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iPhone

The iPhone is a smartphone from Apple that runs the iOS mobile operating system. Between its apps, communication features, the camera, mobile internet access, and other functionalities, the iPhone has quickly become an integral part of many peoples tech lives.

How to queue up your music on iPhone

by Moses Johnson

Use the queue to see a list of upcoming songs, add songs and videos to the queue, and see what you recently played.

You can also use AutoPlay to add songs to the queue, manage the queue, and turn song transitions in the queue on or off. You can reorder the list, too. While a song is playing, the queue is on the Now Playing screen.

Here’s how to queue up your music on iPhone.

Use the queue

  1. Start the Music app on your iPhone.
  2. While a song is playing, tap the MiniPlayer to open the Now Playing screen.
  3. Tap the Playing Next button and tap a song to play it and the songs that follow.

    To reorder the list, drag the Reorder button.

  4. Tap the Playing Next button again to hide the queue.

Add music and music videos to the queue

  1. Start the Music app on your iPhone.
  2. While browsing or playing music, touch and hold a song, album, playlist, or video. Choose an option:
    • Add music right after the currently playing item: Tap Play Next.
    • Add music to the end of the queue: Tap Play After or Add to Queue.

Quick tip: When you’re using HomePod to stream music, friends on the same Wi-Fi network can add items to the queue.

Use AutoPlay to add songs to the queue

Not sure what to play next? If you’re an Apple Music subscriber, AutoPlay adds similar songs to the end of the queue and plays them when you play something. With AutoPlay on, the AutoPlay icon appears at the top of the queue while a song is playing.

The Now Playing screen showing the queue with AutoPlay and AutoMix turned on. Similar songs appear below the songs in the queue.

  1. Start the Music app on your iPhone.
  2. While a song is playing, tap the MiniPlayer to open the Now Playing screen.
  3. Tap the Playing Next button and tap the AutoPlay button at the top of the queue to turn AutoPlay on.

    When AutoPlay is on, the button changes color. Tap it again to turn it off.

Note: If you turn off AutoPlay on one device that uses your Apple Account (your iPhone, for example), it’s also turned off on every other device using the same Apple Account.

Manage the queue

  1. Start the Music app on your iPhone.
  2. While a song is playing, tap the MiniPlayer to open the Now Playing screen.
  3. Tap the Playing Next button and then do any of the following:

    • Change the order of songs in the queue: Drag the songs into the order you want them to play.
    • Add more songs to the queue: Scroll below the Queue section and tap Add Songs to Queue.
    • Remove a song from the queue: Swipe left on the song and tap the minus button.
    • See how many songs are in the queue: Scroll to the bottom of the queue.

      When multiple songs are repeating, you can see how many songs will be repeated instead.

    • Remove all songs from the queue: Tap Clear at the top of the queue.

Quick tip: Friends on the same Wi-Fi network can also reorder items in the queue while you’re streaming music on HomePod.

See what you recently played

  1. Start the Music app on your iPhone.
  2. While a song is playing, tap the MiniPlayer to open the Now Playing screen.
  3. Tap the Playing Next button. Then swipe down to see your playing history.

    To play a song in the history, tap it. To remove your playing history, tap Clear.

Turn on or off song transitions in the queue

  1. Start the Music app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Playing Next button and tap the AutoMix button or the Crossfade button in the top-right corner to turn on or off AutoMix or Crossfade.
Tag: Music
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How to control accessories with Home on iPhone

by Kevin Hollington

Use the Home app and Control Center to control accessories in your home.

The available controls depend on the type of accessory you have. With some lightbulbs, for example, you can change colors, and with your smart TV, you can choose an input source. You can also add Home scenes and accessories to Control Center, and see accessories in categories like Lights, Climate, and Security, organized by room.

Here’s how to control accessories with Home on iPhone.

Control accessories in the Home app

On the Home tab, tap an accessory’s icon on the left side of the tile—a light, for example—to quickly turn the accessory on or off.

Tap the accessory’s name on the right side of the tile to show the accessory’s control. The available controls depend on the type of accessory. For example, with some lightbulbs, there are controls for changing colors. With your smart TV, you can choose an input source.

Add accessories to Control Center

To get to your most used accessories quickly, you can add Home scenes and accessories to Control Center.

  1. Open Control Center on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Add button and tap Add A Control at the bottom.
  3. Tap the Home Scene or Accessory control.
  4. Tap Choose Scene or Accessory. Select a home and device or scene you want to control.

View categories and home status

The Lights, Climate, Security, Speakers and TVs, and Water categories gather all the relevant accessories by room, so you can quickly get to them.

  1. Open the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Home.

Below your home’s name, buttons show the status of accessories belonging to a category—for example, a Lights category that shows “3 on.”

