18 solutions to fix widgets not working or refreshing on iPhone and iPad

 Widgets on the iPhone and iPad Home Screen and Today View show helpful information at a glance. They cut or reduce the need to open the app. Weather, Stocks, Maps, and most other widgets must frequently refresh to give you the latest, correct, up-to-date information. 18 solutions to fix widgets not working or refreshing on iPhone and iPad?

However, if Apple and third-party app widgets are not working, updating, or refreshing on your iPhone or iPad, here’s what you should do to fix these issues.

Operating systems that support widgets

Widgets in Today View (accessed by swiping right on the first Home Screen or Lock Screen) has been on iPhone and iPad since iOS 8, released in 2014.

Starting with iOS 14, released in 2020, you can also place widgets on the iPhone Home Screen (except the Dock).

Related: How to find, add, and remove Home Screen widgets on iPhone

18 solutions to fix widgets not working or refreshing on iPhone and iPad

Here’s how to fix widget problems in iOS and iPadOS:

Ensure internet connectivity

Most widgets need Wi-Fi or Cellular data (5G, 4G, or 3G) to refresh their information. For example, you can only get the latest stock numbers, weather reports, or new emails in their respective widgets if they can fetch new data with the help of internet connectivity.

Visit any webpage in Safari or play a YouTube video to see if you’re connected to the internet or not. In case you aren’t, fix Wi-Fi and Cellular data issues.

Restart your iPhone

In many cases, the widgets may not refresh due to minor, temporary glitches that can be easily addressed by switching off your iPhone and switching it back on.

Edit the widget

You have to edit some kinds of widgets after adding them to the Home Screen for relevant information to be displayed on it. Here’s how to do that. We’re using the example of the weather widget.

1. Press the widget on the Home Screen and tap Edit Widget.
2. Tap Location and select the right city. Note: You will see the cities here only if you had added them in the Weather app.

Edit Widget preferences on iPhone

This is also true for third-party widgets apps like Widgetsmith. Until you edit the added widget, you may not see any useful information, and the widget may just occupy the space showing a black or white area.

Check relevant widget permissions

Let us assume you use weather, maps, or reminders widget that relies on your location to refresh and show the correct data. If that app isn’t permitted to access your location or if you have turned off location, then the widget would naturally fail to work. Here’s how to fix that:

1. Open the iPhone or iPad Settings app and scroll to the bottom.
2. From here, tap the app name whose widget isn’t working.
3. Tap Location and make sure the app is permitted to use the location. For that, select While Using the App or Always.
4. In addition to location, make sure other relevant and necessary permissions are given to the app.

Note: In case you don’t see the Location toggle in step 3, go to iPhone Settings > Privacy > Location Services and make sure it’s on. Next, tap the app name and allow it to access the location.

Enable Background App Refresh

Apps and their widget can fetch new content in the background when Background App Refresh is enabled. If you had turned it off to save battery, here’s how to enable it again to ensure the widgets update with the latest information on time:

1. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
2. Tap Background App Refresh and make sure it’s set to Wi-Fi & Cellular Data.
3. Optional: Go back, and you can turn off Background App Refresh for unnecessary apps. Doing so will help save some battery.

Update the app whose widget isn’t working

Many times the widgets may not work due to a bug in the app. For example, if a third-party widget doesn’t refresh or work properly, go to the App Store and update the app. Doing so should make the widget work properly.

Disable Low Power Mode

In Low Power Mode, several activities like Background App Refresh, Mail fetch, and such are limited to conserve battery. If the relevant widgets aren’t updating with new information, go to iPhone Settings > Battery and turn off Low Power Mode.

Turn off Low Data Mode

With Low Data Mode, available for both Wi-Fi and Cellular, your iPhone uses less data on that particular network. If you’re on a limited plan, this may help but also create some annoyances like widgets failing to work properly.

To address this, go to iPhone Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Mode and turn off Low Data Mode. If you use two SIM cards, make sure to select a line to see the Low Data Mode toggle.

Next, go to the first Settings app screen, tap Wi-Fi > (i) next to your Wi-Fi network, and make sure Low Data Mode is off.

Update your iPhone or iPad

Suppose third-party or built-in widgets like Batteries, Weather, Stocks, News, Music, Notes, Reminders, App Store, Smart Stack, Calendar, Clock, Contacts, Files, Find My, Fitness, Game Center, Mail, Maps, Photos, Podcasts, Screen Time, Shortcuts, Siri Suggestions, Sleep, Tips, or TV aren’t working. In that case, the best solution is to update your iPhone or iPad.

To do that, go to Settings > General > Software Update and get the latest version of iOS or iPadOS that has most likely fixed the bug due to which widgets do not work or refresh.

Remove and add the widget again

If the widget continues to not work as expected, follow these steps to remove it and add it again to the iOS Home Screen:

1. Press the widget and tap Remove Widget > Remove.
2. Restart your iPhone.
3. Add the widget once again by pressing any empty area on the Home Screen > plus icon > select the app > select widget size > Add Widget.

Once you do this, the widget should work properly. And in case it doesn’t show the correct info, make sure you edit it with the right option (explained above).

Delete the app and reinstall it

In some cases, the widgets may continue to stay stagnant and refuse to work unless you delete the main app and reinstall it. You can start by offloading the said app, and if that doesn’t work, delete it entirely and reinstall it.

Temporarily change the device region or language

You can give this little hack a shot if widgets are still not working, refreshing, and showing the right data.

Go to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language and choose a different language than you know. For example, instead of English (US), try selecting English (UK) or English (India). You can also go with something entirely different like French or Spanish if you know these. After this, go to the iPhone Home Screen and see if the widgets work in a few seconds or not.

If not, you back to Settings > General > Language & Region > Region and select a different region. Again, go to the Home Screen and see if this region change has forced the widget to refresh and work or not.

Once you have an answer, follow the same steps and set your correct language and region as before.

Tap the widget to refresh it

Most widgets are designed to offer you information right on the Home Screen. However, in some cases, you might have to tap the widget so that it can refresh and then display the latest relevant information inside the app.

This phenomenon mostly happens with third-party widgets.

Unlock your iPhone to fix blurred widgets

Some widgets like Screen Time, Contacts, or a bank app may not show any data in the Today View when the iPhone is locked. This is by design to prevent sensitive data from being visible on the Lock Screen. As of iOS 15, there isn’t a toggle in iPhone settings to give you a choice to show information on such widgets even when the device is locked.

Widgets not working on the iPhone Lock screen

I swiped right on my iPhone Lock Screen to access the Today View. You can see that the big Screen Time widget and the Contacts widget have blurred the information. Once I unlock my iPhone with Face ID (or Touch ID), these widgets will become active.

Switch to actual, individual widgets instead of Smart Stack and Widget Stack

Are you using the Smart Stack widget or your custom Widget Stack and relying on it to automatically show you the appropriate information? In an ideal world, there is nothing wrong with this approach. But if due to bugs or any other conflicting issues, these smart widgets aren’t showing the right information, remove them and instead switch to the relevant individual widgets. Surely, this will take up a lot of space on the Home Screen pages, but you can put a few important ones on the Home Screen and the rest in Today View.

Use fewer widgets

If your Home Screen pages are loaded with dozens of widgets, consider reducing the number by getting rid of unnecessary or less important ones.

Reset all settings

Finally, if nothing helps, go ahead and reset all settings. This will almost certainly fix the problem of the ongoing widgets without affecting your photos, videos, apps, app data, and other personal stuff.

Contact the app developer or Apple Support

This is how you can fix the issue of widgets not working, updating, or refreshing on your iPhone or iPad.

In rare cases, if the problem continues and your widget issues have not been solved, please get in touch with the app developer and inform them of the problem or ask for help.

If all widgets don’t work or some specific widgets of built-in Apple apps don’t work, you can chat with Apple Support to get more answers.

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3 Cool Tricks to Get the Most Out of your Apple Watch Heart Rate Monitor

 Even though it’s not perfect, your Apple Watch is a great tool to keep your health in check. You can use it to monitor the noise around you, track all your workouts, and even keep track of your heart rate throughout the day.

The Apple Watch uses the green led lights on its underside to measure your heart rate during workouts, mindfulness breathing sessions, or just when you’re sitting on your couch all day. 

Still, if you aren’t that knowledgeable about the subject, you may not understand what every number in the Heart Rate app means. But don’t worry; it’s actually easier than you may think. Here’s everything you need to know. 

What Your Heart Rate Numbers Mean

If you go to the Heart Rate app on your Apple Watch, you’ll see that your Watch measures your heart rate during three different moments throughout the day. Let’s dissect them.

Current Heart Rate

This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but your current heart rate will show you what your heart rate looks like right now. This is the best way to find out how your heart is doing with your Apple Watch because you’ll get an immediate response with your current beats per minute, or bpm.

