Back in August, T-Mobile suffered a massive data breach impacting more than 50 million current, former, and prospective T-Mobile users, and now the cellular company is dealing with another smaller data breach incident.
Reports yesterday suggested that T-Mobile was aware of unauthorized activity affecting some customer accounts, and now, T-Mobile has confirmed that those reports were due to SIM swap attacks affecting a "very small number of customers."
In a statement to Bleeping Computer, T-Mobile said that impacted customers had been informed that they had been the victim of SIM swap attacks. In a SIM swap attack, social engineering is used to persuade T-Mobile employees to reassign the phone numbers linked to a person to someone else, allowing attackers to take over a phone number. This can be devastating, as phone numbers are often linked to email accounts, banking accounts, and other sensitive information.
We informed a very small number of customers that the SIM card assigned to a mobile number on their account may have been illegally reassigned or limited account information was viewed.
Unauthorized SIM swaps are unfortunately a common industry-wide occurrence, however this issue was quickly corrected by our team, using our in-place safeguards, and we proactively took additional protective measures on their behalf.
T-Mobile says that the attack has been mitigated and that the issue has now been corrected, but the company has not provided specific details on the number of customers impacted nor how the hackers were able to execute the SIM swap attacks.
In the August data breach, attackers were able to obtain phone numbers, addresses, birth dates, social security numbers, driver's license and ID info, IMEI numbers, and IMSI numbers for more than 50 million people, with the information offered up for sale.
T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert apologized for the breach at the time, and said that T-Mobile was "truly sorry" for the incident, which was the result of a "bad actor" who used knowledge of T-Mobile's technical systems to gain access to testing environments, using brute force attacks to access T-Mobile's IT servers.
To prevent future attacks, T-Mobile entered into a long-term partnership with cybersecurity experts at Mandiant and with consulting firm KPMG LLP, and the company said that it was planning a multi-year investment to improve security.
2021 is about to come to an end, and as with years past we're tracking a few sales that are offering solid year-end discounts on Apple-related accessories. In this article, we've rounded up the best sales you can find online for Apple accessories from companies like Nomad, Speck, Twelve South, Belkin, Brydge, ZAGG, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Sale duration varies from site to site, but for a large portion of them, you'll have until New Year's Eve to take advantage of the discounts.
Flexibits Premium
MacRumors readers can exclusively save on their first year of Flexibits Premium through December 31. This deal will take 50 percent off the first year of the subscription service, and it can be applied to Individual Plans or Family Plans.
Flexibits Premium includes the apps Fantastical and Cardhop. The subscription supports apps across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. You can find more information about our exclusive offer in this article.
To redeem it, you'll just need to create an account on this landing page, no coupon code is needed for the deal. When your first year of 1Password Families ends, it'll renew at the regular price, or you can cancel before that time.
This version of 1Password supports five family members on unlimited devices, shared vaults among members, advanced security with authenticated encryption, and alerts for compromised websites and vulnerable passwords. It's available on Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Chrome OS, and Linux.
Belkin
At Belkin, you can take 15 percent off sitewide with the code NY22 at checkout. Belkin offers accessories like speakers, headphones, chargers, MagSafe-compatible devices, screen protectors, and much more.
Brydge
Brydge has brought back its Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotion for the last week of 2021, offering 20 percent off Brydge's tablet keyboards and MacBook vertical docks.
Brydge keyboards on sale include those compatible with iPad Pro, iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini. Brydge also sells keyboards that are compatible with the Surface Pro tablets.
Incase is offering 25 percent off sitewide now through December 30. Incase sells a large variety of accessories built for Apple prodcuts, including new textured hardshell cases for the MacBook Pro, classic sleeves for MacBook Air, cases for AirPods, backpacks, and more.
Sister site Incipio is holding an end of the year sale as well, giving customers a chance to take up to 30 percent off sitewide this week. Incipio's sale is more focused on iPhone-related accessories, with plenty of iPhone 13 cases and screen protectors available at a discount.
Nomad
Nomad has 20 percent off sitewide this week with the code TREATYOURSELF, which is only valid on full price items that are in stock. Nomad sells a variety of popular accessories, including wireless chargers, USB-C chargers, cables, MagSafe-compatible chargers, and more.
ZAGG
ZAGG is hosting a year-end event that lets you take 35 percent off up to three products on its website. This excludes items that are already discounted, and the sale will last through January 4, 2022.
