GeeksModo

First things to do with your new Apple Watch

Thursday January 12, 2023 7:30 am EAT by Kevin Hollington

An Apple Watch is the best smartwatch out there. If you’re just carefully unwrapping a new one from its clever, elongated packaging, congratulations!

I’ve been privileged to use every new Apple Watch from the first model, right up to the new Apple Watch Ultra, so I’ve had some experience in setting them up. In this article, I’ll share with you what I do, and the settings I change, to make sure the Apple Watch is up and ready to go in double-quick time.

1. Getting started with your Apple Watch is easy

The best thing about the Apple Watch? You really don’t have to be an expert in order to get everything started. The very first thing you should do is to charge your watch, and you’ll need to keep the charging plinth nearby during the setup process as the Apple Watch may need to be placed on charge again, especially if there are software updates to install during the process.

Once the Apple Watch is fully charged, turn it on by pressing and holding the button located below the Digital Crown for a few seconds. When it’s active, check your iPhone because, there’s a good chance, an alert is already displayed on the screen asking if you want your phone to begin the pairing process. It really is that simple, plus the required Watch app comes pre-installed on an iPhone too. Simplyhit Continue on the iPhone’s screen to get going and follow the onscreen prompts.

2. Set up your Apple Watch from scratch

If you’ve had an Apple Watch previously, your new Apple Watch can be set up to mirror the settings you previously configured, including installed apps, Siri preferences, and even which wrist you normally wear it on. If you want to set it up as a new Apple Watch, simply tap Customize Settings and look for Set Up as a New Apple Watch at the bottom of the screen. If this is your first Apple Watch, then this option won’t appear. The whole process will take less than 10 minutes to complete.

3. Be smart with your passcode

I’m not a fan of the Apple Watch’s passcode, but appreciate it has to be used in certain occasions. If you set one up, then you’ll need to tap in the PIN code every time you put the Apple Watch back on your wrist after taking it off. Sometimes i do forget, and that means some notifications don’t come through until I remember.

If you intend to use an Apple Pay, then using a passcode is a must. I suggest you keep it short, as you have to tap it out on the small screen. Yes, I know this probably goes against all the usual security warnings, but the thought of regularly tapping out a 12-digit PIN on my wrist isn’t a sweet one.

4. Remember to check for watchOS updates

It’s very likely the latest version of watchOS is waiting to be downloaded once the process of setting the Apple Watch is complete. Follow the steps below:

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap General.
Tap Software Update.
If an update is available, it’ll start downloading immediately.

I always do this straight away, since it’s better than waiting for iOS to show me an alert, plus I want all the latest features and fixes before I get into using the Watch.

This is where you’ll need to use the charger again. Once the process of downloading the update is complete, you need to put the Apple Watch back on the charger for it to install. The battery also needs to have more than 50% charge, which, provided you charged the Apple Watch to 100% before setting it up, won’t be a problem. It’s so much more convenient to get software updates sorted at this time. It does need a little time though, so get ready to spend about an hour doing all this.

5. Have fun choosing a watch face

While you’re waiting for the update to download, go ahead and take a look at the watch faces available. On the Watch app’s main screen, tap the image of the watch face currently set to your watch, then look for the Face Gallery option located at the bottom of the screen. Tap it, and you’ll be presented all the watch faces available.

Each one can be customized with different colors, different designs, and different complications. I have a few that I suggest you try, mostly because they are more watch-like and less cluttered. I like to see the time — not a screen full of numbers and fitness metrics. For example, the California and Chronograph faces with a black background, and the “Pepsi” (which denotes the blue and red around the dial) GMT face are some of my favorites. If you want something bolder, then Numerals Duo is great, and so is the Unity Lights face.

If you have an Apple Watch Series 7 or Apple Watch Series 8, the Contour watch face is exclusive, so you may want to show it off, as is the Wayfinder face on the Apple Watch Ultra. I stick with the Wayfinder face on the Ultra but usually opt for the World Time with a red accent on the Apple Watch SE 2. For complications, I like the temperature, battery level, activity rings, and moon phase. When you’re done, just tap Add, and it’ll instantly transfer to your Apple Watch.

