How Tos

How to Turn on Automatic Downloads for Songs in Apple Music

Thursday February 14, 2019 5:19 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Normally when you add songs or albums from the Apple Music catalog to your library and then play them back, the tracks are streamed to your device or computer. This avoids using up local storage, but it also has a major drawback –- the content becomes unavailable if you don't have an active internet or cellular connection. Fortunately, you can avoid this situation altogether by enabling Automatic Downloads. With this option turned on, Apple Music content automatically downloads to your device or computer when you add it to your Library. Enabling Automatic Downloads on iPhone and iPad Launch the Settings app on your iOS device. Tap Music in the apps list. Turn on the toggle switch next to Automatic Downloads. Enabling Automatic Downloads on Your Computer Launch iTunes. On Mac, choose iTunes -> Preferences from the menu bar. On Windows, choose Edit -> Preferences from the iTunes window menu bar. Click the Downloads tab, and under Automatic Downloads, check the box next to Music. Click OK.Note that you can download and access the same content on up to 10 devices for as long as your Apple Music subscription is active.
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How to Turn On iCloud Music Library for Apple Music

Thursday February 14, 2019 5:18 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
If you're an Apple Music subscriber, you can add and download songs, albums, playlist, and video content from the Apple Music catalog to your personal music library. And if you turn on iCloud Music Library on your devices, the Apple Music content in your library will be synced across all of them as long as they're signed in to your Apple ID. The following steps show you how to enable iCloud Music Library on iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC. Turn on iCloud Music Library on iOS Devices Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap Music in the apps list. Tap the iCloud Music Library toggle to enable it. If you already have music stored on your iOS device, you'll be asked if you want to keep it. If you choose to Keep Music, the music is added to your iCloud Music Library. If you choose Delete and Replace, the music on your device is removed and replaced with the content in your iCloud Music Library. If you choose Merge, any songs on your device that have a match in the Apple Music Catalog will become available on your other devices. Turn on iCloud Music Library on Mac or PC Launch iTunes on your Mac or PC. On Mac, select iTunes -> Preferences from the menu bar. On PC, select Edit -> Preferences from the iTunes window menu bar. In the General tab, check the box next to iCloud Music Library to enable it. Click OK.Once iCloud Music Library is enabled on iOS devices, the Mac, or the PC, any Apple TV or Android devices you own will also be able to access iCloud Music Library automatically.
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How to Sync Albums and Playlists From Apple Music to Your Apple Watch

Thursday February 14, 2019 5:17 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
If you're an Apple Music subscriber and own an Apple Watch, you can sync albums and playlists from the Apple Music catalog to your Apple Watch for offline listening. Once you've added or downloaded Apple Music content to your music library, it becomes available to upload to your Apple Watch, which has 2GB of local music storage. This means you can connect Bluetooth headphones to your Apple Watch and listen to Apple Music tracks without having your iPhone in range. Here's how it's done. Take off your Apple Watch and place it on its charger. On your iPhone, launch the Watch app. Tap the My Watch tab. Tap Music in the app list. Under Automatically Add, tap the toggle switches next to any of Apple Music's personalized mixes to add them to or remove them from your Apple Watch. Under Playlists & Albums, tap Add Music..., then select the playlists and/or albums from your music library to upload to your Apple Watch.Keep your Apple Watch connected to its charger while you wait for the songs to upload and don't remove it until the progress bar completes at the top of your iPhone's screen. Note that you can remove any albums or playlists you've added to Apple Watch by tapping Edit in the upper right corner of the same
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How to Set Up Apple Music

Wednesday February 13, 2019 5:10 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
One of the best things about Apple Music is its ability to tailor the service to your interests and likes using suggestions and curated playlists. Here's how it works. The first time you launch the iOS Music app you should see a message asking if you want to subscribe to Apple Music. If you've previously dismissed the prompt, tap the For You tab at the bottom of the screen to sign up for the streaming service. iTunes users can find the same For You tab near the top of the iTunes window. Selecting Favorite Artists and Genres After you've followed the initial subscription process, the first thing you'll want to do is select the music genres you're interested in. You'll be presented with a series of bubbles on the screen representing different genres. Tap or click the ones you like and double-tap the ones you love. You can also press and hold on a genre if you don't like it. Tap the reset button to start again if you make a mistake. Once you've finished, you'll be asked to perform the same selection for your favorite artists. It's worth noting that the longer you spend choosing your favorites on these setup screens, the better Apple Music will be at personalizing the service for you as soon as you start using it. You won't get access to the bubble screens again, so if you want instant and accurate suggestions, it may be worth taking your time interacting with them. But don't get too hung up on your selection –- Apple continues to tailor the service to your tastes as you continue to use it. For more information, see check out How to Customize Apple
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How to Sign Up for an Apple Music Student Plan

