iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear
Got a New iPhone? Here's How to Set Up Your Device
By Tamlin Day
There's nothing quite like that moment when you open an Apple box and see your fresh new iPhone for the first time, but what comes next? In this article, we'll teach you how to set up a new iPhone with a new Apple ID or with an existing Apple ID and data from an older device. Whether you're a first-time user or upgrading your current iPhone to a new device, we've got you covered. Read on to learn how to transfer data from an existing device, restore your settings from iCloud, or create your very first Apple ID for your brand new iPhone.
How to Reply to Notifications from Your iPhone's Lock Screen
By Leanne Hays
With the latest iOS update, you can do more with your iPhone even before unlocking it. Here's how to respond to your notifications directly from the Lock screen. For iPhone 6s or later, you'll use 3D Touch. For the iPhone XR, you'll just use long press or swipe and tap.
App Saturday: Google Chrome
By Hallei Halter
Considering options for a web browsing alternative to Safari on your iPhone or iPad? Google Chrome is a fast web browser app that can quickly load pages and has loads of features you can easily learn to take advantage of. With so much to offer, here's why Google Chrome is one of our top choices.
Insider Walkthrough: Get a Sneak Peek of Member-Only Benefits
By Donna Cleveland
Check out our iPhone Life Insider walkthrough workshop. In this workshop, iPhone Life CEO David and editor-in-chief Donna Cleveland give you a sneak peek of all the member-only content you get when you purchase a subscription to iPhone Life Insider.
How to Flip the Rear & Front Camera During A FaceTime Call
By Hallei Halter
FaceTime video calls automatically use the front view camera. Here's how to flip the camera from front to rear view during a FaceTime call. It's helpful for showing the other person a quick house tour, the odd sleeping position your cat is in, or anything that's not directly next to you.
Three Easy Ways to Reboot Your Apple TV
By Hallei Halter
Occasionally your Apple TV may freeze, or otherwise start glitching, and need a restart. The Apple TV doesn't have a power button, but you can still restart it. Here are three easy ways to reboot your Apple TV.
iOS 13 Rumors & the New Features We’re Hoping for
By Sarah Kingsbury
In episode 103, David, Sarah, and Donna discuss the latest rumors and predictions for Apple’s next big software release for the iPhone and iPad. The team also shares the features that listeners are crossing their fingers for.
How to Make Lock Screen Notification Previews Private
By Hallei Halter
When your phone is locked, you can glance at the notification previews to see if you need to respond to something. But that means other people can too. Fortunately you don't have to turn off notification previews altogether to ensure your privacy. Instead you can set your notification previews to only be visible when your iPhone is unlocked. For iPhone X and later, Face ID works to keep your information secure. But if you have an older phone and have at least iOS 11 or later, this tip also works by using Touch ID.
App Saturday: YouTube
By Hallei Halter
I used to only watch YouTube when I wanted to do something specific, like looking up a how-to video or watching from a link someone sent me. With so many videos and not so very strict categories, I found it hard to find something I liked right off the bat when just browsing the app. But after liking some videos and subscribing to a couple channels, I began to better navigate YouTube's sea of videos. Now I can browse YouTube and enjoy videos relevant to what I like or branch out to discover new interests.
How to Hide the Sidebar in the iPad News App When in Landscape Mode
By Hallei Halter
If you're reading News in landscape mode on your iPad, you'll want to close the sidebar so there's more room for articles. To get rid of the sidebar in News on your iPad, you'll have to have the iPad updated to iOS 12.1.1 or newer.
How to Set Up & Use the ECG Feature on Your Apple Watch
By Hallei Halter
The new Apple Watch ECG app works with your Apple Watch Series 4 to read your heart's rhythm and detect any irregularities that might indicate atrial fibrillation (AFib), while letting you take note of any additional symptoms you want to record. To use the ECG app, your Apple Watch Series 4 with watchOS 5.1.2 or later needs to be paired with iPhone 5s or later with iOS 12.1.1 or later. Older Apple Watches do not have this feature.
How to Fix Upside Down iPhone Photos
By Hallei Halter
When you're taking photos with your iPhone, sometimes you have to finagle your phone a bit to get the right shot by tilting it or holding it on its side to use the volume buttons to snap a picture. But while the photos usually appear right-side up in the iPhone's Photos app regardless of how you were holding the phone when you snapped the picture, sometimes they don't. And sometimes the photos appear upside down when you're trying to upload the photos to your computer or when you send them in an email. Here's how to fix upside-down photos on your iPhone.
Restricted! iPhone & iPad Parental Control with iOS 12
By Leanne Hays
This will sound strange coming from someone who works for a tech publication, but I’ve been so worried about buying my daughter a cellphone that I’ve put it off until she was literally the last kid in her grade without one. What have I been worried about? Everything from the more minor things like screen addiction and gigantic data overages, to larger, 60 Minutes-level fears of her getting cyberbullied or meeting an online predator. Now, though, she’s almost 14 and will be in high school next year. I’ve come to the realization that it’s part of my job as a parent to ease my teenager into the technology that’s an everyday part of all our lives, rather than keeping her from it so she has to acclimate herself all at once when she’s old enough to purchase her own smartphone.
Review: Sturdy, but Slim & Stylish iPad Case from Solo
By Todd Bernhard
Solo sent me the Active Vector Slim iPad Case ($44.99) and it fit my 9.7-inch iPad from 2018 quite well. It is available in two color choices, all black or a gunmetal blue with black accents. I found both to be quite stylish, with a rubbery textured geometric pattern that also helps with grip.
Review: Orion Home Wireless HDMI Transmitter & Receiver
By Todd Bernhard
I've reviewed a number of accessories from Nyrius before, so I was excited to see the company's latest item, ORION Home Wireless HD Video Transmitter & Receiver ($149.99), had arrived. I liked the previous model, but it used miniUSB and the newer model is microUSB-based, which is a step up. It's also easier to set up; indeed it is set up by default, out of the box. The Orion Home is two boxes that look alike, but one is a transmitter and the other a receiver. They are both similar in size to the Apple TV, but with a perforated top, which probably helps with reception.
How to Connect & Set Up Your Apple TV & Apple TV Remote
By Leanne Hays
I'll confess that when I first learned about the Apple TV, I thought that it was, well, a TV. I remember being surprised at the price; "Wow! $149 for an HDTV, that's so reasonable for an Apple product!" Clearly, I had no idea what an Apple TV is, let alone how to hook one up or use one. Things have changed, though (it was a steep learning curve), and now I actually know how an Apple TV works, what's needed to connect one, how to set up an Apple TV, and even how to pair the remote or use your iPhone as a remote. Let's get started setting up your Apple TV!