  1. Tap one of the category buttons to show all accessories within that category, organized by room.
  2. While viewing a category, tap the icon on the left side of an accessory tile to perform an action—turn a light or group of lights on or off, start playing music on a HomePod, or lock the front door.

View Activity History

If your home hub is using the latest software, everyone in your home other than guests can see the activity history for accessories like locks, garage doors, security systems, and adaptive temperature thermostats. You can learn when a door was unlocked, for example, and who unlocked it.

  1. Open the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. On the Home tab, tap the More button and then tap Home Settings.
  3. Go to Activity and tap One Month to view up to 30 days of activity.
  4. In the Home tab, tap the Security or Climate category. Then tap Home Activity to show the Activity History.

Turn Activity History on and off

Activity History can be turned on and off only by the home owner or by a shared home user who has permission to add and edit accessories. Turning it off permanently deletes all previous activity for the home.

  1. Open the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. On the Home tab, tap the More button, tap Home Settings, and tap Activity.
  3. Choose One Month to turn Activity History on, or choose Off.

Turn on Adaptive Lighting

Some Apple Home-compatible lights can adjust their color temperature, from cool blue to warm yellow, and you can set supported lights to change it automatically as the day goes on. Wake up to warm colors, stay alert and focused with cooler ones at midday, and wind down at night by removing blue light.

For a light that supports Adaptive Lighting, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the light’s tile to show the controls.

    You can also touch and hold the tile, and then choose Accessory Settings.

  3. Tap the Adaptive Lighting button. Turn on Adaptive Lighting.

Note: You’ll need a home hub, such as Apple TV 4K or HomePod speakers, to use Adaptive Lighting.

Edit home accessories

To edit accessory settings, tap the right side of an accessory tile, tap the Settings button, then do any of the following:

  • Rename an accessory: Tap to delete the old name, then type a new one.
  • Change an accessory’s icon: Tap the icon next to the accessory’s name, then select a new icon. If you don’t get a choice of other icons, it means the icon can’t be changed for this accessory.

Group accessories

You can control multiple accessories with the tap of a button by grouping them.

  1. Open the Home app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the right side of an accessory tile and tap the Settings button. Tap Group with Other Accessories.
  3. Tap the accessory you want to group with this accessory—another light in the room, for example.
  4. In the Group Name field, type a name for the group.
  5. Tap Done.

To have the group show up in Favorites on the Home tab, turn on Include in Favorites.

Tag: Home
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How to find and share your Wi-Fi password on iPhone

by Abigail Shilets

You can find the password of the Wi-Fi network you’re currently using and see all the Wi-Fi networks and passwords you’ve previously saved. You can share the password of the Wi-Fi network you’re currently using with a nearby friend or family member.

All of them are in the Wi-Fi section of the Passwords app, where you can also copy a password to use elsewhere.

Here’s how to find and share your Wi-Fi password on iPhone.

Find a Wi-Fi password

  1. Open the Passwords app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Wi-Fi. If you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, its name appears at the top of the screen. You can also see all the Wi-Fi networks you’ve previously saved.
  3. Tap a Wi-Fi network.
  4. Tap the Password field.

To copy the password to use elsewhere, tap Copy Password.

Share your Wi-Fi network password with a nearby friend or family member

  1. Make sure your iPhone (the one sharing the password) is unlocked and connected to the Wi-Fi network.
  2. Have your friend of family member go to Wi-Fi settings on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac and then choose the network.
  3. When a message asks if you want to share your Wi-Fi password, tap Share Password.

Note: To share your Wi-Fi network password, devices need to be within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range, can’t be using Personal Hotspot, and have to be added to each other’s contacts. Another option: Go to the Wi-Fi network, tap Show Network QR Code, and let friends and family scan it to join the network.

Tag: Wi-Fi
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How to modify files and folders in Files on iPhone

by Stacey Butler

You can copy, move, customize, share, and delete your documents, images, and other files on your iPhone.

Your folders don’t have to look alike, either. You can customize the appearance of your folders with color and icons, change to list view or icon view, and rearrange the Browse screen. And you can delete a file or folder you no longer need. That command doesn’t appear for the Desktop, Documents, or Downloads folders, though.

The Files app displaying multiple folders and locations named Downloads, Letters, Family, and so on. At the bottom of the screen are buttons for Recent files, Shared files, and the Browse tab.

Customize the appearance of your folders

To make your folders easier to spot, add color and icons to them.

  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone.
  2. Touch and hold a folder you want to customize and choose Customize Folder & Tags.

    Note: This command doesn’t appear for the Desktop, Documents, or Downloads folders.

  3. Tap Tags, choose a color, and then tap the Back button.
  4. Select an icon or tap Emoji to add an emoji to the folder.

To remove the icon from the folder, tap Clear below the icons.

