Connect to This iPhone."
5. Choose "When Last Connected to This iPhone" to turn automatic switching off, and choose "Automatically" to turn it on.

With "Automatically" turned on, your AirPods will connect to your iPhone when it's in active use and your AirPods are in your ears. With "When Last Connected to This iPhone" selected, AirPods will only connect to the last connected device rather than the device in active use. This feature also works with AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

Note that you will need to disable Automatic Switching for each device connected to your iCloud account if you're not a fan of the feature and want it off entirely. There's no master toggle, with Apple handling it on a per-device basis.

3. Turn on Announce Notifications

Thanks to Siri integration, AirPods are able to announce all of your incoming notifications, including Messages.

Here's how to turn it on:

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Tap on "Notifications."
3. Tap on "Announce Notifications."
4. Toggle on "Announce Notifications."
5. Toggle on "Headphones."

With both Announce Notifications and Headphones toggled on, ‌Siri‌ will read out notifications from apps of your choice when you have the AirPods in, and will give you an opportunity to respond. So if you have an incoming text message, ‌Siri‌ will read it out and give you a chance to send out a reply, all hands-free.

You can select the apps that you want to use Announce Notifications with so you can get important readouts without having a deluge of notifications read to you by ‌Siri‌.

4. Check Your AirPods Battery Life

If you want to keep tabs on your AirPods battery life, there are multiple ways to do so. AirPods will tell you battery level when you connect them to a device, or you can use the "Battery" widget on an iPhone or an iPad.

‌Siri‌ is also able to tell you your AirPods battery life, and if your AirPods are connected to your Apple Watch, the control center offers battery life information. For more on the different ways to check your AirPods battery life, we have a dedicated AirPods battery how-to.

5. Use the Force Sensor to Control Playback

If you've upgraded to the AirPods 3 or AirPods Pro 2 from the original AirPods, the AirPods 2, or the AirPods Pro, or if you're new to AirPods entirely, you might not be familiar with the physical controls.

The AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro have a built-in force sensor in the stem. The force sensor can be used for controlling media playback with different presses.

• Single press - Play/Pause audio
• Double press - Skip forward
• Triple press - Skip backward
• Press when there's a call - Answer incoming call
• Double press on a call - Hang up
• Press and hold - Activate ‌Siri‌ or Swap Between ANC/Transparency (AirPods Pro only)

On AirPods Pro, you can customize what the long press force sensor gesture does because it can be set to Noise Control or ‌Siri‌. The AirPods 3 do not have Active Noise Cancellation and are limited to ‌Siri‌ for the press-and-hold gesture.

The AirPods Pro also have touch based gestures available for adjusting the volume.

• Swipe up on the AirPods Pro to increase volume
• Swipe down on the AirPods Pro to lower volume

Note that if you have AirPods 2, there is no Force Sensor included and these gestures won't work. With AirPods 2, you can double tap to do things like play/pause, with the tap gesture customizable in the Settings app.

6. Make Sure Spatial Audio is Activated

Spatial audio is a feature that offers immersive three-dimensional sound, and it is able to follow the movement of the iPhone with supported audio and video. Spatial audio can be toggled on or off using the Control Center, and it is available for AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

1. With your AirPods connected to your iPhone or ‌iPad‌, open up the Control Center. If you don't know how, we have a guide.
2. On the volume slider, you should see a little icon that looks like the AirPods. If you don't see it, reconnect your AirPods.
3. Long press on the volume slider.
4. Tap on the "Spatial Audio" option.
5. Choose between Off, Fixed, or Head Tracked (on supported devices).

Off will turn spatial audio off entirely, while Fixed will allow spatial audio to be used, but without head-tracking functionality. Head Tracked enables the full spatial audio feature with head tracking included.

You can also preview what spatial audio sounds like by connecting your AirPods to your phone, selecting them in the Bluetooth section of the Settings app, and choosing the "Spatial Audio" option.

For an even more personalized experience, tap on Personalized Spatial Audio in the AirPods section of the Settings app with your AirPods connected. Your phone will use the TrueDepth camera to scan both of your ears for spatial audio that is customized to you.

Spatial audio works with the Apple TV app and Apple Music, but many third party apps also support it like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, YouTube, and more.

