Tips and Tricks
Apple Music’s new Playlist Playground in iOS 26.4 uses AI to create custom playlists based on any mood, genre, or activity you describe. Just type what you’re in the mood for and let the app do the rest.
Is your Mac typing the wrong characters or rejecting your password? You may have accidentally switched keyboard layouts. Here’s how to check your input source and prevent it from happening again.
Tired of typing credit card numbers into websites and apps that don’t support Apple Pay? iOS 26 lets you save cards in Wallet and use AutoFill to enter your payment details anywhere—here’s how to set it up and use it.
Drowning in open tabs and can’t find the one playing sound? Look for the speaker icon on the tab itself, or use Safari’s address bar icon or Chrome’s music note for quick control.
Missing texts from unknown numbers? iOS 26 filters them into hidden lists. Here’s where to find them in the Messages app—and how to mark senders as known so you don’t miss important messages. PS: The same applies to calls in the Phone app.
Tired of identical blue folders? macOS 26 Tahoe lets you add colors and icons—including emoji—to folders with a few clicks. Here’s how to make your Finder easier to navigate.
Tired of truncated filenames in the Finder’s Column view? macOS 26.1 Tahoe adds a simple checkbox to auto-resize columns—and you can enable the same feature in earlier macOS versions with a quick Terminal command or free utility.
Apple’s new Creator Studio bundle includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, and more—plus premium content and AI features in the iWork apps—for $12.99/month or $129/year. Don’t worry—Keynote, Pages, and Numbers stay free for existing features.
Struggling to read the clock on your iPhone Lock Screen? iOS 26.2 lets you manually adjust the transparency—or switch to a solid background for better readability.
Dark room, important video call? macOS 26.2’s Edge Light transforms your Mac’s display into an on-screen ring light, illuminating your face so you’re visible on camera.
Apple’s new DJ‑style AutoMix transitions between songs in the Music app aren’t to everyone’s taste (and sometimes flub the jump). Here’s how to switch back to a timed Crossfade or disable transitions in Music on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Speed up your Mac’s startup, reduce conflicts, and improve security by cleaning out old login items. It takes just a minute in System Settings.
Phishing has a new face—literally. Scammers can now use AI tools to fake voices and videos that look real. Before you act on an “urgent” request, look for audio or visual clues and verify through another channel.
Apple’s new Liquid Glass design lets you make iPhone and iPad icons and widgets dark, clear, or tinted. Discover how to access these customization options and see if they enhance your Home Screen.
macOS 26 Tahoe brings a new Recovery Assistant, which automatically detects and attempts to resolve Mac problems. Just remember: automated recovery can be helpful, but backups are still essential.
Apple’s Passwords app can now show your password history in macOS 26 Tahoe, iOS 26, and iPadOS 26, helping you track down why that “correct” password isn’t working.
New App Store Accessibility Nutrition Labels show which apps support Apple’s accessibility features—a win for anyone who needs these capabilities now or in the future.
Want to display your contacts with the last name shown first? Here’s how to configure your iPhone, iPad, and Mac to display “Anderson, Andy” instead of “Andy Anderson.”
Apple restored blood oxygen monitoring on recent US Apple Watch models through a creative workaround that processes and displays data on the iPhone instead of the watch. Here’s how to get it working again.
macOS 15 Sequoia has a new way you can keep your hands on the key-board. Press Control-Return to open contextual menus—no mouse required. Try it out and speed up your workflow on your Mac.
If your iPhone 16 or A17 Pro iPad mini gets stuck during an update, Apple’s new recovery feature lets you use a nearby iPhone or iPad to get back up and running.
Dropbox Passwords will shut down on October 28, 2025. Switch to 1Password or another password manager now to avoid losing your stored credentials.
Apple’s new AppleCare One plan allows you to cover multiple devices under a single subscription and even add devices up to 4 years old. At $19.99 per month for three devices, it could save you money and simplify your AppleCare coverage.
A clever new scam masquerades as a CAPTCHA test, asking users to paste text into Terminal to prove they’re human. Instead, it installs malware designed to steal passwords, browser data, and other sensitive information.
Curious about how your personal information shows up in Google searches? Google’s Results About You service helps you monitor and manage your digital footprint.
Another day, another breach—this time involving 16 billion passwords. Despite alarming headlines about Apple, Facebook, and Google accounts, there’s no need to panic. Our advice? Use unique passwords and enable 2FA.
The threat of tariffs raising iPhone prices has prompted many upgrades to the iPhone 16 lineup. For those new to Face ID—or anyone who isn’t familiar with it—we have an app-switching tip that everyone should know and use.
To prevent fingerprint smudges and other grime from impacting the quality of your iPhone photos, clean the lens occasionally with a microfiber cloth or at least the edge of your T-shirt.
Make accessing your iPhone, iPad, and Mac easier for trusted family members by setting them up so they can use Touch ID or Face ID.

Running macOS 26.4? You may start seeing warnings about Intel-based apps not opening. They won’t stop working until macOS 28, but now’s the time to find replacements. Here’s how to identify which apps need attention.