6. Important Apple Watch settings to change

One of the cool things about the Apple Watch is that by default, virtually all essential health and fitness features are active, the always-on screen works straight away if you have an Apple Watch Series 8 or Ultra, plus it takes a lot of the information from your iPhone to ensure the Watch operates seamlessly. You really don’t have to do very much at all, and it feels like “part of you” right from the start.

There are a couple of things I change, though. I don’t like the Apple Watch chiming, and the volume is turned up by default, meaning you get an audible alert with notifications. To change this, follow the steps below:

Go to Settings.
Tap Sounds and Haptics.
Either use the little speaker icons to raise or lower the volume or use Silent Mode to mute sounds entirely.

You can also set Silent Mode by pulling up the Quick Settings from the Watch face and tapping the bell icon. I also activate the hand washing timer, which you can access by following the steps below:

Go to Settings.
Tap Handwashing.

It’s automatic, so it’s no hassle to use, and it’s surprisingly accurate.

Finally, I don’t use Siri often enough to find the Raise to Speak option helpful, so I turn this option off. Follow the steps below:

Go to Settings.
Tap Siri.

I leave the Hey Siri command on, though, and find the Apple Watch is very reliable with listening out for it — and for understanding my commands too.

7. Add other Apple Watch bands to your collection

The Sport band and Sport Loop band are the default choices for the Apple Watch, and one of these is most likely the one that has come fitted to your new Apple Watch. Personally, I find the Sport Loop the most comfortable and convenient for everyday, all-day use. It’s easy to tighten when you exercise to get the most accurate heart rate reading, and it’s soft enough to wear overnight and track your sleep. Plus, it looks beautiful. I also really like the Braided Solo Loop band, although it’s a significant investment at $100.

That’s really all there is to setting up your new Apple Watch.

Tag: Apple Watch Guides

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Best iPhone 14 and 14 Pro Camera Tips, Tricks, & Settings!

Thursday January 12, 2023 7:35 am EAT by Moses Johnson

These camera tips, tricks, and settings can help you take better photos and videos on your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

there are a number of Camera settings that you can change on your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro to take even better photos and videos. Read on as we detail how to do just that.

While you can switch between camera modes and change some options directly in the native Camera app, some of the settings can only be found within the iOS Settings app.

1. Turn on the Grid

Framing a person or an object in a photo or video is not always easy. Thankfully, having Grid enabled in the Camera app simplifies everything. Grid makes it much easier to hold your iPhone in the right position, center your main focus, and more.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap on Camera.
Look for the Grid option in the Composition section and turn it on.

Now you’ll see the grid lines every time you open the Camera app on your iPhone 14.

2. ProRAW and ProRes

A cool iPhone 14 Pro camera trick lets you capture images in ProRAW format directly in the Camera app. For those unfamiliar, a RAW photo is basically the original image captured from the sensor, with minimal or no post-processing. It contains all the data about things like brightness, shadows, and colors that can be edited later in image editing software like Adobe Lightroom.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro also supports ProRes video, which is a codec with minimal compression that ensures higher quality files that are better for post-editing.

To enable both ProRAW and ProRes, follow the steps below:

Open Settings.
Go to Camera.
Tap Formats.

If you have an iPhone 14 Pro, you can also choose between taking ProRAW photos with 12-megapixel or 48-megapixel resolution. After turning these options on, you’ll see ProRAW and ProRes buttons in the Camera app. Just tap them when you want to capture photos and videos using these formats.

Please note: none of these options are available for non-Pro iPhone models. It’s also worth noting that ProRAW photos and ProRes videos take up much more space in iPhone storage than regular formats.

3. Mirror Front Camera

By default, every photo you take using the front camera of your iPhone is flipped. This is because, rather than capturing exactly what you see on the screen, iPhone flips the image so that things like text are displayed correctly. However, if you prefer to capture selfies exactly as they appear in the Camera app preview, you can.

The best iPhone 14 camera tip we can offer is to show you how to turn on the Mirror Front Camera option. Simply follow the steps below:

Start the Setting app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap on Camera.
Under the Composition section,turn on Mirror Front Camera.

With this option turned on, your selfies will look exactly as you see them in the preview.

