Tips & Tricks

Tips and tricks for all things Apple! Whether you want to learn tips for a Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or much more, you will find many tricks, tips, tutorials, and excellent walkthroughs for Apple devices and software here.

30+ Amazing iPhone Tips and Tricks For 2023

Sunday May 7, 2023 8:07 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Who doesn’t like tricks? We are not talking about the tricks in life, rather not a witty thing to do. But what you can do on your iPhone to improve productivity. Here are the best hands-on iPhone tips and tricks you can use to make your life easier. These iPhone hacks, tips and tricks will help you to use your iPhone in a most efficient way possible in 2023.

Best iPhone tips and tricks for 2023

Here are the best iPhone tips and tricks for 2023.

1. Your headphone can capture your photos

Yes, if those shaky hands fail to capture good photos , you can use the volume up and down buttons on your headphone to do the work for you.
Here’s how to capture an iPhone photo with your Apple EarPods or older earbuds.

Plug your Apple earbuds into your iPhone.
Launch the Camera app. …
Choose a photo subject and steady your hand. …
use either the volume up or down button on your earbud cable to capture the photo.

Read, How to use Apple EarPods like a pro

2. Shake and Undo

Why to bother fingers to delete a written text! Shake your
iPhone
and Undo typing to delete your message. Changed your mind? Shake again and tap on Redo
typing to get the original message back

3. Use Headphone Cord to Take picture

Shaky hands not getting you good pictures? Well you can trigger a snapshot using the volume up or down buttons on your headphone.

4. Save your data by deleting it

Do you know the iPhone feature that automatically deletes its data if an incorrect passcode is entered 10 times in a row? Sounds good, right? Simply follow these steps to enable this feature:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode
Enter your passcode
Switch on Erase Data

Read on for more iPhone tips and tricks.

5. Move cursor with space bar

Yeah, You heard it right.let your thumb rest and move the cursor while typing. You just have to long press the keyboard’s space bar, and then you can move the cursor wherever you want.

6. Set timer for Music

Don’t you sometimes fall asleep before turning off the music? Here’s how your Clock can set a timer to turn off anything you’re watching or listening to on your iPhone and iPad:

Start the clock app on your iPhone
Tap on Timer tab located at the bottom of the screen
Choose the length of time
Tap on When Timer Ends.
Scroll down and tap Stop Playing.
Tap Set in the upper right hand corner of the display

7. Calculate on the go!

Without having to open the Calculator, swipe right on your iPhone Home Screen and type in the search bar.

8. Battery draining?

Put your iPhone on Airplane Mode and then charge, it will speed up your iPhone’s charging process.

9. Stop Apps asking for Feedback

Disable those annoying Rating & Review Popups for App on your iPhone. Head over to Settings> Tap iTunes & App Store> Switch off App Ratings & Reviews

10. Get rid of annoying advertisements

Don’t allow the advertisements look at your personal stuff based on your search history. Head over to Settings> Privacy> Advertising> Switch on Limit Ad Tracking.

11. Silence unknown callers

stop pesky robocalls with this must-install trick.

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap Phone
Toggle Silence Unknown Callers

12. Automatically close browser tabs

Want to automatically close Safari browser tabs to keep your web browser running more efficiently? Simply follow these steps:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap Safari
Tap Close Tabs
You can set it to close your tabs after one day, week, month, or leave it on manual mode.

13. Start a group facetime call

You’ve probably FaceTimed a thousands times with your friends and family, but have you ever FaceTimed several of them simultaneously? Here’s how:

Start the FaceTime app on your iPhone
Tap the + button located at the top right hand corner of your screen
Enter the name or number of the person you want to call first
Enter up to 30 additional contacts
Tap on Video or Audio to make your FaceTime call

14. Customize text messages when you ignore a call

We get it — you’re busy and sometimes you may want to ignore a call. But instead of leaving your friends or family members hanging, the least you can do is send
a text message. Sometimes you don’t have time for that. Thankfully, your iPhone has three pre-written options (“Sorry, I can’t talk right now,” “I’m on my way,” and
“Can I call you later?”), and of course the button that lets you type your own text. You may not have noticed you can customize and overwrite the other three
options. Simply follow these steps:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap “Phone”
Tap “Respond with Text”
Choose the field you want to edit
Type in new text

15. Add Multiple faces to Face ID

Want to register multiple faces to unlock your iPhone? Well, here’s how to do it!

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode
Enter your passcode
Tap on Set Up an Alternate Appearance
Scan your face and follow the on-screen instructions

16. Measure objects with your iPhone

It seems like any time you need to measure something, you can never find the tape measure to do it. Thankfully, you can use built-in measuring tool on your iPhone to measure rooms and objects. It’s not completely accurate, but it’s a useful tool to use when you need to measure an object or the distance between two things in a pinch. Simply follow these steps:

Launch the Measure App
Move your iPhone around so the device can scan the area
Hold your iPhone so the camera is aiming at the object you want to measure
Move your iPhone around until a white circle with a dot appear in the middle
Line the white dot up with the edge of the item you want to measure
Press the white button with the + sign
Drag to opposite edge of item
Press the white button with the + sign
The app will show the approximate measurement

17. LIMIT IPHONE USAGE WITH SCREEN TIME

Guilty of using your iPhone too much? You can easily cut back on time spent on social media, online shopping, or scanning headlines with the help of
Screen Time. Here are the instructions for how to enable Screen Time:

Start the Settings App on your iPhone
Now, tap on Screen Time
Next, tap on App Limits
Next on, tap Add Limit
Tap a Category
Tap Add
Choose the Time
Tap the Top Left Arrow to Save

18. One-Handed Keyboard

iPhones displays are getting bigger, which makes typing challenging , particularly with one hand. Thankfully, you can enable one-handed keyboard feature on your iPhone
so you can use one hand to type and the other to do whatever else it is that you need to do. Simply follow these steps:

Hold down the emoji or globe icon on the bottom left of the keyboard
Choose the left- or right-handed keyboard icon
Tap the arrow in the blank space that’s created by the keyboard shift to go back to normal

19. Mute text message threads

Getting multiple short texts from a friend? Here’s a super tip for you. You can hide text-message alerts so you won’t get disrupted with alerts every time you receive texts from a particular person or group. Simply follow these steps:

Start the Messages app
Swipe left on the text chat you want to mute
Tap on Hide Alerts button

20. Type to Siri

Talking to Siri in public is somewhat crazy. Thankfully, you can use your finger rather than your voice to ask Siri questions. Here’s how:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Now, tap Accessibility
Scroll down and tap Siri
Toggle on Type to Siri

Also ensure your phone is on silent mode, or Siri will announce your answer to everyone.

21. Use the document scanner in the notes app

Want to scan a document quickly right from the Notes app? Simply follow these steps:

Launch the Notes app
Now, start a new note or open an existing one
Next, tap on the + icon that’s located above your iPhone’s keyboard in the center
Next on, tap Scan Documents
Use the shutter button or one of your iPhone’s volume buttons to take a picture of your document
Adjust the corners of the document by tapping and dragging them, if the need be
Finally, tap Save

22. Edit Screenshots

Did you know your iPhone allows you to edit your screenshots before saving or sharing them? Simply follow these steps:

Capture a screenshot by pressing the side button and the volume up button at the same time
Quickly tap the thumbnail of the screenshot that appears at the bottom left of your display
You can now crop the screenshot, doodle on it, highlight parts, and more.
When you’re done editing, simply tap Done in the top left, or tap the share icon in the top right to send it to a friend or family

23. Offload unused apps

You’ve probably gotten a “Storage Almost Full” pop-up numerous times, and you may have even deleted some apps and photos to free up some space to install iOS
13, particularly if you are running a 16 GB device. If you are one of those people, this little hack will save you a ton of stress and space over time. It automatically deletes apps that you don’t
use without deleting their documents and data. Simply follow these steps to offload unused apps and save precious storage space:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap on iTunes & App Store
Switch on Offload Unused Apps
The deleted apps will be grayed-out on your home screen, and they can be reinstalled with a simple tap

24. Customize control center

Did you know that your Control Center settings are fully customizable? You can easily place the settings and features you use a lot
right where you want them. Simply follow these steps:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Now, tap on Control Center
Next, tap on Customize Controls
Next on, tap the green “+” icon next to any item you want to add and the red “-” icon to delete items you want to remove from control center
Tap, hold, and slide the icon with three bars to reorganize the controls
When you are finished, tap Back button at the top left hand corner of your screen
Finally, swipe up from the bottom of your screen to view your customized Control Center