Wednesday February 13, 2019 5:09 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple Music is Apple's streaming music service, similar to rival streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music Unlimited, Google Play Music, Tidal, and others. Apple Music give you access to 50 million songs. Content can be streamed or downloaded for offline play, and there are also song and genre-based radio stations available along with the curated Beats 1 radio station. With a subscription to Apple Music, you can access these songs, radio stations and playlists in the iOS Music app. You can also access your music from other devices signed in to Apple Music using the same Apple ID. A standard Apple Music subscription costs $9.99 per month in the United States, but if you're a qualifying student you can subscribe at the discounted rate of $4.99 per month (student plan prices may show slight variations in other regions and territories). When you join Apple Music as a student, a student validation service called UNiDAYS confirms that you're enrolled in a degree-granting university or college. How to Sign Up to Apple Music Launch the Music app on your iPhone, iPad, or open iTunes on your Mac or PC. You should see an offer to subscribe to Apple Music when you first open the Music app on your iOS device. If you don't, tap For You at the bottom of the screen. In iTunes on Mac or PC, click the For You tab at the top of the iTunes window. Tap or click the three-month trial offer. Note that Apple typically offers one trial per person. Select a College Student or University Student subscription. Tap or click Verify Eligibility. Enter your academic (.edu)
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How to Sign Up for an Apple Music Family Plan

Wednesday February 13, 2019 5:09 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple Music is Apple's streaming music service, similar to rival streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music Unlimited, Google Play Music, Tidal, and others. Apple Music give you access to 50 million songs. Content can be streamed or downloaded for offline play, and there are also song and genre-based radio stations available along with the curated Beats 1 radio station. With a family subscription to Apple Music, up to six family members get unlimited access to the entire Apple Music catalog, music recommendations tailored to their personal music tastes, and access to their own iCloud Music Library, allowing them to listen to their music on all of their devices. With iCloud Family Sharing, family members are also able to share their iTunes purchases. An Apple Music family subscription costs $14.99 per month in the United States, with potentially slight price variations in other regions and territories. How to Sign Up to Apple Music Launch the Music app on your iPhone, iPad, or open iTunes on your Mac or PC. You should see an offer to subscribe to Apple Music when you first open the Music app on your iOS device. If you don't, tap For You at the bottom of the screen. In iTunes on Mac or PC, click the For You tab at the top of the iTunes window. Tap or click the three-month trial offer. Note that Apple typically offers one trial per person. Select a Family subscription. Tap or click Use Use Existing Apple ID, then enter your Apple ID and password. If you don't have one, tap or click Create New Apple ID and follow the steps to do so. You may be
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How to Sign Up for Apple Music

Wednesday February 13, 2019 5:08 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple Music is Apple's streaming music service, similar to rival streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music Unlimited, Google Play Music, Tidal, and others. Apple Music give you access to 50 million songs. Content can be streamed or downloaded for offline play, and there are also song and genre-based radio stations available along with the curated Beats 1 radio station. With a subscription to Apple Music, you can access these songs, radio stations and playlists in the iOS Music app. You can also access your music from other devices signed in to Apple Music using the same Apple ID. A standard Apple Music subscription costs $9.99 per month in the United States, with slight price variations in other regions and territories. How to Sign Up to Apple Music Launch the Music app on your iPhone, iPad, or open iTunes on your Mac or PC. You should see an offer to subscribe to Apple Music when you first open the Music app on your iOS device. If you don't, tap For You at the bottom of the screen. In iTunes on Mac or PC, click the For You tab at the top of the iTunes window. Tap or click the three-month trial offer. Note that Apple typically offers one trial per person. Select an individual subscription. Tap or click Use Use Existing Apple ID, then enter your Apple ID and password. If you don't have one, tap or click Create New Apple ID and follow the steps to do so. You may be asked to validate your billing information. Add a valid payment method if required and select Join.Apple Music membership automatically renews, but you can cancel renewal at any time
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How to Troubleshoot Problems with AirPods