4. Macro Control

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max offers a Macro mode feature in the ultra-wide lens, which lets users capture really close-up images. This mode is automatically turned on depending on the distance between the iPhone and the object you are pointing at, which may annoy some users. Thankfully, you can choose to turn this option on manually only when you want to use it.

To do this, follow the steps below:

Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
Go into Camera.
Scroll down and enable the Macro Control option.

Now the Macro button will appear when the iPhone is really close to an object, and it will only activate if you tap on it.

5. Photographic Styles

A cool iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro camera trick is Photographic Styles. These are presets with different tone and warmth values that can dramatically change how your photos look while still preserving things like sky color and skin tones.

You can choose a Photographic Style directly from the Camera app. Alternatively follow the steps below:

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap Camera.
under the Photo Capture section, tap the Photographic Styles option

6. Change the video resolution

The Camera app on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lets you quickly switch between different resolutions and frame rates before shooting a video. However, changing these options from the Settings app lets you choose even more resolutions and frame rates.

For example, you can set your iPhone to record videos in 720p resolution to save storage space, shoot slow motion videos in 1080p resolution at 240 fps for better quality and smoothness, or even capture Cinematic Videos in 4K resolution at 24 fps or 30 fps on the iPhone 14.

Go to Settings.
Tap Camera.
Tap the Record Video, Record Slo-mo, or Record Cinematic menus.
Choose the option that works best for you.

7. Preserve Settings

Our next iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro camera tip is to save your preferred settings. When you’re taking pictures or filming with your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro, there are a lot of adjustments you can make, such as changing the exposure level, choosing a filter, or enabling ProRAW. By default, every time you close the Camera app, these settings are reset. But if you want to keep them on, there’s a cool trick to do that.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap on Camera.
Tap Preserve Settings.

You can select which options you want to keep the same settings every time you open the Camera app.

8. Bonus: Swipe up for more

Our final iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro camera tip is to try swiping your finger upward on the screen to reveal a menu with extra options whenever you’re about to take a photo or record a video with the Camera app, . There you can change Photographic Styles, the Aspect Ratio, apply filters, set the Aspect Ratio, and more.

Conclusion

These are the best iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Camera tricks, tips and settings that you need to know to elevate your photography game to a whole new level. Are there any other iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Camera tricks you know? Share it with us in the comments section below.

Tag: iPhone Tips

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First things to do with your new iPhone 14

Thursday January 12, 2023 7:37 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

Got your hands on a brand-new iPhone 14? Here are a few essential things to do with it once you take it out of the box.

You’ve just lifted your new iPhone 14 from its packaging, and you’re beaming. Maybe your hands are shivering with anticipation. Your mouth is dry, and your pupils are dilated. Okay, perhaps you’re not that excited, but a new phone is certainly a cause for celebration. What comes next, though? Here are some of the first things every iPhone 14 owner should do with their phone when taking it out of the box. These little exercises will ensure that you get the most out of your phone from day one.

Check out your device

The very first thing you should do is to take a moment to really appreciate what you’re holding in your hands. You are now the owner of a portable device so staggeringly futuristic that no science fiction writers saw it coming. Touch its screen in the right places, pizza will arrive at your front door. Or a man in Morocco will start talking to you. Or it will play videos of cats jumping into cardboard boxes. You are the all-powerful god of this pocketable screen.

Don’t let all this power go to your head. You need to keep your composure long enough to ensure your device came with all the correct parts.

Go through all of your iPhone’s packaging and take stock of everything. Review any warranty information, and take note of any extras. Some iPhone 14 come with a SIM ejector tool, so be sure not to throw that out if you ever want to install a new SIM card. You definitely also got a charging cable. One extra you might want to think about, however, is phone insurance. It’s a good way to ensure that you have this warm, fuzzy feeling again, even if the worst happens to your phone.

Prep for data downloading

Plug your iPhone 14 in to get that battery charging. While many iPhones will come partially charged, they typically don’t come fully topped off. You’re going to be playing with your new toy for the next couple of hours, and you don’t want it dying on you right in the middle of a crucial process.

Also, you’ll probably want to connect to a wireless network if one is available. Not all of us have unlimited data, and you’re almost certainly going to be downloading a lot on your first day with your phone. It might not be a good idea to start eating into your monthly limit right away.

