How Tos

In iOS 18.4, Apple added a new Shortcuts action to open a specific conversation in the Messages app. This means it's now possible to open a chat thread with someone important to you straight from your Lock Screen, for example. Keep reading to learn more. If you'd like to reduce the time it takes to chat with a frequently contacted person, this new shortcut action is for you. Placing a...

Apple in iOS 18.4 introduced a potentially privacy-compromising change to its Safari browser that puts your search history on full display when opening new tabs. Previously in iOS, opening a new tab and tapping the search field brought up the keyboard while continuing to display the personalized Safari home page. However, Apple's iOS 18.4 software update modified how Safari handles new tabs...

Apple's iOS 26 finally brings custom conversation backgrounds to the Messages app, letting you personalize your chats with photos, colors, or images generated by Image Playground. Third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp have offered this kind of feature for years, so finally iPhone owners can now also add their own visual flair to text conversations in Apple's stock messaging app. Custom...

On a Mac that has a top row of function keys, Apple includes volume and brightness controls that can be used to make adjustments in stepwise increments. However, there may be times when you want to make more fine grained adjustments to these settings than the default increments allow – in which case, read on. Whenever you tap the volume or brightness controls on your keyboard, you'll see...

If you own an iPhone or iPad with a USB-C port, the port can be used to charge AirPods, an Apple Watch, or even another iPhone, which is handy for times when you don't have a spare charger or power outlet available. Here's how it works. If your AirPods or Apple Watch run out of battery while you don't have access to a charger, you can use the battery in your iPhone or iPad for a little extra ...

On iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the Voice Memos app includes a recording feature that lets you record a second audio layer – like vocals, narration, or an extra instrument – over an existing memo, all without needing headphones. Keep reading to learn how it's done. Thanks to the A18 Pro chip's advanced audio processing, iPhone 16 Pro models can play an original Voice Memo...

Apple's Audio Sharing feature on iPhone and iPad lets you share your device's Bluetooth audio with a second pair of wireless headphones, allowing two of you to listen to the same music together while running, or enjoy a movie on a plane without disturbing those around you, for example. Keep reading to learn how it works. Device Compatibility To get started with Audio Sharing in iOS 18 or...

In iOS 17 and later, Apple includes an accessibility setting that makes the haptic feedback feature activate faster than in previous versions of its mobile operating system. If you fondly hearken back for the days of 3D Touch, you might just prefer it. As many iPhone users might remember, ‌3D Touch‌ was an interactive haptic feature that Apple introduced in 2015 with the ‌iPhone‌ 6s. ...

In macOS, a handy option called "Show suggested and recent applications in Dock" (found in System Settings ➝ Desktop & Dock) adds a divider to the right-hand side of your Mac's Dock, and after it displays any apps you recently used – or any that macOS thinks may be useful to your workflow – that aren't permanently docked. Assuming that you have no undocked apps that are currently open,...

On iPhone and iPad, Apple's screen recording feature records a video of what you're doing on your screen, which is great if you want to capture gameplay, walk someone through a tutorial in an app, demonstrate a bug, or anything else. You can also include a voiceover in screen recordings. Keep reading to learn how. If you're making a screen recording to demonstrate something in iOS, chances...

Apple has made the first macOS Tahoe developer beta available for testing before its official release in the fall, but don't be fooled into thinking only developers can download it. Keep reading to learn whether you should install it on your Mac, and if so, how to go about it. Getting access to the macOS Tahoe developer beta is simple, and can be done by registering your Apple Account with...

If you installed iOS 26 Beta or iPadOS 26 Beta through Apple's Developer Program or Software Beta Program, you may decide you want to downgrade because of usability or stability issues. Keep reading to learn how it's done. Apple's beta versions of its major software updates can be notoriously buggy, especially the early releases. You may find apps not working properly, poor battery life,...

Apple has released the first iOS 26 beta to developers, but even non-developers have the opportunity to download beta software updates on their iPhones for free. Keep reading to learn how it's done. Traditionally, when Apple announced a major new operating system update, the first wave of betas would only be available to download by paying subscribers to Apple's Developer Program, which...

The 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference will take place the week of June 9 to June 13, and like the last five years, it will be an online event, although select developers and students will be invited to Apple Park. To kick things off, Apple holds a keynote event on the Monday to announce new software, which is what makes it of interest to the general public. During the keynote event on...

The Apple TV 4K (second- and third-generation) is capable of relaying audio from a compatible TV to a HomePod – even when you're not using your Apple TV. This allows you to stream audio from a TV-connected game console or other set-top box straight to Apple's smart speakers. Keep reading to learn more and how to set it up. The second- and third-generation Apple TV 4K supports two...

If you have macOS 13 or later installed on your Mac, you can use a nearby iPhone as your computer's microphone input. Keep reading to learn how it works. When Apple released macOS Ventura in October 2022, it introduced a new take on its Continuity Camera feature by letting users use their iPhone's camera as a webcam for their Mac. Continuity Camera works wirelessly or wired in FaceTime,...

Since Safari 17 and macOS Sonoma, Apple's browser has supported favicons in the Favorites bar. Keep reading to learn why favicons can be useful, how to make space for more, and how you can disable them if they aren't for you. A favicon is a small icon that serves as a kind of badge for a website. Its main purpose is to make it easier to locate the webpage when there are multiple tabs open in ...

Apple's Live Photos, introduced in 2015, are photos that capture 1.5 seconds of video before and after you take a picture, with the aim of adding a little bit of life and movement to still images. Since introducing Live Photos, Apple has added some effects to its Photos app that let you turn them into fun animated clips, which you can then share with family, friends, or the wider world. ...

On Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Series 6 and later models running watchOS 9 and newer, you can use the Compass app's Backtrack feature to track your route and then help you retrace your steps in case you get lost. Backtrack uses the GPS on your Apple Watch to create a virtual breadcrumb trail of your route so you don't have to worry about keeping track of where you're...

All Apple Watch models include a stock Calculator app that offers a couple of handy features for working out how much you should tip when eating out and how much each person in a group owes if you're splitting the bill. The two functions can be used together, but if it's just yourself dining out then you can just leave the People field set to 1. The steps below show you how it works....