7. Use Active Noise Cancellation

Active Noise Cancellation is an AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2 default feature that just works out of the box, but it is helpful to know how to turn it on and off. ANC is also available on the AirPods Max.

1. With the AirPods Pro connected to your iPhone, open up the Control Center.
2. Long press on the volume icon.
3. Tap on Noise Control.
4. Drag the slider to Noise Cancellation, Off, or Transparency depending on the mode that you want.
5. Alternatively, press and hold on the stem of the AirPods to manually swap between ANC and Transparency mode, or use the AirPods Pro section in the Settings app to access Noise Control.
6. If you're using the Settings app, drag the Noise Control slider to your preferred position. To the left turns on ANC, the middle turns it off, and the right side turns on Transparency.

Active Noise Cancellation is normally a feature that's enabled when you have both of your AirPods in your ears, but there is a trick to get it to turn on when you're just using one.

1. With AirPods Pro connected, launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the AirPods Pro tab just under your ‌Apple ID‌ banner.
3. Scroll down, then tap Accessibility.
4. Scroll down again, then under "Noise Control," toggle on the switch next to Noise Cancellation with One AirPod.

8. Use Adaptive Transparency (AirPods Pro 2 Only)

The second-generation AirPods Pro have an expanded Transparency feature that is able to adjust to the sounds around you, toning down loud noises like construction work, sirens, and other disturbances while not blocking out all sound.

It is typically enabled by default, but if you want to turn it off or double check, follow these instructions.

1. With the AirPods Pro 2 connected to your iPhone, open up the Settings app.
2. Tap on AirPods Pro 2.
3. Scroll down to Adaptive Transparency and toggle it on or off.

Adaptive Transparency will cut down on all loud sounds, so it is ideal for day to day use and also situations like concerts where the music might be loud enough to cause hearing damage.

Learn More

To learn more about your AirPods, we have a dedicated AirPods 3 roundup and a dedicated AirPods Pro 2 roundup, both of which walk through all the different features and will come in handy as you learn to use your new earbuds.

Apple gift cards are always a popular gift received by tech enthusiasts at Christmas, so you might have unwrapped one today. If so, we've put together a list of products to spend it on, with everything priced under $100 in the United States.

Apple used to offer two separate gift cards, including an Apple Store gift card for in-store products and an iTunes gift card for purchasing content like apps, games, TV shows, and movies. These gift cards have since been combined into the all-in-one Apple gift card, which says "the gift card for everything Apple" on the packaging.

To redeem an Apple gift card on an iPhone or iPad, open the App Store, tap your photo in the top-right corner, and tap "Redeem Gift Card or Code."

What to Buy With an Apple Gift Card

Belkin's iPhone Mount for Continuity Camera ($29.95)

Belkin sells an iPhone mount for use with macOS Ventura's new Continuity Camera feature, which allows an iPhone to be used as a Mac's webcam. Priced at $29.95, the mount attaches to the iPhone with MagSafe and can then be affixed to the top lid of a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro for use with Continuity Camera. Belkin also offers a version of the mount for use with the latest iMac and Studio Display for $39.95.

Apple's 35W Dual USB-C Charger ($59)

Apple this year released new 35W power adapters with dual USB-C ports, with standard and compact versions of the charger available for $59 each. Both adapters feature foldable prongs and can be used to charge or power multiple Apple devices simultaneously, such as the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and HomePod mini.

USB-C Siri Remote for Apple TV ($59)

Apple this year released a new version of the Siri Remote for the Apple TV with a USB-C port instead of Lightning for charging. If you already own an Apple TV model released in 2015 or later, the remote can be purchased separately for $59.

Apple Polishing Cloth ($19)

Clean your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Studio Display, and other devices with Apple's official polishing cloth, released in 2021.

AirTag ($29)

Keep track of your belongings with Apple's item tracker, which integrates with the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A four-pack is also available for $99.

Twelve South's AirFly Pro ($54.95)

Twelve South's AirFly Pro accessory lets you use AirPods or Beats wireless headphones with an airplane's in-flight entertainment system. Simply plug AirFly Pro into the headphone jack on a plane to watch or listen with your AirPods.

Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Light Bulb ($19.95)

Nanoleaf's smart color-changing LED bulb is compatible with HomeKit, allowing it to be controlled with Siri. A three-pack is also available for $49.95.

Logitech Crayon ($69.95)

Available in gray or orange, the Logitech Crayon is a more affordable alternative to the Apple Pencil for drawing on compatible iPad models.

MagSafe Charger ($39)

Apple's MagSafe Charger attaches magnetically to the back of any iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14 model for wireless charging at up to 15W speeds.

MagSafe Wallet ($59)

Apple's leather MagSafe Wallet attaches magnetically to the back of any iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14 model and can store up to three credit cards or IDs. The latest version of the wallet supports Find My so you can track the wallet's location if you lose it.

MagSafe Battery Pack ($99)

Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack attaches magnetically to the back of any iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14 model, providing additional battery life on the go.

Apple Watch Band ($49+)

Have an Apple Watch? Treat yourself to a new band, with dozens of options to choose from, including the custom-fitted Solo Loop.

iPhone Case ($49+)

Have an iPhone? Treat yourself to a new case, with dozens of options to choose from, including those from third-party brands like OtterBox and Tech21.

Apple One

Redeem your Apple gift card and use the balance towards Apple One, which lets you subscribe to multiple Apple services at a discount. The base Apple One plan includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ with 50GB of storage for $16.95 per month, which is $7 less per month compared to subscribing to the services separately.

iCloud+ Storage

Redeem your Apple gift card and use the balance towards an iCloud+ plan with additional storage. Available storage amounts include 50GB for $0.99 per month, 200GB for $2.99 per month, and 2TB for $9.99 per month.

It's Christmas Eve, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been much in the way of Apple news and rumors in recent days as we've been hearing details about Apple's plans for the Mac Pro, iPhone SE, and more.

In other news, Apple has detailed changes it made in a couple of recent AirTags firmware updates, while the company appears to have pulled back a new Home app architecture it began offering to users with iOS 16.2 and macOS Ventura 13.1. Read on below for details on these stories and more!

New Mac Pro in Testing, But 'M2 Extreme' Chip Likely Canceled

Apple continues to test an all-new Mac Pro with an M2 Ultra chip, but the company has likely abandoned plans to offer a higher-end "M2 Extreme" chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman said the Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip will be available with up to a 24-core CPU, up to a 76-core GPU, and at least 192GB of RAM. Like the current Mac Pro, he expects the new model to remain expandable with additional memory, storage, and more.

The current Intel-based Mac Pro was released in December 2019 and starts at $5,999 in the United States. Barring any further delays, the new model will presumably launch in 2023.

Latest Rumors for Every Mac: When to Expect New Models

Beyond the Mac Pro, several other Macs are expected to be updated next year. For example, new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are expected to launch in early 2023. A new Mac mini with M2 chips is also rumored.

This week, we recapped the latest rumors for every Mac that Apple sells, including the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.

Apple Said to Cancel or Postpone iPhone SE 4

Apple plans to either cancel or postpone mass production of the fourth-generation iPhone SE, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo originally expected the next iPhone SE to launch in 2024, but he said these plans are likely to change due to consistently lower-than-expected shipments of mid-to-low-end iPhone models, such as the third-generation iPhone SE, iPhone 13 mini, and iPhone 14 Plus.

Apple Pulls iOS 16.2 Option to Upgrade to New Home Architecture

One of iOS 16.2's key new features is the ability to upgrade to a new Home app architecture. While Apple hasn't shared details on exactly what the changes are, the company said the upgrade offers "improved performance and reliability" for HomeKit accessories.

After some users who upgraded the Home app complained about technical issues, it appears that Apple has removed the option to upgrade the Home app for now.

Apple Reveals What's New in Latest AirTag Firmware Updates

Apple recently released two firmware updates for its AirTag accessory, and the company has since outlined what's new in the updates.

One of the firmware updates introduces some features promised by Apple earlier this year to help prevent AirTags from being used for stalking purposes. The other update resolves an issue with the AirTag's accelerometer not activating in some scenarios.