Set up an Apple ID

When you take your iPhone 14 out of the box and turn it on, one of the first things that will pop up is to create or log in to your Apple ID.

You can skip this step if you want, but we seriously don’t recommend it. Logging into iCloud connects your device with many other Apple services, including iMessage, FaceTime, iCloud, Find My iPhone, Apple Music, apps and games, and so much more. Activating this account will prepare your iPhone to synchronize your data across devices. It’s also required for the App store. So if you don’t already have an Apple ID, it’s highly recommended to create one.

If you’ve owned an iPhone before, then you’re about to witness some magic. After logging into your iCloud account, your iPhone will connect with the App Store and attempt to download all your old apps. Before your very eyes, this stock device will transform into a faster, sleeker version of your old phone.

Also, make sure you keep a record of your Apple ID credentials, as it can be tricky to get back into your account if you get locked out from too many failed login attempts.

Secure your iPhone

Your iPhone contains a lot of sensitive information, especially if you use it for banking, shopping, or pizza delivery. It’s essential to set up solid security measures to protect your privacy and identity.

A Passcode and Face Id are two security options available on iPhone 14.

Again, an Apple ID is critical because it’s required to use Find My iPhone. This is a security feature that lets you track where your iPhone 14 is in case it’s lost or stolen. Better yet, you can remotely wipe the device and even leave a message on the device for whoever is in possession of it to contact you to return it.n

When you set up an Apple ID, turning on Find My iPhone should be a part of the setup process. But you can also manually turn it on if you want to set it up later. Either way, don’t forget to set up Find My iPhone! Better safe than sorry.

Fill out your Medical ID

No one wants to be in an emergency situation, but life throws curveballs sometimes, and stuff happens. That’s why it is extremely important to make sure that you fill out your Medical ID details on your iPhone 14.

With Medical ID, first responders will be able to find out useful information regarding your health when you’re in a medical emergency. This includes medical conditions, blood types, allergies, whether you’re an organ donor or not, and more. It’s also where you can list emergency contacts.

To do this, go to Settings > Health > Medical ID. Alternatively, you can do this from the Health app as well.

Personalize your Control Center

One of the most important features of iOS is Control Center. It’s a panel of commonly and frequently used settings and app shortcuts — such as Wi-Fi and cellular, brightness, volume, rotation lock, flashlight, camera, Low Power Mode, and more. You can access the Control Center from anywhere, even when you’re in other apps, though there’s a setting to just make it accessible only on the home screen.

I usually use the Control Center a ton of times in a day. It’s an incredibly handy feature to have, and you can tweak it to your liking with various controls. To do this, just go to Settings > Control Center. Want to add a shortcut for Shazam? Maybe a button to quickly start a stopwatch? Apple’s customization tools let you do that.

Prevent autocorrect from twisting your words

Autocorrect can come in handy if you’re in a hurry, but more often than not, it tends to mess up your words and twist them into something completely different. The text replacement feature is great when you know you want to type a certain word that autocorrect always changes to “ducking” instead.

To add all the text replacements your heart desires, go to Settings > General > Keyboards > Text Replacement.

Get haptic feedback as you type

I often have my iPhone 14 on silent all day because I’d rather not disturb my colleagues, especially during meetings. I also just don’t like hearing ringtones going off all the time. But having my iPhone on silent means no more audible feedback when typing, which I also don’t like.

iPhone 14 offers you the ability to enable haptic feedback for the onscreen keyboard. This means you get a little tactile response each time you tap a character on the keyboard, which is something that Android devices have been able to do for a long time. So even if you have your iPhone on silent, you’ll still know that the on-screen keyboard is actually working.

To turn on the haptic keyboard feedback, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback.

Make sure everything is up to date

There’s a pretty big chance that your iPhone 14 might have a few updates waiting for you. Sometimes they will be minor fixes or speed improvements. Sometimes whole new versions of iOS are waiting — especially if your new phone has been on the market for a little while. You can check for the latest software updates by going to Settings > General > Software Updates,

In addition to the operating system, you can also update the pre-installed apps by visiting the App Store, selecting your profile at the top of the screen, and tapping the “Update all” button under the available updates section.