Depending on what you’re doing, on average, you should see a number between 60 bpm to 100 bpm. This is a normal range.

Resting Rate

The resting rate section will show you your heart rate when you sleep. You’ll need to use your Apple Watch while going to bed at night to measure your heart. 

This is the lowest your heart will beat in the day. Again, numbers might look different to you, but on average, you should see anywhere between 60 bpm to 80 bpm while you sleep.

Walking Average

As you can probably tell, the walking average will show you your heart rate while you’re walking. Your Apple Watch can automatically detect when you’re walking and will scan you so you know how well you’re doing. Keep in mind that this measurement will vary a lot depending on if you’re walking as an exercise or walking really fast. So yours might be very different, but some people’s heart rate can go up to 120 bpm.

1: Manage Your Workouts

If you use the Workout app, your Apple Watch will actively track your heart rate constantly during the workout and then up to 3 minutes after you’re done to give you a better reading. 

These numbers will vary completely on who you are. Factors like age and how physically active you are will be involved during this measurement. 

Plus, the workout you do is important too. Some workouts like HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) are made to increase your heart rate to the max, so you can expect to heart to pump up to 200 beats per minute. 

As we mentioned, your Apple Watch will track your heart rate up to 3 minutes after you finish your workout. This is to show you how well your heart rate drops after exercising. Again, this is completely different from person to person. Fit people will have a faster recovery, but you’ll probably see your heart rate drop anywhere between 20 to 30 bpm in the first couple of minutes after you finish a workout.

2: Check Your Heart Rate on Your iPhone

If you’ve had your Apple Watch for a while, you can see a chart of your heart rate in the last few weeks, months, and even a year. Here’s how:

1. On your iPhone, open the Health app.
2. Tap on the Browse tab in the bottom right corner of your screen.
3. Select Heart.
4. Tap on Heart Rate. 

On Heart Rate, you can see your heart rate range along with a bit more information. You can also go back by tapping the back button in the top left corner and check your performance over the past seven days.

3: Make Your Apple Watch Notify You If Something’s Wrong

Your Apple Watch can notify you whenever your heart rate is too high or too low. This is especially helpful if you already suffer from heart disease, but everyone can use this feature to prevent a major problem. 

There are many people who claim their Apple Watches saved them because of notifications like this, so it’s worth giving it a shot. 

Enable Heart Rate Notifications on Apple Watch

1. Press the Digital Crown to go to your Apple Watch’s Home Screen.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Scroll down and tap on Heart.
4. Scroll down again and select High Heart Rate Notifications.
5. Choose the Threshold you want. 
6. Tap in the top left corner of your screen to go back.
7. Tap on Low Heart Rate Notifications.
8. Choose your Threshold again. 

Enable Heart Rate Notifications on iPhone

1. Open the Watch app.
2. Scroll down and tap on Heart.
3. Tap on Hight Heart Rate.
4. Select your Threshold.
5. Go back to the previous page and tap on Low Heart Rate.
6. Select your Threshold again. 

Now, if you reach your threshold, your Apple Watch will notify you instantly. 

What to Do If Your Heart Rate Doesn’t Feel Right

Everyone’s heart is different, and yours might function differently than others, even without a heart condition. 

With that said, average heart rates exist so we can better understand how well our heart is working while we relax, work out, or even eat. Your heart rate might go up instantly, and that might feel scary, but it could be for something as normal as eating or going up the stairs. 

Still, if you think something’s wrong with your heart rate, the only thing you should do is visit your healthcare provider. You can’t really find the answers to your specific situation online. The only way to figure out if your heart rate is okay or not is to go with someone with more knowledge on the subject and much better equipment than just a watch on your wrist. 

Even if you feel like nothing’s wrong with your heart rate, it’s always a good idea to visit your health provider every now and then and do regular check-ups after a while just to make sure everything’s working fine. 

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8 Best Apple Pencil Hidden Features You Should Use

  The iPad and the Apple pencil are a perfect match. The Apple pencil was made for the iPad. Sure, the iPad can do without the Apple Pencil and keyboard, but you're missing out on the perfect iPad experience. Because Apple's Apple pencil for iPad has hidden features you should try.

To get the most out of your iPad screen and make it your productivity tool, it's important to have the Apple pencil.

Use double-tap gestures for retouching by turning on "double-tap action.

When using the Apple pencil as an eraser, you can turn on "double-tap" and set it to double-tap to switch to the eraser tool to help you quickly complete erasing operations during your drawing and retouching work without having to repeatedly use the eraser function of the app.

1, open the "Settings" application on the iPad, that is, the application of the gear icon.

2, click "Accessibility", then click "Apple pencil".

3. Turn off "Double-tap" or change the duration of the double-tap gesture to a speed you are satisfied with in the following options.

If turning on the "double-tap" feature of the Apple pencil interferes with you, you can disable it by following the previous steps.

Turn on "Doodle with Apple pencil only.

What is Apple pencil doodling? For example, you can select an entire sentence by drawing a circle over the text you're typing, delete text by drawing a slash over misspelled text or separate two pieces of text by inserting a space between them by drawing a vertical line between them.

If you often use an Apple pencil to enter text, Doodle makes it easy to edit text quickly, improve the efficiency of entering text, and improve your writing experience.

Turn on "Write As You Go"

You can use the "Write by hand" feature to convert handwritten text to text in any app. It is much easier and faster than handwriting in the input method, and it can recognize scribbled handwriting fonts with high accuracy.

You can handwrite text directly in the text input box, and it also supports Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese, and Portuguese.

Quick note-taking

After upgrading to iPadOS 15, you can use the Apple pencil to take notes quickly, and by quickly, I mean the Apple pencil works perfectly with Apple's Memo, so you can use it to take notes quickly without opening Memo. How do I turn it on?

1、When you hover the tip of an Apple pencil over the bottom right corner of your iPad screen, a pop-up menu will appear, then tap it.

2、A quick notes window will pop up immediately, and you can write down notes directly.

Currently, only Apple's own memo app is supported, and third-party note apps such as OneNote are not yet supported. However, Apple's own Memo app is also feature-rich, allowing you to edit text and insert tables.

Screenshot and quickly add annotations

For those of you who regularly learn through live classes, it's crucial to take screenshots to save your instructor's lectures.

Use the Apple pencil to take quick screenshots. Swipe the Apple pencil from the bottom left corner of the screen to take a quick screenshot.

If you need to edit the screenshot at this point, you can tap on it and make any necessary annotations using the iPad editor with a pen, silver pen, pencil, eraser, and other annotation tools. Tap the top left corner to save, and tap the top right corner to edit or delete or share.

Quick note-taking on the lock screen

The note-taking and screenshot editing mentioned above are available only after unlocking the screen. How to take notes on the lock screen?

Open the screen and tap the tip of the Apple pencil twice on the iPad screen to open the memo.

For quick note-taking and instant inspiration, the Apple pencil supports note-taking on the lock screen.

Apple pencil pressure sensitivity

With pressure sensitivity that rivals professional digital pens, the Apple pencil simulates a standard pencil on the iPad screen, drawing thick and thin lines with the force of your wrist, just like a pencil on paper.

How to replace your Apple pencil tip

The Apple pencil comes with two nibs when you purchase it. For those who use the Apple pencil often, the tips will wear out. This is especially true for users with frosted or paper-like films.

Replacing the Apple pencil is actually very easy, just unscrew the nib counterclockwise and replace it with a new one and you're done.

If you run out of nibs, you can also buy them on the official website, Apple pencil nibs A set of 4 for 142 yuan.

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6 Fun and Surprising Ways to Improve Your Mac’s Pointer

 Believe it or not, your Mac’s cursor—or pointer comes with many customization features. 6 Fun and Surprising Ways to Improve Your Mac’s Pointer.

You can change your cursor’s look to make it more your style or increase its size so it’s easier to see. You can even change the way you scroll when browsing the web or reading on your Mac.

Likewise, it also comes with a lot of accessibility features, so everyone can still control their Mac’s cursor, even without a mouse. 

The best part is that it’ll only take you a few clicks to customize it the way you want it. There are many things you can change, so we’ll only give you the basics for you to start customizing it. 

Whether you call it a cursor or a pointer, here’s how you can customize it on your Mac. 

How to Change Your Pointer’s Color

Changing the color of your pointer is an easy way to make it stand out on your Mac’s screen, which will make it a lot easier to spot it when you need to. Plus, you can personalize it and use your favorite colors. 

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen. 
2. Click on System Preferences.
3. Select Accessibility.
4. Click Display on the left side menu. 
5. Click the Pointer tab.
6. Change the Pointer outline color and the Pointer color to whatever you’d like, and it’ll change automatically.

Now you have a cool-looking pointer but if you decide you don’t like it and want to go back to the original, just click on Reset. 