25. Do not disturb while driving

This feature aims to prevent accidents and cut down on distractions while driving. Do not disturb feature blocks incoming calls, text messages, and other notifications when
your iPhone detects acceleration or connects to your vehicle’s Bluetooth. When someone tries to contact you, your iPhone will send an auto-reply text to notify the person that you are driving. Simply follow these steps to turn on do not disturb wile driving:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Now, tap on Do Not Disturb
Under “do not disturb while driving,” tap Automatically if you want the setting to be enabled when your iPhone detects movement
Tap While Connected to Car Bluetooth if your car is Bluetooth enabled
Tap Manually if you don’t want the feature to enable itself automatically, and then add “Do Not Disturb While Driving” to Control Center (Refer to the previous tip above)
Tap Auto-Reply to customize and change the message, if you find it necessary
Tap Auto-Reply To if you want to change who gets sent the auto-reply message. You can select All Contacts, Favorites, Recent Contacts, or No-One

26. Text replacement

Your iPhone has a text-replacement feature that lets you
type just a few characters rather than spending forever typing a complete phrase or sentence. Simply follow these steps to set up text replacement feature on your iPhone:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Now, tap on General
Next, tap Keyboard
Next on, tap Text Replacement
Tap the + on the top right corner
In the Phrase field, enter the word or phrase you want to create a shortcut for
In the Shortcut field, enter the text you want to be replaced by the phrase
Finally, tap on Save located at the top right hand corner

Now, any time you type the shortcut on any text field, your iPhone will replace it with the phrase after you hit the space bar.

27. Hey Siri

Want to use Siri without pressing any button? Well, simply enable Hey Siri feature. Simply follow these steps:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap Siri and Search
Toggle on “Listen for Hey Siri!”

Super tip: If you ever misplace your iPhone at home, just shout “Hey Siri” and you should hear a bip. Keep doing it until you locate your phone.

28. Teach Siri how to correctly pronounce names

Siri may not be pronouncing your friend’s name properly, but you can fix that! Simply follow these steps:

Press the side button or say, “Hey, Siri” to activate Siri
Say, “That’s not how you pronounce [name.]”
Say your friend’s name
Siri will suggest four pronunciation options
Pick the right pronunciation

29. Set custom vibrations

You may already have custom ringtones for when certain folks call, but that doesn’t come in handy when you have your phone on silent mode. Thankfully, you can create and assign custom vibrations to particular contacts. Simply follow these steps:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap on Sounds & Haptics
Tap on Ringtone
Tap on Vibration
Choose Create New Vibration
Create a new vibration by tapping and holding however you want
Tap Stop button at the bottom right hand corner
Tap on Save at the top right hand corner
Finally, name your vibration

After you create the custom vibration, simply follow these steps to assign it to a contact:

Launch the Contacts app
Select the contact you want to assign the custom vibration.
Tap on Edit button located the top right hand corner
Select Vibration
Select the new vibration that you created earlier

30. Use your iPhone as a level

Did you know you can use your iPhone as a level? Well, within your iPhone is tool you may not have known about: a spirit level.
Simply follow these steps to access it:

Launch the Measure app
Tap Level located at the bottom right
place your phone flat against the surface you want to check levelness for

If you tap the screen, you can measure the difference between the two surfaces. The red margin shows how much the two angles vary.

31. BACKSPACE ON THE CALCULATOR

The Calculator app on the iPhone just doesn’t work as well as the original thing. Because there’s no tactile feel to it, you may accidentally press a key
you didn’t mean to. So, you click the C or AC button to start over, right? WRONG. The iPhone calculator app has had a backspace button all along! It’s
as easy as a single step:
Just swipe to the left or the right at the top of the screen where the numbers are displayed. Your swipe will delete the number you tapped last.

32. Hide Photos

Sometimes you have photos in your camera roll that no one would be proud of. Thankfully, you can stop that from happening by hiding specific photos. Simply follow these steps:

Launch the photos app
Tap the album where the photo(s) you want to hide is located
Tap Select button at the top right hand corner
Select the photo(s) you need to hide
Tap the share button at the bottom left hand corner
Tap the hide button at the bottom right hand corner
Tap Hide Photo

That’s all folks!

Best iPhone tips and tricks? Now you know

We hope these iPhone tips and tricks work for you and make your life easy. Have we missed some amazing iPhone tips and tricks here? We’d love to know in the comments section below.

Tag: iPhone Tips

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Amazing Trick to Unlock Real Productivity on your iPhone

Thursday July 28, 2022 4:11 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

When you’re using your iPhone like I’m using the kitchen, you’ll definitely know your way around all of the functions, how you can save important time and how to get things done.
But after your successful battle you’ll also leave a battlefield of dirty pans, squirts of tomato sauce on the microwave, and desperate parents (or at least a dad). Talking about your iPhone this means: You’ll have a pretty cluttered home-screen with lots of different apps and folders and notification badges all over the place, desperately trying to maintain some sort of order.
The problem with that is while I have to clean the microwave from its tomato sauce stains before using it the next time, you’ll feel overwhelmed with the different apps and notification badges lurking around before you effectively can use your iPhone again.
The funny thing is, if you ask folks most will tell you that iPhones look great and that this is one of the main, if not the single one reason, they’ve bought this freaking expensive device in the first place.

Now, I wonder if most folks find the looks of an iPhone visually appealing and if they love the minimal design, why do they clutter their home-screens with apps, with some they only use once a month?
Why do they take so precious care of the gorgeous outside and don’t pay any attention to the inside?
Poll: Are you using your iPhone to show off or as a tool to improve your life?
I don’t want to get started on society and its focus more on outward presentation than on inner values here…
But why don’t you organize apps on iPhone home screen in a way, that it’s pleasing in the eye, too? Why don’t you want to use your good-lookingiPhone as a tool to add value in your life?
Question-Time:
What if you can match the minimal outside of an iPhone with a minimal, visually appealing home screen? What if you can combine the visually appealing looks of a minimal home-screen with the powerhouse productivity you’ve been looking for? What if you can combine having less input to achieve more output?
It’s easier than you can imagine
Actually, it’s not even a combination. It’s one and the same. With less distracting input, you’ll have a more productive output.
And if you like minimal design, you’ll like the looks of it too
With the minimal ways to organize your iPhone home-screen I’d like to explain in this article, you’ll have a new way to avoid being overwhelmed from using your iPhone and use it more as a productivity tool than as time-killer.
With that in mind, here’s your simple guide on how to organize iPhone home-screen to suit your needs:

1. Become clear about your priorities

What do you intend to use your iPhone for, largely? Want to get organized and stay on top of your calendar events? Looking to get work e-mails out of the door, faster? Or do you need a small organizer keeping you up to date about milestones of a project?
Whatever it is, pick the three most important apps. The three iPhone productivity apps you need to achieve your goals and place them down into your dock. I don’t mention your most-used apps on purpose. Because, when you want to use your iPhone to help you be more productive and creative, it won’t help you to put your favorite social media apps in your dock.

The idea is, if you need to call people, why would you put the
Twitter apps
down there? Yes, you can only choose three apps for your dock, because you’ll need the 4th space for the following:

2. Place all apps in a folder

After you determine the three most important apps to use your iPhone in the way you want, the next step will be to place all the other apps in a folder and move this folder down in your dock.

3. Organize your “one-for-all” folder

Although you’re using only one folder, it needs to be organized. It shouldn’t be hard to find the apps you need with a few taps.
To solve a problem of placing all apps into one folder and then searching back and forth between the different pages of apps, I arrange them in an order according to how often I use an app.
Let me explain: On the first page, i’ve put the apps I use most often, on the second page i’ve put the apps I use the second most often and so on…

4. Use Spotlight to launch your apps

As you may already know, it could still prove tricky to find the right app in this one folder in which all of the other apps are. Swiping back and forth between 70 or even 130 apps can consume a lot of your time, however, the good news is that, we have a solution for that as well.
Apple has made it really easy to
find an app on your iPhone
by incorporating the Spotlight search feature. By swiping down on your home-screen you access it and have the chance to search for the app you want to use.

