How-To

Anytime a new version of iOS is released there are bound to be some growing pains. Since the release of iOS 12.1, some users have reported that a few of their contacts have received question marks and other odd glyphs instead of the intended emoji. Why does this happen, and what can you do to fix the problem? Don't worry, we've got you covered. In this article, we'll go over all the reasons your contact might be receiving alien glyphs from your iPhone and what they can do to solve the problem. Read on to learn all about these strange Emojis and how to get you and your contact's phones speaking the same language.

So you forgot your iPhone passcode; now what do you do? If you've entered the wrong password for your Lock Screen too many times, you already know your iPad or iPhone is disabled and are wondering how to restore your device. There are a few ways to reset the Apple password on your device and get into a locked iPhone or iPad, whether you have an older iPhone like an iPhone 6 or 7, all the way up to the newest iPhones. Let's get started learning how to reset a disabled iPhone or iPad with iTunes, iCloud or recovery mode.  

If you want to remotely view the screen on a Mac with another Mac, or from an iPhone or iPad to a Mac so you can work collaboratively or help fix a problem at a distance, you've probably been wondering how to set up a remote desktop connection. There are several different ways to screen share, and even to enable remote computer access; we'll go through all the possibilities including the easiest option of all, FaceTime, as well as screen sharing and control with iMessage, and screen sharing Mac to Mac. Let's get started going over our screen sharing options for Mac to iPhone and iPad, and screen sharing Mac to Mac. 

It's important to update your iPhone's software, so why not make iOS updates automatic? Instead of getting notified to update the software, and understandably keep putting it off for later, you can enable your iPhone can do it by itself when the update becomes available. All you'll need to do is leave your iPhone locked and charging in Wi-Fi for the update to happen. And if you charge your iPhone overnight on a regular basis, you're already doing that. Here's how to enable automatic iOS updates on your iPhone.

At the 2018 September Apple announcement, Tim promised us over 70 new emojis, including the long-awaited red-headed emoji. Redheads around the world rejoiced with the announcement of Apple's newest member of the emoji family. But how does one install the new emoji, and how does one access the emoji once installed? Fret not, we've got you covered. Read on to learn how to install and access the new red-headed emoji in iOS 12.

Now that Apple has added Voice Memos to the iPad and Mac and made it possible sync them via iCloud, it's possible to access a voice memo on any of your Mac and iOS devices and to do things like record voice memos on your iPhone and edit them on your Mac. To do this, you will need to make sure that iCloud is enabled for Voice Memos on both your Mac and your iOS devices. And you will need to be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on each of your devices. You can also follow these steps to disable iCloud sync for Voice Memos. 

My iPhone has become something I always carry with me, along with my keys and wallet. I have a better chance of finding my iPhone in the dark than say, the bathroom doorknob on the first try. One of the most useful things my iPhone provides is the Flashlight feature. With the iOS 12 update, I can now turn the Flashlight on and off using "Hey Siri" voice commands. So if I'm stuck in the dark, "Hey Siri" lights the way.

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.

The Notes app is a convenient tool for everything from planning projects to writing down random thoughts to explore later. What I like about the Notes app is the ability group related notes by putting them in folders. Sometimes I'll make a note and later realize it's in the wrong folder. Other times I won't put the note in a folder and it will end up in the general Notes folder by default. The Notes app has a simple way to move a note from one folder into another, or to start a new folder entirely. 

Apple has offered biometric locking features since it introduced Touch ID with the iPhone 5s. With the iPhone X, biometric authentication took the leap to Face ID, and that feature is also included in Apple's newest iPhones, the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. There's a convenient new feature with the latest operating system, iOS 12, that allows facial recognition for not just one, but two people. Now if you'd like to share your iPhone with a partner, friend, or child, you don't have to give them your passcode or open the phone yourself before handing it to them. Let's get started setting your iPhone X and later to recognize a second face. 

If you're worried about reusing the same password for multiple accounts, Apple's iCloud Keychain password manager now has a tool to strengthen your password security. In the Settings app, you can now check your passwords for any exclamation point icons. The exclamation points indicate accounts that have a shared password. Here's how to get rid of the old weak passwords and use Apple's password suggestions to create a unique and secure password instead.

We all want our kids to avoid screen addiction and be safe online, but that can be hard to accomplish when children have open access to the internet via their iPhone or iPad. iOS 12 features Screen Time controls that make parental control not only easy, but also free, whereas in the past you might have to pay for parental control apps to make sure inappropriate content wasn't getting through on your kids' devices. Let's get started learning how to set up Screen Time settings on your child's iPhone and iPad, and how to lock those settings so your curious kids can't access the content you've blocked. 

I love using a thesaurus when I write, so the fact that this option has been missing from the Look Up feature in Safari has been a sore spot for me. With iOS 12 I'll no longer need a thesaurus app, because we can now add a thesaurus to Look Up on iPhone and iPad for free! Let's get started learning how to add a Thesaurus to Look Up, so we can find a synonym or antonym whenever we need one, and expand our vocabularies. 

Here at iPhone Life, we're big fans of Apple, but that doesn't mean learning how to use the new mobile operating system (iOS) they release each year comes easily. That's why we've taken everything we've learned about iOS 12 and created The Complete iOS 12 Guide for members of our premium monthly service, iPhone Life Insider. This guide is packed with all of the how-tos, tips, and tricks you need to become an expert in iOS 12. We’ll cover all of the features big and small, and we'll make it easy to follow with guided videos that’ll show you exactly what your iPhone or iPad screen will look like every step of the way. You’ll be teaching your friends iOS 12 tricks in no time. Check out a preview of the guide and learn more about the iPhone Life Insider membership below.

Your iPhone's flashlight is one of its most simple, yet useful, features, and through the years it's gotten easier and more convenient to use. With iOS 12, you can simply ask Siri to turn your flashlight on and off for you. We've already gone over how to turn your iPhone's flashlight on and off from the Control Center, so now let's get started learning the easiest way to turn on your iPhone flashlight. 

Chess had always been one those games where I knew what it looked like but I didn't know how to play it. Pixar's short film Geri's Game made it seem fun, while every version of Sherlock Holmes made sure to have the hero brood over the board game at least once. Chess.com's Chess - Play & Learn, has been helping me to play chess and enjoy it. The app's resources, which include news and live tournament feeds, has also gotten me excited to know about the chess world at large. 

Have you ever needed the serial number for your iPhone and realized you had no idea where to find that information? In this article, we'll go over several different places to check for an iPhone serial number, which you may need when filling out registration and support forms from Apple or your insurance company. Whether you have your device in hand or not, and whether your device is working or not, we lots of helpful tips for you to find that essential iPhone serial number; let's get started. 

There are lots of picture apps and photo apps available for the iPhone and iPad, and lots of them are even free, but one of my favorite photography apps for my iPhone is Apple's Photos app. Not only are Apple's native Camera and Photos app free, but they keep on improving with every new operating system. With iOS 12, for example, we can now use multiple search terms to find the photo we're looking for in the Photos app. This feature is a real time saver, and I'll show you how to use it right now so you can search your pictures faster and more accurately than ever before. 

One of my favorite new features in iOS 12 is the handy Measure app. Apple's new measurement app uses augmented reality (AR) to function as a tape measure and level all in one. You'll be able to use this app once you update to the latest operating system as long as you have an iPhone SE or iPhone 6S or later. In this tip we'll go over how to use the Measure app on iPhone and iPad to take measurements; we'll cover how to use the level feature in another tip. Let's get started learning how to use Apple's new, free Measure app.