Change the Pointer Size of your Mac

Another great way to spot the pointer instantly is to change its size to whatever you feel more comfortable with. Here’s how you can do it.

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select System preferences.
3. Click on Accessibility.
4. Click Display located on the left side menu.
5. Click the Pointer tab at the top of the window. 
6. Under Pointer Size, drag the slider to make it bigger. 

If you want to go back to the default settings, just drag the slider all the way to the left to its original size. 

Make Your Pointer Larger by Shaking It

A pretty neat trick not everyone knows about is that you can shake your pointer, and it’ll become bigger. This is meant to help you spot it on your screen. If you want to enable or disable this feature, you can do so by following these steps:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Click on System Preferences.
3. Select Accessibility.
4. Click Display on the left side menu.
5. Click on the Pointer tab at the top of the window. 
6. Click Shake mouse pointer to locate to enable or disable this feature. 

Now, all you need to do is shake your mouse or quickly move your pointer with your Trackpad, and the pointer will start to become larger and easier to see on your screen. 

Change Your Scrolling Speed

If you feel like your scrolling speed is too fast or slow, you can change it at any time on your Mac. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Accessbility.
4. Click Pointer Control on the left side menu. 
5. Depending on what you use, click on Trackpad Options or Mouse Options.
6. Use the slider to change the scrolling speed to whatever feels right for you. 
7. Click on OK when you’re done. 

If you use the Trackpad, you can also make it, so you don’t scroll with inertia. This basically means that when inertia is on, the page will keep scrolling for a few moments after you stop scrolling on your Trackpad. It gives a cool, smooth effect, but it can get annoying too, so change it to whatever feels better for you. 

Use Your Keyboard as a Mouse

You can change the settings to control the pointer with nothing but your keyboard or a number pad, which is perfect for people who need some accessibility advantages.

1. Open the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Click on System Preferences.
3. Click on Accessbilitity. 
4. Select Pointer Control m the left side menu.
5. Click on the Alternate Control Methods tab at the top of your screen. 
6. Click Enable Mouse Keys to turn on this feature.

You can click on Options right next to it to personalize this feature even more. You can create a shortcut to trigger this option, make it, so your Mac completely ignores your Trackpad and more.

Control the Mac’s Pointer With Your Head

If you want, you can also control your pointer with your head. Yeah, you read that right. Of course, your Mac will need to have a camera available to support this feature. Still, if you’re on a MacBook or an iMac, that’ll be perfect if you can’t or don’t want to use your hands to control your pointer.

1. Open the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Click on Accessibility. 
4. Select Pointer Control on the left side menu.
5. Click on the Alternate Control Methods tab at the top of the window. 
6. Click Enable Head Pointer.

You can click the options next to this option to customize it. You can change the pointer speed and use facial expressions to stop or resume instantly. You can also create your own facial expressions to customize your controls further. You can make your own shortcuts or actions that are specific to you. 

Keep on Customizing

There are other ways to customize your Mac’s pointer to have it just the way you like it. 

Remember that you can always disable some features to change your pointer back to its original form. You can try different methods for you to use your pointer and always go back to whatever felt natural for you in the first place. 

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Some iPhone Users Are Getting Stalking Alerts for AirTags That Aren’t There

 In its efforts to prevent criminals from using AirTags for unwanted tracking, it seems that Apple may have gotten a bit overzealous and introduced some big bugs into the system. Some iPhone Users Are Getting Stalking Alerts for AirTags That Aren’t There.

Even though Apple was the first company to even think of adding anti-stalking alerts to its location-tracking tags, the company got pilloried in the weeks following their release, accusing it of not doing enough to protect victims of domestic violence.

While many of the criticisms were valid — it’s fair to say Apple probably should have consulted with some of these groups when AirTags was still in development — Apple also responded to the allegations pretty quickly. It reduced the amount of time before an orphaned AirTag would sound an audible alert, released an Android app for detecting AirTags, added new warnings, and improved notification options in iOS 15.4, and most recently, it even made the audible warning sound even louder and more distinct.

However, in its efforts to shore up the AirTag’s safety features, Apple may have overshot the mark. A new report from the Wall Street Journal (Apple News+) revealed that some users are getting alerts that they’re being stalked by an AirTag even when they’re not.

At least, that certainly appears to be the case. While there’s always the possibility of a false alarm when you’re out in a built-up area, some users are getting these alerts in the middle of the night, when they’re not going anywhere, and it’s implausible that somebody has planted an AirTag on them.

Further, these phantom alerts all share another common oddity: when opening up the map that shows where the tag has been following them, users see a series of straight red lines radiating out from their current location — lines that don’t make sense for a whole lot of reasons.

If an AirTag were in motion (perhaps flying?) along these paths, it would be crossing in the middle of city streets, passing through construction zones, and even penetrating walls. Dalvin Brown The Wall Street Journal

It’s pretty clear that these notifications are the result of a bug, but it’s still causing confusion and concern for the folks receiving them. Many fear they are being stalked and go on a hunt for an AirTag that isn’t actually there.

It’s unclear how widespread this problem is, but the WSJ notes that reports of it have appeared on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and elsewhere, so these aren’t isolated incidents.

The problem is that as improbable as it is that somebody planted an AirTag on you at home, a tracking alert like this isn’t the sort of thing you want to ignore.

The WSJ shared the story of a 25-year-old marketer in Indianapolis who discovered a safety alert on his iPhone when he woke up last month and frantically searched for the AirTag, to the point of having a mechanic check his car and asking neighbors if they owned one.

Another person, a 45-year-old Toronto-based consumer researcher, realized that the pattern on the map “looked super weird” and led him to wonder if his neighbor’s dog had swallowed an AirTag.

How Unknown AirTag Alerts Are Supposed to Work

It’s unlikely that you would receive an alert about an unknown AirTag when you’ve already been home for several hours. The alerts aren’t designed to go off unless you’ve been moving.

Since you could be surrounded by AirTags belonging to other people, Apple has placed certain conditions on the unknown AirTag alerts to prevent the kind of false alarms that would otherwise occur several times a day:

1. An AirTag has to be away from its owner’s iPhone or iPad. An AirTag traveling with its owner isn’t likely being used for stalking. Even if the person who owns the AirTag is actually stalking you, the AirTag isn’t the problem in that case.
2. An AirTag has to be moving with you. If you happen to come across a stray AirTag that has been separated from its owner, you still won’t get an alert. After all, the AirTag isn’t stalking you unless it keeps showing up at the same places that you’re at. The text in the alert even says, “AirTag Found Moving With You.” If the AirTag is stationary, it’s much more likely just lost, so there’s no need to alert you to its presence.
3. An AirTag has to be with you over some time. There are scenarios where a lost AirTag might be moving with you but not tracking you. For example, if somebody forgot their bag or jacket on public transit. To avoid false alarms, Apple won’t notify you of an AirTag found moving with you unless it’s been moving with you for a while or it’s with you when you return to a place you frequent, such as your home, workplace, or another regular hangout.
4. The alert should include a realistic map of where you’ve been. Since you won’t get the alert until the AirTag has been moving with you for a while, the notification will include a map that shows the path you took with the AirTag.

Apple doesn’t say how long this timeframe is, but from the reports we’ve heard, it’s likely in the neighborhood of a few hours rather than a few minutes. Earlier this week, we reported on the story of a teen girl who had an AirTag planted on her at Disney World. In that case, the girl’s Find My app reported that the AirTag had been following her around the theme park for a little over four hours.

This certainly makes it possible that you may not get an unknown AirTag warning until you return home. However, since Apple considers your home address to be a significant location, if an AirTag is following you, you’ll get that alert within minutes of arriving at your house, not several hours later that night or the following day.

It’s also important to remember that both you and the AirTag have to be moving together. If you’re sitting at home and your neighbor’s dog is running around outside with an AirTag, this won’t trigger a valid alert since that AirTag is not being used to track you. After all, if someone plants an AirTag on you, they already know where you are; it’s not a threat until you move to another location with it.

A Possible Fix?

When the folks at the WSJ reached out to Apple, a spokesman said that it’s possible these alerts could result in a message stating, “from an iPhone receiving area Wi-Fi signals that temporarily confused its location services.” He suggested going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggling the switch off and back on while Wi-Fi is enabled. He also said that it’s possible for AirTags owned by others nearby to inadvertently trigger unwanted alerts in “more densely populated areas.”

If this is a bug, it’s unclear whether it’s something on Apple’s back-end systems or an issue in the latest iOS 15 releases. Most of those affected haven’t shared what version of iOS or model of iPhone they’re using. Regardless, hopefully, it’s something Apple fixes soon.

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Apple working on display for foldable iPhones using tech similar to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

  Foldable displays require thinner display panels, more durable flexible materials, and lower power consumption display technology, but, according to 9to5mac, Apple has begun developing a new, thinner OLED display that can be folded. The technology described is similar to that used in the Samsung galaxy z fold 3.