It takes way less time to use Spotlight to search for an app which is buried deep in your “All” folder, compared to searching this app with scrolling your “All” folder or looking for it on your different screens.

5. Turn off the notification badges

In my article on
how to make your iPhone work for you, not against you,
I explained why I decided to turn off almost all of the incoming notifications and the related notification badges. Here, the idea is pretty much the same. Because one of the primary reasons why you want to have a minimal iPhone productivity setup is because it appears attractive. But if you leave your notification badges on, things will get cluttered easily and quickly, which can lead to losing time in fishing for the right app and trying to “fight down” the number of unread messages, e-mails, tweets, etc. Another benefit you get after you
disable iPhone notifications
is that you won’t check your iPhone, whenever a new number pops up. In addition, you have more control and can determine the time which you check the latest news, respond to your messages and e-mails, and act on the latest social media notifications.

Bonus-Tip: Turn on Siri App Suggestions

On my spotlight search, there are additional two rows of apps, which I can access easily and quickly. These apps are suggestions from Siri (this personal assistant from Apple, everyone forgot about), based on which apps I often use on my iPhone. As such, you can use this panel with another 8 apps to your advantage, because if you use these apps all the time, they’ll be displayed there all the time, right? And this also means that you can re-structure your dock and your all-in-one folder to stop these apps from appearing first. You can simply access them via the Siri panel if you need to.
After showing you the ideal iPhone productivity setup and explained my interpretation of this principle, I would be grateful if you show and explain to me your iPhone productivity tips.
Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Tags: iPhone Tips, Productivity

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How to Get into the Apple Ecosystem for Less than $1500

Thursday July 28, 2022 4:17 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

I can not overstate the benefits of the Apple ecosystem. When you enter a contact on your phone it is automatically synced to your iPad. When you enter a new calendar event on your iPad, it is automatically synced to your iPhone and the event reminder comes up on your Apple Watch. It is seamless and it just works. If you get a Windows laptop and an Android phone you can get some synchronization with Google Calendar, but it won’t be anything close to seamless.
It’s not just contacts and events, either. All your To Do items, your web site bookmarks, passwords, messages, Notes, and there are loads of third party apps that take advantage of iCloud to sync between your different apps. The Apple ecosystem is a great thing, and there simply is nothing that even comes close to doing as much so easily.
With that in mind, here’s how to get into the Apple Ecosystem without breaking the bank.

iPhone SE - $399

The
iPhone SE
is Apple’s most affordable phone, but it packs The best features out there including the latest A13 Bionic processor, a camera capable of Portrait Mode, and wireless charging.

Apple Watch Series 3 – $199

Although this isn’t the newest Apple Watch, it’s supports the latest watchOS operating system, and will last for years. The Apple Watch complements your iPhone, offering notifications and quick actions on the go, while also offering lifesaving health features.

iPad & Logitech Combo Touch – $499

The 7th-generation iPad is Apple’s most affordable iPad, but it’s more than enough for the average user. With keyboard compatibility, an A10X Fusion chip, and iPadOS, this device is powerful enough for virtually everything you want to do.
With iPadOS and the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case, you can even use a keyboard and trackpad, and access desktop versions of websites in Safari just like on a Mac.

AirPods – $159

AirPods are a seamless, automatic way to listen to Music, podcasts, Audiobooks and other audio on your Apple devices. They connect automatically and have a battery life of over 24 hrs when used with the charging case, in addition to Hey Siri support.
And the total is $1,256
There you go! For less than $1500, you can get all the benefits of the
Apple ecosystem.
With an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and AirPods, you have a full set of Apple devices that can help you with everything you want to do.
See also:
Apple Watch Series 5 Review: Imperfectly Perfect!
And that covers everything about how to get into the Apple Ecosystem.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or feedback, let us know in the comments section below.

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A Brief History of Apple’s Haptics

Thursday July 28, 2022 4:20 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

today, I am going to discuss the History of Apple’s Haptics From the Apple Watch to the MacBook Pro.

What are haptics?

Haptic Touch
is a 3D Touch-like feature that Apple first introduced in the 2018 iPhone XR and later expanded to its entire ‌iPhone‌ lineup.

Haptic Touch uses the Taptic Engine and provides haptic feedback when you press on a display of one of Apple’s new iPhones. A Haptic Touch is a touch and hold gesture, and it can be used across a wide range of Apple Devices.

Haptic Touch
can be used by pressing in a relevant location until a little haptic pop is felt against the finger and a secondary menu appears, with content varying based on where you’re using the feature. A simple tap will activate one of the options on the secondary menu that appears.

Currently, Apple is The leading company when it comes to haptic feedback, but that wasn’t always the case.
Before 2014, Apple had not dived into haptics much, besides the ringtone vibrations in the iPhone.

Then, in late 2014, The Cupertino based company introduced the Apple Watch, which featured an Apple-designed Taptic Engine, with the ability to produce a tap-like sensation on your wrist.
The Taptic Engine was triggered when you received a notification or a phone call, and it also added physical feedback to certain actions on the watch.
With the Taptic Engine, the hardware and software of Apple Watch felt inseparable.

In early 2015, Apple released a MacBook with a lot of new features. Some of the best features included the Force Touch Trackpad.
This trackpad was entirely different from previous trackpads, in that it didn’t physically move. Instead, it used force sensors and a Taptic Engine to simulate a click, and “trick” your finger into thinking that the trackpad actually moved.
The effect is absolutely realistic, and if you haven’t tried a Force Touch Trackpad, I suggest trying one at the Apple Store to experience for yourself.

after the success of the Taptic Engine in the Apple Watch and the MacBook, used it in the iPhone 6s in the fall of 2015.
In the iPhone, the Taptic Engine didn’t play quite as huge a role as on the Watch, but it still performed one similar function, augmenting digital interactions with physical feedback.
In this regard, those digital interactions were delivered in the form of 3D Touch.
New to the iPhone 6s, 3D Touch measured the pressure of your finger on the screen, and offered contextual actions based on what you pressed on.
The Taptic Engine fired when you used 3D Touch to press on something, and it added a physical layer to the digital interaction. Haptic feedback played a vital role in 3D Touch.
In later iPhones the Taptic Engine played a more significant role. System toggles, animations, and picker wheels are all elements with haptic feedback.
today, the Taptic Engine is used in an array of devices, playing a significant role in the user interface.
While I would love to see the Taptic Engine come to iPad somehow, I’m satisfied with the feedback it offers on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac today.

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7 amazing tips to Protect Your iPhone and Privacy in 2025

Tuesday January 14, 2025 4:04 pm EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Apple has always been committed to privacy and honestly, an iOS device is more privacy oriented than an android device. However, you can tweak a few settings on your iPhone to preserve your personal privacy even more.

Apple prides itself on setting a high standard for user privacy and data security on every device it makes. However, your iPhone might not be as secure as you think.

It’s true that iPhones are more difficult to hack than their Android competitors, as they are produced by one manufacturer dedicated to keeping them secure. Tons of companies manufacture Android devices, which means greater risk of vulnerabilities.

However, malicious attackers have found creative ways to steal your sensitive data from the iPhone apps collecting it on a daily basis. They could grab your browsing history, personal images, current location, and even passwords without your knowledge.

What’s more, Apple has no control over where your information travels once it’s collected by apps. Some app providers harvest and sell your data, which means that iPhone privacy concerns go well beyond the risk of hacking.

The good news is that, there are many steps you can take to minimize your risks, and they are all FREE. Below, we’ll detail the best ways to protect your privacy on your iPhone, so that none of your sensitive information ends up in the wrong hands.

Why It’s Important to Keep Your iPhone Private

The possibility of someone watching you or sharing pictures and videos of you without your knowledge is disturbing at the least, and dangerous at worst. Unfortunately, it can happen, and it’s just one of many ways your iPhone can put your privacy at risk.

Hacking and Malware Risks

Security researcher
Felix Krause
found out that hackers can spy on you through your iPhone camera, thanks to apps they create by abusing iOS permission settings.

When you download an app from the App Store, it asks your permission to access different features of your iPhone – your camera, photos, location settings, and much more. Once you give permission to the app, it can access those features each time the app runs.

That means an app compromised by hackers can silently snap photos and record videos of you, or even run facial recognition software in an attempt to steal your identity.

Besides making you vulnerable to spying, compromised apps could infect your iPhone with malware.
“Jailbreaking”
your iPhone to download third-party apps not offered by the Apple Store greatly increases the risk of a hacking or malware attack.

