Apple Apps

With iOS 13, Apple has stepped up its Privacy settings. Now, in addition to being able to customize your Location Services for specific apps, you can also block apps from using Bluetooth. This won’t stop you from being able to use your headphones, but it will prevent the app from using your iPhone's Bluetooth in other ways that might affect your privacy. Read on to learn how to disable Bluetooth for specific apps.

Last September, Apple launched Apple Arcade, an innovative new service that gives you access to a growing selection of high-quality iOS games for a fixed monthly fee of $4.99 per month. It now includes over a hundred games with the subscription. I don’t consider myself much of a gamer, but I was a passenger on a long car ride with lots of time to kill and decided to check it out. I’ve since used it extensively and will share the good and the bad of Apple Arcade with you here.

We've written about how to change the font in the Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad, both the type and size. Now it's also possible to change fonts in the Mail app by choosing between other pre-installed fonts, although the option isn't easy to find. Let's get started learning how to get different fonts in your iPhone's Mail app. 

If you use Apple's Reminders app to keep on top of your chores, events, and tasks, you'll enjoy a convenient new feature just added with iOS 13. The Reminders app now allows users to tag a contact; when you use the Messages app to text your tagged contact, a reminder notification will pop up on your iPhone. Let's get started learning how to use this new Reminders feature now.

Apple's new operating system, iOS 13, has a helpful new feature in the Health App; Cycle Tracking. This period tracker is useful for not only logging your menstrual cycle, but also symptoms associated with it, such as spotting, basal body temperature, fertility tracking, and calculating when your next period will start. Let's get started learning how to set up Cycle Tracking on your iPhone. 

Setting a website to always open in your preferred mode, such as Desktop or Reader View, makes it easier to browse your favorite websites from the iPhone. With Safari's custom controls, you can also allow or disable your microphone, camera, and location sharing for individual websites. Here's how to customize your Safari experience on the iPhone.

Among the helpful features Apple introduced with iOS 13 is the ability to take full-page, or scrolling, screenshots in Safari. This means that, rather than capturing only the section of the web page that's visible on your iPhone display, you'll now be able to screen capture the entire page. Let's get started learning how to use this useful new screenshot capability! 

In the past, searching for a specific text in Messages was a headache. Now, Messages in-app search is not only optimized for text but also lets you browse images, screenshots, and links in a gallery view. You can access the search function by opening the Messages app and dragging down from the top of the screen. If you'd like to search Facebook messages or WhatsApp messages, you can also do that! Here’s how to use search in Messages to find the information you need.

One of the new features of Apple's latest operating systems, iOS 13 and iPadOS, are Memoji sticker packs for older iPhones right in the Messages app. It's been possible to send Animoji and Memoji stickers in texts before, but now it's easier than ever for a larger number of iPhones and iPads to send Memoji stickers, even if they can't create and send the animated emoji videos. Let's get started learning about Memoji and Animoji stickers, how to create them, and which devices can send and receive them.

Apple's Calendar app has long been one of the best free calendar apps out there for iPhone users. One of the most useful aspects of the Calendar app is the ability to get a map and directions to the locations of your appointments without ever leaving your Calendar. Let's get started learning how to find and use the map and directions feature in your iPhone's Calendar.

Apple's Reminders app for the iPhone and iPad has a useful new feature with the introduction of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, the ability to add attachments to Reminders. We've previously covered how to set a reminder and how to search for a particular reminder, now we'll get into how to make your reminders even more useful by adding attachments like photos or documents. 

The new folder-sharing feature available with iOS 13 is a great collaboration tool for those who've long enjoyed the convenience of the Notes app, as well as those using it for the first time. We've already covered how to move a note into a folder in the Notes app, so now let's go over how to invite one or more people to a shared Notes folder on your iPhone or iPad. 

Want to know the quickest way to transfer photos and scan documents from your iPhone to your Mac? Here's how to use the Continuity Camera feature on the Mac, which enables you to scan documents or take photos on your iPhone and instantly have them uploaded on your Mac. Your Mac needs to be updated to macOS 10.14 or later and your iPhone to iOS 12 or later. You won't have to use AirDrop or have your device physically connected to the Mac with a cable for this tip. However, both your iPhone and Mac do need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network with Bluetooth enabled and be near each other (like in the same room). Both Mac and the iPhone will also need to be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication.

The Apple Watch Series 4 and later has a feature that will contact emergency services when you fall if you either confirm that you need help or you remain immobile for thirty seconds. Fall Detection on the Apple Watch can be enabled in your watch's Emergency SOS settings, which can be found in the Watch app on your iPhone. It's important to keep in mind that while the Apple Watch has an intuitive accelerometer and gyroscope, it won't register all falls. Also, if you participate in high-impact activities such as sports, those activities may register as falls. If you've previously entered your age in the Health app or while setting up your Apple Watch as 65 or older, Fall Detection will be on by default

If you want to get a better handle on file organization on your iPhone, the Files app can really help. Here's how to make a folder in the Files app. You'll have to have iOS 11 or later, and have set up and enabled iCloud Drive on your iPhone. You'll only be able to create a folder within the iCloud Drive category in the Files app. The On My iPhone category only stores files from apps that are downloaded to your device and can't be manually changed. 

Saving items like notes, documents, and photos to the Files app on your iPhone can help you view and manage several things from one app. Here's how to save items to the Files app, which will help you stay organized. If you use Finder on your Mac, you'll notice that the Files app works in a similar way for your iPhone. By saving items to the Files app, you can use Files as a hub to view or share multiple things from this single app. With the Files app, you'll be able to save items to your iCloud Drive (after you've set up iCloud Drive) or a folder under On This iPhone.

Do you swipe on emails to trash them only to see they've been archived instead of deleted? Here's how to delete emails on your iPhone, by changing the default swipe action from archive to delete. Below I'll show you how to change these settings for two different email apps. The Apple Mail app will need to have its settings changed from your iPhone's Settings app, while the Gmail app settings will be adjusted from within the Gmail app. If you use another third-party email app like Yahoo! and your emails are archived by default, try opening its settings within the app similar to the instructions below for Gmail. Another solution for inbox overwhelm is learning how to delete all emails on your iPhone, or mass delete emails.

While wearing your Apple Watch, you'll notice arm movements during activities like knitting, playing games, or even just waving will register as steps. Here's how to delete steps from your Apple Watch, which will erase the data and reset your step count closer to the correct number. You can't do this from your Apple Watch; you'll have to use the Health app on your iPhone.

The Apple Pencil is seen by many iPad users as a stylus (much to Jony Ive's annoyance), but its main use is as a tool for markups and creative projects in apps like Procreate or something more simple like Notes. Here are some quick tips for drawing with the Apple Pencil including adjusting opacity and line thickness, shading with the side of the Pencil's nib, erasing, and using the Apple Pencil 2's double tap feature to switch between tools. While there is some overlap with the basics functions of both a regular pencil and an Apple Pencil, you'll find the Apple Pencil has potential to unlock a digital flood of creative possibilties and may help with an artist block or two.

During today's WWDC keynote Apple announced a lot of new watchOS 6 features that will give Apple Watch users more ability to leave their iPhones at home and options to further customize their watch'spotential and appearance. Expect new watch faces, improved fitness tracking, hearing health features, and much needed apps like Audiobooks, Voice Memos, and Calculator to be added to Apple Watch. The watch will also get its own App Store when watchOS 6 is released.