How Tos - Page 5

Most long-time macOS users will be aware of the Application Switcher. It's invoked using the Command+Tab keyboard shortcut, and lists all of the apps currently running on your Mac, enabling you to quickly switch between them. In this article, we'll run through the Mac App Switcher's most basic functions, and then highlight some of our favorite lesser-known App Switcher tricks that you're...

Since macOS Ventura, Apple has made hiding scroll bars when not in use a default behavior of the operating system, but you can prevent this from happening if you know where to look. Keep reading to learn how it's done. If your Mac is running macOS Ventura, you may have noticed that it makes window scroll bars visible only when you are actively scrolling with your mouse or trackpad. Apple ...

In macOS, a Text Clipping is a selection of text that you've dragged from an application to another location on your Mac, where it becomes a unique kind of standalone file. The relatively little-known feature has been around since at least Mac OS 9, and it offers a convenient way to save out pieces of text from pretty much anywhere for later use in another app or document. To create a...

When macOS Mojave was introduced back in 2018, Apple added Quick Actions to Finder that make it easier to perform quick edits to files without having to open the apps associated with them. In macOS Ventura and later, Apple has expanded what you can do with Quick Actions, making them an even more powerful workflow ally. Here's how to make them work for you. Quick Actions are there to help you ...

On iPhone 16 models, Visual Intelligence lets you use the camera to learn more about places and objects around you. It can also summarize text, read text out loud, translate text, search Google for items, ask ChatGPT, and more. And thanks to the latest iOS 18.4 update from Apple, iPhone 15 Pro models can now get in on the action, too. Until recently, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ was a feature...

Have you noticed your iPhone videos keep playing on repeat in the Photos app? In iOS 18.2 and later, the stock Photos app automatically replays videos until you manually pause them – a feature that might be fine at first but can quickly become annoying, especially with longer clips. The auto-loop feature can be fun for short clips or when showing someone a quick video, but it forces you to ...

In macOS, you can easily convert the format of images using a Quick Action in Finder or you can achieve the same thing via the Preview app, but if your daily workflow requires you to repeatedly convert images – for uploading to a blog, for example – then using a Folder Action can be a much faster way of getting the job done. In this article, we'll show you how to use the macOS Automator...

Resizing images in macOS is easily done in the Preview app, but if your daily workflow requires you to scale images to a specific size – for uploading to a blog, for example – then using an image resize Quick Action is a much faster way of getting the job done. In this article, we'll show you how to use the Automator app to create a simple Quick Action that, once saved, will have you...

Apple's AirPods 4 and second-generation AirPods Pro have an Adaptive Audio feature that includes Adaptive Noise Control, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness, which are all features that adjust sound and Active Noise Cancellation in response to the environment around you. If you haven't used Adaptive Audio, it could be worth a look – especially since iOS 18 allows you more control...

Stationery Pad is a handy way to nix a step in your workflow if you regularly use document templates on your Mac. The long-standing Finder feature essentially tells a file's parent application to open a copy of it by default, ensuring that the original file remains unedited. Stationery Pad doesn't get much attention these days, but it's a neat alternative to repeatedly editing templates and ...

With iOS 18.2, Apple introduced ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence to expand the range of AI capabilities accessible to users on supported iPhone models. One skill in particular that you may not be aware of is the ability to generate images in the Messages app, ready for sharing. ChatGPT leverages DALL·E to generate the images, and the results are almost invariably better than Apple's...

If you have an Apple Account (formerly Apple ID), Apple allows you to request a downloadable copy of the data associated with it. This article outlines the steps you need to take to request a copy of your data from Apple. As part of putting you in control of your data and privacy, Apple gives you the ability to request a copy of data associated with your Apple Account. This can include your ...

Apple's Advanced Data Protection for iCloud feature uses end-to-end encryption to provide the highest level of cloud data security that Apple offers. Here's everything you need to know about enabling it on your devices. The encrypted security feature gives you the choice to further protect your important iCloud data, including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more. Apple's use of...

Apple this week released iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, software updates that enable Apple Intelligence on supported devices by default. Whether you own an iPhone, iPad, Mac – or indeed all three – regardless of what you think about Apple Intelligence, there's one reason why you may want to disable Apple's AI features at the earliest opportunity: To reclaim storage....

Anyone who looks after children knows how fascinating an illuminated display is to a baby or toddler. When it's an interactive touchscreen that's strapped to your wrist, the intrigue If your Apple Watch has proven a bit too attractive to little fingers and you're worried they'll unintentionally send a message, mess up your notification settings, or worse, here's a quick trick that you can...

In iOS 18.1 and later, Apple makes it easier than ever to share Apple Music songs to TikTok [App Store]. Keep reading to learn how the app streamlines the process of making music-focused content on the social platform. TikTok has become a leading venue for music discovery, with countless songs going viral through its short-form videos and trends. Recognizing the demand for sharing music on...

In iOS 18, iPhone apps have both Light and Dark color options, making it possible to match the color of your icons when you have Dark mode enabled. Keep reading to learn how it works. Apple's built-in apps have both Light and Dark color options in iOS 18, and now that the update is available to the public, third-party apps are in the process of providing their own Light and Dark icon...

On iPhone, listening to YouTube audio in the background usually requires paying for a YouTube Premium subscription, but there is a simple workaround that allows you to keep listening to a video when you are doing other things on your iPhone or when your device is locked. Keep reading to learn how it's done. As YouTube has grown in popularity over the years, Google has opted to park several...

If you've ever opened your MacBook's lid just to clean the display and keyboard, only to have it spring to life unexpectedly, here's a simple solution. Apple silicon Macs automatically start up when you open the lid or connect them to power, but you can disable this behavior in macOS Sequoia or later. While automatic startup is convenient in most situations, you might want to disable it....

If you watch Netflix on your iPhone, the streamer has made it a lot easier for you to download your favorite shows for offline viewing, introducing a new one-tap season download feature that eliminates the tedious process of downloading episodes individually. Why Download Entire Seasons? Downloading entire seasons makes perfect sense for anyone who wants to ensure uninterrupted viewing on...