With that in mind, the first step toward securing your data and device is quite easy, since all you have to do is nothing: Do not jailbreak your iPhone.
See also:
Can an iPhone Get a Virus? Know Here

Device Theft

We’ve all had those moments of distraction, not realizing we left our Smart phones at the coffee shop or grocery store until hours later. Then panic sets in. Passcodes and a fingerprint touch ID should prevent anyone who finds your iPhone from accessing your data, but will they, really?

In spite of these security measures, there is a chance a dishonest person who finds your iPhone could get into everything – your contact lists, your messages, and so much more.
See also:
Found a Lost or Stolen iPhone? Do These Things!

Data Harvesting and Other Privacy Concerns

Although your iPhone’s security features do their job and no one ever accesses your phone without your Consent, your privacy is still at risk any time you use an app. App providers and your ISP continuously collect your data, often selling it to third-party data brokers.

At a minimum, the sale of your data means you’ll be dealing with the annoyance of targeted marketing – and remember, these advertisers know your phone number. But the effects of data harvesting could be far worse than that.

Much of the data collected about you makes its way to agencies that run background checks. So whether the information is accurate or not, your data can be used against you when you make critical life decisions, such as buying a home or finding a new job.

Some sites suggest that the best way to protect your privacy is to delete all your iPhone apps, but doing that basically turns your $800 device into a flip phone. Here are some more practical tips to secure your iPhone and your data.

The Seven Best Ways to Keep Your iPhone Protected

So the hard truth is that although we’d like to imagine iPhone security risks as far-fetched scenarios, iPhones have very real vulnerabilities. The good news is that, there’s no reason to panic.

These seven simple tips will give your iPhone the boost of protection it needs to combat almost any security threat.

#1. Set a strong passphrase

It may sound obvious, but the first step is to defend your privacy from those who have direct access to our iPhone. Our smartphones holds sensitive information, personal photos, work emails and much more. Yet, I bet many of you have your date of birth as your phone’s unlock code. Bad idea!
Instead, create a robust and unpredictable password to protect your iPhone from the curious snoopers or malicious thieves.
Also, be sure to activate
Face ID or Touch ID,
so you don’t have to type in the long password every time and greatly improve the usability of your iPhone.
Here’s how to do it: Head over to Settings -> Face ID/Touch ID and set an alphanumeric password. Also be sure to carefully select what you want to be available from the lock screen. For instants, you may need to disable the Notification Center or Wallet, or maybe shut Siri down, which is sometimes a little too indiscreet. Lastly, if you use your iPhone for work and have really important Data, you can have all your data deleted after 10 failed passcode attempts, to make sure your data doesn’t go into the wrong hands.
Setting a password for your iPhone has another benefit, the data stored inside it is encrypted, making impossible to access it without unlocking the Device. Even if you connect it to a computer or take it apart, you can’t access the information inside it.

#2. Check your Find My settings

Find My
is a Super useful feature that allows you to locate your iPhone in case it gets lost all stolen. Make sure you have enabled this feature to have the possibility to delete the contents of your iPhone in case of loss, preserving your privacy.
Also make sure you don’t activate the sharing of your location with your friends, unless you want to do it on purpose.
To manage these settings: head over to Settings -> Apple Account Management -> Find My -> Find My iPhone.
See also:
How To Track a Lost iPhone, iPad, or Mac With Find My

#3. Check your location settings for Apps

Our location is arguably the most sensitive information inside our iPhone. So be sure to give each application permission to access your location only when necessary.
Of course we have to give permission to navigation apps, otherwise we won’t get directions, but maybe we can revoke permission to access our location to a video game or bank app.
To do this: head over to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services to find the list of installed apps. For each of them you can select whether to allow access to the location, and eventually let the application use GPS in the background as well.

#4. Check your location settings for System Services

Most iPhone users do not know that iOS itself uses the position very often. Thanks to the location our iPhone can give us personalized suggestions. For instants, it can send a notification with traffic information, calibrate the compass or provide targeted advertising.
By heading over to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> System Services we have the option to disable some entries, so that we can limit the amount of data collected by our iPhone operating system for the various suggestions.

Disable the access to your location for the System Services you don’t need
From the same screen you can also disable location data that is otherwise used to improve Apple products.

#5. Check your privacy settings for Apps

What most threatens our privacy are the applications. When we download an app from the App Store we are often asked to give access to a series of permissions, and most of the time we allow permission without paying too much attention, perhaps because we are in a hurry to use the app just downloaded.
In this case it’s good to apply a golden rule: give an app only the permissions strictly necessary for its operation.
By heading to Settings -> Privacy we can choose which applications to allow access to our contacts, our reminders, our calendar, our photos and much more. As we did for the localization, it’s a good idea to ask ourselves: “is it really necessary to authorize this app to access these data of mine?
Always use common sense: it’s obvious that an app that manipulates photos should be able to access our gallery, but it shouldn’t have access to our microphone. It’s obvious that a messaging app needs access to our contacts, but you probably don’t need to allow it to access our health data.

#6. Uninstall useless Apps

As I pointed out, applications are what most endanger our privacy. Applications represent a point of access to our iPhone, a way in which developers, often unknown, can gather a range of information about us.
Some applications may also have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers to attack our iPhones and steal our Data.
So, try to only install the apps you really need, keep them updated, and delete them when you no longer need them. This way, we limit the possibility of our data being exposed to malicious attackers.

#7. Hide notification previews on lock screen

The last tip is to deactivate the notification preview when the screen is locked. This prevents other people from being able to see your messages and other potentially sensitive information.
If you are the owner of the iPhone and you have Face ID, you just need to look at your Device to see the previews. Otherwise, you will only have to place your finger and use Touch ID.
To disable the Notificationpreviews: head over to Settings -> Notifications -> Show Previews.
See also:
14 Tips To Protect The Private Information On Your iPhone ..

Tag: iPhone Tips

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How to Setup your iPhone for a Better, Less Stressful Life

Friday June 19, 2020 7:08 pm EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Over the years, I’ve come to realise that the way I interact with my technology correlates to my stress level of the moment. This is the reason I decided to create this post on simplifying your technological environment.

Social Media

The first category I will tackle is Social Media. I know, it is kind of mean to ask you to look at how much time you spend on there each week, my number is 2h 08 minutes, what’s yours? In all seriousness though, I explain a bit more further down.

Social Media Usage:

I consider 2h of weekly usage to be reasonable. Seeing this laid out still makes me reflect, and I will be more conscious of the amount of time I allow myself to look at apple leaks, and scrolling through Snapchat.
TIP: I invite you to take a look at your weekly phone usage, you can also see the total time you spent on your phone for the week. You might have a shock when you see a 20 hours a week on TikTok or more! It did it to me a few months ago, I deleted the app straight! To access your report go to Settings → Screen Time → See all Activity, and if you want to see a full week like me: → swipe left on the graph.

Where is my social media buried in my iPhone?

The Untidied Folder where all my (non-daily) apps reside
Well, as the saying states: “out of sight out of mind”, so my social media apps are untidied in a folder with all the other apps I do not use on a daily basis. In this way, it is quite painful for me to find them. I ultimately use Spotlight to launch apps, which gives me the time to think twice before clicking mindlessly the button. (to access spotlight: simply swipe down from the home screen on your iPhone).

Advices on reducing Social Media / Netflix, Apple TV+ … / YouTube consumption

If you are not interested in reducing your iPhone screen time, skip this part, the following one continues on the subject of creating very useful shortcuts with the Control Centre.
Well, sometimes it’s challenging to stop a bad habit and we need some help. I needed help! A few years back, Apple added a feature that allows you to limit the time you spend on certain apps. It’s called app limits (Works for your mac and iPad too if you need to block apps). The way it works is: You decide how much you want to use a certain app/category of apps each day, and the apps will become unavailable on their own after the allocated time. You can allow yourself 15 minutes more / unblock for the day if you want to, but that is not the goal. I used it to use YouTube less 1 or 2 years ago, and it worked well! If you have a social media addiction I recommend it. How to set it uphead over to Settings → Screen Time → App Limits → Add Limit.It will then ask you for a specific app or category how much you want to allow yourself each day and more.

Useful Shortcuts and Tips to improve your experience

Now that you are breaking your iPhone addiction, let’s learn some handy shortcuts and automation for your iPhone.

