"Hey Siri" support and possibly wireless charging case alongside AirPower charging mat.
Helpful Tips, Tricks, and How Tos for New iPhone Owners
Did you get a new iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max for the holidays? If so, take some time to look through this article, which is filled with helpful tips, tricks, and guides for the iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, and earlier iPhone models.
Whether you're new to iPhone or have gotten an upgrade to an existing model, there's likely to be something in here for you. There are hundreds of features and hidden tricks available on the iPhone, so it can be easy to forget the full range of what the iPhone can do.
Below, we've rounded up our most useful iPhone-related how tos and tutorials.
If you're planning to sell or give away your old iPhone now that you have a new model, make sure to check out our detailed guide on how to cleanly erase your old devices to get rid of all your data.
Over on our YouTube channel, we've shared quite a few videos filled with useful tips and tricks related to the iPhone, all of which are well worth watching to get acquainted with features you might not know about or might have forgotten.
Know a super useful iPhone tip that other MacRumors readers might not be aware of? Make sure to share it in the comments below.
For more info on Apple's latest iPhones, and the iOS 12 operating system, make sure to check out our detailed roundups: iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and iOS 12.
Whether you're new to iPhone or have gotten an upgrade to an existing model, there's likely to be something in here for you. There are hundreds of features and hidden tricks available on the iPhone, so it can be easy to forget the full range of what the iPhone can do.
Below, we've rounded up our most useful iPhone-related how tos and tutorials.
Tips for Beginners
- How to Set Up Your New iPhone or iPad Using Automatic Setup
- How to Turn on Automatic Software Updates in iOS 12
- How to Force Restart iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR
- How to Force Restart or Hard Reset the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
- How to Force Restart iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
- How to Close Apps on iPhone X, XR, XS, and XS Max in iOS 12
- How to Identify and Remove Unnecessary Apps on Your iPhone and iPad
- How to Set Up Medical ID on Your iPhone
- How to Control and Tweak a True Tone Display on iPhone and iPad
- How to Use Apple Pay Cash on iPhone and iPad
- How to Use Do Not Disturb While Driving
- How to Use iOS 12's New Do Not Disturb Options
- How to Create and Use Memoji in iOS 12
- How to Use Screen Time in iOS 12
- How to Access and Set Up Parental Controls in iOS 12
- How to Save Space Using Built-In iOS Storage Features
- How to Make a Group FaceTime Call on iOS 12
- How to Use App Limits and Downtime in iOS 12
- How to Capture Better Videos With Your iPhone
Must-Read Security Tutorials
- What to Do If Your iPhone is Lost or Stolen
- Protecting Your Privacy in Safari for iOS
- How to Block Nuisance Calls and Messages on Your iPhone
- How to Discreetly Disable Touch ID and Face ID on an iPhone
- How to Create a More Secure Passcode on Your iPhone or iPad
- How to Hide Pictures From the Photos App in iOS 12
- How to Use Automatic Strong Passwords and Password Auditing in iOS 12
- How to Use Secure Code AutoFill in iOS 12 and macOS Mojave
- How to Use iCloud Keychain on Your iOS Devices
- How to Secure Your Apple ID Using Two-Factor Authentication
- How to Use Safari's Private Browsing Mode and Delete Your Browsing History
- How to Create an Archived iTunes Backup
Useful iOS Features
- Most Useful 3D Touch Gestures on iPhone
- How to Use the Magnifier Feature on iPhone and iPad
- How to View the Desktop Version of a Website on Your iPhone and iPad
- How to Scan Documents With Your iPhone in Three Quick Steps
- How to Take Burst Photos on iPhone and iPad
- How to Share Your Wi-Fi Password With a Friend on iPhone or iPad
- How to Close All of Your Safari Tabs at Once on iPhone or iPad
- How to Record Your iPhone or iPad Screen
- How to Use Drag and Drop on an iPad and iPhone
- How to Perform a Quick Website Search in Safari
- How to Get Siri to Play a Daily News Digest
- How to Enable and Disable Critical Alerts in iOS 12
- How to Request a Copy of Your Apple ID Account Data
- How to Use Instant Tuning in iOS 12 and Change Notification Behavior on the Fly
- How to Enable iOS 12's New Do Not Disturb at Bedtime Feature
- How to Use the New Augmented Reality Measure App in iOS 12
- How to Use the New Photos App Features in iOS 12