Get to know your device

Take the time to investigate your iPhone’s settings. Sift through the menus and submenus, and make mental notes about where various features reside. This can save a lot of time later on, and you might even discover some new things about your phone.

As the Ancient Greeks (and the Oracle from the Matrix) said: “Know thyself.” You put a lot of personal information on your phone, and you will probably use it for so much of your interpersonal communications, so your iPhone is a little bit like an extension of yourself. Don’t let it be a stranger!

Think of setting up a new iPhone as you would moving into a new place. Don’t just leave those rooms empty. Move your old familiar furniture in and hang a few new pictures. Spruce the place up. Give it a thorough cleaning. After all, you’re going to be living here for a while.

Setting up an iPhone 14 might seem overwhelming, but it can be nice to settle in and enjoy the process.

Tag: iPhone Guides

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The Best iPhone 14 charging tips to maximize battery life

Thursday January 12, 2023 7:44 am EAT by Dave Johnson

Need some iPhone 14 charging tips? These are the facts and habits you need to maximize your phone battery’s longevity.

iPhone users — casual and enthusiasts alike — are forever searching for longer battery life. While fast charging keeps us topped up every day, the absence of replaceable batteries means eventually, the lithium-ion cells enclosed in our phones are going to age and deteriorate, making it harder to maximize battery life.

If you’ve used iPhones a couple of years, you’ve probably noticed the battery doesn’t seem to last as long as it did when your handset was brand new. Three years down the line, many phones struggle to make it through the day on a single charge. Holding onto a phone even longer can even spell trouble for system stability.

Unfortunately, battery capacity inevitably declines with age. However, there are cool iPhone 14 charging tips you can use to prolong the life of your battery. If you’ve ever wondered what the best way to charge your iPhone’s battery is, here are some scientifically proven tips to maximize battery life.

iPhone 14 charging tips

Partial charging is a healthy habit

One particularly persistent battery myth is that you need to occasionally fully discharge and recharge to erase “battery memory.” This couldn’t be more wrong for lithium-ion batteries. It’s a leftover myth from lead-acid cells, and it’s pretty undesirable to charge your iPhone 14 in this way.

Partial charging is just fine for lithium-ion batteries and can have some great benefits for cell longevity. To understand why it’s important to appreciate how a battery charges. Li-ion batteries draw constant current and operate at a lower voltage when closer to empty. This voltage gradually increases as the cell charges up, leveling off at around a 70% charge before the current begins to fall until the capacity is full.

Notably, operating at a low voltage is good for a battery’s lifespan, increasing the number of available charging cycles before you’ll start to see a significant reduction in capacity. Roughly speaking, every 0.1V decrease in cell voltage doubles the cycle life, according to Battery University. Therefore, charging up your phone in that 30% to 80% range keeps the voltage lower and might slightly prolong the battery’s lifespan.

Smaller but regular top-ups are much better for Li-ion batteries than long full charge cycles.
Using up just 20% of your battery between charges isn’t practical, but topping up when you’ve used about half will see an improvement in your battery life over the long term. Especially if you avoid charging up to full each time too. The bottom line is that smaller, regular top-ups are better for Li-ion batteries than long full charge cycles.

Avoid idle charging

Charging overnight is a very common habit, but it’s best to avoid, despite the convenience of waking up with a full battery in the morning. Each full charge counts as a ‘cycle’, and the iPhone 14 is only built to last for a set number.

If you charge overnight, you are guaranteed to miss when the phone exceeds the magic 80% mark that is best for extended long-term life.

While the iPhone 14 has built-in sensors to shut off charging when it hit 100%, if still turned on it’ll lose a small amount of battery while idle.

What you may get is a “trickle charge” as the charger attempts to keep the iPhone at 100% as your phone naturally loses on its own charge during the night. This means that your iPhone is constantly bouncing between a full charge and a little bit below that full charge – 99% to 100% and back again during a longer-than-required charge. It can also heat the iPhone up, which is also bad for the battery.

So, a great iPhone 14 charging trick is to charge during the day than to charge overnight.

Your best policy is to have Do Not Disturb and Airplane Mode switched on. Better still, you could completely switch off your iPhone, but that may not be possible if you rely on it as an alarm or wish to be ready to take calls at all hours.