Monday February 11, 2019 11:23 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
If your AirPods aren't working as you'd expect, there are a few steps you can take that will resolve most problems. The first thing to do is try resetting your AirPods. Resetting AirPods Put both AirPods in their charging case. Locate the button on the back of the case, near the bottom. It's flush with the case and the same color as it, so you might need to feel about for it. Open the charging case lid. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for at least 15 seconds. The case's internal light between the AirPods will flash white and then amber, indicating the AirPods have been reset. Open the case near your iOS device to re-run the pairing process. Patchy Audio Problems If you're having issues with patchy sound or static in the earpieces, consider whether you've wandered too far from your audio source. Apple's wireless earphones can happily stream across about 100 feet, but if there are obstacles in the way such as walls, this range can be reduced dramatically. Other electrical devices like microwaves and Wi-Fi routers can cause interference and detract from your AirPods' wireless performances, so take a good look around your environment for anything similar. Automatic Ear Detection Issues AirPods are equipped with proximity sensors that sense when you put them in your ears and take them out, which plays and pauses the audio source, respectively. If this isn't working for you as described, you might want to check that you have the feature enabled. Launch the Settings app on your iOS device and tap Bluetooth, then tap the circled "i"
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How to Answer a Phone Call on AirPods

Tuesday February 12, 2019 2:08 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple AirPods feature integrated touch controls and include beamforming microphones in each earpiece, which means you can answer incoming calls when you're wearing them and carry on a handsfree conversation. You can also hang up the call with your AirPods when the conversation is over. Here's how it works. When you hear a ringing tone indicating an incoming call, simply double tap the outside of either AirPod to answer it. When you're finished, the action is the same -– just double tap an AirPod to hang up the call. That's all there is to it, though you may also want to enable a setting to have your AirPods announce who is calling. Instructions are available here
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How to Update Your AirPods

Monday February 11, 2019 7:07 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple occasionally releases firmware updates for its AirPods wireless headphones that can include performance improvements, feature tweaks and bug fixes. If you're having a particular issue with your AirPods, or if you just want to make sure they're up to date with the latest software, then follow the steps below. Connect the AirPods charging case to a power source using the included Lightning to USB cable. Insert your AirPods in their case if they aren't already. Move the case near to the iOS device that the AirPods have been paired with and make sure it has an internet connection. And that's all there is to it. Any available software updates should pop up on your iPhone. If you're having trouble updating your AirPods, make sure the charging case is fully charged. You can also try resetting the AirPods. To check the version of the firmware that you have installed to make sure it's up to date, follow these steps: Launch the Settings app on your iOS device. Tap General. Tap About. Tap AirPods. Check the numbers shown beside Firmware Version.Firmware updates for the AirPods don't come out very often, and the latest version is
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How to Find Your AirPods Serial Number and Check Your Firmware

Monday February 11, 2019 7:06 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
If you've recently updated your AirPods or are thinking of doing so, you can follow the steps below to check the current firmware version your wireless earphones are running. Apple will occasionally send AirPods firmware updates over the air, though the software should install automatically. This method will also enable you to check the AirPods' unique serial number, which you'll need if you ever want to replace a lost or faulty AirPod. Make sure your AirPods are charged and connect them to your iPhone or iPad in the usual way. Launch the Settings app on your iOS device. Tap General. Tap About. Tap AirPods. Check the numbers shown beside the Firmware Version and Serial Number entries.Note that you can also find your AirPods serial number printed in small type on the inside of the charging case lid, just above the left
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Lose an AirPod? What You Can Do