In order to make the panel thinner, more durable, and lower power consumption, it will need to compromise on technical specifications such as panel brightness, and Apple is unlikely to compromise on immature technology.

According to previous reports, the first generation of Samsung galaxy z fold uses a polarized sheet to make the panel thinner, but the light transmission is not good, affecting the screen brightness, in order to improve the brightness, it will improve power consumption and reduce the screen life.

We usually wear polarized sunglasses, you can filter out part of the dazzling light, reducing the brightness.

According to The Elec, Samsung's third-generation galaxy z fold uses OLED panels without polarizers and uses a technology called "Eco Square" to improve light transmission and reduce power consumption.

Apple is developing OLED panels without polarizers, and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple is testing a device with a 9-inch foldable OLED display. Then outsourced to companies such as Samsung and LG production.

Instead of developing a foldable screen for a foldable iPhone or iPad, Apple is improving its screen production technology to make future iPhones or iPads lighter and thinner. What do you think?

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10 very useful Mac features, there are surely some you haven't used yet.

 The Mac operating system that we use today was introduced 21 years ago. Whether you’ve been using the Mac longer than that or you’re new to it, macOS is a vast operating system, and there are always features that you either don’t know or have forgotten about, features that you can take advantage of to help you get stuff done. Here are 10 very useful Mac features, there are surely some you haven't used yet.

Here are macOS tips and features that you may not know about or forgot about, and they can help you get more out of your Mac. Some of these have been on the Mac for a while, but others are relatively new. These tips and features are in the latest version of macOS Monterey.

Rearrange menu bar icons

The menu bar is a good way to quickly access frequently-used settings and other functions. To get the most out of it, you can rearrange the icon order to your preferred locations. To move an icon, hold the Command button, and then click and drag the icon to where you want.

A few menu bar items can’t be moved, such as the date and time, Siri, and Control Center. All of the icons to the left of those immovable icons can be rearranged.

Customize (and locate) your cursor

If you’ve been using the Mac for as long as I have, that white-and-black pointer cursor is a familiar sight. You can actually give it a little personality with some customizations in the Accessibility settings.

In the Display section of Accessibility, there are settings for Pointer, which modify Mac’s cursor. You can make the cursor bigger, and you can change its outline and fill colors. Have a little fun and make your Mac a little more personal.

And here’s a bonus tip: Inside the Pointer tab you’ll find a checkbox for “Shake mouse pointer to locate.” Turn it on and you’ll be able to wiggle your mouse back and forth quickly to briefly enlarge your cursor. This is great if you often find yourself unable to spot the cursor.

Tile your windows

One of the main reasons users prefer working on a Mac instead of an iPad or iPhone is because macOS is made for multitasking and working in multiple apps at once. For example, I’m writing this in Apple Pages while jumping over to Pixelmator Pro to look at and edit screenshots.

I have a single display on my Mac and I use the Tile Window feature so I can see both apps clearly. Tile Window is available in every Mac app, and to activate it in the app you are using, go to Window in the menu bar, and select Tile Window to the Left (or Right) of the Screen.

The app you are in will move to the side, and the other side will display the other available app windows. Click on one of those apps, and its window will fill that side of the screen. (If a running app doesn’t have anything open, it won’t show as a selection. The app needs to have a file or window open.) To exit this view, press the Escape key on your keyboard.

Change the caption style

My hearing isn’t what it used to be, and I also watch more international shows than ever. So I’ve been watching TV with captions on and I’ve been able to enjoy the show without worrying about misunderstanding what anyone is saying. But the Apple TV app’s default caption style is a little too obtrusive for my taste.

The way to change the caption style is not in the TV app’s preferences but in System Preferences > Accessibility. In the left scroll window, scroll to the Hearing section and click on Captions. Apple offers four caption styles, and you can select one of them. Or you can click on the “+” and create your own style.

Note that the caption style set here affects only Apple apps such as TV. If you watch a YouTube video, for example, you’re subjected to the style that YouTube implements. 

Create and customize Memojis

Memojis are thought of as an iPhone/iPad thing, and while they are a bit more functional (and fun) on those devices, you can still create or make them in macOS. Here’s how.

1. Launch System Preferences (located under the Apple menu).
2. Your account should be at the top of the System Preferences window. If you move the cursor over your profile pic, “edit” should appear. Click it.
3. In the window that appears, a list of different profile pic options are on the left. Make sure Memoji is selected.
4. Your available Memoji appears on the right. If you already have a Memoji and you want to make changes to it, select it and click the Edit button. To make a new Memoji, click the “+” button. 
5. You will be presented with a set of characteristics you can modify, from Skin to Clothing. Go through each one and make your selections.
6. Click Done when finished.

After creating a Memoji, you can also set a Pose or a Style (which is basically a background color). If you want to set the Memoji and your Mac’s user profile pic, select it so that it appears in the lower-left corner. Click Save.

If you’re using iCloud and your devices are on the same account, your Memoji will carry over to your other devices.

Copy text in a photo

In macOS Monterey, Apple introduced Live Text, the ability to select and copy any text in an image. For example, if you took a picture of a sign, you can open that picture in the Preview app, move the pointer over the words in a sign, and the pointer changes to the text selection tool. You can then select the text, copy it, and then paste it into a text document. You can learn more about how Live Text works in our overview article.

Turn on iCloud Private Relay

Apple created iCloud Private Relay to help preserve your privacy when you’re browsing the web. When you use Safari, the data that is sent is encrypted, and then it travels through two intercept relays—points on the internet that data travels through—to help hide your location, IP address, and browsing activity to prevent a profile about you from being created. The second relay is performed by a third-party service to prevent Apple from knowing the user’s information. It’s not quite a VPN, but it’s a great tool for privacy.

To turn on iCloud Private Relay, go to System Preferences and click on your Apple ID. In the checklist on the right, look for Private Relay (Beta) and check the box and click the Options button. There’s also an IP Address Location setting you can modify. Learn more about what iCloud Private Relay can do in our FAQ.

Internet Private Relay is still a beta feature, which means it is usable but it still has some obvious kinks to work out and Apple could at any time make a major change to how it works. It requires an iCloud+ subscription, which costs as little as a buck a month for 50GB.

Add extensions to your contextual menu

The macOS contextual menu, accessible by right-clicking, control-clicking, or tapping with two fingers on the trackpad, is great in that it can allow you to do some tasks immediately, saving some steps. It’s not just system functions, though—when you install an app, it often adds functions to the contextual menu.

You may see some app-related actions at the bottom of the pop-up menu, or, when you right-click a file and select Quick Actions, a list of app-related tasks appears. When an app adds this kind of functionality, it’s adding an extension to macOS. But sometimes there are items in the menu that you never use, or you may not know that there are functions available that you could be using.

To manage the contextual menu, go to System Preferences and open Extensions. To specifically manage the Quick Actions section of the contextual menu, go to the Finder section. There are other sections in the left column where you can add to remove tasks. For example, in the Share section, you can add apps to the Share menu.

Customize the Touch Bar

If you’re using a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, you can customize the Touch Bar functions. Here’s how.

1. Go to System Preferences > Extensions.
2. In the left column selection Touch Bar.
3. Click on the Customize Control Strip button.
4. A new screen will appear with a selection of buttons at the bottom of the screen. This is the set of Touch Bar buttons that appear when the Control Strip is collapsed.

• To add a button, click and drag the button to the bottom of the screen. The Touch Bar will show the new button.
• To remove a button, move the cursor to the bottom of the screen until a button is highlighted, then move left or right to select the button you want to remove. Click and then drag up on the screen and the button should appear with a “Remove from Touch Bar” tag. Drop the button to remove it.

To customize the Control Strip when it is expanded in the Touch Bar, follow the steps above. In step 4, expand the Touch Bar, and the button set will adjust on-screen. Below is a quick video on what these steps look like.

Erase All Content and Settings

We all run into issues on our Mac that could use a factory restore. If you’re using an Apple silicon Mac or an Intel Mac with a T2 security chip running macOS Monterey, there’s a quick way to erase your Mac’s settings, data, and apps while keeping the currently-installed operating system. This doesn’t erase a Mac completely, just your personal stuff.

Open System Preferences (Apple menu > System Preferences), and then with the System Preferences window at the front, go to the menu bar and click on the System Preference menu. Under About System Preference is a new item called Erase All Content and Settings. It works just like it does on the iPhone and iPad: select it when you want to wipe out your personal info without wiping and reinstalling the entire operating system.

You’ll need to enter an administrator password, and you’ll have to go through the steps of the Erase Assistant. The Mac will restart and take you through the setup process. If you don’t want to set up the Mac, press and hold the power button to shut it down.