As usual, ZAGG's sale includes ZAGG products as well as those from Mophie and Halo. These sale events are always a great time to buy Mophie's popular accessories, like its MagSafe-compatible "Snap+" collection of chargers.
Pad & Quill
Pad & Quill is taking up to 60 percent off select accessories during its end of the year "Warehouse Sale." This sale has limited quantities and all sales are final. You can save on Apple Watch leather bands, iPhone cases, iPad folios, MacBook sleeves, and much more.
Twelve South
Twelve South has brought back its "Happy New Gear" sale from last year, offering 20 percent off sitewide through the end of the year. This sale will be applied automatically at the checkout screen on Twelve South's website.
Twelve South sells numerous products that are tailor made for Apple products like the Curve Riser for iMac, BookBook for iPhone, AirSnap Pro for AirPods Pro, PowerPic Mod wireless charger for iPhone and AirPods, and much more. Head to Twelve South's website to shop the full sale before it ends later this week.
Other Deals
B&H Photo - Save on tech, photograph equipment, and more
Best Buy - Save on TVs, tablets, video games, and more
Casely - Take 30 percent off sitewide with code CHEER
JBL - Take up to 50 percent off speakers and headphones
Apple has put Foxconn's factory near Chennai in southern India on probation following worker protests and the discovery of substandard living conditions (via Bloomberg).
The factory in Sriperumbudur, which assembled iPhone 12 models prior to operations being suspended, has been shut down until "necessary improvements" are made. An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg:
Following recent concerns about food safety and accommodation conditions at Foxconn Sriperumbudur, we dispatched independent auditors. We found that some of the remote dormitory accommodations and dining rooms being used for employees do not meet our requirements and we are working with the supplier to ensure a comprehensive set of corrective actions are rapidly implemented.
Earlier this month, Foxconn shut the factory after protests triggered by 150 employees being admitted to hospital with food poisoning. Apple now says that the Sriperumbudur facility will remain on probation until it is satisfied that its standards have been met sufficiently.
Foxconn apologized in a statement, commenting that it was "very sorry for the issue our employees experienced" and is "taking immediate steps to enhance the facilities and services we provide." The manufacturer plans to restructure its management team in India and will continue to pay all employees during the downtime.
A statement from the local government added that the improvements will include expansion of living areas, upgraded bathing facilities, and available drinking water. Foxconn did not specify when it plans to reopen the plant.
Apple is providing stock bonuses to some engineers in order to prevent them from moving on to companies like Meta, reports Bloomberg. Last week, select engineers in silicon design, hardware, software, and operations were informed that they would be receiving a $50,000 to $180,000 stock bonus, which Bloomberg says is "unusual and significant."
Most engineers received stock worth $80,000 to $120,000, with the bonuses provided as restricted stock units that are set to vest over the course of four years provided the employees stay with Apple and do not take jobs at other companies.
The payouts aren't part of normal Apple compensation packages, which include a base salary, stock units and a cash bonus. Apple sometimes awards additional cash bonuses to employees, but the size of the latest stock grants were atypical and surprisingly timed, the people said. They were given to about 10% to 20% of engineers in applicable divisions.
Apple told managers that the bonuses could be provided to engineers as a reward for high performers, and it is likely meant to keep companies like Facebook parent company Meta from poaching employees. Meta has hired approximately 100 engineers from Apple in recent months, though Apple too has hired some Meta employees.
Meta is recruiting from Apple's augmented reality, AI, and engineering divisions. Meta is planning to launch a smart watch in the near future that will directly compete with the Apple Watch, and when Apple launches its planned AR/VR headset, it will compete with the Meta-owned Oculus virtual reality headsets.
Wireless CarPlay is seeing increasing adoption across car manufacturers, and one of the most recent to adopt the technology is Honda, which debuted it in the 2021 Accord and has now expanded it to the Civic for 2022. I recently had a chance to spend some time in the new Civic, which delivers a familiar infotainment experience with several handy additions.
My test vehicle was a top-end Touring trim, featuring a 9-inch main infotainment screen with SiriusXM and built-in navigation compared to the 7-inch screen lacking those other features found on other trims.
