How Tos - Page 89

One of the common complaints about Siri is the vocal component -- speaking to ‌Siri‌ must be done verbally, which can be embarrassing and inconvenient in social situations. Apple hasn't provided a clear cut solution like an integrated ‌Siri‌ and Spotlight search feature, but iOS has had a Type to ‌Siri‌ feature since iOS 11. Type to ‌Siri‌ is a function designed for those who are unable to speak, but...

There are a lot of little small tweaks and feature changes buried in iOS 11, and an option for a one-handed keyboard is one of them. With the one-handed keyboard, the entire on-screen keyboard can be shifted to either the left or the right so you can type more comfortably with a single hand even with a phone as large as the iPhone 7 Plus. The feature is compatible with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch...

iOS comes with a handy new Control Center function that allows you to record what you're doing on your screen. It's great if you want to capture gameplay, walk someone through a tutorial in an app, demonstrate a bug, and more, and it's available on both iPhones and iPads. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Enabling Screen Recording Button If you don't have the...

Your AirPods are equipped with accelerometers and other hardware that allow them to respond to a double tap, and though it isn't obvious, these gestures can be customized to your liking. Here's how: Make sure your AirPods are connected to your iPhone or iPad, either when you're wearing them or with the case open and nearby your device. Open up the Settings app. Choose "Bluetooth." Ne...

The new Files app in iOS 11 replaces iCloud Drive, offers a lot more functionality than its predecessor, and provides perhaps the best argument yet for using an iPad as your go-to mobile computer. In Files, you have access not only to the files stored on your device and in iCloud, but also to those stored in third-party services that support integration with the app. Files also exploits all...

The Maps app in iOS 11 is outfitted with several new features that significantly improve the app's functionality. Indoor maps let you find restaurants, bathrooms, and other locations in airports and malls, while other new features like speed limits and lane guidance improve turn-by-turn directions. Fun fact: In iOS 11, Apple has also updated the Maps icon. The new version is meant to show off...

On the iPad, iOS 11 and iOS 12 merge the Control Center with the App Switcher as part of an overhauled interface that's meant to put more of a focus on multitasking. The update also adds new ways to access the App Switcher and it brings new, enhanced app switching functionality. Accessing the App Switcher On the Home screen, simply swipe up and hold to bring up the App Switcher. Within ...

iOS 11 is an update that brings a much improved user experience to the iPad, and front and center is a new dock. The new dock not only houses far more apps, much like the dock on the Mac, but it also much improves multitasking by allowing iPad users to quickly open apps and switch between them. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The dock is persistent and can be...

Starting with iOS 11, Apple overhauled the way we interact with the iPad, introducing several features designed to make the iPad experience better mimic the way we use a Mac or a PC. Central among these new features is a revamped Dock that holds more apps, an improved app switcher, and most importantly, system-wide Drag and Drop. With Drag and Drop, text, links, photos, files, and more can be...

On iPhone and iPad, the Control Center provides quick access to a host of useful features in iOS, regardless of whether you have an app open or not, or even whether your device is locked or not. The Control Center is also highly customizable, so you can choose what gets to live there and what doesn't. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. How to Access Control Center...

Apple made waves last year when it completely redesigned how the lock screen functions on iOS 10 by removing the iPhone's well-known "Slide to Unlock" instruction from the screen. The improvements allowed for a more seamless unlocking experience on iPhones that supported Raise to Wake and Touch ID, and with iOS 11 that process isn't changing (although there are still ways to get around it thanks...

Apple officially releases iOS 11 on Tuesday, September 19, and a host of new iPhone and iPad features are coming with it, such as a revamped Control Center, a new Files app, Drag and Drop gestures, and several other updated design elements. This article covers some of the things you can do to prepare your devices for Apple's latest mobile operating system, including storage maintenance tips,...

Apple today released the first public beta of macOS High Sierra, the next major version of its operating system for Mac computers that will officially be released in the fall. The beta of the upcoming OS is compatible on all Macs that are able to run macOS Sierra. The availability of the public beta means users who aren't signed up for the Apple Developer Program can test the software update ...

Apple today released the first public beta of iOS 11 for eligible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models, allowing users who aren't signed up for the Apple Developer Program to test the software update ahead of its official release in the fall. iOS 11 is pre-release software, so installing the beta on a secondary device is highly recommended. Due to bugs and other potential issues, installing...

First introduced in watchOS 3.2, Theater Mode is a simple but useful feature that's designed to prevent the Apple Watch's screen from activating when you raise your wrist. It's useful in situations where the bright screen can be a distraction, such as a movie or a play, and it's also useful for those who like to sleep with their Apple Watches. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for ...

Night Shift, the feature first introduced in iOS devices with iOS 9.3, has expanded to the Mac with the release of 10.12.4. Night Shift is compatible with 2012 and newer Macs, so it won't work on older machines. For those unfamiliar with Night Shift, it's designed to cut down on the amount of blue light you're exposed to during the evening by shifting the display of a Mac to a more yellow...

Apple has a "Find my iPhone" feature for lost iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more, but there's also a "Find my AirPods" feature that can be useful if you happen to misplace your AirPods. Find My AirPods has its limitations because it's not able to work when the AirPods aren't connected to an iOS device via Bluetooth, but the feature can help you locate AirPods lost nearby and it gives clues as to...

Last week, we shared a brief video showing that LG's revisions to the shielding in the UltraFine 5K display have successfully addressed issues with the display flickering and disconnecting when in close proximity to Wi-Fi routers. Apple and LG had temporarily pulled the display from the market while LG adjusted its manufacturing processes to incorporate the fix and push the new stock into sales...

When watchOS 3 launched alongside iOS 10, it brought a handful of feature additions and speed improvements to the Apple Watch. One of the new social features is a way for users to share their Activity Rings with friends and family through "Activity Sharing." Mainly focused in iOS 10's Activity app, the ability to share workout data nevertheless requires an Apple Watch updated to watchOS 3, and ...

Since macOS Sierra, Apple has included its well-known personal assistant, Siri, for the Mac. Siri for Mac differs from iOS' version of Siri in several ways, taking advantage of the larger real estate of a Mac's display and the Finder file system. Users can also easily transfer or pin Siri's search results to the Notification Center or documents they're working on. To help you get started with...