There's something soothing about grouping related things together, and that goes for contacts too! Contacts are listed alphabetically in the Contacts app and Apple doesn't offer a way to group them by any other criteria (although you can use the search function to filter contacts by things like company name or notes you may have added to a contact card). But these contacts won't otherwise be grouped all together in your list of contacts. You can work around this by editing your contacts' names to include initials or words so they appear grouped together according to criteria determined by you. Use this tip to group your contacts by how you know them—work, a hobby, family, etc.—so you can quickly browse to message a specific person or see everyone in that group at once.
How-To
How to Check Weather Forecast with Hey Siri
By Hallei Halter
Instead of opening an app, you can use Hey Siri to check the weather forecast. With a simple "What's the weather today?" Siri will tell you what to expect for the current day's weather. Siri uses the Apple Weather app by default. You can also ask about the forecast for the coming week, ask for sunrise and sunset times, or any questions related to the weather.
How to Add Another User to Your Apple HomePod
By Hallei Halter
As part of the Apple home automation wave, the HomePod is a fun way to use Apple HomeKit accessories. The smart speaker connects to other iOS devices and can access Siri for voice commands, responding to questions, or playing music. If you want to let family members or friends use the HomePod to do things like turn lights on and off and adjust the thermostat in your house, you can give access via the HomePod. Here's how to add another user to the Apple HomePod.
iPhone Flashlight too Dim? How to Make It Brighter or Dimmer
By Conner Carey
Is your iPhone flashlight too dim? Or too bright?. Whether you want low light or bright light, all you need to do to turn the brightness down or up on your iPhone flashlight is to use 3D Touch. let's get started learning how.
How to Use the iPhone's Stopwatch
By Conner Carey
Within the Clock app on the iPhone there is a stopwatch you can use. Here’s how to use the iPhone’s stopwatch, and why you would want to use it. Whether you want to track how quickly someone runs a mile, time individual laps or circuits, or simply track the time it takes to complete a task, you can use the stopwatch to do it.
How to Delete the Live Photo Version of a Picture on Your iPhone
By Conner Carey
Apple introduced the Live Photo feature with the iPhone 6S, and it's still a fun and popular feature of the native iPhone Camera app. Unless you've unselected Live Photo settings in the Camera Settings, the Live Photo function is on by default when you open the Camera app, so you need to turn off Live Photo if you want a traditional still shot. Sometimes, though, we all forget to turn off Live Photo; now what? No worries, you can delete the Live Photo version of your picture and keep the still photo.
How to Sign up for Apple News Plus on Your iPhone
By Hallei Halter
Apple News Plus, Apple's premium news membership that lets you access over 300 magazines and at least 2 newspapers, is here! Here's how to subscribe to Apple News Plus on your iPhone or iPad. There's no risk in giving Apple News Plus a try; you'll be able to browse the titles Apple News Plus has to offer before confirming your subscription and you can cancel any time during the 30-day free trial.
How to Forget a Wi-Fi Network on Your iPhone
By Conner Carey
Your iPhone will automatically remember the Wi-Fi networks you join. When you’re in the vicinity of that network, it will automatically connect. You can view the list of network connections near you in Settings. This is also where you would tell your iPhone to forget a Wi-Fi network. You might decided to do this if you’re moving or having trouble with a particular connection. Here’s how to forget a Wi-Fi network on your iPhone.
How to Change the Default Reminder Time in Calendar
By Paula Bostrom
The Calendar app is incredibly convenient for keeping track of appointments, events, and even birthdays. It’s also a great tool for helping you remember those appointments, events, and birthdays. I am extremely forgetful, so once I enter something into my Calendar I usually add an alert to help me remember it. Different people may need to set different reminder intervals for events. That’s why Apple made it easy to change the setting for when the Calendar will alert you for an event.
App Saturday: Overcast
By Hallei Halter
I habitually autoplay hours of Netflix or Youtube because I like the sound of people talking while I'm puttering around my apartment. Podcasts naturally fill that need with the bonus that I'm not missing any context since there's nothing to watch, only listen to. But even when I'm only listening, I still want to personalize my choices. Overcast is a podcast player app that gives me as many choices as I want when it comes to selecting content and how I want to hear it.