The 'Trashcan' Mac Pro: Remembering One of Apple's Most Controversial Designs

This week marked the ninth anniversary of Apple releasing the so-called "trashcan" Mac Pro, providing an opportunity to reflect on one of Apple's most controversial hardware designs.

While the "trashcan" Mac Pro had a beautiful design, it was not modular, leading to complaints from professional users about its lack of upgradeability over the years. The computer was discontinued in 2019.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

If you have been good this year, you may be interested to learn that Google today launched its annual Santa tracking feature, allowing Santa to be tracked in real time on his mythical journey to the North Pole as he prepares to deliver presents to kids around the world.

Google's Santa Tracker continues a 19-year tradition for the company, allowing excited children (and parents!) to keep up with the jolly gift-giver's travels throughout December 24. On this day, Santa's Village transforms into a tracking experience where children can follow Santa and his reindeer as they merrily go about their important work.

Santa can be tracked using a web browser on iPhone, iPad, or Mac by visiting Google's official Santa Tracking website. The site features a live map of Santa's current location, his next stop, a live video feed of his journey, and the estimated time that he will arrive in each specific location.

The Santa site provides pictures of locations that Santa has already visited, a live count of gifts that have been delivered, and Santa's current distance from your location. There are also a selection of games to play, creative things to do, and videos to watch.

Other Santa tracking services are also available, such as the NORAD Tracks Santa Claus app and website, but Google's site is often the most interactive and detailed.

Jon Prosser and Sam Kohl join us this week on The MacRumors Show to take a light-hearted look back at the best and worst of Apple in 2022 – a year that brought some major changes to many of the company's product lines and platforms.

Jon and Sam are well-known content creators in the Apple community. Jon is also known for his Apple leaks, including revealing the exact design of AirTags months before they launched, the 24-inch iMac's vibrant color options, the design of the sixth-generation iPad mini, and more.

In this episode, we debate what could be some of the best Apple rumors, features introduced in new products and software updates, accessories, and devices launched during the past twelve months. We also weigh up some of Apple's worst new features and product launches, as well as the most neglected devices of 2022. See Jon and Sam's work on their YouTube channels "FrontPageTech" and "AppleTrack", or catch them on the Genius Bar podcast.

Listen to The MacRumors Show using apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for a recap on everything we know about 2023's iPhone 15 lineup with Snazzy Labs' Quinn Nelson.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, Andru Edwards, and Mark Gurman. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Apple planned a major generational update for the iPhone 14 Pro's graphics capabilities, but was forced to scrap plans for the new GPU late in development after "unprecedented" missteps were discovered, according to The Information.

In a paywalled report, The Information claimed that Apple engineers were "too ambitious" in adding new features to the graphics processor designed for the iPhone 14 Pro, including features like ray tracing – a lighting technique to achieve a further level of realism in games. This meant that iPhone 14 Pro prototype were found to draw much more power than expected, impacting the device's battery life and thermal management.

According to several individuals that claim to possess first-hand knowledge of the incident speaking to The Information, Apple discovered the flaw in the iPhone 14 Pro's GPU late in the device's development cycle, meaning that it had to hastily pivot to revert largely to the GPU from the A15 Bionic chip from the previous year's iPhone 13 lineup.

The incident is reportedly unprecedented in Apple's chip design history and is responsible for why the iPhone 14 Pro shows only small improvements in graphics performance compared to the leaps made by previous iPhone generations. The error resulted in Apple restructuring its graphics processor team and moving some managers away from the project, including the exit of key figures that apparently contributed to Apple's emergence as a chip design leader.

The report goes on to reveal how Apple's chip design team has been forced to contend with a loss of talent in recent years, with the company having lost dozens of key people to various silicon design companies since 2019, as well as interpersonal feuds and lawsuits with chip startups.

Tesla today announced the launch of the Tesla Wireless Charging Platform, a $300 wireless charger that is able to charge up to three Qi devices at one time.

The concept is somewhat similar to the AirPower that Apple wanted to produce as the three devices can be placed anywhere on the Tesla charging mat, receiving up to 15W of power each.

Tesla says that the angular design of the charging mat was inspired by the look of the Cybertruck, and it features an aluminum housing with an alcantara surface and detachable magnetic stand that can be used for charging flat or at an angle.