Honda Infotainment
I took a look at the 2018 Accord with wired CarPlay a few years ago, and the overall look of the Honda infotainment system remains remarkably similar with a Home Screen featuring color-coded tiles based on function, such as blue for audio functions, yellow for system functions, green for phone/messaging functions, and red for navigation.
One change over the past few years is the customizable shortcuts have been moved from the top status strip to their own row at the bottom of the display, allowing for six larger tabs that will take you straight to your most frequently used apps from wherever you are in the native Honda system, but not CarPlay.
The system includes smart shortcuts, which use your past listening, music, and navigation behavior to predict what functions you might want to use at any given time. You can provide thumbs up or down feedback on suggestions, and they will improve over time as they gather more data about your usage patterns.
While Honda says it has improved the responsiveness of the infotainment system in the Civic, it still felt a bit sluggish to me, especially when opening apps for the first time after the system booted up. SiriusXM stations sometimes took up to a minute to start playing after starting the car, and the navigation app was routinely quite slow to fully launch the first time I accessed it after starting the car, though it was much better on return visits to the app during the same drive.
A conveniently placed volume knob is nice for quick adjustments, while hard buttons for home, back, and audio forward/back offer some quick-access controls that don't require using the touchscreen.
Wireless CarPlay
Importantly, wireless CarPlay on the 2022 Civic is only available on the highest-end Touring trim, with all other trims limited to wired CarPlay. That's an unfortunate limitation, as the upgrade to wireless makes CarPlay so much more convenient for short trips where you might not even want to bother taking your phone out of your pocket.
Wireless CarPlay setup was extremely simple as expected, with the usual prompts appearing after connecting my phone to the system via Bluetooth, and from that point on connecting automatically and seamlessly every time I started the car.
CarPlay takes up the entire screen on the Civic, and with the 9-inch screen it's plenty large. With no split-screen functionality or persistent status bar, you can't see information from the native Honda system alongside CarPlay, but at least the physical Home button next to the screen makes it easy to hop out of CarPlay and you can use the shortcuts to simplify getting into CarPlay.
Also mitigating the lack of visibility for the native system on the main screen while in CarPlay is the large 10.2-inch digital driver's display on the Touring trim, which can helpfully display some data such as your audio information and navigation prompts from either the built-in system or CarPlay.
Apple Maps directions showing inside digital speedometer on driver's display
The Bose audio system on the Touring trim offers solid audio quality, with 12 speakers scattered throughout the cabin. Audio prompts from CarPlay have a directional aspect to them, coming from a speaker located behind the screen itself. Other audio also turns itself down a bit while Siri is speaking in order to make sure Siri can be heard.
Wireless Charging and Ports
Wireless phone chargers also seem to be hit-or-miss, with manufacturers coming with a wide variety of designs. It feels like it should be a straightforward concept, but I'm always surprised that some of them fail to work consistently.
Supporting an array of device sizes and keeping them positioned properly while being subjected to various forces in a moving vehicle has apparently proven to be challenging, but I'm pleased to say that Honda has done a solid job with its wireless charger in the new Civic. As with wireless CarPlay, however, the phone charger is also limited to the Touring trim.
The Civic's charging solution is a simple rubberized pad in a cubby at the base of the center stack. A pair of subtle plastic rails helps to keep devices relatively centered over the charging coils in the cubby, and my iPhone 13 Pro Max in an Apple case had some room to spare. The charger had no troubles initiating or maintaining charging with my phone, and my phone consistently stayed right where I put it.
Update: Several readers and one MacRumors staff member have said that they have had significant issues with wireless charging in the Civic. I experienced no issues with my iPhone 13 Pro Max, so perhaps the size of the phone plays a role.
Honda is still relying on USB-A for wired connectivity in the Civic, providing a total of four ports on the EX and Touring trims: one charge-and-data port and one charge-only port up front adjacent to the wireless charging cubby and two charge-only ports on the rear of the center console for backseat passengers. The lower-end LX and Sport trims have only a single USB-A port, located up front for wired CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Wrap-up
Wireless CarPlay on the 2022 Civic is certainly a welcome addition, making the feature accessible on one of the most popular cars in the United States, particularly among first-time and younger buyers. Unfortunately, it's limited to the Touring trim, so you'll have to add more than $7,000 to the base price of the vehicle in order to get wireless CarPlay, though you obviously get a lot of other upgrades along with that.