Control Center

Control Centre is a relatively unused feature of the iPhone for most people and it doesn’t make any sense to me. I have customized my control center to only have what I need. While most are up to personal preference, there are two icons that I think you could benefit from greatly:

The low battery icon: while when you have left your iphone asks whether want to activate mode sometimes go out and know that be short on battery. you: swipe up tap the power button now in clear welcome.
The dark Mode Icon: While this one is not obligatory, I found my eyes straining when looking at iPhone screen in the dark. I find dark modes to help a bit (not a 100% change) but still better. If you sometimes forget like I do, you can set dark mode to turn on automatically by following these steps: Head over to Settings → Display & Brightness → Automatic (make it green) → Options → Light until sunset.

A word on Night Shift

It has been a trend and a belief that blue light negatively affects your sleep. The good news is that, there is a cool little known feature that allows you to reduce the blue light of your iPhone at night. I do use it and have it set up in the following way.
To activate it, simply follow these steps: Head over to Settings → Display & Brightness → Night Shift → Sunset to Sunrise.

Re-gain Power over your mornings and nights: Use Down Time

I naturally don’t tend to reach to social media or my iPhone in general in the morning or at night. Although, it would be a lie to say I have never done so. There are unfortunately quite a lot of consequences in depending so much on your iPhone. What you see, read, hear first thing in the morning, or the last thing at night does affect your night’s quality, but also the quality of your day and your general mood. Do you want to give that much power to your iPhone? I don’t! Fortunately, your iPhone can help you use it less, YES, you understand correctly, the Cupertino based brand helps you use the very product they make most of their money from, less. So why not use it to our advantage? Downtime is a set time from which most of your apps (but the one defined as always available) are greyed out and require you to click a button to say you want to use an app.
If you’re interested in trying it out, simply follow these steps: Head over to Settings → Screen Time → DownTime → Choose the time for each day.
I have it set up from 9 pm to 8:00 am every weekday, which represents an hour before my bedtime and an hour after my wake up time. The weekends, from 9 pm to 9:30 am. While I tend to go to bed later, it allows me to spend a bit more time, reading or doing something else like writing these articles.

Night Mode:

The last handy feature that I will talk about in this article: Night Mode. It allows you to mute all notifications at night, preventing anybody from disturbing your sleep. It also prevents calls (while still allowing repeated calls in case of emergency!).
To activate Night Mode on your iPhone, simply follow these steps: Head over to Settings → Do Not Disturb → Schedules → I add the same times as for my Down Time.

Tip: if you find reaching for your iPhone first thing in the morning, try and charge it at the opposite end of your room. It will also help you with waking up in the morning!!

As you might have discovered, I love technology. Although, I find it important to keep control over how we use it, and not let our technology decide the way our days go. Because at the end of the day, your favorite app makes a profit out of the time you give it. But for most people, the opposite is not true.
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned on how to use your iPhone for more productivity and less stress.
See also:
Amazing Trick to Unlock Real Productivity on your iPhone

Tag: Productivity

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Debunking common myths about Apple iOS

Sunday January 17, 2021 1:53 pm EAT by GeeksModo Staff

iOS has its pros and cons, but you can’t believe everything you hear about Apple’s mobile operating system

iPhones, and Apple’s iOS platform, are everywhere. But that doesn’t mean that all the talk you hear about the mobile operating system is true.
Actually, there are a couple of persistent misconceptions about iOS that cloud your understanding of how the operating system works.
That’s especially true if you’re trying to figure out what the real differences are
between iOS and Android.

See also:
Top 10 Advantages of an iPhone Over Android
Now, read on to learn about five iOS myths and to find out why they’re incorrect.

Myth #1: iOS is immune to malware

The vast majority of people think that because iOS is a closed system, over which Apple has extensive control, it’s impossible to end up with malware on an iOS device.
Unfortunately, that is simply not true. Although Apple thoroughly screens all apps in the App Store, infected apps,
or apps that compromise your iPhone’s security may still end up in the App Store. (For instance, consider the scenario in which
Apple removed some ad-blocking apps
from the App Store. The company noticed that the apps in question were installing their own root certificate and were thus theoretically
able to access encrypted traffic.)

iOS devices are also susceptible to network attacks, which can occur over public Wi-Fi networks in coffee shops, airports, and other places where you may not be
as careful as you should be. That’s one of the reasons why you should be careful and take precautions when
connecting to a public Wi-Fi network.
Even if you’re connected to a network that you’ve used before, a hacker can also be on that network and access your information, your passwords, and
other personal data. Though it’s easier to update iOS than Android, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to pay attention to security.

See also:
Can an iPhone get a virus?

Myth #2: Touch ID isn’t secure

It is now well known that
Touch ID is hackable,
in part because the form of biometric authentication of the iPhone depends on your fingerprint, which a determined hacker could obtain from something
you’ve touched. But for the average user, who doesn’t live in a spy movie, this is a pretty unlikely situation. Just like discovering that
your iPhone has been tapped.

It’s true that Touch ID has its weaknesses, and someone can exploit those weaknesses to gain access to your iPhone. But in practical
terms, it is extremely unlikely that someone will get a viable fingerprint, even from your iPhone itself, lift the print correctly and then use
expensive equipment to create a fake fingerprint that can fool the system. Are the photos and app data that you have on your iPhone worth all that trouble
to someone else? Probably not.

It comes down to? Touch ID is not 100% secure, but no form of biometric authentication is. If you have a spy-novel-worthy hacker after you, it is possible
that Touch ID can be used to access your iPhone. But for casual and opportunistic thieves? Touch ID will not make your personal information easy
to access. As with any mobile operating system, iOS has some vulnerabilities. But if you do your bit to keep track of your iPhone, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Myth #3: You can change everything on iOS that you can on Android

Android is known for its customizability, but the vast majority of Apple fans think that recent updates have made iOS just as customizable as Google’s much-more open
operating system. That’s just not true, as iOS is a “walled garden” that still leaves much control in Apple’s hands. For example, While you can totally
change the look of the interface on an Android device, , that’s not easy to do on iOS, and you won’t be able to make all the changes on iOS that you
can do on Android.

Of course, you can
jailbreak your iPhone
to be able to customize it any way you want. But we really don’t recommend jailbreaking your iPhone. A jailbroken iPhone cannot download updates or security
patches without returning to its original state. And jailbreaking has unforeseen consequences, such as
shorter battery life,
features and apps that may stop working,
or software that keeps crashing. If you want to take control of the appearance and functionality of your phone operating system, you’ll
be much better served by choosing an Android device instead of an iPhone

As you may already know, Apple has changed the customizability of its operating system to some extent with recent versions of iOS,
perhaps in response to complaints from users who would like more control over what they can do on their iPhones. While users accustomed to Android used
to complain that you couldn’t change the default keyboard used in Apple’s operating system, Apple began allowing third-party keyboards with the introduction
of iOS 8. That means that you can choose an alternate keyboard to use throughout the system, something you could previously control only on Android. And

iOS 10
brought, among other features, the ability to delete stock apps you don’t want. But iOS still doesn’t match the customizability of Android.

Myth #4: Apple invented apps, so all the goods apps go to iOS first

To start with, it’s a common misconception that Apple “invented” apps with the introduction of the iPhone and then the App Store. That’s not true.
When the Cupertino brand launched the first iPhone in 2007, it was basically an iPod Touch with calling functionality added — no 3G connectivity and no App Store at launch.
While Apple played a major role in popularlizing the concept of mobile apps when it did introduce the App Store, it really didn’t invent any apps. Stuff like
calendar apps, ringtone editors, and basic mobile games were around long before Apple created its first iPhone.

As for the myth that all the best apps go to iOS first, this isn’t as true as Apple fans would like to believe. It’s true that there are tons of developers
who release new apps on iOS first. (If Apple’s iOS was the programming language and platform that you were most familiar with, wouldn’t you start there,
too?) The iOS App Store is also a better place than the Google Play Store for paid apps or apps with in-app purchases. But any developer who wants wide
distribution will publish on both iOS and Android, even if his or her technical background influences the choice of which app to complete first.