Change to list view or icon view

The Files app showing the files and folders in your iCloud Drive. The More menu has options for Selecting items, creating a new folder, Scan Documents, and Connect to Server. Below that are options to view items on the screen as Icons or a List. At the bottom are sort options for Name, Kind, Date, Size, and Tags followed by View Options.

  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone.
  2. From an open location or folder, tap the More button. Tap Icons or List to change your view of the files.

To look deeper into a file hierarchy in List view, tap the Forward button next to a folder to expand it.

Rearrange the Browse screen

  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Browse.
  3. On the Browse screen, tap the More button, tap Edit, and do any of the following:
    • Hide a location: Turn the location off.
    • Delete a tag and remove it from all items: Tap the Remove button next to the tag.
    • Remove an item from the Favorites list: Tap the Remove button next to the item.
    • Change the order of an item: Touch and hold the Reorder button and then drag it to a new position.

Delete a file or folder

  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Browse and then locate the file or folder you want to delete.
  3. Touch and hold the file, then tap Delete.
Tag: Files
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How to take Night mode photos with your iPhone camera

by Tyler Stephen

On supported iPhone models, Night mode automatically brightens photos and captures more detail in low light. Your iPhone sets the exposure time automatically, but you can adjust it manually if needed.

It’ll turn on by itself in low-light situations. For even more detail, you can choose between the available exposure options, and your selection is saved for your next Night mode photo. A tripod can help you get even more detailed Night mode photos, too.

Quick tip: Use a tripod for even more detailed Night mode photos.

The Camera screen in Photo mode. Within the viewfinder is a night scene. Buttons for Night and Camera Controls mode appear in the top-right corner of the screen. At the bottom of the screen are, from left to right, the Photo and Video Viewer button, Video and Photo Mode, and the Camera Chooser Back-Facing button.

  1. Open Camera on your iPhone.

    In low-light situations, Night mode turns on automatically. To turn it off and on, tap the Night mode button.

  2. For even more detail, tap the Camera Controls button. Then tap Night Mode and choose between the available exposure options. Your selection is saved for your next Night mode photo.
  3. Tap the Shutter button, or click the Camera Control on (supported models) and then hold your iPhone still to take your shot.

    If crosshairs appear in the frame, your iPhone has detected movement—align them to help you reduce motion and improve the image quality.

    To cancel a Night capture in progress, tap the Stop button.

Supported models can take Night mode selfies and time-lapse videos, too.

You can also take Night mode photos with Portrait mode on supported models.

Tag: Photos
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How to translate text in apps on iPhone

by Moses Johnson

You can select any text to translate in apps such as Notes, Mail, and supported third-party apps. When you enter text, you can even replace what you wrote with a translation.

You can choose the languages you want to translate from and to, and hear the original text or its translation spoken. You can also download languages, so you can translate locally on your iPhone. Translation is available for supported languages.

Note: Translation is available for supported languages.

  1. Go to an app like Notes or Mail on your iPhone.
  2. Select the text you want to translate and tap Translate.

    If you don’t see Translate, tap the Show More Items button to see more options.

  3. Tap the Language Menu. Choose the languages you want to translate your selected text from and to.
  4. To hear the text spoken, tap More. Tap the Gray Play button on the original text or its translation.
  5. Swipe down to see options for any of the following:

    • Replace your original, editable text with the translation: Tap Replace with Translation.
    • Translate locally on your iPhone: Tap Download Languages.

Note: Not all options are available with all translation apps.

Tag: Translate
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How to apply consistent styles and formatting in Freeform on iPhone

by Chris Smith

When you want the text in your sticky notes, shapes, or text boxes to have a consistent look in Freeform, for example, font, size, and color, you can copy the style from one item and paste it in another. You can also save styles.

A saved style goes further: every time you add another item like that, it uses the saved style. And when you paste a style, Freeform matches what fits the item, like fonts, line weight, or color, or the corners and shadows of linked or placed files.

  1. Open the Freeform app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap an item on a board and make any adjustments to the formatting—so it has the style you want to copy.
  3. When you have an item that’s formatted in a style you like, tap it to show its formatting tools.
  4. Tap the More button in the formatting tools, tap Style, and then tap Copy Style.
  5. Tap to select and show the formatting tools for an item whose style you want to change.
  6. Tap the More button, tap Style, and then tap Paste Style.

Fonts, line weight, or color are matched, depending on the item you paste a style into.

Pasted styles update the corners and shadows of linked or placed files.

Quick tip: When you like how an item looks, save its style, and every item like that you add to your board afterward uses it. Tap to select the text box, then tap the More button in the formatting tools. From there, tap Style and choose Save as Insert Style.