- How to Look Up a Word Definition on Your iPhone or iPad
- How to Make a New Key Photo in Live Photos
- How to Use Instant Markup to Quickly Edit Screenshots
Hidden Tricks
- Top Five Time-Saving iPhone Tips
- How to Wake Up to a Weather Forecast on Your iPhone's Lock Screen
- How to Call Someone and Put Them on Speaker Without Picking up Your iPhone
- How to Change Siri's Voice on iPhone or iPad
- How to Send an Animoji as a Sticker on Your iPhone
- How to Create a Custom Ringtone Vibration on Your iPhone
- How to Scan a QR Code Using the Camera on the iPhone
- How to Add an Alternate Appearance to Face ID in iOS 12
- How to Quickly Delete Numbers in the Calculator App
Advanced Features
- How to Receive Unique Alerts for VIP Emails on iPhone and iPad
- How to Enter DFU Mode on iPhone 8, X, XS, XS Max, and XR
- How to Subscribe to Calendars on iPhone and iPad
- How to Disable Memories Alerts in iOS 12
- How to Let a Contact Bypass iOS 12's Do Not Disturb Mode Without Adding Them to Your Favorites List
- How to Recover Files, Contacts, Bookmarks, Calendars and Reminders in iCloud
- How to Access Controls for USB Restricted Mode in iOS 12
iPhone Accessories
- How to Use Apple's Live Listen Feature With AirPods in iOS 12
- How to Set Up Your New AirPods
- Tips and Tricks for Getting the Most Out of Your New AirPods
- iPhone X Charging Speeds Compared: The Fastest and Easiest Ways to Charge Your iPhone
Selling Your Old iPhone
If you're planning to sell or give away your old iPhone now that you have a new model, make sure to check out our detailed guide on how to cleanly erase your old devices to get rid of all your data.
Videos
Over on our YouTube channel, we've shared quite a few videos filled with useful tips and tricks related to the iPhone, all of which are well worth watching to get acquainted with features you might not know about or might have forgotten.
More Info
Know a super useful iPhone tip that other MacRumors readers might not be aware of? Make sure to share it in the comments below.
For more info on Apple's latest iPhones, and the iOS 12 operating system, make sure to check out our detailed roundups: iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and iOS 12.
Buyer's Guide: iPhone XS (Neutral), iPhone XR (Buy Now)
[ 6 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
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4 weeks ago
How do you copy a photo from a Mac to an iPhone? I am running High Sierra.
I use AirDrop.
1) Enable AirDrop on both your iPhone and Mac.
2) Control-click your photo's icon in the Mac's finder and then select Share -> AirDrop. That will bring up a menu where you can select your iPhone. Make that selection and the photo will then be sent to your iPhone's Photos library.
As an aside, some macOS apps, such as Preview for example, will let you AirDrop a displayed photo from within the app using the Sharing icon in the app's menu bar.
4 weeks ago
If it were me the tips would start off…
Tip #1 - Get AppleCare before taking it out of the box
Tip #2 - Get full insurance coverage before taking it out of the box
Tip #3 - Get a protective cover before taking it out of the box
Tip #4 - Put the cover on the phone as the first thing you do (you will drop it - it only a matter of when)
Tip #1 - Get AppleCare before taking it out of the box
Tip #2 - Get full insurance coverage before taking it out of the box
Tip #3 - Get a protective cover before taking it out of the box
Tip #4 - Put the cover on the phone as the first thing you do (you will drop it - it only a matter of when)
4 weeks ago
How do you copy a photo from a Mac to an iPhone? I am running High Sierra.
- Consider updating to Mojave. There is no reason not to, as long as your hardware is capable of it.
- If your photo is on the iMac-desktop it is also in the "Desktop"-folder on your iPhone (look into the "Files-App"!)
- You can use AirDrop to push files to another device in your vicinity over the air (no need to be both your devices, it also works with friend's Apple devices nearby, even with strangers).
- Do NOT store photos outside the "Photos-App" i.e. somewhere in the filesystem. Virtually all programs (on macOS) and Apps (on iOS) that are capable of manipulating photos and are also capable to open and save them straight out/into the Photos-App - no need for silly Windows-like file-pushing throughout the filesystem. The Photos-App takes care that all devices are synchronized.
- iTunes is JUST for music anymore. Do NOT force/expect it to do things it isn't intended for (anymore).
[ Read All Comments ]
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