The same is true for the wireless phone charger. It's not unusual for wireless CarPlay and wireless phone chargers to be paired up on trim levels given their interrelated utility, so this isn't a surprise, but still, it would be nice if these features were available on some lower trims, even as a standalone option that didn't require you to also add all of the upgrades included in higher trims.
Even at the top-end Touring trim required to get these features, the 2022 Civic comes in at under $30,000, so it's within the range of many mainstream new car buyers. I just wish it was accessible to the crowd looking to stick to the under $25,000 segment.
Apple this week unveiled limited-edition Beats Studio Buds in celebration of the Lunar New Year on February 1, 2022. The custom Beats feature a red design with gold tiger print accents on the earbuds and charging case as a tribute to the Year of the Tiger.
The limited-edition Studio Buds will be available on January 1 and only in China, with pricing set at 1,099 yuan, which is the same price as the standard Studio Buds.
Beats Studio Buds launched in June 2021 and are available in red, black, and white for $149 through Apple's online store. The wireless earbuds feature a compact round design without any "stems" dropping below the ears, active noise cancellation with up to five hours of listening time per charge, hands-free "Hey Siri" support, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, Find My support, and a USB-C wired charging case.
Apple is also celebrating the Year of the Tiger with a limited-edition AirTag in Japan. As part of a Japanese New Year promotion, the first 20,000 customers in Japan who order a new iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, or iPhone SE from Apple on January 2 or January 3 will receive the AirTag, which is stamped with a custom-designed tiger emoji.
Apple has been revamping its Maps app over the last few years, with the updated experience providing more detailed coverage of roads and buildings, faster and more accurate navigation, 3D views of landmarks in major cities, and more.
In light of those efforts, Apple recently sent a unique gift to some employees working on the Maps team, according to a LinkedIn post shared on Reddit. The gift package includes some custom Apple Maps pins, stickers, and imagery, along with a small card thanking employees for their contributions to the Maps app.
"Each and every one of you has your fingerprints on Springfield," the card reads, suggesting that "Springfield" might be Apple's internal codename for the revamped Maps experience. "Thank you for all of your distinct contributions to this product and for building on the legacy of great work here at Apple," the card adds.
Apple's revamped Maps experience is available in the United States, Canada, Australia, UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
"The map has been rebuilt from the ground up, with better navigation, richer detail, more accurate information for places, and remarkable features that only Apple can deliver, like Look Around, Share ETA, and more," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue, when the revamped Maps experienced rolled out to Australia. "Now it is easier than ever for users to find the places they love and get to where they're going."
A few pre-Christmas deals on the Apple Watch Series 7 have returned this week, taking $50 off the 41mm and 45mm GPS models of the latest Apple Watch. Starting with the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 in Green Aluminum with a Clover Sport Band, this model is available for $349.00, down from $399.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The only other 41mm GPS model on sale at this price is the Starlight Aluminum with a Starlight Sport Band, but stock is dwindling. We did see this Series 7 model go down by another $10 before Christmas, but today's sale is a solid second-best price.
If you're looking for the larger watch, Amazon also has the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 in Blue Aluminum with an Abyss Blue Sport Band for $379.00, down from $429.00. As of writing, this is the only 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 model on sale at Amazon.
Lastly, there is one Cellular device being discounted this week on Amazon. You can get the 45mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7 for $479.00, down from $529.00. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
In celebration of the Japanese New Year, Apple has revealed a two-day promotion that will offer customers in Japan a free Apple gift card worth up to ¥24,000 with the purchase of an eligible Apple product on January 2 and January 3.
In addition to a gift card, Apple said the first 20,000 customers in Japan who purchase a new iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, or iPhone SE during the promotion will also receive a limited-edition AirTag with a custom-designed engraving.
The exact gift card values for each eligible product are as follows:
¥3,000 for AirPods (2nd generation), AirPods (3rd generation), Beats Flex, Beats Studio Buds, Apple Pencil (2nd generation), AirTag (4-pack), and select other accessories
¥6,000 for iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, or iPhone SE (plus a limited-edition AirTag for the first 20,000 customers who place an order)
¥6,000 for Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch SE, AirPods Pro, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, Beats Studio3 Wireless, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats Pro, and Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro
¥12,000 for iPad Pro, MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini
¥24,000 for 27-inch iMac
Apple has shared full terms and conditions for the promotion with more details. Notably, iPhone orders placed through the Apple Store app will not qualify for a limited-edition AirTag for reasons unclear, so make sure to order through Apple's online store.