App Saturday: Amazon Music
By Hallei Halter
While you may think of Spotify or Apple Music when it comes to streaming music, if you're wanting to stay up to date with new music or browse your tried and true favorite albums, Amazon Music just about has it all. And you already have access to it if you are an Amazon Prime member. With the ability to find and listen to thousands of hours of music, you won't have to search for long to settle on something you enjoy.
How to Move from an Android Tablet to an iPad Pro
By Tamlin Day
Are you ready to take the plunge and move from your old Android tablet to a new iPad Pro? The decision to start over with a new device in a new mobile operating system can be daunting, but the good news is that transferring important data from an Android to an iOS device is simple when you know how. In this article, we'll cover how to move contacts, documents, and other data from your old Android device to your new iPad Pro. Read on to learn more about this stress-free setup method.
How to Use an eSIM to Set Up Your Cellular Plan
By Hallei Halter
The iPhone Xs, Xs Max, and XR have Dual SIM cards, which includes a nano-SIM and an eSIM. The eSIM is a digital SIM that allows your phone to have a second active cell plan from your carrier. Essentially, your phone will have two phone numbers. This is great if you want a business number separate from your personal number or are traveling out of the country and want to get a phone number from a local carrier without swapping out the physical SIM. Typically this feature only works with iOS 12.1 and later with a few carriers in the US. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile currently support this feature with varying restrictions. Check with your carrier to understand how you can best use eSIM with your device. Below, I'll give a general overview of how to set up an eSIM.
How to Add 3D Touch Actions to AssistiveTouch
By Hallei Halter
If you have a 3D Touch-supported device, starting with iPhone 6s (but not including the iPhone SE or XR), you can add a 3D Touch multitasking gesture by way of AssistiveTouch. So, instead of pinching to zoom, you can use the AssistiveTouch button and zoom with a tap instead! Zoom and other gestures or actions can become a shortcut accessible by 3D Touching the AssistiveTouch button. This is an ideal option if you have a Home button that isn't too reliable or just want to take advantage of the convenience.
How to Use the Diverse Emoji Keyboard on the iPhone & iPad
By Paula Bostrom
A while back, Apple added more racial diversity to the faces on its emoji keyboard. While none of the emoticons or family groups offer options for different skin tones, the single human characters and body parts (hands, noses, etc.) all come with the diversity options. At this point, we’ve all seen Apple keyboard emojis in all their diversity, but not everyone knows how to use or change what emoji they select. Here’s how to use the diverse emoji keyboard on iPhone or iPad.
Similarly to the Safari browser on your Mac, the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad will recommend suggested websites, show popups related to your search, and auto-fill search queries as you type. Here's how to turn off suggestions for search in Safari. It's a simple, quick tip!
Sometimes Do Not Disturb will still let messages and calls through in certain circumstances depending on your Do Not Disturb settings. Want to use your phone without receiving ANY notifications and calls? Here's the best way to set Do Not Disturb so your phone won't go off for any reason. I use it for when I'm listening to podcasts or just trying to get some work done.
App Saturday: Grubhub
By Hallei Halter
Looking up your choices for "Food delivery near me" and not happy with the results? You can place a takeout order on Grubhub for restaurants (even those that don't offer delivery) and a driver will pick up your order and deliver it to your address. Grubhub orders can also be placed for pickup, but the real advantage of Grubhub is having the menus and pricing of local restaurants all on one app.
App Saturday: Lyft
By Hallei Halter
On vacation or a business trip and hate trying to maneuver your way around unfamiliar territory? Lyft is a rideshare app that employs local people as an alternative to conventional taxis, and provides discounts for cheap fares. To save time and hassle, Lyft can get you to your destination with just a few taps.
App Saturday: GoodRx
By Hallei Halter
Seeing the price of a medication at the register can cause a sudden case of sticker shock. GoodRx is an app that compares prescription prices between pharmacies and provides manufacturer prescription coupons. GoodRx can be used by anyone with or without insurance, including Medicaid, to help save money.