The Android and iOS app stores have roughly the same number of apps. If you’re an Android user who has got the impression that all the apps that you’d
like to use go to iOS first, it is properbly because many startups in the United States are run by iOS users, especially in Silicon Valley, where the iPhone
dominates (at least according to anecdotal evidence). But you can find great apps for both mobile operating systems, and when
choosing between iOS and Android,
you need to research which platform allows you to use your favorite apps.

Myth #5: Bigger specs are better, and iPhones often lose

When you compare smartphones, you can easily get caught up in how their tech spects compare. And if you’re comparing
a high-end Android smartphone against one of Apple’s iPhones, there are probably at least a few areas where the Android smartphone seems to be clearly better. But
a phone has more to offer than its spects, a truth that will come up again and again if you read the experts’ reviews of the smartphones you’re trying to
compare.

One example is how megapixels, the easiest specification to compare when dealing with two different smartphones with unique camera systems, don’t
offer the whole story when it comes to the camera’s performance.

Myth #6: Jailbreaking Apple Devices could Land You a Spot in Jail

Contrary to popular belief, jailbreaking your iPad and your iPhone is not illegal. Of course, it can affect your warranty negatively but as per the U.S. Library of Congress, jailbreaking your Apple device does not mean you are breaking or infringing copyright laws.

iOS myths debunked?

Debunked or not, these myths about Apple iOS are the most common among critics and users. There are probably more common myths or less common myths surrounding this popular gadget giant but it would be too big a list if I were to enumerate and describe them all. More myths may crop up in the future and it would be up to the critics and fans to evaluate whether these myths are true or not.

Tags: iOS, iPhone Tips

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Debunking Common Myths about iPhone Battery

Friday June 19, 2020 7:30 pm EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Charging your iPhone – a task which seems as simple as just plugging your device into a charger. But, have you ever thought about whether you are doing it right?

With so many conflicting opinions found on the internet, it can be difficult to distinguish between the wrong and right ways to charge your
iPhone.
Actually, you may have been charging it wrong all this time.

First of all, it’s important to understand that iPhone’s use lithium-ion batteries, and these batteries are susceptible to their own versions ‘stress’. As such, charging your iPhone wrongly could be detrimental to its continuance and even cause long-term damage to the battery.

We want to make sure you are making the most out of your device and are taking the necessary steps to maximize the battery life of your precious iPhone.

So, in an effort to help you understand how to efficiently charge your iPhone and to clear up any confusion, we have explained the 5 most popular iPhone battery myths. Check them out below:

Myth #1: Never use your iPhone whilst its charging

Many articles on the internet states that using your iPhone whilst it’s charging can be unsafe. They argue that being on your iPhone can cause the phone to explode, damage the battery, or even trigger an electric shock.

Opening apps, answering phone calls, and checking your text messages whilst your iPhone is plugged in iscompletely fine. The only issue you may experience is that your battery may take longer to charge up.

Results: Although it might take longer to charge up, using your iPhone whilst it is connected to power is completely safe. Just make sure you use genuine, high-quality chargers and charging cables.

Myth #2: Charging your iPhone overnight can destroy the battery

Perhaps the most common misconception many people have is that charging their iPhone overnight can damage the battery. A few years ago, this was the case. However, today’s phones have extra protection chips built into the battery so overcharging can’t take place. As soon as your iPhones internal battery reaches its full capacity, charging stops.

Nonetheless, it’s important to note that leaving your iPhone plugged in to charge overnight will use up quite a bit of energy. Every time your iPhone dips to 99%, your device will use energy to obtain full battery – this is known as trickle charging.

Results: Although charging your iPhone overnight is safe and won’t destroy the battery, trickle charging can cause your iPhone to heat up. This isn’t something you need to worry about but if you can, take your iPhone out its case whilst charging, ensure you place it on a flat, hard surface, and if you wake up in the night at any point, unplug it before you go back to sleep.

Myth #3: You must use the official Apple charger to charge your iPhone

Most people believe that they must use the official Apple charger to charge their iPhone. However, this isn’t the case. As long as you aren’t using a cheap knockoff charger, then using a charger which isn’t made by apple is completely fine. When purchasing a charger for your iPhone, make sure you buy high-quality chargers from reputable brands.

Results: Using a third-party charger to charge up your iPhone is absolutely fine. Just ensure that you aren’t using a super-cheap, knockoff, faulty charger – this is when the damage to your iPhone could be caused.

Myth #4: You should always charge your iPhone up to 100% and let the battery drain all the way down to 0%

For many years, a lot of people have been under the impression that allowing their iPhone to completely drain down to 0% before charging it back up to 100% was the best charging method, and that chargingan iPhone in small bursts could cause damage in the long run. But as a matter of fact, it’s better not to fully charge because a high voltage can put the lithium-ion battery under significant stress. The lengthened stress could result in damage to your iPhone battery’s continuance.

Results: Avoid charging your iPhone full cycle (0-100%). Instead, try to top it up regularly in shorter chargers. If it’s possible, keep your iPhone’s battery charged with a good amount of power as the day goes on – partial charging is the way to go.

Myth #5: It doesn’t matter if I never turn my iPhone off

The vast majority of people make the mistake of leaving their iPhone’s on all day whilst using them and leaving them on all night to charge. But much to everyone’s disbelief, turning your iPhone off and resetting the device could actually help to conserve the battery. Your iPhone is a machine that has multiple apps constantly running in the background, so it’s important to give it a break every once in a while.

Restarting your iPhone only takes a few minutes, but that time could help preserve the battery life of your much-treasured device.

Results: If you don’t do it already, try turning your iPhone off at least once a week to reset it or when you go to bed and it’s not in use. Turning it off from time-to-time allows your iPhone to take a break and preserves the battery’s longevity.

Myth #6: Closing All Your Apps saves battery

Last on our list is an oldie, but a goodie. Despite many clearly-stated, unequivocal answers which echo a resounding “No!” I still see people closing their active apps. There hasn’t been a more succinct answer on this topic than from Apple’s Senior Vice President of software engineering Craig Federighi. Answering a customer’s e-mail originally intended for Tim Cook, as he often does, Mr. Federighi categorically denies any necessity for closing apps.

“No and No” from Apple’s VP of software engineering is good enough for us, but to elaborate just a bit, here’s the reason: Essentially, apps that show up in your “recent apps” are in such low power states that they’re not impacting battery life really at all. Coupled with this is the simple fact that you use your iPhone, and if you close all of your apps – no matter how light your usage is – when they need to be reopened, by you or the system, more CPU power and therefore battery power is used getting them open again.

There are a few quick caveats to this approach. With apps that are background-resource-heavy like Facebook and other social media, closing them without disabling “background app refresh” will not do you any good. Also, in the case of location-tracking apps, limiting location services is also recommended. Other features like the iPhone’s “Share My Location” feature are also good ones to turn off for hanging on to your precious juice. Settings like “Bluetooth Sharing” may transmit data from Bluetooth accessories, such as wearables, to their respective apps even when they’re not running, but this transmission should have very minimal effects on your battery life.

If you think there’s an errant app draining your iPhone’s battery, it’s quite easy to manipulate these authorizations. Firstly, you can check an apps background usage from the “Battery” menu in General settings. Tap any app in the list to see a breakdown of battery drain due to on-screen time versus background activity.

Next, from the Privacy menu in the main settings you’ll see location services while the rest of these relevant preferences can be found within the app in question’s dedicated settings, also found in the iPhone’s General settings menu. Beware, of course, not to disable something like background app refresh on a work communication app such as Gmail if you rely on its notifications for work or disable cellular connectivity on WhatsApp if you need to be available even when you’re not on Wi-Fi. Otherwise, you can tweak the aforementioned settings to your liking or use them to limit an app’s access to your iPhone’s resources and see for yourself if an app truly is running wild.

Oh, and as always, using the auto-brightness and True Tone options are also effective ways to limit your usage without having to think too much about it. Finally, you can disable Wi-Fi network when you’re out and about to keep your iPhone from constantly searching for possible networks to connect to.

Results: Don’t close apps, but rather keep them in check with set-it-and-forget-it options in your iPhone’s settings. And use auto brightness!

Making the most out of your battery:

Most of us would love to own a phone where the battery inside it never dies, but with the powerful, battery draining features today’s phones are built with, this is implausible. However, by following the above tips, you could help to extend your battery’s lifespan and keep your iPhone full of juice for longer.

See our article on
how to improve iPhone’s battery life.

Do you know any other iPhone charging myths that we haven’t covered above? Let us know in the comments section below!

