How-To Guides about Apple

iOS 26 finally brings a feature messaging enthusiasts have been requesting for years, the ability to customize conversation backgrounds in the Messages app. Instead of staring at that familiar white backdrop that's defined iMessage since the beginning, Apple has finally introduced the ability to personalize text message backgrounds. Your chats look more engaging, and you can spot the right thread at a glance.

Apple's parental control game just got a major upgrade with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. As someone who's been tracking digital safety features across Apple's ecosystem for years, I can tell you this isn't just another incremental update; it is a comprehensive overhaul that addresses many of the gaps parents have been dealing with for far too long.

Apple's been quietly reshaping how we organize our digital lives, and macOS Tahoe is bringing some seriously impressive folder customization features that go way beyond what we've seen before. Not just a splash of color. A rethink of everyday file handling, with built-in emoji support, comprehensive color management, and cross-device sync that stays out of your way.

Apple's Notes app has quietly evolved from that basic note-taking tool to something genuinely powerful, and with iOS 26, it's taking another significant leap forward. MacRumors confirms that iOS 26, currently in beta, has gained new Markdown support, letting you seamlessly import and export files in the popular plain-text formatting language. The functionality works both ways: you can bring existing Markdown files into Notes while preserving formatting like headings, links, and lists, or export...

Picture this: you're working on sensitive code at 35,000 feet, need to process confidential documents without sending them to some server farm, or simply want an AI assistant that doesn't cost you $20/month forever. Sound familiar?

While iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 officially launched in September 2024, Apple has continued refining the experience with frequent updates. Now that the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 (yes … not 19) development cycle is up, future 18 updates may be isolated to bug fixes and security patches.

When you don't feel like talking, let your iPhone do all the work.

Thousands of emoji are available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and you can use these in many of the apps you have installed on your Apple devices. But there's one emoji you'll likely never see on any of Apple's official emoji keyboards, and its absence may surprise you at first, considering it's embedded in virtually every Apple product. That emoji is, of course, the Apple logo icon.

When typing an email or website address in a compatible input field on an iPhone, most people will manually type in the domain extension. But there's a much faster way to enter domain suffixes for email addresses and website URLs that you should be using on your keyboard. Even better, there's a way to customize what domain extensions appear in the keyboard shortcut.

Apple expanded its Food topic in Apple News into a full-blown section with recipes, restaurant reviews, kitchen tips, and more with the iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 software updates. The new Food section is exclusive to Apple News+ subscribers, but nonsubscribers can still view select stories and recipes.

Pinned tabs in Safari lock your most-frequented sites to the very top of each Tab Group, so the pages you rely on are never more than two quick taps away.

Your iPhone can already send messages with your voice, reply with a tap, and suggest words while you type. Now, with iOS 18.4, it can instantly launch a specific conversation from virtually anywhere on your device. Thanks to a new action in the Shortcuts app, you're just one tap (or Back Tap) away from texting your favorite contact.

Turn your Mac into a powerful transcription machine using the same AI that powers OpenAI's ChatGPT. With just a few Terminal commands, you can convert audio and video files into accurate text in minutes.

Safari on iOS just got a little nosier — and it could unintentionally expose more than you'd like. With Apple's latest update, your recent searches appear front and center whenever you open a new tab or tap into the address bar.

Safari on iOS is more powerful than it looks, especially when you know the hidden gestures that can make your browsing faster and more productive. These shortcuts quietly transform how you navigate the web, manage tabs, and share content across devices. Once you know them all, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them.

Apple's iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates are here, packed with enhancements that take device intelligence to the next level. New Apple Intelligence features lead the release, offering smarter tools for creativity, productivity, and everyday tasks. However, there are also new features for all iPhone, iPad, and Mac models — not just those supporting Apple Intelligence.

Your days as an ordinary Muggle are over — as long as you have an iPhone. With just a word or two, you can use your iPhone and newfound Muggle-born powers to cast spells or utilize charms just like Harry Potter and team. Only your "wand" is from Apple, not Ollivanders in Diagon Alley.

Although your iPhone does not offer an option to upgrade internal storage space using a memory card, as some Android phones do, there are plenty of things you can do to clear up storage so you can put everything you want on your device and stop getting those Storage Almost Full alerts.