Here's a look at the limited-edition AirTag celebrating 2022 as the Year of the Tiger:
Through the free Today at Apple program, customers can also celebrate the Japanese New Year by creating handmade holiday cards.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the number of Apple retail stores in the U.S. that are temporarily closed today has surpassed 20. Not all of the closures are related to the virus, with five stores closed in Washington state following inclement weather.
The latest high-profile locations to be shut for business include Apple Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C., Apple Century City in Los Angeles, and Apple Walnut Street in Philadelphia. Apple also has six stores temporarily closed in Texas, in addition to three in Ohio, two in Virginia, two in Georgia, and a handful of others.
The full list of locations that are temporarily closed today per Apple's website:
Apple Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C.
Apple Century City in Los Angeles, CA
Apple Beverly Center in Los Angeles, CA
Apple Walnut Street in Philadelphia, PA
Apple Baybrook in Friendswood, TX
Apple First Colony Mall in Sugar Land, TX
Apple Highland Village in Houston, TX
Apple Memorial City in Houston, TX
Apple Willowbrook Mall in Houston, TX
Apple The Woodlands in The Woodlands, TX
Apple Crocker Park in Westlake, OH
Apple Eton in Woodmere, OH
Apple Summit Mall in Akron, OH
Apple Fair Oaks in Fairfax, VA
Apple Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge, VA
Apple Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, GA
Apple Lenox Square in Atlanta, GA
Apple Saddle Creek in Germantown, TN
Apple The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Apple Pheasant Lane in Nashua, NH
Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, MD
Five stores in Washington state are also closed today following inclement weather:
Apple Alderwood in Lynnwood, WA
Apple Bellevue Square in Bellevue, WA
Apple Southcenter in Tukwila, WA
Apple Tacoma Mall in Tacoma, WA
Apple University Village in Seattle, WA
Apple did not comment on the closures, but it said many of the stores that are temporarily closed continue to serve customers with orders placed for pickup or same-day delivery. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously reported that many store closures have been due to rising COVID-19 cases among employees.
"We regularly monitor conditions and we will adjust our health measures to support the well-being of customers and employees," Apple told Bloomberg earlier this month, adding that it remains committed to comprehensive health and safety measures. Several other Apple retail stores that were temporarily closed this month have since reopened.
Update: Apple has also closed its major retail stores in New York City due to COVID-19 cases, including its Fifth Avenue, Grand Central, SoHo, and World Trade Center locations, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Now that Christmas has come and passed, many people have opened up a brand new iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or Apple Watch over the past few days. In this article we've rounded up the current best deals on official Apple iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, power bricks, MagSafe accessories, and more, which should all be helpful for new Apple device owners. The sales below will be found at Amazon.
iPhone 13 Cases
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This week through January 31, new Apple Card customers can receive 5% Daily Cash back for purchases made through Apple compared to the 3% reward typically offered to customers.
New Apple Card customers who create an account between December 26 and January 31 will be eligible for the 2% higher cash back on iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, iPad, and other purchases when paid in full. Customers will receive 3% Daily Cash back when paying via installments.
The new promotion is not available to existing Apple Card customers, who will continue to receive the standard 3% Daily Cash back rate.
Apple Card's Daily Cash is credited to customers daily and can be used as normal cash, sent to friends or family, or transferred to a bank account. Apple ran a similar promotion for all Apple Card users in 2019, but that year, it offered 6% Daily Cash back, double the standard rate.
Apple has debuted three new "Shot on iPhone" ads highlighting the camera capabilities of the iPhone 13 Pro, with each of them focusing on a specific feature in a humorously dramatic way.
In "Detectives," a pair of detectives sitting in a car discuss Cinematic mode, which lets you shift focus between subjects in a shot. The foreground detective mentions that the focus is on him since he's the main character while the background "supporting cast" detective asks whether he's out of focus and "what if my character had a big reveal?"
In "The Basement," a woman wanders through a dimly lit house as a ghostly voice repeatedly cries "Help me!" As she opens the door to the basement, the woman says "I'm scared...that the picture quality will suffer in such low light," but the voice from the basement reassures her that she "looks really good."