Tags: Battery, iPhone Tips

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iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? How To Speed Up Your Charging

Saturday January 1, 2022 3:17 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Is your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro Charging Slowly? Here’s how To Speed Up Your Charging.

In most cases, your iPhone 13 shouldn’t take very long to charge, even if the battery is significantly drained. iPhone 13 is designed to hold a charge for a long time, and the recharge stage shouldn’t be too time-consuming. If your iPhone 13 seems to be taking longer than it should to charge, then there are some different things that could be causing it. There are also several possible solutions to your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro charging slowly.

Believe it or not, there is even better news. It turns out that charging your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro much faster is not a difficult process. Actually, you can drastically improve your charging time by following the tips described below.

Without any further ado, here is how to fast charge your iPhone 12 13 or iPhone 13 Pro:

iPhone 13 charging slowly? Don’t Engage in Any Phone Activity While Charging

If your iPhone 13 is charging slowly, you should avoid doing anything with the iPhone while it is charging if you want the process to go quicker. Don’t make phone calls, text with anyone, play games, etc. while waiting for the battery to return to maximum power. Some individuals are practically addicted to their phones, but find something else to do while the phone is charging. That’s a sure way to get it back to full-battery status faster.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Buy a powerful power adapter

Along with the fast charging cable that came with your iPhone 13, you’ll need a special charging block, because what’s an Apple product without a bunch of peripherals? It’s a 20-watt adapter with a USB-C port, rather than the usual USB-A port. If you’re just looking to fast charge an iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro, then the $29 official 20-watt USB-C power adapter is all you need.

If you have a newer MacBook, then you may also already have a power adapter that can handle all your fast-charging needs. Many MacBooks — specifically, 2015 models and newer — use USB-C-compatible charging blocks, and you can use one of these to fast charge your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro when combined with the USB-C to Lightning cable. The most common is the official 30W USB-C power adapter, and it can easily pull double-duty if required.

If you’re rocking a MacBook Pro, then you might have a charger that’s even more powerful than the 29W or 30W varieties, and Apple has confirmed that even the 61W and 87W versions are safe to use with your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro. Remember, the amount of power used is regulated by your iPhone, so it will never draw more than it can handle and damage itself — and the charger can’t force your phone to accept a wattage that’s too high for it to handle.

Note: If you’re buying an adapter just for fast charging, there’s no need to buy an adapter stronger than 20W; iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro can only handle a 20W charge, so a more powerful charger would just cost more money and not offer any extra benefits. However, it would add future-proofing, if you’re worried about that.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Turn off optimized Battery charging

To charge your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro to 100% quicker, open up the Settings app, head to the Battery Health section, then toggle off the Optimized Battery Charging switch. That seems counterintuitive, but it really works — here’s why.

Turns out, it’s actually not all that healthy for your phone’s battery to continuously charge straight to 100%, and sit at 100%, all of the time. According to Apple, batteries can age more or less depending on factors like charging patterns and temperature — and the more they age, the less charge they can actually hold. Leaving your phone at 100% on a charger for hours and hours on end accelerates that degradation. In other words, the real-world effects of quickly charging your battery and leaving it at 100% over and over again are actually tangible. Even if that impact won’t be felt for a year or two into the phone’s life.

Use this feature sparingly — but when you need it, it’s wonderful to have the option.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Turn on airplane mode temporarily

One of the biggest draws on your battery is the network signal. As a general rule, the worse your signal, the faster your battery will drain.

Consequently, if you reside in a location with a poor signal, charging your iPhone takes longer than if you live in an area with a strong signal — the signal is eating through your power as you charge.
The quick solution? Put your iPhone in Airplane Mode before you plug it in. Testing suggests it could reduce the amount of time needed for a full charge by as much as 25 percent.

Also, it probably makes sense that you should charge your iPhone 13 with it turned off. After all, if your iPhone is not running anything, it can just charge faster. However, there are times when you want to charge your iPhone with it turned on.

For those moments, you can always enable airplane mode.
While this method is not as effective as turning it off completely, it will reduce the load on your iPhone 13 and make it charge much faster.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Turn Your device Off

Simple, obvious, but often overlooked. If your iPhone 13 is switched off while it’s charging, it’s going to charge a lot faster. Nothing will be drawing on the battery while you fill it up.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Do not use a wireless charger

We hear you: Wireless chargers are one of the smartest ways to charge your iPhone. Unfortunately, they are also one of the least effective ways to quickly charge your iPhone 13.

Basically, you really should only be using a wireless charger if no better option is available. It won’t hurt your phone in the long run to use one, but if you want to charge your iPhone 13 faster, this is the only method to avoid.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Charge your device from a wall outlet, not from your computer

Here is another one of those unfortunate facts that keeps you from charging your iPhone 13 faster.

As tempting as it is to charge your iPhone from your desktop or laptop, it will never be as fast as charging from direct power source. Your iPhone can take advantage of a much stronger and more consistent power source.
Typically, non-wall socket USB ports only produce a power output of 0.5A. Wall socket charging usually produce 1A (depending on your device). There’s nothing wrong with receiving a lower amperage — it won’t damage your iPhone — but you’ll definitely be twiddling your thumbs for a lot longer.
When you connect this method to a USB-C charger and turn off your iPhone 13, you’ll get the fastest charging times possible.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Remove your phone case

The idea of removing your iPhone case while charging your iPhone probably sounds like a very bad idea. However, there is very real information that supports this idea.

Basically, your iPhone gets a little hotter when you have a case. When you charge it with your case on, it gets very hot. Not only is that generally dangerous, but excessive heat can cause your iPhone to slow down or start the charging process.

It may sound tedious to remove your phone case every time, but again this is for those who really want to optimize their iPhone charging.

iPhone 13 still Charging Slowly? Charge your iPhone at least once a month with an empty battery

You’ve probably heard that it’s best to drain your iPhone’s battery before charging it. That’s generally true, but it’s also a bit misleading.

Instead, you can use your overall charging time to make your iPhone “die” even once a month, even before it’s fully charged. Why? Well, it helps battery maintenance to keep it running through a natural cycle. In general, the healthier your battery is, the faster it will charge.

iPhone 13 Charging Slowly? Clean the charging port

We’ve talked about this before regarding cleaning your iPhone, but you should actually clean the charging port of your iPhone 13 regularly for proper maintenance.

If you try to charge your iPhone 13 with a dirty port, you may experience delay issues due to an incorrect connection. Moreover, you can cause damage to essential charging components if your charging port is too dirty for too long.

What Charging Tips Do You Have?

I’ve introduced you to nine ways to charge your iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro faster. If you work through the tips methodically, you can save time charging your iPhone.
I’d love to know what else you’d add to this list. Have you found an iOS setting that considerably alters the amount of time it takes to recharge your battery? Do you know about a gadget your fellow readers can buy to make the charging process easier?
Now that you’ve fixed slow charging on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, check out Tips and tricks to improve iOS 15 battery life

Tags: Battery, iPhone Tips

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iPhone Is Disabled Connect To iTunes: How To Unlock

Monday August 22, 2022 3:25 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Have you ever picked up your iPhone to be greeted with a notification saying “iPhone is disabled” and to “try again in 1 minute” or to try again 5, 15, 60 minutes? The worst of all, the error says “iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes”, and you cannot use it until then.

So, why is the iPhone saying “iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes?” And how do you fix the issue so that you can use the iPhone again? The answers to these questions are usually easy. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll explain why your device says iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes, and most importantly, show you how to unlock so that you can reenable your iPhone and start using it again. We’ll also walk you through how to unlock a disabled iphone without itunes.
iphone disabled one minute delay

Why is My iPhone Disabled?

If you enter the wrong passcode repeatedly, your iPhone
will automatically be disabled for sometimes and it will display iPhone is disabled error notification on the screen.
The obvious fix in this situation is to hold on for a minute or two and then enter the correct passcode to unlock the iPhone and get around the disabled message. In the future, just enter the correct passcode in the first attempt and you’ll avoid this message and the lock out period.

