We all know one person who just can’t use Siri in a calm tone. Is it you?
🍎 Secret spot to hide pics: On an iPhone, use the Notes app. Open the pic in your Photos app, tap the share icon and select Add to Quick Note. Then, go into the note you want to protect, tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner, and choose Lock.
🖥️ New Macs on the block: The new Mac Studios ($1,999) are here. You can choose between the M4 Max or the faster M3 Ultra. The new MacBook Air ($999) starts $100 cheaper than before. It has MagSafe 3 charging, a new webcam that centers you during video calls and fresh colors. Preorders are live and ship on March 12.
Want to improve Apple Maps? A new app called Maps Surveyor lets you take pictures of street signs and roadside details on assigned routes. But there’s a catch: You’ll need to have the Premise app installed first. That’s a platform that rewards people for completing small tasks. So yes, you might get paid!
How to download iOS18 Beta
The latest iOS update, 18, is in beta and you can try it on your phone now. We’ll walk you through the process. A word of warning: Beta software is still in the buggy phase, so not everything will work smoothly.
📱 Your iCloud’s will: Setting up a Legacy Contact lets a loved one access your Apple ID after you pass. If you don’t name a contact, everything will be locked forever. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign-in & Security > Legacy Contact > Add Legacy Contact. Choose a contact and press Continue. Send an Access Key via text or print it out. Keep it safe.
Got an iPad? Drag an app from the dock and place it alongside another open app. They’ll run side by side in Split View. Slide down to convert it to Slide Over mode. Super useful.
Size matters: Find and delete large files to free up space. On a PC, open File Explorer and type “size:>100MB” in the search bar. Any files bigger than that will pop up. For a Mac, click the Apple menu icon in the top left. Then, go to System Settings > General > Storage > Documents > Large Files tab.
🎧 Drown out distractions on your Mac: If you’re in a loud place, turn on background sounds to mask unwanted noise. Go to Accessibility > Audio > Background Sounds > Choose, then pick from Rain, Ocean and more. Pair this with noise canceling earbuds (like the Apple AirPods Pro 2) for an even better experience.
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Save battery on your iPad: By default, most apps run in the background and drain power. Social media and messaging apps might need this, but many others don’t. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh, check what’s important, and turn off the ones you don’t need.
Add a mouse to your iPad: All you need is a Bluetooth mouse. (This one rules.) On your iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth, find your mouse under Other Devices, and tap to Pair. Once connected, a circular cursor should appear. FYI: You’ll need iPadOS 13.4 or later for this to work.
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🔍 What the heck does that say? You can magnify a Mac app. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Zoom and toggle on “Use scroll gesture with modifier keys to zoom.” Set your modifier key to Control. Now, with an app open, hold Control + Scroll Up with your mouse.
Pump it up down: Your iPhone’s speaker goes a lot louder than what’s good for your ears. From Settings, pick Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety > Reduce Loud Audio. This one’s good to adjust for the kids, too.
👀 All the better to see you with: Your iPhone uses the camera to detect if you’re looking at it. That’s why your notifications are quieter, your phone auto-unlocks and your brightness doesn’t dim when you’re looking at the screen. Don’t like it? Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Turn off Attention Aware Features.
🐌 Sloooow down: On your Mac, adjust how fast your cursor whips around the screen. Hit the Apple menu > System Settings > Mouse or Trackpad Select Click Point & Click, then drag the Tracking speed slider to your liking.
📱 Update your iPhone now: Apple iOS 18.2, the update that superpowers Siri with AI, also fixes 21 security issues. That includes a major flaw in Apple’s Passwords app. Still on iOS 17? There’s a fix for you, too. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Update your iPhone: iOS 18 is live for every model newer than the iPhone X. No Apple Intelligence (aka Apple’s take on AI) until next month, but it’s still worth updating. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. Follow the on-screen steps, then you’re good to go.
Tips for better iPhone battery life
Phone dying too fast throughout the day? Try one or all of these tips for more juice.