The final ad is entitled "Pavel" and it features black-and-white footage zooming in on a man sitting alone in a chair while somber music plays. A woman enters and begins speaking to him in Russian, asking if he is okay and saying "this slow unnerving zoom suggests you are descending into madness."
An anonymous tipster informed MacRumors that Apple has advised major U.S. carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM-only smartphones by September 2022. The tipster shared a seemingly legitimate document outlining the timeframe for this initiative, although the document does not specifically mention Apple or the iPhone.
As part of the transition, some U.S. carriers will allegedly start offering select iPhone 13 models without a nano-SIM card in the box in the second quarter of 2022. iPhone 13 models sold at Apple Stores or on Apple.com already lack a nano-SIM card in the box, with users typically able to activate a cellular plan via eSIM by turning on the iPhone, connecting to a Wi-Fi network, and following the on-screen instructions.
Given the alleged September 2022 deadline, it is possible that Apple might remove the physical SIM card slot starting with some iPhone 14 models, rather than some iPhone 15 models as originally rumored, but nothing is definitive at this point.
An eSIM is a digital SIM that allows users to activate a cellular plan without having to use a nano-SIM card. It's worth noting that eSIM service is not available in all countries, so iPhones with a SIM card slot may remain available in some markets. Adoption is expanding rapidly, though, with over 100 carriers offering eSIM service worldwide and more planning to roll out support in 2022, including Three in the UK and Vodafone in New Zealand.
iPhone 13 models already support multiple eSIM profiles, allowing users to subscribe to several cellular plans digitally and switch between them, and this functionality could pave the way for the SIM card slot's removal in select countries.
Apple's former design chief Jony Ive once envisioned the iPhone as becoming a "single slab of glass," and the SIM card slot's removal would be another step towards a seamless design and improve water resistance in the process. Taking out the slot would also free up some valuable internal space in the iPhone — every bit counts.
Update: Leaker @dylandkt, who has a respectable track record with Apple rumors, tweeted that they are "in agreement with recent rumors regarding the removal of the physical SIM card tray."
I am in agreement with recent rumors regarding the removal of the physical SIM card tray. In February, I had shared the following information below: https://t.co/zOyeJr0V1d
— Dylan (@dylandkt) December 27, 2021
Apple gift cards are always a popular gift for Christmas and other holidays. If you unwrapped one this year, we've put together a list of 23 ways to spend it, with all of the ideas for what to buy costing under $100 in the United States.
Keep in mind that 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.
If you were lucky enough to get a new iPhone 13 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 are new to iPhone entirely, we have a long list of basic tips on how to use your iPhone and iOS 15.
Beyond the basics, here are 10 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.
Open up the Settings app.
Tap on "General."
Tap on "About."
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.
Open up the Shortcuts app.
Tap on "Automation."
Tap on the "+" button.
Tap on "Create Personal Automation."
Scroll down to "Battery Level."
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.
Use the slider to select a specific percentage.
Tap "Next."
Tap "Add Action."
Search for "Low Power Mode."
Tap on "Set Low Power Mode."
Tap on "Next."
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.
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 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.
Open up Safari.
Open up a new blank page.
Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page.
Tap on "Edit."
Toggle on the sections that you prefer.
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.
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.
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.
4. 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.
Safari Tab Bar on bottom (left), Safari Tab Bar on top (right)
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 when it's positioned at the top.
Open up the Settings app.
Scroll down to Safari.
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.
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."
5. 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.
Press and hold in an empty space on the Home Screen to enter "jiggle mode," where the app icons are wiggling slightly.
Tap on the row of dots at the bottom of the page.
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.
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.
6. 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:
Open up the Settings app.
Scroll down to "Passwords."
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.
After either accessing your login and password for the account you're interested in or adding new details, tap on "Set Up Verification Code."
Initiate the two-factor authentication process for the website or account where you're enabling two-factor verification.
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.
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.
7. Maximize Your Privacy With iCloud Relay and Hide My Email
iOS 15 makes 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.
Make sure you have iCloud Private Relay turned on by following these steps:
Open up the Settings app.
Tap on your name to open up your Apple ID and iCloud settings.
Tap on "iCloud."
Tap on "Private Relay."
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. If you have iOS 15.2 or later installed, 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.
Siri is smarter in iOS 15 with improved contextual awareness, and the personal assistant can now recognize what's on your screen and share it with someone else.