If you enter incorrect passcode repeatedly, the iPhone will be disabled and display an error message saying “iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes”

You may want to know how many failed passcode attempts are required to disable the iPhone for a given period of time and to get the Error message, that information is as follows:

5 failed passcode attempts in a row – iPhone is disabled, try again in 1 minute
7 failed passcode attempts in a row – iPhone is disabled, try again in 5 minutes
8 failed passcode attempts in a row – iPhone is disabled, try again in 15 minutes
9 failed passcode attempts in a row – iPhone is disabled, try again in 60 minutes
10 failed passcode attempts in a row – iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes (or the iPhone erases itself of all datA IF self-destruct mode is enableD

Keep in mind that the time delays mentioned above are automatically triggered on your iPhone, and cannot be adjusted or turned off.
Being locked out for 1 minute isn’t too bad, however, bing locked out for 60 minutes is annoying, as is connecting to iTunes to enable the iPhone again. If you want to unlock a disabled iPhone,there are a few simple steps which you need to follow.
Here is the step by step guide which will help you unlock a disabled iPhone with or without iTunes.
Let’s further understand the common causes of this problem to avoid it in the future, then we’ll dive into solving iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes error.

But I didn’t try to unlock my iPhone, so why does it say it is disabled?

Under some circumstances, you didn’t actually try to unlock an iPhone and you didn’t (intentionally) enter incorrect passcode, but the iPhone says it is disabled. Here are three most common reasons why this happens:

pocket: Inadvertently disabling an iPhone in a pocket is very common! This mostly happens to iPhone users who keep their iPhones in a pocket that they also use for their hands, often hip coat pockets, the hoodie pouch pocket, or front pants pockets. The iPhones screens slide to unlock feature can easily trigger itself, landing your device into passcode entry area while the iPhone is in a pocket.
Snoopers. Friends and colleagues don’t always understand they don’t have limitless number of guesses to unlock your iPhone .
Kids. Kids love iPhones and they love playing with phones. Tom gets sad when the phone stop working and mom isn’t happy that her iPhone is disabled.

iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes, how to unlock

Want to unlock an iPhone stuck on the disabled screen? The most straight forward solution is to wait for the time to pass, then enter the correct passcode. For anywhere up to 9 failed passcode attempts, all you need to do is grab a cup of coffee and wait for time to elapse. (‘Try again in X minutes’ count down will be displayed on the screen therefore, you can see how long You are required to wait.)
There is nothing much you can do during this period, however, you have an option to place emergency calls by tapping the immergency button located at the bottom of the screen.

Once the waiting period is over, your iPhone’s screen will display a normal background and you’ll have a chance to try entering the passcode again. At this point, try entering your passcode carefully when given a chance. If you input the passcode wrongly one more time, you’ll be subjected to another waiting period.

As soon as you get to an hour wait, you’re approaching your final chance. Get it wrong one more time and your iPhone will be disabled until you connect to iTunes.

If you’re approaching the 10-guess limit, be careful. Do you have the right passcode penned down somewhere, or is there anyone else who knows It?
It might be prudent to jot down every attempt you make from this moment on (and any that you’re certain you’ve tried before), but this is only to help nudge the memory – however, iOS smartly counts various entries of the same wrong passcode as one wrong guess, so you should not mind about trying any guesses repeating yourself.
After 10 failed passcode attempts , you’ll have to restore your iPhone using iTunes.

How to unlock a disabled iPhone with iTunes

When your device says “iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes,” the only solution is to connect It to a computer to unlock it again. Hopefully you have a recent backup on your computer, and hopefully you remember your iPhone’s passcode, otherwise you’ll be required to wipe your device clean and lose all your data. Yes really. This is why it is important to back up your iPhone frequently.

Steps to unlock a disabled iPhone with iTunes

If you know your iPhone’s passcode and Had recently synced your device to iTunes, you are in luck. You can restore it as new without loosing data. Follow these steps to fix iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes error:

Connect the iPhone to a computer it usually syncs with via a lightening cable and open iTunes
Choose the iPhone (from the sidepane or from top-right of the screen
Click “Sync” in iTunes and enter the correct passcode when requested to unlock the device, this will backup the iPhone to the computer
Hit “Restore” to restore the iPhone from the most recent backup

If you can’t remember the iPhone passcode, the only option is to erase the iPhone completely and it will wipe all data using recovery mode.

Use Recovery Mode

Recovery Mode erases the iPhone completely. However, it can prove helpful if the above fix didn’t work.
Note, iTunes won’t allow you to restore your device if Find my iPhone is enabled on your device, even if you have synced your iPhone with a computer. In such a situation, the only solution is to restore your iPhone from recovery mode. Here’s how to put your iPhone into Recovery Mode:

Connect the USB to lightening cable to your computer but don’t plug it to the iPhone yet.
Open iTunes on your computer.
If you are using iPhone X or newer, quickly press the Volume Up button, then quickly press the Volume Down button and then press and hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears.
Next, connect your iPhone to the computer. A ppop up will appear on iTunes window stating “An iPhone has been detected in recovery mode. Now, proceed with the restore process.
If you are using iPhone 6S or older, press and hold down the Home button and Sleep/Wake button for approximately 10 seconds until the iPhone shuts down.
Release the Sleep/Wake button but keep holding the home button.
Now, connect the lightening jack to your iPhone, (Don’t release the Home button yet).
A pop up will appear on iTunes window stating “An iPhone has been detected in recovery mode.” Now, go ahead with the recovery process.
If you are using iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold ON/OFF button and volume down button simultaneously). Keep holding both the buttons until Connect to iTunes screen appears. After connecting your iPhone to iTune, a ppop up will appear on iTunes window stating “An iPhone has been detected in recovery mode. Now go ahead with the restore process

What do you do when your iPhone is disabled and won’t connect to iTunes? In this case, check the next solution.

How to unlock a disabled iPhone without iTunes

Some iPhone users find that connecting the disabled iPhone to iTunes doesn’t fix the problem. Fear not! You can unlock disabled iPhone without iTunes using third-party tool, known as Tenorshare 4uKey with just a few simple clicks.
Unlock a disabled iPhone with Tenorshare 4uKey:

Tenorshare 4uKey is an easy tool designed to unlock iPhone screen without iTunes. Whether it’s a simple 4-digit passcode, 6-digit passcode or more complex custom numeric code and alphanumeric passcode, 4uKey offers the ability to remove an iPhone screen lock passcode in a very short amount of time.

Tenorshare 4uKey has one of the best mobile interfaces out there. Its features options are robust, but you’ll never struggle to navigate them. Tenorshare 4uKey is designed to allow you to unlock a disabled iPhone with minimal effort. It succeeds at that goal.

Unlocking a disabled iPhone works like magic. You just need to connect your iPhone to your computer, launch Tenorshare 4uKey and perform a few Clicks.

With that in mind, here is how to unlock a disabled iPhone without iTunes using Tenorshare 4uKey:
Unlock disabled iPhone with Tenorshare 4uKey

Steps to remove lock screen and unlock disabled iPhone without iTunes

Step-1: Download, install and launch 4uKey on your Mac or Windows computer. It is necessary to sign in to the software with your registration Code. Then click on Unlock Lock Screen Passcode to get started.

Step-2: Connect the disabled iPhone to your Mac or Windows computer through a USB cable.
Connect your iOS device to computer
Step-3: Click the Start button on the main interface

Step-4: The software will automatically detect all the information on your iPhone. And in the download firmware package online interface, you just need to Choose a save path and click the Download button.
Downloading firmware package
firmware package downloaded successfully
Step-5: When the process completes, Tenorshare 4uKey will say that the passcode has been removed successfully.
Removing passcode
Passcode removed successfully
Step-6: When iPhone passcode has been removed successfully, Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone. You can restore from an iCloud backup, iTunes backup, or set up your iPhone as new. If you have a backup available, we recommend restoring from it so you don’t lose any of your data.
Now, my disabled iPhone was unlocked successfully without any problem In just a few moments and pricing was also very low which is affordable by everyone because we need to pay a little for some great tools that make our life easier.

Some important features of Tenorshare 4uKey:

Ability to unlock a disabled iPhone without iTunes or iCloud
Support all iOS versions and devices including the latest iOS 13 and iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone SE 2020
Remove all kinds of iPhone passcodes: 4-digit passcode, 6-digit passcode, custom numeric code, alphanumeric passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID
Reset a second-hand, passcode-locked iPhone.
Factory reset locked iPhone without iTunes or passcode.
No need for specialist skills

That’s all about unlocking a disabled iPhone without iTunes or iCloud. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments section below.

Tags: Apple ID, iTunes

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