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TikTok is going nuts over an iPhone trick that unlocks hidden keyboard secrets

 Back in the day, obtaining a working knowledge of iPhone tips and tricks was something that was reserved for tech-minded nerds who had no qualms about eagerly reading books or websites on the topic. These days, thanks to the popularity of TikTok, it’s easier than ever for anyone to become something of an iPhone expert. To this point, TikTok is going nuts over an iPhone trick that unlocks hidden keyboard secrets.

Interestingly, TikTok is brimming with so many useful iPhone tips that even seasoned iPhone users will find themselves taken aback by new tricks. As a personal example, I’ve been a heavy iPhone user for over a decade but never knew it was possible to record video with background music from Spotify or Apple Music until I stumbled across a TikTok video about it.

That said, the latest iPhone trick going viral on TikTok shows users how to unlock hidden keyboard characters.

Don’t Miss: How to block spam texts on your iPhone

iPhone message trick: access is hidden keyboard characters

Most people know how to find common symbols on the iPhone keyboard. For example, finding the dollar sign or an asterisk is pretty straightforward. However, there are some characters that are hidden and harder to find. Say, for example, you want to use a character for the Degree symbol. Well, to do that, you should be aware of this nifty iPhone trick.

As evident in the video below, finding these special characters is pretty straightforward. Admittedly, seasoned users are probably already aware of this iPhone message trick. Still, there’s a good chance that a majority of iPhone users are not.

Using this iPhone message trick is pretty simple. To start, open up any app that requires a keyboard, like the Notes app. Once there, tap on the “123” button in the bottom-left. Next, simply long-press on a number or character.

Upon doing so, you should see some hidden keyboard characters. For instance, long-pressing on the number 0 will reveal the degree symbol. Another example: long-pressing on the dollar sign will reveal the character for “cents” along with other currency characters.

You can also long-press on the question mark character to access an upside-down question mark.

The iPhone message trick doesn’t work for every character, but it’s worth playing around with. A full list of which characters have corresponding hidden characters can be seen here.

Our favorite iPhone keyboard tricks

One-Handed Keyboard

If you use one of the larger iPhone models, like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, for instance, it might be hard to use one-handed. If so, you can enable a right or left-hand keyboard like the one you see above and it makes reaching keys so much easier.

In order to do this, simply tap the emoji icon in the lower left, hold until you see the keyboard with the arrow, then tap which one you would like to use. You can also enable this in Settings > General > Keyboard > One-Handed Keyboard.

Trackpad cursor mode

We love this sooo much, and if you don’t know about it yet, you’re going to be floored! If you find it hard to sometimes select text while you’re sending a text or editing a URL in Safari, here’s an easier way.

Hold your finger down on the keyboard and the entire keyboard turns into a trackpad for text selection. This way, you can select the text with precision by moving your finger around instead of poking at your phone.

More other awesome iPhone tips

While we’re on the topic of iPhone tricks, we figured we might as well list a few more gems for you. We covered quite a few of them a few weeks ago, but we’ll revisit some highlights in case you missed them.

1. Use your iPhone as a level: Open the Measure app and then select Level. You can now use your iPhone as a level to measure both horizontal and vertical surfaces.
2. Get weather notifications before you leave the house: You can turn this feature on by going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Weather. Next, allow the Weather app to access your location at all times. And finally, open the Weather app, tap the hamburger menu icon in the bottom right-hand corner and select the “Turn On Notifications” setting.
3. Find your iPhone in the dark: If you’re struggling to find your iPhone because it’s in silent mode, simply turn off the lights and use the “Hey Siri” command to turn on the flashlight.

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These are 8 iPhone tricks you may not know

 The sheer volume of iPhone tricks lurking beneath the surface is truly astounding. We’ve covered quite a few of them before, and today we’re back with a few more iPhone tricks that you probably didn’t even know existed. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m still not sure why Apple doesn’t create an easily accessible repository for lesser-known iPhone tips and tricks. So until that happens, we’ll continue to bring these iPhone tricks to light. These are 8 iPhone tricks you may not know.

As a quick aside, WWDC is right around the corner which means that a preview of iOS 16 is just a few weeks away. So with a plethora of new iPhone features on the horizon, now is as good a time as any to familiarize yourself with some existing iPhone power-user features.

We already showed you some hidden iPhone secrets that were blowing up on TikTok. Now, it’s time to check out even more great iPhone tricks.

DON'T MISS: How to block spam texts on your iPhone

Take a screenshot by tapping your iPhone

The Back Tap feature is one of my favorite lesser-known iPhone tricks. In short, the feature allows users to take a screenshot simply by tapping the back of their device. It’s very cool.

To take advantage of this feature, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Physical and Motor. From there, scroll down a bit until you see “Back Tap.” Once you hit that, you can designate whether you want to activate Back Tap with either a Double or Triple tap.

Following that, you can specify the action you’d like to trigger upon tapping on the back of your iPhone. Taking a screenshot is probably the most useful option, but other options include activating Siri, muting your iPhone, and even adjusting your iPhone volume.

Check your iPhone warranty

This is a pretty useful iPhone trick. Instead of wasting time calling Apple support, you can check the status of your iPhone warranty directly from your device. To do so, go to Settings > General > About > Warranty. Here you’ll be able to see if your warranty is expired or not.

Use Siri to find a misplaced iPhone

This is one of my favorite iPhone tricks. If you misplaced your iPhone somewhere in your house or apartment, you can use the Hey Siri feature to turn on the flashlight and find it with ease.

An A+ iPhone Trick – Record video with background music

Any seasoned iPhone user knows that recording video will automatically turn off background music from Spotify or Apple. This is often convenient. However, there are times when you want a specified song playing as you record your video. Say, for example, you want to use some dramatic film music to record your child stomping around the house.

Thankfully, doing this is quite easy. Once you have a song playing on Apple Music or Spotify, open up the Camera app. Next, resist the urge to switch over to video mode. Instead, tap the white shutter button and drag it to the right. Once you do that, the video will start recording and background music will remain active.

Use your Apple Watch as a viewfinder

This is a great example of why the Apple ecosystem as a whole amplifies the user experience. This iPhone trick lets you use your Apple Watch as a viewfinder for your iPhone.

To take advantage of this, open up the Camera app on your iPhone. Next, open the Camera Remote app on your Apple Watch. Now, you can use your Apple Watch to switch the camera orientation, set a timer, and more.

The iPhone has a built-in level

While we wouldn’t recommend using the iPhone on a serious construction project, the built-in Level app is quite handy. It can work on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. If you want to casually check if that painting is hanging correctly or if your table is wobbly, this app is quite useful.

You can access it by going to the Measure app and selecting Level in the bottom right-hand corner.

Get push notifications for rain and snow

This is a brand new feature Apple introduced with iOS 15. This iPhone trick is especially helpful if you happen to live in an area prone to spontaneous rain showers.

If you want to receive push notifications about impending rain or snowstorms, the first thing you need to do is tweak your privacy settings. To do this, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Weather and allow the Weather app to access your location.

Next, fire up the Weather app and tap on the hamburger menu on the bottom right-hand side.

A Stay Dry card should appear. Now, select, “Turn On Notifications” and you should be good to go.

Use your iPhone keyboard as a trackpad

This is another favorite of mine. It’s also an iPhone trick that often makes people’s jaws drop when you show it to them.

To use your iPhone keyboard as a trackpad, press down and hold the spacebar. Upon doing so, all the keyboard keys will grey out and you can now slide your finger around the keyboard area as if it were a trackpad. This is a helpful iPhone tip in instances where you want to move the cursor around precisely.

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This hidden feature of the iPhone allows you to make your own music videos

It wouldn't surprise us if you didn't know how to add music to a video on iPhone, as Apple has the feature well-hidden. So well hidden, in fact, you can't actually do it using the normal video mode in the camera app. This hidden feature of the iPhone allows you to make your own music videos.

Normally, any audio you're playing turns off automatically when you start recording a video on an iOS device. But there's a hack. If you use the QuickTake video option available on recent iPhone models, you can bypass this limitation and give your clips whatever soundtrack at the moment.

If you've been waiting to make an iPhone music video but without needing to download separate apps or having a second device playing a song in the background, now's your chance. In our opinion, it's small but super handy features like this that make the iPhone one of the best phones around. Just make sure your device is compatible below, and we'll take you through the process.

Compatibility: Before we get to the steps on how to do this, let's double-check you've got the right iPhone.

The QuickTake video feature that you need to make this work is only available on the iPhone XS, iPhone XR (both from 2018), and newer models, according to Apple's support page. It doesn't matter if you're using an older iPhone that still runs iOS 15, it has to be one of these models or a later one.

How to add music to a video on iPhone

Now you've got the right iPhone, and have your song and subject in mind, here's the process you need to follow.

1. Prepare your track of choice in whichever app you're going to play it from. Here I've got a song ready to go on Tidal, but this will also work with songs playing from Apple Music and Spotify.