Tag: Freeform
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How to use hearing health features in Health on iPhone

by Stacey Butler

You can take a Hearing Test with your AirPods Pro 2 to provide insight into your hearing. Hearing Test results, or audiograms, depict the results of a pure-tone audiometry test, showing how loud sounds need to be for you to hear them.

The difference between the decibel level you need and a normal level indicates your level of hearing loss. If there’s no difference, your hearing is normal, and if there’s some or a lot of difference, your hearing is impaired.

Note: The Hearing Test is available for ages 18 and older. Not available in all countries or regions.

Take a Hearing Test

  1. Start the Health app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Browse and then tap Hearing.
  3. Scroll down to Get More From Health. Tap Take Hearing Test.
  4. Tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Your Hearing Test results are in the Health app for you to review. To share them with your hearing healthcare professional, you can export a PDF version of your audiogram.

Tag: Health
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How to check iPhone battery usage and battery health

by Chris Smith

iPhone offers useful insights into your battery life to help you identify ways to improve your experience, as well as important information about your battery’s overall health.

You can see how your battery usage today compares to previous days, view App and System Activity information, and see when your iPhone was last charged. You can also review your iPhone battery health.

Here’s how to understand your iPhone battery usage and health.

View Daily Usage information

The Daily Usage section compares your battery usage today with previous days, and iPhone displays the following battery usage information:

  • Similar or lower usage: Shows when your battery use is about the same as usual or less than usual by this time of day (in blue). When usage is similar, iPhone highlights the top three apps or system activities contributing to today’s usage.
  • Higher usage: Appears when you’ve used more battery than usual by this time of day (in orange). iPhone highlights the top three apps or system activities that may explain the increase.

The Battery Usage screen in Settings on iPhone displays graphs and information about battery consumption. At the top, a bar graph shows battery usage over the last eight days. Below it, a second graph details the battery level throughout the current day, indicating periods of charging.

To view daily usage information:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Battery.

View additional Battery Usage information

For today and the previous week, you can dig into more information about app and system activity usage.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Battery, tap View All Battery Usage, and tap a day.

    The Battery Usage screen in Settings on iPhone. It shows two graphs: the top graph displays daily battery usage for the last week, and the bottom graph details the battery level throughout the selected day, including periods of charging. Below the graphs, it summarizes total screen active and screen idle time.

View App and System Activity information

To help you understand what’s using your battery, the App and System Activity section lists the percentage of battery each app and system task used.

You might see the following information under an app or system activity, or when you tap an app to view more details. Here’s what they mean:

  • On screen: The app or system activity was open and visible on your screen. A long duration of onscreen time can explain higher battery usage compared to previous days.
  • Background: A long duration of background time can explain higher battery usage compared to previous days. Background activities include directions, playing music, syncing photos, fetching mail, and more.
  • Cellular coverage: The app was used in a low signal environment, which used more battery.
  • Notifications: The app or system activity woke your device and used battery to check for new information. You can manage an app’s notification settings to reduce how often this happens.

The Battery Usage screen in Settings on iPhone displays the “App and System Activity Usage” list, breaking down battery consumption by app. Each app is listed with its corresponding percentage of battery usage and its on-screen or background activity time.

To view app and system activity information:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • View today: Tap Battery, then scroll down.
    • View additional battery information for today and previous days: Tap Battery, tap View All Battery Usage and tap a day. Then scroll down.
  3. Tap an app to view more details, including its battery usage and activity for each day.

See when your iPhone was last charged

iPhone shows when it was disconnected from the charger and when the battery was last fully charged. And while it’s charging, iPhone displays estimated times to reach 80% and 100%.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Battery.

Review your iPhone battery health

You’ll find information about your battery’s capacity on iPhone. And on iPhone 15 models or later, details like battery health, first use date, cycle count, and manufacture date show up, too.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Battery, then do one of the following:
    • On iPhone 14 or earlier: Tap Battery Health & Charging.
    • On iPhone 15 or later: Tap Battery Health.

Battery life and charge cycles vary with use and settings.

The iPhone battery should be serviced or recycled by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Tag: Health
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How to set separation alerts in case you leave an AirTag or item behind in Find My on iPhone

by Emily Long

In the Find My app, you can turn on separation alerts for an AirTag or other item so you don’t accidentally leave it behind. You receive an alert every time the device sharing your location separates from the item, unless you’re in a Trusted Location.

For separation alerts to work, notifications for the Find My app need to be allowed, and you can choose a suggested Trusted Location or add a new one on the map.

Important: In order to receive separation alerts, make sure you allow notifications for the Find My app.

  1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Items and tap the name of the item you want to set an alert for. Then tap the More button.
  3. Tap When Left Behind and then turn on Notify When Left Behind.
  4. If you want to add a Trusted Location, you can choose a suggested location, or tap New Location, select a location on the map.
  5. Tap the Done button.
Tag: Find My
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