We all know one person who just can’t use Siri in a calm tone. Is it you?
Keyboard shortcut smarts: Attach a keyboard to your iPad (I use this one), and you’ll get a list of shortcuts. Just hold down Cmd while using the app to view shortcuts for that app.
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How to download iOS18 Beta
The latest iOS update, 18, is in beta and you can try it on your phone now. We’ll walk you through the process. A word of warning: Beta software is still in the buggy phase, so not everything will work smoothly.
🔊 Low volume on iPhone calls? The culprit could be the noise-cancellation feature. Disable it: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual and toggle off Phone Noise Cancellation (green means it’s on). FYI: This only works with iPhone 12 models and older.
Mac shortcut: You have a folder full of photos all named “IMG_2348” or some nonsense. Open the folder, hit Cmd + A to select all the files, then right-click and select Rename. Replace “IMG” with something like “Hawaii.” Bam! Done.
📸 iPhone editing trick: Use this next time a pic is almost perfect. Select an image and zoom in using two fingers. The option to crop your photo will appear on the top right of your device. Tap it, crop or adjust your pic using the editing tools, then tap Done.
Pump it up: Stream music, movies or whatever’s on your iPad to a larger screen. Just tap the AirPlay icon in the Control Center and select an AirPlay-compatible device. Score.
MacBook battery widget: It’ll regularly remind you how much juice is left in your laptop. On your Mac, click the date and time in the top right corner. In the notification center pop-up, click Edit Widgets at the bottom. Search for “batteries” and pick your favorite options.
Beta blocker: Apple Safari 18 beta’s new Reader mode lets you read any article without ads or auto-playing videos. To use it, you’ll need to update to the Sequoia OS beta. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > toggle on Beta Updates > macOS Sequoia developer beta > Upgrade Now. Now, when you open an article in Safari, click the square icon in the URL bar, and then click Show Reader to scroll ad-free!
Type to Siri: Type out your requests to Siri on macOS if you can’t (or don’t want to) use your voice. Hit the Apple logo > System Settings > Accessibility > Siri to enable the option.
🤳 Unlock apps with your face: You can use Face ID to unlock apps on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Enter Passcode > Other Apps, and toggle on the apps you want. Not every app is compatible, but this is handy for those that are.
📱 Face ID trouble? If your Apple Face ID isn’t working properly, Step 1 is to check if anything is covering your camera — smudges, the case or a screen protector. If it’s still not working, try a reset: Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Reset Face ID > Set up Face ID.
Show the desktop on a Mac: Shift all your open windows to the side and get to the shortcuts on your desktop by holding down Cmd and pressing F3. Pressing F3 on its own shows you all the windows you have open. Easy-peasy!
🔄 Restart in Recovery mode: Use this next time your Mac is unresponsive. For older Intel Macs, click the Apple logo > Restart > then immediately hold down Cmd + R until the Apple logo or spinning globe appears. For newer M-series Macs, turn the power off, press and hold the power button, then click Options > Continue to open in Recovery mode.
Baby- or snoop-proof your iPad: Activate Guided Access. Just triple-click the home button once you’re in the app you wish to lock, then triple-click again to exit and enter your passcode. Now, your kid can play a game or your pal can scroll photos — and nothing else.
Lemme upgrade ya: The ChatGPT app is now free for all M-series Macs, and it’s better than using the web version. A cool trick? Hit Option + spacebar to bring up a ChatGPT text field over any window. Ask away without switching screens. Download it here. Just watch out for AI making crap up.
Call me by my name: In your iPhone contacts, fill out the Add related name field with nicknames like “Mom” and “Bestie.” Now, you can use those nicknames to call and text those individuals using Siri.
Keys-y does it: To set the brightness level on the keyboard on your MacBook, click the Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard. You can also have the backlights turn off after a certain time. Perfect if you’re watching a movie in the dark.
Switch up your search: By default, there’s a search box on your iPhone home screen. You can hide it via Settings > Home Screen & App Library. FYI: Whether it’s visible or not, you can search your iPhone with a swipe down from the middle of your home screen.