2. Open the Camera app. Importantly: stay in the standard Photo mode (it should be what the app opens in by default).

3. When you're ready, cue the music! Do this quickly by pressing play in Control Center (swipe down from the top right corner of your phone, then tap the Play icon on the playback widget in the top right).

4. Tap and hold the shutter button. Holding down starts a video recording with your music still playing in the background.

5. From here, just release the shutter button when you're done recording. If you're going to be recording for a while and want to give your thumb rest, slide the shutter button/red recording icon to the right, where the padlock icon is. That will keep things rolling without you needing to press. To stop the recording from here, tap the stop button in the bottom center.

Once you're done recording, you'll be able to watch your video back from the Photos app like normal. Just don't go in expecting professional-sounding audio. Even if you're hooked up to the best Bluetooth speakers, the video is recording sound through your iPhone's microphone, which isn't designed for pro-level audio. While it's decent for everyday use, you'll need a better set-up if you're recording a promo for your next hit single — that's where our guides to the best mirrorless cameras and best cameras for vlogging come in.

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Apple Merges "iCloud Documents and Data" into iCloud Drive

 Apple Merges "iCloud Documents and Data" into iCloud Drive. Last May, Apple Apple announced that it would be merging its iCloud Documents and Data service into iCloud Drive in May of 2022, and that transition has now been completed.

As noted in a support document updated today, users who previously relied on ‌iCloud‌ Documents and Data for syncing files across devices will need to turn ‌iCloud Drive‌ on in order to see their files.

iCloud Documents and Data, our legacy document syncing service, has been discontinued and replaced by iCloud Drive. If you used iCloud Documents and Data, your account has been migrated to iCloud Drive.

If you used the iCloud Documents and Data service, you need to turn on iCloud Drive to see your files. When you switch to iCloud Drive, the amount of storage space your saved files use in iCloud doesn't change.

Apple's support document provides instructions and minimum system requirements for ‌iCloud Drive‌ on iOS devices, Macs, and on the web at iCloud.com.

The vast majority of ‌iCloud‌ users already have ‌iCloud Drive‌ enabled, so they won't see any changes. But for users who had ‌iCloud‌ accounts prior to the introduction of ‌iCloud Drive‌ in 2014 and never enabled it, perhaps to maintain compatibility with pre-iOS 8 and pre-OS X Yosemite devices that couldn't support ‌iCloud Drive‌, they will now need to turn it on in order to regain access to their files.

The older ‌iCloud‌ Documents and Data service kept cloud-synced data stored in folders specific to a given app, only allowing access to the data from that app. With ‌iCloud Drive‌ being a more full-featured syncing service, all of those files can now be accessed from a single location: the Files app on iOS and iPadOS, the ‌iCloud Drive‌ section of Finder on macOS, or the ‌iCloud Drive‌ section of iCloud.com.

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What are the new Apple products coming out in 2022?

 After the Peek Performance event brought the incredible Mac Studio and Studio Display, it’s been all quiet on the Apple front. But that’s just the calm before the next big thing. Apple has a ton of new products arriving over the rest of 2022 that’ll make the Peek Performance event seem like a mere appetizer. What are the new Apple products coming out in 2022?

Already released

• iPhone SE (3rd generation)
• iPad Air (5th generation)
• Mac Studio (1st generation)
• Studio Display

Mac

Apple revealed in June 2020 that it would be transitioning all its Macs from Intel processors to its own silicon within two years. Apple’s already updated many of its machines, including the MacBook Air, Mac mini, 24-inch iMac, 13-inch MacBook Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and launched the new Mac Studio.

That still leaves the following Macs in need of an Apple silicon update, plus there are rumors that suggest that the second generation of the M1 chip, likely called the M2, could be in the works.

And don’t forget that the autumn of 2022 will also bring an update to macOS, which could bring new features geared specifically for the newest Macs. Here’s what we’re still expecting to arrive this year.

Mac Pro

As for the Mac Pro: work is said to be underway on the Apple Silicon Mac Pro, with a 32-core CPU and up to 128-Core GPU, which could be possible if Apple combines four M1 Max in one machine.

If Apple decides to use WWDC 2022 to show off its pro-focused desktop Macs with M-series chips we might see the new Mac Pro at the same time. The big question is what would this M-series chip be called? With M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra, that doesn’t really leave a name that could be considered even more powerful. Rumors suggest that it could be called the M1 Extreme, but it could also be an entirely new chip unrelated to the M1.

M2

The follow-up to the M1 processor is due to arrive in 2022 and the fall seems like the perfect time. Apple is reportedly planning a similar chip with eight cores (four performance and four efficiencies), similar RAM limits (8GB or 16GB), and a slight performance increase.

Mac mini

Apple is said to be working on a new, more powerful Mac mini that will replace the Intel-powered Mac mini model that Apple kept in the line-up. This new “more powerful version of the Mac mini” could feature the same chip as the new MacBook Pro, according to a Bloomberg report, but also might jump to the M2.

And that may not be the only new Mac mini in 2022—in a December 2021 Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicates that there will be two new Mac minis coming, so we assume there will also be an M2 upgrade for the M1 version.

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air is said to be getting a redesign and this could include a selection of iMac like colors, like those below:

A 2022 launch is rumored for this new machine, which will apparently feature the M2 chip. It’s possible that it makes an appearance at WWDC, but most likely it’ll arrive in the fall. Read everything we know about the new MacBook Air.

When? Fall 2022

13-inch MacBook Pro

There is one school of thought that believes that the 13-inch MacBook Pro might be discontinued when the new M2 MacBook Air arrives. Another suggests that we may see a 13-inch MacBook instead of a 13-inch MacBook Pro.

However, the strongest rumors suggest that there will be a new entry-level MacBook Pro coming in 2022. If it does arrive we can expect an M2 chip and some other smaller upgrades. Will it be good enough to be considered a Pro machine though?

When? Fall 2022

iPad

We’ll be getting a peek at iPadOS 16 at WWDC, but will it finally bring more synergy with the Mac? Will the gap narrow between Macs and iPads? Read more in iPadOS meeting macOS in the middle. Here’s the new hardware we expect to arrive alongside the OS update in the fall:

iPad Pro

Rumors suggest we can expect a new iPad Pro with an updated design and wireless charging support. Given that the current iPad Pro has an M1 chip, we expect the new model to gain an M2. Additionally, MagSafe support for the iPad is also said to be in the works with reverse charging to power other devices from the iPad.

When? Fall 2022

10.2-inch iPad (10th generation)

Gurman indicates we can also expect the usual update to the new standard iPad in 2022 with the same design and a new chip before a redesign arrives in 2023.

When? Likely Fall 2022

iPhone

It’s a given that we will see an iPhone 14 in September, with four models arriving once again.

iPhone 14

There are already rumors about the successor to the iPhone 13. We are hearing that there will be no more iPhone mini. Instead, there will be a larger non-Pro iPhone to match the Pro Max. Even so, the Pro model is expected to get the biggest changes, with a new notches screen, 48MP camera, and a faster chip. Read more in our iPhone 14 rumor round-up.

When: September 2022

Apple Watch

There could be more than one new Apple Watch on the way in 2022.

Apple Watch Series 8

After a somewhat disappointing Series 7, all eyes will be on the Apple Watch Series 8 when it arrives this fall. Rumors suggest there could be a new larger size this year as well as a “rugged” option, and possibly the rumored redesign we didn’t get last year. We also might get a new skin temperature sensor, but it’s not entirely clear what it’ll actually be able to do.

When: September 2022

Apple Watch SE 2

After skipping a year, the Apple Watch SE is due to get an update in 2022, likely bringing an always-on display, ECG sensor, and fast charging. We were hoping for a lower price as well, but the latest rumors say the price will actually be going up.

When: September 2022

AirPods

Apple’s AirPods are among its most popular devices, but also the most neglected. But we’re finally expecting a major update this year.

AirPods Pro

Apple hasn’t updated the AirPods Pro, one of its most popular products, since it arrived in October 2019. That means they’re in need of some attention. We’re expecting a new stemless design with some high-end fitness and audio features, possibly even the arrival of lossless audio. Read about the AirPods Pro 2022 here.

When? Fall 2022

New categories

If Apple was never to innovate away from the products it makes right now it could be left behind as technology progresses. It’s no surprise therefore that the company is working on various new areas. We don’t necessarily expect these to land in 2022, but rumors suggest that some of them still could arrive.

HomePod with screen

This might not arrive in 2022, but we do hope there is some truth in the rumors that Apple is working on a HomePod with a screen. We’ve always said that a screen would make the HomePod infinitely more usable, but perhaps we are the only ones who hate having to talk to our speaker.

A screen would extend the uses of the HomePod beyond audio into visual – so you could watch podcasts and news reports and YouTube videos, but most usefully communicate via FaceTime.