Inspired by the angular design and metallic styling of Cybertruck, our Wireless Charging Platform provides 15W of fast charging power per device for up to three devices simultaneously. Its sleek design is composed of an aluminum housing, premium alcantara surface and a detachable magnetic stand that allows you to lay the charger flat or at an angle for better viewing. Featuring FreePower(R) technology, which charges your Qi capable devices such as phones or earbuds placed anywhere on its surface without precise alignment.

Apple in September 2017 announced the AirPower, a multi-device charger designed to charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once. Apple wanted users to be able to place their devices anywhere on the ‌AirPower‌ to charge, but the overlapping wireless coils required were problematic, with Apple seeing heat management and interference issues that prevented the product from being viable. While the ‌AirPower‌ was meant to launch in 2018, it never appeared, and Apple confirmed its cancelation in 2019.

Tesla's charging mat is using FreePower, a technology from Aira that has been used in other wireless charging platforms like the Base Station Pro from Nomad. Nomad's Base Station Pro also supported charging from anywhere on the charging platform, but it turned out to be problematic because it did not work well with the iPhone 12 and later because of a firmware issue.

While Tesla's concept is similar to what Apple hoped to achieve with the ‌AirPower‌, it is limited to Qi-based devices like the iPhone and the AirPods and it does not charge the Apple Watch.

Apple today published a support document designed to help those who are having issues with HomeKit, outlining what to do if you can't access a home or accept an invitation in the Home app.

Apple says that on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 16.2 or iPadOS 16.2, users should use the Remove Home option on any listed homes that don't have accessories. If the invited user has a home with accessories, Apple support must instead be contacted for help.

If there is a home with no accessories listed, after it is removed from the Home app, the invited user and home owner's devices need to be restarted, as do all Apple TV and HomePod devices in the home.

From there, the home owner will need to remove any pending invitations to the invited user, and then re-invite the user to share control of the home. An invited user must accept an invitation to access a home within three hours or the invitation will expire.

Apple's instructions come just a day after the new Home architecture that was introduced in iOS 16.2 was pulled. At the current time, Apple is not allowing users to upgrade to the architecture, likely due to multiple bugs that users have reported with the update.

Issues with the architecture update include ‌‌HomeKit‌‌ devices stuck in an "updating" or "configuring" status, devices going missing, HomeKit Secure Video not working, and invitations to share the Home with other users failing, which is what the support document addresses.

In a separate support document, Apple says that the new Home architecture will be reintroduced at a later date, and that it has been temporarily removed.

Belkin last week quietly introduced a new iPhone Mount with MagSafe that's designed for Mac desktops and displays that you use with your Mac, allowing you to take advantage of Continuity Camera on those devices. We picked one up and thought we'd test it out for MacRumors readers who are thinking about ordering one.

The Belkin iPhone Mount for Mac desktops and displays is pretty similar to the mount for Mac notebooks that came out earlier this year, but there are some design and price differences. First off, it's $40 instead of $30, probably because the mounting portion is a good deal larger to accommodate displays of different sizes.

Design wise, the lip of the mount fits over the edge of a display or an iMac, and then there's an adjustable arm that secures it at the back of the device. An iPhone attaches to the mount using ‌MagSafe‌, and can be put in portrait or landscape mode. There are also adjustable viewing angles that you can use by tilting the mount hinge, something not available on the MacBook version.

Because of the tilt option and the general height of an ‌iMac‌ or an external display, the desktop mount is much better at Desk View, the feature that lets you show off your desktop while on a video chat. With the MacBook version, Desk View is much more limited, but you can see a lot more of the desk with the desktop mount, which makes it more useful.

Belkin's display and Mac desktop mount is particularly useful for Mac Studio or Mac mini owners who use it with a Studio Display or a third-party display that doesn't have a webcam, because it adds webcam functionality. There's also a 1/4" tripod screw on the mount, so you can use it with a mini tripod too, if desired, adding even more versatility.

The Belkin iPhone Mount with ‌MagSafe‌ for desktops and displays can be purchased from the online Apple Store for $40. It is backordered and will arrive to customers in late January to early February.