Open up what you want to share, like an Apple Music song.
Say "Hey Siri" to activate Siri.
Say "Share this with [person's name]."
At that point, Siri will confirm your request and ask "Are you ready to send it?" Just reply with a "yes" to send the content along.
If you attempt to share something that isn't naturally shareable, Siri will take a screenshot and send that instead. As an example, if you're in the Weather app and ask Siri to share with someone, Siri will capture a screenshot and send that.
The Siri sharing feature works with Apple Music, Podcasts, Apple News, Maps, web pages in Safari, the Photos app, Messages, and more.
9. Get More Control Over Macro Mode (Pro Models)
The iPhone 13 Pro models have a new Macro functionality enabled by the Ultra Wide camera, but because it turns on automatically by default, it can be annoying. Sometimes when you're holding the camera lens close to an item, the Macro mode will activate even when you don't want it to.
Apple in iOS 15.2 added a toggle that lets you control Macro mode manually by turning it on and off in the Camera app. Here's how to activate it:
Open up the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap on "Camera."
Toggle on "Macro Control."
With Macro Control on, when you go to take a photo and have your iPhone close to an object, you'll see a yellow circle with a flower inside, indicating Macro mode is turned on. To disable it, just tap on the icon.
Macro Mode toggled on
Macro Mode toggled off
To use this Macro Control toggle, you'll need to have iOS 15.2 or later installed, so make sure you've updated your iPhone.
10. Turn on Photographic Styles for a Unique Photo Look
Apple added new smart filters to the iPhone 13, so you can change the overall look of your photos. These Photographic Styles are adjustable filters that can mute or boost colors in certain areas of an image without affecting skin tone.
Photographic Styles can be accessed right in the Camera app.
Open up the Camera app.
Select the standard Photo mode.
Tap on the little downward arrow at the top of the Camera app to get to the different camera settings.
Tap on the Photographic Styles icon, which looks like three squares in a row.
Swipe through the presets and select your favorite. You can see the results live in the Camera app.
Use the "Tone" and "Warmth" sliders to adjust the look until you get it to where you want.
Take the photo using the Shutter button.
The Photographic Style that you have set will remain active until you select another one or return back to the Standard style.
Learn More About iPhone 13
We have dedicated iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro roundups that have a complete rundown of all of the features available in the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and they're worth checking out if you're still getting to know your new iPhone.
We also have an iOS 15 roundup that's a great resource for getting familiar with everything the latest iPhones can do.
For MacRumors readers who just got a new Apple Watch for the holidays, we've created a list of 10 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.
Beyond the basics, here are 10 more useful tips about your new Apple Watch:
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.
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.
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. Unlock Your iPhone With Your Watch When Wearing a Mask
If you have both an iPhone with Face ID and an Apple Watch, you can enable a feature that will let you unlock your phone while wearing a mask using the Apple Watch as an extra authentication layer.
To use this feature, you need to make sure to enable it in the Settings app under "Face ID & Passcode," with specific instructions available in our how-to.
Once turned on, after you unlock your Apple Watch with an unlocked iPhone or your Apple Watch passcode, your Apple Watch will be able to unlock your iPhone through skin contact verification. When you're wearing a mask and swipe up to unlock your iPhone using Face ID, it will read your face and authenticate via the Apple Watch, successfully unlocking your device.
It's a method that's much quicker than having to enter a passcode whenever you have a mask on, and it's secure, too. Apple lets you know any time your watch unlocks the iPhone through a notification on your wrist, and the iPhone and Apple Watch need to be in close proximity to one another for the feature to work.
Tip: Unlocking the iPhone with an Apple Watch is based on a long-available feature that lets a Mac be enabled with an Apple Watch. If you haven't turned this on, it's super handy. Just go to System Preferences on your Mac, select "Security & Privacy," and enable "Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac."
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:
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.
Tap on "Album" to choose an album, select "Choose Photos..." to choose photos, or tap on "Dynamic" to have it pull from Memories.
If you want to add a tint to your photos, pick a color from the top bar.
Scroll down to "Time Position" and choose "Top" or "Bottom," and then select your Complications if you want to use them.
Scroll back up to see a preview of your watch face, and tap "Add" if it looks good.
Tap on the "My Watch" tab.