Monday February 11, 2019 5:52 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's AirPods generally do a great job of staying in your ears, even during a run or workout. Of course, that doesn't mean you won't ever lose one or even both earbuds –- especially if you forget to put them back in their charging case when not in use. In the how to below, we'll go over your options in case one of your AirPods go missing. Use Just One AirPod If you don't want to shell out the cash for another AirPod when you've lost one, your AirPods won't be entirely useless. Apple has designed the AirPods so you can use just one at a time. A single AirPod functions just like two AirPods, so as long as you have one AirPod and the Charging Case, you can listen to music, podcasts, and more. Get a New AirPod From Apple If you've had no luck using Apple's Find My iPhone app to locate a lost AirPod (or AirPods), or if you have a faulty AirPod, it might be time to consider ordering a replacement from Apple. Apple doesn't offer AppleCare+ for AirPods, and instead provides a standard one-year warranty that's included with all Apple products. If your AirPods need service during that one year period, all work will be covered for free. After the one-year warranty has expired, Apple charges a $69 fee for out-of-warranty service repairs, as described on its iPhone Service Pricing page. If your AirPods lose battery capacity, battery service is free during the one-year warranty period or $49 out of warranty. Apple charges $69 for a replacement AirPod or charging case, regardless of whether or not the AirPods are under warranty. The pricing in Apple's support
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You Can Tap Your Ear to Activate Your AirPods

Monday February 11, 2019 5:18 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's AirPods feature accelerometers and other hardware that allow them to respond to a double tap, and these gestures can be customized to your liking. What many users don't realize however is that you don't actually have to tap directly on either of your AirPods to use these double tap gestures. Next time you want to activate a gesture control, try tapping softly on the back of your ear instead, a method that many seasoned AirPods users have come to prefer for using the tap gestures. It's a little less audibly jarring and you'll find it works just as well as a tap on the AirPod itself.
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How to Have AirPods Announce Your Calls

Monday February 11, 2019 5:12 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
If you receive a call on your iPhone (or an Apple Watch with cellular) when your AirPods are connected, the ringing tone will interrupt whatever it is you're listening to. To find out who's calling, normally you'd have to take out your iPhone or look at your Apple Watch, but you can actually have your AirPods (or any connected headphones) announce who it is, saving you the trouble. To enable this feature, simply follow these steps. On your iPhone, launch the Settings app. Tap Phone in the list. Tap Announce Calls under the Calls heading. Tap Headphones Only so that a tick appears alongside the option.
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How to Share One Pair of AirPods With a Friend

Monday February 11, 2019 5:22 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Splitting a pair of AirPods between two people is perfectly possible and a neat way of exploiting the wireless features of Apple's headphones to share your listening experience. Listen to Music Together on One Pair of AirPods There's nothing stopping you and a friend from each wearing an AirPod to enjoy music or watch a movie together on your iPhone or iPad. Thanks to Automatic Ear Detection, both AirPods sense when they're placed in an ear, regardless of whether they're attached to the same head. The only caveat to sharing AirPods between two people is that you're effectively splitting stereo channels, so unless you have a method of switching to mono output at the audio source, you're losing the stereo experience. Share a Call With a Friend With One Pair of AirPods Splitting a pair of AirPods between two people to take a phone call is a different situation that has one important drawback. Although both AirPods have built-in microphones, only one mic can be active at any one time, so if you're sharing a pair with a friend, both of you can listen in on the call but only one of you will be able to talk back to the caller. If you want to get to decide who take part in the conversation during a shared call, you can select which AirPod has the active mic. To do so, open the Settings app on your connected iOS device and tap Bluetooth, then tap the circled 'i' icon alongside your AirPods in the Devices List. Then tap Microphone and choose Always Left AirPod or Always Right AirPod. If you're connected to a Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu
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How to Unpair Your AirPods From iPhone, Apple TV, Apple Watch, or Mac

Monday February 11, 2019 4:25 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
This article explains how to unpair your AirPods from a number of different Apple devices. Bear in mind that when you unpair AirPods from an iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, or Apple TV (fourth-generation or later), this also automatically unpairs the wireless earphones from all other devices linked to the same iCloud account. Other devices you may have paired them with that aren't linked to iCloud (older Apple TVs, Windows PCs or Android devices, for example) will remain unaffected unless you manually unpair them one by one via their respective Bluetooth settings. How to Unpair AirPods From iPhone or iPad Launch the Settings app. Tap Bluetooth. Tap the "i" icon next to your AirPods in the Devices list. Tap Forget This Device. Tap Forget Device in the pop-up message to confirm.Note that unpairing AirPods from your iPhone also unpairs them from your Apple Watch, however you can also individually unpair AirPods from Apple Watch without unpairing them from your iPhone. How to Unpair AirPods From Apple Watch On your Apple Watch, launch the Settings app. Tap Bluetooth. Tap the "i" icon next to your AirPods in the list. Tap Forget Device. How to Unpair AirPods From Mac On your Mac, click the Apple icon in the menu bar and select System Preferences.... Click the Bluetooth icon in the preference pane. Right-click (or Ctrl-click) your AirPods in the Devices list. Click Remove in the contextual menu that appears. Click Remove again to confirm. How to Unpair AirPods From Apple TV On your Apple TV, launch the Settings app. Select Remotes and Devices
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How to Pair AirPods to Your Apple Watch