If you are leaving your iPhone plugged in for a long period of time, removing the case can prevent it over-heating.

A final iPhone 14 charging tip that’s worth mentioning is parasitic load. This occurs when the battery is being drained significantly at the same time as being charged, such as watching a video or gaming while charging.

Parasitic loads are bad for batteries because they distort the charging cycle and induce mini-cycles — where part of the battery continually cycles and deteriorates faster than the rest of the cell. Worse still, parasitic loads occurring when a device is fully charged also induce higher voltage stress and heat on the battery.

Gaming or watching videos while charging is bad because it distort charging cycles.
The best way to avoid parasitic loads is to turn your iPhone off while charging. But that’s not really realistic. Instead, it’s best to keep the workload light while the device is plugged in, leaving it idle most of the time. Browsing the web is probably fine. Also, remember to unplug it once the battery is topped up enough.

Heat is the enemy of long battery life

Along with all of the above iPhone 14 charging tips, temperature is an equally key contributor to longevity and maximizing battery life. In fact, it’s arguably the biggest killer of long-term battery health. Like high voltages, high temperatures stress the battery and make it lose capacity far more quickly than when kept at lower temperatures.

A cell kept between 25 – 40 degrees Celsius (77 – 86 degrees Fahrenheit) should retain around 85% to 96% of its capacity after the first year with sensible charging cycles. Raising the temperature regularly above 40°C (104°F) and charging to 100% sees this fall to just 65% capacity after the first year, and a 60°C (140°F) battery temperature will hit this marker in as little as three months.

The ideal temperature to maximise battery cycle life is below 40°C
A battery dwelling in a full state-of-charge exposed to a high temperature is the worst of all worlds and the number one thing to avoid when charging your iPhone. So a cool iPhone 14 charging trick is to never leave your phone under your pillow to charge at night or plugged in on the dashboard of your car on a hot day.

Use MFi Certified charging accessories

Another iPhone 14 charging tip is to use the charging accessory that came with your phone, as it is sure to have the correct rating. Or make sure that a third-party charging accessory is approved by Apple. Cheap alternatives from Amazon or eBay may damage your iPhone, and there have been several reported cases of cheap charging accessories actually bursting into flames.

That said, your iPhone should draw only the power that it needs from a charger.

How to maximize battery life long-term

Lithium-ion battery technology is well understood these days, and iPhones are built around our use cases, but bad habits and myths still permeate the public consciousness. While most of these habits won’t severely negatively impact your iPhone’s battery life in the medium term, the decline in removable phone batteries means we should take extra precautions to maximize battery life and thus our iPhone’s longevity.

Broadly speaking, smaller regular charge cycles and keeping your phone cool are the main iPhone 14 charging tips to keep in mind.

Here’s a TL;DR summary of the iPhone 14 charging tips above:

What’s the best way to charge your iPhone 14?

Avoid full cycle (0-100%) and overnight charging. Instead, top up your iPhone more regularly with partial charges.
Ending a charge at 80-90% is better for the battery than topping up to completely full.
Heat is the battery killer. Don’t cover your iPhone when charging, and keep it out of hot places.
Don’t play intensive games, stream videos, or run other intensive workloads while charging to avoid heat and mini-cycles.
Use MFi certified chargers

Tag: iPhone Tips

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How to Clean Your Apple Watch Ultra Without Damaging it

Thursday January 12, 2023 7:50 am EAT by GeeksModo Staff

The Apple Watch Ultra is prone to accumulating dirt, earwax, grime, and other debris that can affect it’s performance. Here’s how to clean it safely.

Apple Watch Ultra is the most instantly recognizable wearable around. But as great as it is, it also get dirty fairly easily. Despite it’s ragged design, the Apple Watch Ultra is prone to accumulating dirt, earwax, grime, and other debris that can affect its performance. Cleaning your Apple Watch Ultra regularly is important for maintaining it’s appearance, functionality, and longevity. And while it may seem intimidating at first, cleaning your Apple Watch Ultra is actually quite easy and can be done without requiring any professional equipment. Follow the simple steps in this guide to clean your Apple Watch Ultra and keep it in good working order.