When? Possibly 2022 but likely 2023

AR Glasses

Apple’s made clear its interest in augmented reality, and we may hear more about its plans to make AR Glasses. The rumors suggest that we could see Apple’s AR Mixed Reality product by the end of 2022. It may be that Apple shows off the device, but waits until 2023 to launch it.

Maybe Apple will finally show off something at WWDC in an attempt to get developers to design apps for the new device, but that’s something of a longshot.

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How to block spam texts on iPhone

 It happens to every single iPhone user… you are being inundated with spam texts and you can’t handle it anymore. Indeed, it’s been an ongoing and frustrating problem for quite some time now. How to block spam texts on your iPhone.

For some people, it’s only gotten worse recently. What makes the issue particularly irritating is that spammers have become more clever and sophisticated with time.

For example, you’ve likely seen spam texts on your iPhone originating from numbers that look eerily close to your own phone number. This is done to trick users into thinking that the text itself is legitimate. And taking things even further, scammers are now texting unsuspecting users from their own numbers.

This issue, we should note, only impacts Verizon users and the company claims that they’ve “made a significant effort to limit the current activity” of the scheme. But even if you’re not a Verizon subscriber, you could still probably stand to receive fewer spam texts. Here’s how to stop spam texts.

Read: Our article on How to lock any iPhone app so no one else can get in

How iPhone users can stop spam texts

Filter unknown senders

One option to limit iPhone spam texts is to filter out messages from unknown senders. With this option, texts originating from a number not part of your contact list will go to a separate folder.

To turn this toggle on, follow the below instructions. Before doing so, we should highlight that this filter might also catch non-spam texts from companies like Uber and Door Dash. In other words, if you turn this filter on, make sure to check the “Unknown Senders” tab in the Messages app often.

1. Open the Settings app, and head to “Messages.”
2. Turn on the “Filter Unkown Senders” toggle.

It’s unfortunate that the same technology that allows individuals across the world to communicate is being leveraged by scam artists looking to take advantage of unsuspecting users.

To this point, scammers sent upwards of 11.6 billion spam messages during the month of March. The New York Times notes that this represents a 30% increase from the previous month.

Block specific senders

While there’s no bulletproof way to ensure that spam texts never come through, there are steps iPhone users can take to limit their frequency and also visibility.

One thing you can do upon receiving a spam text is to block the number. This will prevent spam texts from that number from sending you spam in the future. Follow the below instructions to do so.

1. Tap on the message from the sender you want to block.
2. Next, tap on the phone number at the top of the message.
3. Tap “Info.”
4. At the bottom of the list of options, tap “Block this caller.” Then tap “Block Contact.”

The number should now be blocked, and unable to send you messages.

Report spam or junk messages in the Messages app

When you use iMessage, Apple’s messaging platform, you can report spam and junk messages. If the sender is not in your contacts and has other spam criteria, Apple sometimes offers up a flag that says these messages might be junk or spam, and you can just tap that, then tap the Report Junk button, tap Delete and Report Junk.

When you do this, the person sending you the message is reported to Apple and the message is then permanently deleted from your phone.

Get rid of calls from unknown numbers

On a somewhat related note, there’s also a way to silence incoming calls from numbers not in your address book. The calls will still go through but will go straight to voicemail instead. Incidentally, phone calls from numbers you’ve previously texted with will be able to go through.

To turn this feature on, go to Settings > Phone, and toggle the Silence Unknown Callers option.

How to block calls and texts using your carrier

In the U.S., virtually all major carriers offer apps and services that can alert you to spam/unsolicited calls and messages from them. Some of these are free spam calls and text blockers and others require a subscription.

AT&T Call Protect:

• 24/7 Automatic Fraud Call Blocking: Detects and blocks calls from likely fraudsters, before your phone even rings
• Block Spam Risk labeled calls (in-app feature): Block or send to voicemail calls identified as Spam Risk
• Send Unknown Callers to voicemail (in-app feature): Send callers not in your contact list to voicemail.
• Get a heads up on potential nuisance calls*: See warnings of telemarketers, nonprofit, surveys, account services, private or political callers.
• Personal Block List: Add individual unwanted callers to your own block list from the app or with Siri shortcuts.
• Report Spam Calls: Help identify suspected spam and likely fraud calls from the app or with Siri shortcuts. Your reports help everyone.

AT&T Call Protect Plus:

• Caller ID*: Gives you incoming caller details.
• Custom Call Controls: Block or send to voicemail entire Categories (Telemarketer, Account Services, etc.) of callers.
• Reverse Number Lookup: This Shows caller details when you enter a U.S. number. Up to 200 queries per user within a 24-hour period.

Verizon Call Filter:

• Identify suspected spam calls with alerts.
• Automatically block spam based on their risk level and send them to voicemail (Call Filter automatically blocks high-risk callers)
• Report phone numbers as spam.
• Use filters to block other unwanted callers, such as robocalls.
• Adjust spam filter settings any time.
• For added security, upgrade to Call Filter Plus*. Features such as Caller ID and blocking entire area codes give you even more control over incoming calls.

T-Mobile Scam Shield

• Scam Block – Our network will automatically block calls from likely scammers, when you turn it on, helping to keep them off your phone entirely.
• Scam Reporting – Help identify suspicious callers or fraudsters and prevent their calls from being received by you—or others—in the future.
• Caller ID – See who’s calling before you answer.
• Allow list – Calls from numbers on your Allow list will never be blocked by our network and always ring your phone.

Premium features such as:

• Personal Number Blocking – Block specific numbers and contacts as soon as they hit the T-Mobile network.
• Category Manager – Tired of telemarketers? Or survey calls? We’ll identify and block call types you don’t want to see anymore.
• Reverse Number Lookup – Not sure who a number belongs to? We’ll do a reverse phone number lookup and show you anything we can about who is calling.
• Voicemail to Text – Get text messages containing readouts of blocked calls that were sent to voicemail.

If you use Google Fi as your carrier, Google offers a bunch of options built-in to your subscription plan and available in the Google Fi app.

Our favorite third-party apps for call and spam blocking

While there are tons of great third-party apps on both iOS and Android, our favorite is RoboKiller for $4.99/mo and Nomorobo for $1.99/mo. They have to have access to your call lists and contact, but these two are reputable and we use them here ourselves. If you’re going to install an app like this, make sure it’s one you trust due to the sensitive nature of the access involved, and also know what information they request and share. If you’re asking if RoboKiller blocks texts, the answer is yes! Both of these apps offer phone call and text message blocking and integrate into Apple’s Messages app.

Bonus Spam Blocking Tips

Report the spammer to your carrier

This isn’t going to immediately halt all incoming spam texts and calls, but it benefits others and if everyone reported these messages, there would be less spammers. Here’s how you can do it.

Take the original spam text and forward it so it’s reported to your carrier.  If you’re on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint, use this number, free of charge : 7726 (SPAM).

File a complaint with the FTC

Under U.S. law, sending unsolicited text messages of a commercial nature without your consent is illegal. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversees a complaint assistant you can use here to report spammers and scam texts and calls.

What are Robotexts?

A robotext is similar to a spam text message, but it’s an automated text message sent to you rather than a robocall. Sometimes robotexts are part of a larger play by spammers and scammers, hoping to reel you in so you provide some personal information that can later be used in a spam onslaught.

Some of these texts can lead to higher cell phone bills, identity theft, and even malware installed on your phone.

What’s the reason I’m suddenly getting spam texts and calls?

Spammers use any trick in the book to reach as many phone numbers as possible. They purchase lists of numbers available on the dark web, and spammers can even use software to create and generate lists of numbers automatically. Changing your number won’t prevent spam texts and calls because of this.

Should I reply to spam and robotexts?

The answer is mostly no, it’s not recommended unless you signed up for a specific service that you’re trying to cancel. Usually, if you reply with “STOP” it can unsubscribe you from the messaging list with reputable businesses and vendors.

If you reply “STOP” to a scam text, it can actually notify the sender that this is a valid number and a person is replying, giving them more of an opportunity to try and scam or phish your information. Additionally, since the number is valid, it can be added to more spam lists and increase your spam texts and calls.

Thanks for reading and we hope this guide helps!

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How to Print PDF Files on Mac

 It doesn’t get any easier than printing to PDF on Mac. Fortunately, you won’t have to go find, download, and then install software, such as Adobe Acrobat or Reader. Instead, getting access to printing and converting your Mac files to a PDF is done with native features. With this step-by-step guide, you’ll be printing files to PDF lickety-split. How to Print PDF Files on Mac?

You’ll find plenty of benefits from printing files to PDF on your CPU. You can help cut back on deforestation, share documents with ease, and even ensure that you have cross-compatibility with platforms like Windows or Linux.

How to Print PDF Files on Mac

Step 1: Open the File menu

Note: Almost every Mac application can save a document as a PDF, but to make it easy, we’re going to show you how to print a document to PDF in Numbers.