Monday February 11, 2019 4:00 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Once you've paired a new set of AirPods with your iPhone, they are automatically paired with your Apple Watch. Your AirPods will even automatically switch their connection between iPhone and Apple Watch, depending on which one is playing audio. However, you can also manually connect your AirPods to your Apple Watch whenever you like. Here's how it's done. On your Apple Watch, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center. (If you're in an app, touch and hold the bottom edge of the screen, then drag up the Control Center pane with your finger.) Tap the AirPlay icon (the small triangle with concentric circles on top). Tap AirPods.You can also open up the Settings app on the Apple Watch, go to the Bluetooth section, and choose AirPods from the list of available devices. Tap to connect.
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How to Pair AirPods to Your Apple TV

Monday February 11, 2019 4:00 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
When you pair AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac or Apple TV, the pairing information is synced across all the devices linked to your iCloud account. That means if you've already paired your AirPods to one of your other devices, then you shouldn't need to go through the process again when it comes to connecting them to your Apple TV. Of course, if you haven't paired your AirPods to any devices yet then you'll need to pair them manually to your Apple TV. The pairing process described below is also useful if you want to connect your AirPods to a shared Apple TV, if you're troubleshooting the AirPods connection with your own set-top box, or you own a third-generation Apple TV or earlier. Here's how it's done. How to Pair AirPods to Apple TV If you aren't already wearing your AirPods, make sure to at least flip the lid open on the charging case before continuing. Press and hold the circular button on the back of the AirPods charging case until the light inside the case between the AirPods starts flashing white. On your Apple TV, launch the Settings app. Navigate to Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth. Select your AirPods when they appear in the Other Devices list. Click Connect Device to initiate the pairing process. Once complete, your AirPods will be connected to your Apple TV and ready to use.How to Quickly Connect AirPods to Apple TV Now that your AirPods are successfully paired, you can connect them to your Apple TV quickly anytime quickly and easily. Simply navigate to the Apple TV Home screen, hold the Play/Pause button on your Apple TV
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How to Reset AirPods

Monday February 11, 2019 4:08 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's AirPods have a reset function that returns them to their factory settings, which can come in handy if you're handing down the wireless earphones to someone else or you're having any sort of problem with them. Keep reading to learn how to reset your AirPods. Ensure that both AirPods are in their charging case and that both the earbuds and the case have charge. Locate the small button on the back of the case, near the bottom. It's flush with the case and the same color as it, so you might need to feel about for it. Open the charging case lid. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for at least 15 seconds. The case's internal light between the AirPods will flash white and then amber, indicating the AirPods have reset.And that's all there is to it. Note that now the AirPods are reset they will no longer automatically recognize any of the devices linked to your iCloud account. Opening the AirPods case near to an iOS device will initiate the setup process, just like the first time you used
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How to Set AirPods Microphone to Just One AirPod

Monday February 11, 2019 4:09 pm PST by Tim Hardwick
AirPods have built-in beamforming microphones in each earpiece that make it easy for you to take calls or interact with Siri when you're wearing the earphones. For optimal performance and to make the experience as seamless as possible, the default setting is for the active microphone to switch automatically between one AirPod and the other. And if you wear only one AirPod, then that one becomes the active microphone. If you want, you can change these settings so that either one or the other AirPod is always the active microphone. Before you change the setting, bear in mind that the AirPod you select as the microphone will continue to be set that way even if you remove it or insert it back in its case. How to Set One AirPod as the Active Microphone Before continuing, make sure you're wearing the AirPods and they're connected to your iOS device. On your iPhone or iPad, launch the Setings app. Tap Bluetooth. Under the My Devices list, tap the circled "i" icon next to your connected AirPods. Tap Microphone. Tap Always Left AirPod or Always Right AirPod so that a tick appears beside the chosen setting.
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