Face ID is designed to be secure first and fast second. By default, Face ID-enabled iPhones have a setting turned on that requires you to look directly at your screen before it will unlock. This is meant to make Face ID more secure by making it much more difficult for someone to unlock your phone with your face when you don't want them to. However, I've noticed that this does make Face ID feel slower. Here's how to how to turn off attention awareness to make Face ID a little bit faster.
How-To
What are haptics? Haptics are a tactile way for your iPhone to respond to touch, pressure, or both, in the form of a small vibration. For example, on the iPhone 7, there isn't a physically pressable Home button, so Apple added Haptic Feedback, which you feel when "pressing" the static Home button. If you're wondering, "how do I turn off System Haptics?", you can easily do so from within your iPhone Settings. Here’s how to turn off haptics from 3D or Haptic Touch on your iPhone.
How to Turn Off Video Autoplay in the App Store on iPhone
By Conner Carey
The App Store got a huge upgrade with iOS 11. One of the new features is videos! Developers can create little videos that autoplay when you're browsing apps. When you're browsing with WiFi, this probably isn't a problem. But on cellular, you don't want to eat up data just to play a video about an app you're downloading. Of course, if you're not a fan of video autoplay under any circumstance, you can turn it off completely. Here's how to turn off video autoplay in the App Store on iPhone.
How to Stop Apps from Downloading on All Apple Devices (iOS 17)
By Conner Carey
When using my iPhone, I often download apps to try out. Later, when I unlock my iPad, all of the apps I downloaded to test on my iPhone are suddenly on my tablet! This is annoying, but thankfully you can fix it with a quick setting. Here's how to turn off app sync between iPhone and iPad.
How to Redeem an Apple Gift Card & Use It for Family Sharing
By Leanne Hays
If you're interested in learning how to add an Apple gift card to your Apple account or to a family member's account, you've come to the right place. We'll cover the Ask to Buy feature, how to use an Apple gift card with Family Sharing, and how to redeem Apple gift cards for different family members, including how to add an Apple gift card to a child account.
How to Easily Transfer from Android to iPhone
By Conner Carey
Switching from Android to iPhone 13 or any other iOS phone may seem overwhelming, but these tips and the Move to iOS app make it a breeze! In this article, I will explain how to transfer data including photos, contacts, and apps from Android to iPhone. Plus, I'll give you tips on what to troubleshoot if Move to iOS is not working.
How to Add an On-Screen Home Button to Your iPhone X
By Conner Carey
The beautiful edge-to-edge display of the iPhone X leaves no room for a Home button. But if you find yourself missing the old Home button, you can add an on-screen Home button to your iPhone X screen thanks to the accessibility features. This is actually something that anyone with an iPhone can do, and it comes in handy if you have an older iPhone with a broken Home button. For iPhone X users, however, it’s the only way to retrieve the lost Home button. It’s not for everyone, but it’s great for those who want it. Here’s how to add an on-screen Home button to your iPhone X.
Qi charging, wireless charging, inductive charging... whatever you call it, it's fast becoming a must-have feature in the smart phone world. Apple's latest three iPhone offerings, the 8, 8 Plus, and X, are all Qi enabled and can charge their batteries at the wireless charging stations that are popping up everywhere from airports to coffee shops. There's even a free app, Aircharge Qi, that lets iPhone users know where their nearest Qi charging station is! The versatility and convenience offered by electromagnetic charging isn't just for the latest iPhones, though. If you have an older iPhone and want to get on the wireless charging bandwagon, there's more than one way to Qi-enable your pre-iPhone 8 device. Choices include wireless charging cases, and a variety of wireless charging receiver cards, stickers, and patches; and remember, if you're going to buy a Qi-enabling accessory for your device, you'll also need a Qi charging pad. Let's get started going over your options to get wireless charging on your older iPhone.
How to Secure Your iPhone with Face ID (iOS 17)
By Conner Carey
Face ID is a security feature that works eerily well. The process is so fast that you’re tempted to make sure it doesn't just let anybody in (don't worry, it doesn't). The iPhone prompts you to set up Face ID when you set up your device for the first time, but if you skipped that part, here’s how to set up Face ID.
How to Use Apple Pay on iPhone X
By Conner Carey
The Home button on iPhone served a lot of functions, which means Apple had to figure out a way to make those same functions work without a Home button. You can still easily access Apple Pay for both real-world and in-app purchases with your iPhone. And it’s not that different than before. Here’s how to use Apple Pay on the iPhone X.
How to Quickly Fix a Frozen App on iPhone
By Conner Carey
Ever had an app freeze and become unresponsive? Your iPhone has a built-in App Switcher that you can use to force close an app whenever it becomes unresponsive. We'll show you how to close apps on iPhone so that whenever an app is misbehaving, you can fix it quickly.
Translating your speech from English to another language can come in handy if you're overseas shopping in a foreign country or chatting long distance with a non-English speaking colleague. To use Siri to translate, say something like "Hey, Siri, how do I ask where the bathroom is in French" and Siri will speak the translation for you. While Siri can’t translate other languages to American English, you can translate English to various other languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese. Here’s how to use Siri to translate English to other languages with the iPhone.
No Home button? No problem! We will teach you how to use an iPhone X and newer models without a Home button. This article will cover unique gestures that combine the Side and Volume buttons in place of the missing Home button. We’ll also show you common features, like talking to Siri, taking screenshots, opening Apple Pay, using Reachability, and closing apps to navigate the newer iPhone models, including iPhone 14!
YouTube is the new TV. And children everywhere are watching a lot of it. But the regular YouTube app isn't designed with parental controls in mind, which is why YouTube Kids is a great app for parents and grandparents to download. If you’ve ever hung out with a child, you know sometimes they just need a little distraction to settle down. But you also want to make sure they’re not accidentally (or not so accidentally) wandering into adult territory and watching something they shouldn't be. We’ll cover more on what the YouTube Kids app does and why we love it below.
How to Power Off, Power On & Hard Reset iPhone X & Later
By Conner Carey
There are a few methods for how to power off an iPhone 14, or any iPhone with no Home button. You can power down your iPhone inside the iOS Settings or shut down the device using the physical buttons on your iPhone. Read on to learn how to power off your iPhone, how to perform a hard reset, and how to restart your iPhone X or later.