First, open the document you wish to print to PDF in any Mac application. Once your document is open and you’re ready to save it as a PDF, open the File menu at the top of the page and click Print.

Step 2: Choose the output file type

Now, you’ll notice the appearance of a Print Options dialog box. In the lower left-hand corner, you’ll notice the PDF drop-down menu. If you click on it, you’ll be able to select multiple choices, including emailing your PDF. Be aware that some applications, such as Numbers, might not include this drop-down. In that case, click Print and select the output or delivery method from the new dialog box.

Step 3: Save as a PDF

Now it’s time to click Save as PDF. You’ll notice another dialog box letting you give your file a name, designate its destination, and click Save. Afterward, the conversion process will keep going. It might take more time if you have a larger file—you can keep an eye on it in the progress bar.

You’re now all set with your PDF. It’s not too difficult of a process. PDFs are very convenient because they are readable on multiple platforms. Now that you know how to make PDFs on your Mac, you can start sending files more easily than ever before.

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How do print documents from your iPhone and iPad

 Trying to print something directly from your iPhone or iPad can be a bit convoluted, and you might think sending it to yourself and printing it from a desktop is more convenient. Rest assured, printing from your mobile device has only gotten easier over the years; How do print documents from your iPhone and iPad? here are the steps needed to make it happen.

In this guide, we’ll help take you through the process of printing from your iPhone or iPad with a couple of different methods to suit your needs.

Looking to offload content? Lucky for you, we have a guide on how to transfer photos from an iPhone to your Mac or PC.

How to print using Apple AirPrint

AirPrint-enabled apps let you create and print full-quality documents and graphics without the chore of installing drivers or configuring the printer queue. The requirements are rather minimal: You need any model iPad, an iPhone 3GS or later, or a third-generation iPod Touch -- as well as the latest version of iOS and an AirPrint-compatible printer with the latest firmware. Check Apple’s AirPrint basic support page for a comprehensive list of all compatible devices, including popular models from Canon, Epson, HP, Samsung, Brother, and a ton of other manufacturers. AirPrint functionality is also the same across all iPhone models, which makes the software easy to use whether you have an iPhone 5 or an iPhone 12 Pro.

Step 1: Connect to Wi-Fi

To use AirPrint, both your printer and iPhone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Keep in mind there may be multiple networks available in an office setting, and you might have to enable the AirPrint function depending on which one your printer is using. Check your printer’s manual or the manufacturer’s website for more detailed instructions about how to turn on the function and connect to Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Select the printer

Check the connection between your iPhone and the printer by opening an AirPrint-supported app such as Mail, Safari, or Evernote. Most apps will feature a familiar arrow that resembles a forward or reply email icon. Tap the icon, select Print, and your printer should appear as the selected device by default. Otherwise, tap Select Printer at the top and allow your iPhone to scan for nearby printers.

Step 3: Choose the number of copies

Select the number of copies you want to print by tapping the addition and subtraction arrows to the right of Copy. At least one copy is mandatory, but you can print up to a total of 99 pages at once if you’re feeling trigger-happy. You can also tap Options to reveal color options and which pages to print if there are multiple pages.

Step 4: Print

Once you have selected the printer and the number of pages you want, hit Print in the top-right corner of the page. You can cancel your print job or check its status by double-tapping the Home button, choosing Print Center while in the App Switcher, and tapping Cancel Printing.

How to print using email

Did you think people were the only ones with email addresses? Many of Epson and HP’s new models feature HP ePrint or Epson Email Print for printing anywhere in the world by simply emailing a photo or document file to your printer’s assigned email. Once set up, the process is relatively easy and straightforward, merely requiring you to send an email from your iPhone to your email-compatible printer. This is obviously not an option for all users and printer models, but it is available for many models, such as the Epson Expression and WorkForce series, as well as most recent HP printers.

Step 1: Activate email printing

Assuming you have an email-compatible printer, the first thing you need to do is activate the email function. The enabling process will vary from device to device -- Epson users are going to want to activate Epson Connect, for instance -- but the entire process should be outlined in greater detail in your printer’s manual or on the manufacturer’s website. The printer will be assigned a default email address upon activation -- which will likely amount to a series of random characters at a specified domain name -- but you can change this later to something you will actually remember. Although your iPhone doesn’t need to be connected to the same wireless network as your printer to use email printing, the printer will still be required to connect via Wi-Fi as opposed to a standard USB cable.

Step 2: Print

If set up properly, all you need to do is email a document or image from your iPhone to your printer and it will automatically print the file to the default specifications -- typically letter size on plain paper, unless you adjusted the default settings during activation. Your printer won’t accept all file formats but should be able to handle files from Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, as well as JPEGs, GIFS, and PNGs, among others. Check your printer for details regarding acceptable file formats, size, and the number of printable attachments you can include per email.

How to print using other software

If neither AirPrint nor e-mail printing are viable options, you can always settle for software directly from your printer’s manufacturer or another third-party source. We recommend snagging Presto (formerly FingerPrint) and downloading the free iOS app, which is compatible with nearly all printers. You can also get this app on Android and Chrome. It works by connecting your printer and computer to third-party devices as long as they are both on the same Wi-Fi network.

Alternatively, you can use your printer manufacturer’s free proprietary app, such as Epson iPrint or Brother iPrint&Scan. That said, there are plenty of printers that do not support printing apps, and many printer companies haven’t even created apps to control their printers.

Step 1: Download and install the application

Once you decide on an application, head to the manufacturer’s website or the app’s corresponding page in the App Store. Then, download and install the app.

Step 2: Launch the application

Next, launch the application either on your computer or iPhone.

Step 3: Connect to Wi-Fi

Presto also has a feature known as Magic Queue that allows you to save print jobs until you’re connected to Wi-Fi again. It’s perfect for those situations where you have something to print but aren’t near a network or printer. To enable the feature, begin by launching an app like Notes or one that has a box with an arrow pointing out of it icon. Tap said icon, select the More option, and toggle Presto on. When you have something you want to save, hit the same box icon in the top-right corner, then tap Presto. You will be directed to a new page where Presto’s Magic Queue has already been chosen as the default printer. Hit Print to save your print job.

Step 4: Select the printer

Check the connection between your iPhone and the printer by opening an app such as Mail, Safari, or Evernote. Most apps will feature a familiar arrow that resembles a forward or replies icon or a box with an arrow pointing up. Tap the icon, select Print, and your printer should appear as the selected device by default. If not, tap Select Printer at the top and allow your iPhone to scan any printers you checked in Step 2. Also, your computer must be awake to access the printer.

Step 5: Choose the number of copies

Select the number of copies you want to print by tapping the addition and subtraction arrows to the right of Copy. At least one copy is mandatory, but you can print up to a total of 99 pages at once if you’re feeling trigger happy.

Step 6: Print

Once you’ve selected the printer and the number of pages you want, hit the Print button in the top-right corner of the page. You can cancel your print job or check its status by double-tapping the Home button to bring up the App Switcher and choosing Print Center -- or the print summary equivalent for the app you’re using.

How to print with Google Cloud Print

You can do nearly anything with Google, and printing is no exception. You can use Google Cloud Print to print from any Google app including the Chrome browser, Gmail, or Google Docs. You just need to be signed in to your Google account. You can also print other things via Google Cloud Print by using a third-party app.

Step 1: Get a Google account

If you have somehow made it this far without creating a Google account, make one now by going to Google and clicking Sign Up. Then, follow the steps to create a profile.

Step 2: Download the PrintCentral Pro app for your iPad or iPhone

Cloud Print only works on certain Google apps, and there’s no Google Cloud Print app for iOS. Instead, you can use PrintCentral Pro. Thankfully, the app is available for $6 from the App Store. Once downloaded, launch it.

Step 3: Choose something you want to print

Select the menu that resembles three horizontal lines; it’s located above and left of the PrintCentral app. Once you’ve opened the menu, choose a file, image, email, document, or webpage to print. Keep in mind, if you’re hoping to print an email, you’ll need to check beforehand that your email account is synced to the app. With specific files, be sure they’ve been added to the iCloud first. For printing images, Google will simply request access to them, and you’ll need to approve that request. After you’ve found the content you wish to print and set your affairs in order, select the printer icon in the top-right corner.

Step 4: Add printers

From there, a Printer (WiFi) page will appear on your device’s screen. In the top-right corner, you can choose to add a printer by tapping the Addition symbol. Then, select Google Cloud Printing, enter your Gmail address and tap the blue button that says Save.

Step 5: Print

Everything should run smoothly from there. Google Cloud Printing will select the correct file, and your device will direct you to a print preview page. You’ll see the file or document you’re trying to print along the top of the screen. Two options will also appear on the screen: You can Save to Google Drive or Modify Your Printer Settings. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find the options to Preview, Print, or Print Later to schedule your printing requests.

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