Tap on the "Photos" watch face that you created.
Choose "Set as Current Watch Face."
Tip: In watchOS 8, Apple added a new "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.
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. Time Your Handwashing
Washing your hands for an appropriate amount of time to eliminate viruses has been important in the ongoing global health crisis, and to make sure people are washing for a full 20 seconds, Apple added a Handwashing timer.
With this feature, the Apple Watch will detect when you're washing your hands based on the motion and the sound of running water, and it will start a 20 second countdown so you know how long to continue. Here's how to enable it:
Open up the Settings app on Apple Watch.
Swipe down or use the Digital Crown to scroll down to "Handwashing," and tap it.
Toggle on the "Handwashing Timer."
From there, the Apple Watch will detect when you're washing your hands. If you'd also like to receive a notification to remind you to wash your hands after returning home from an errand, you can also toggle on "Handwashing Reminders."
Tip: If you open up the Health app and search for "Handwashing," you can see statistics on how often you wash your hands and for how long.
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.
Press on the Digital Crown to get to your App List or App Grid, depending on your App View.
Find the "Remote" app, which is labeled as Remote and has a blue icon with a triangle in the center.
Tap it.
Wait a moment as the watch syncs to the Apple TV sets in your home.
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.
Open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch.
Scroll down to "SOS."
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. If you slip and are knocked unconscious or have an accident on a bike, skateboard, 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.
Unlock your Apple Watch and go to the App View.
Long press on the Apple Watch display.
Tap on "Edit Apps."
Scroll through the list or swipe through the grid (depending on your view choice) to locate apps you don't want.
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.
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
As of watchOS 8, Apple is allowing users to share photos directly from their Apple Watches. 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.
Open up the Photos app on the Apple Watch.
Select a photo that you want to share and tap it.
Tap on the small share icon on the bottom right of the photo.
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.
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:
Open up the Settings app on Apple Watch.
Scroll down to "Display & Brightness" and tap it.
Tap on "Text Size."
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.
Learn More About Your Watch
We have dedicated roundups for the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Apple Watch SE, both of which provide a complete overview of the different features available with each model. Our watchOS 8 roundup also offers a good look at the newest features introduced to the Apple Watch through software.
It's just after the December holidays, and many people may have 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 tablet, whether it's an iPad mini, iPad, iPad Air, or iPad Pro.
Basic Tips for Beginners
If you're brand 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.
Beyond the basics, here are 10 more useful tips about your new iPad:
10 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 some handy how tos that cover all the ins and outs of using a keyboard and a mouse with an iPad.
Have an iPad Home Screen that's cluttered up with all manner of apps? As of iPadOS 15, the App Library is available on the iPad, which means you have 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.
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.
On the highlighted text, press and hold to pull it up from the page.
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.
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."
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:
Long press on an empty space on the Home Screen to enter "Jiggle" mode where the icons are wiggling.
Tap on the "+" button in the upper left hand corner of the display.
Scroll through the widget suggestions, or search for a specific widget.
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.
When you've customized your widget to your satisfaction, tap "Add Widget."
It will be placed on the Home Screen, and from there, you can drag it into the position that you want.
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.
In any app, or on the Home Screen, swipe up diagonally from the right hand corner of the screen.
You can do the diagonal swipe in either portrait or landscape mode – it works the same.
Type your notes or write with the Apple Pencil.
Swipe to collapse the Quick Note to the side if you want to hide it temporarily and bring it back to look something up.
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.
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.
Your iPad needs to be compatible with an Apple Pencil 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.
With iOS and iPadOS 15, Apple introduced system-wide translation, so you can select text anywhere on the iPad and get a translation as long as you have an internet connection.
Select the text that you want to have translated by long pressing and then dragging the blue bars.
Tap on the selected text.
On the bar that pops up, tap on the "Translate" option.
The text will be translated in a small window to the side.
You can translate content in the Notes app, Safari, Messages, or any other app where you can select text on the iPad. With Live Text, a feature that recognizes all of the text in photos, you can also take a photo of text in a foreign language and translate that.
System-wide translation works for Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
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.
Learn More About Your iPad
We have dedicated roundups for each of Apple's iPads, with complete feature rundowns.
You'll also want to take a look at the iPadOS 15 roundup to learn how to use all of the iPad functions that were introduced with this year's software update.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
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Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