If you are looking to purchase some last-minute gifts, Apple's retail stores are now offering free two-hour delivery on eligible, in-stock products in select countries. The offer is available for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple TV only.

Free two-hour delivery is available in most U.S. metro areas for orders placed through Apple's online store by 12:00 p.m. local time on December 24. The items will be delivered from a local Apple retail store by a courier such as Postmates at a time selected during checkout. Apple normally charges $9 for two-hour delivery.

Apple is also offering free two-hour delivery in select areas of Canada, France, Spain, and the UK, along with free three-hour delivery in Australia.

Apple has a holiday gift guide for those looking for last-minute gift ideas. Most products purchased between November 4 and December 25 are eligible for return until January 8, 2023 under Apple's extended holiday return policy.

YouTube has won the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket after negotiations and a deal between the NFL and Apple failed to fully materialize, Google and the NFL announced today.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, YouTube will pay roughly $2 billion a year to secure the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket franchise as part of its YouTube TV service. NFL Sunday Ticket is a package that allows users to access and watch all Sunday games from out-of-market teams for games that may not be broadcasted on local channels or affiliates.

NFL Sunday Ticket will be offered as an add-on for YouTube TV, which currently costs $64.99 per month. The exact price of the add-on remains unknown. Neal Mohan, chief product officer at YouTube, speaking of the new deal, said "we'll be able to showcase these NFL games in a way that I think no other platform can."

Apple was originally seen as the top contender for securing the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, with reports at one point suggesting Apple and the NFL had reached a final agreement. According to a new report this week by The Athletic, the agreement didn't go through due to apparent concerns at Cupertino that it wouldn't be able to incorporate NFL Sunday Ticket into its future AR/VR platforms.

Apple and the NFL also could not agree on whether the company would get the right to distribute Sunday Ticket on as yet non-existent platforms. Apple is heavily investing in virtual reality and augmented reality, nascent platforms in which sports are so far largely not viewed. As a result, Apple wanted what is dubbed known and unknown rights, individuals familiar with the NFL and Apple said. In other words, there is no known virtual reality market for Sunday Ticket, but there might be one day.

While YouTube will offer NFL Sunday Ticket as an add-on for YouTube, Apple reportedly wanted to offer NFL Sunday Ticket to Apple TV+ subscribers at no additional cost.

Verizon today announced a new discount for its "Welcome Unlimited" plan, which will see the price drop by $5 per line for unlimited text, talk, and 5G data for those who are new to the Verizon network.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Customers who swap over to Verizon and bring their own device can sign up for Welcome Unlimited for $25 per line per month for four lines, with a three year price guarantee. That is a $5 discount per line over the standard $30/line price point, for a total savings of $20/month for four phones. Over the three year window, that adds up to a total savings of $720.

The $5 discount is available for those who have fewer lines as well. One line is priced at $60 per month, down from $65, and two lines are available for $50 per line per month, down from $55 per line. Three lines will cost $35 per month per line, down from $40.

Verizon says that a $180 promo credit per phone is applied over 36 months when you bring your own phone to Verizon and sign up for the Welcome Unlimited plan. This is a limited time offer, and it does not include taxes or fees, with Auto Pay and paper-free billing required to get the discount.

The deal is set to start on Friday, December 23, with more information available from Verizon's website.

Across social media, some iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max users are reporting that horizontal lines are flashing across their iPhone display when the device is being turned on, with no clear reason why or how to fix it.

On one thread on Reddit, dozens of iPhone 14 Pro users are reporting that one or more green and yellow lines may flash across the screen before disappearing a few seconds later when the device is being turned on. According to those same users, Apple Support has informed them the issue is not a result of a hardware defect but is a bug in iOS 16.

According to users on Reddit, the Apple Support forums (1,2,3), and the MacRumors forum, the issue seems to have started following the iOS 16.2 update, although some users report the problem even occurring on older versions of iOS 16. One user on Reddit claims an Apple engineer informed them over the phone that Apple is working on a software patch for the issue, but the exact details are unknown.

Apple is currently testing iOS 16.3 with developers and public beta testers, but the update isn't expected to launch until early next year. The latest version of iOS 16 is iOS 16.2, which included several new features, including Apple Music Sing, Apple's new Freeform app, and more.