How to clean the Apple Watch Ultra

Before cleaning, remove your device from the charger and turn it off. If the Apple Watch Ultra is attached to a band that is not water-resistant, remove the band as well.

Wipe down the Apple Watch Ultra with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. Lightly dampen the cloth with water if needed, or hold the device under warm running water for ten to fifteen seconds.
Spin and press the Digital Crown under low-running, warm water to clear substances like dirt or lotion from the Digital Crown.
Dry the front and back of your Apple Watch Ultra using a dry, nonabrasive, lint-free cloth.

According to Apple, it’s completely safe to disinfect your watch with a Clorox wipe and certain alcohol wipes, but don’t introduce any other soaps or cleaning products.

How to clean the Apple Watch Ultra band

Apple Watch bands come at a variety of costs, from affordable to somewhat astronomical. Depending on how much you’ve invested in your particular band, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Silicone bands for Apple Watch Ultra

You can’t close those rings without breaking a sweat. Bands made of synthetic rubber or silicone are often marketed specifically for working out, so easy cleaning is made a priority. Water-resistant and sweat-resistant, these materials can be cleaned with soap and warm water.

For light cleaning, you’ll need to remove the band from your Apple Watch and wipe it clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth.
For a deeper clean, simply rinse the band with warm water and mild hand soap.
Dry the band with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth before reattaching it to your Apple Watch Ultra.

Nylon or braided loop bands for Apple Watch ultra

Nylon bands are great for sleep tracking but aren’t impervious to stains. Likewise, Apple’s Braided Solo Loop is made from polyester yarn braided around silicone thread, forming an eye-catching design that unfortunately also catches grime and dirt.

detach the band from the Apple Watch Ultra and wipe clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. If needed, lightly dampen the cloth with warm water.
If you own a loop band, some users suggest cleaning the intricacies of this band with a soft bristle toothbrush and warm water but do so at your own risk. Apple recommends only using a nonabrasive lint-free cloth, slightly dampened if necessary. Venturing from these guidelines may void the item’s one-year limited warranty.
Let the band air dry before reattaching it to your Apple Watch Ultra.

Leather bands for Apple Watch ultra

Leather bands are not water-resistant, so deep cleaning after a particularly sweaty session isn’t easy. Please note, you should not soak your leather band in water, and try to avoid external heat sources.

detach the band from the Apple Watch ultra and wipe clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. Lightly dampen the cloth if necessary but avoid focusing moisture too much in one spot. Some third-party retailers advise using warm soapy water on stains, though Apple doesn’t suggest it.
Let the band air dry before reattaching it to your Apple Watch Ultra.

Metal bands for Apple Watch Ultra

Metal bands can elevate your Apple Watch Ultra for special occasions or help you fit in with the office dress code. When cleaning these high-end bands, make sure your cloth is completely clear of dirt and debris to avoid scratching the metal.

Detach the band from the Apple Watch Ultra and wipe clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. If needed, lightly dampen the cloth with warm water.
Dry the band with a dry, nonabrasive, lint-free cloth before reattaching it to your Apple Watch.

Tag: Apple Watch Guides

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How to fast charge Apple Watch Ultra as quickly as possible

Thursday January 12, 2023 7:51 am EAT by Moses Johnson

Want to learn how to fast charge your Apple Watch Ultra? We explain everything you need to know.

One of the big new features added to the Apple Watch 7 and carried over to the Apple Watch Ultra was fast charging. Here’s how to ensure you’re charging your Apple Watch Ultra as quickly as possible.

While this might seem a little obvious, the Apple Watch Ultra will only utilise its fastest charging speeds when used with a certain cable and plug – so it’s best to make sure you’re doing it right.

There are also no visual cues as to how fast the Apple Watch Ultra will charge when you plug it in, but following this guide will make sure that you do it properly. In terms of how quickly you can get from 0-100%, in our review we got a full charge in an hour, and 20% (enough for a night’s sleep) in 10 minutes.

What you’ll need to fast charge the Apple Watch Ultra

An Apple Watch Ultra (this will also work with Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Series 7)
The included USB-C charging cable (it needs to be this specific one)
A plug with a USB-C port

How to charge Apple Watch ultra faster

Step 1: Get your USB-C plug ready

To fast charge an Apple Watch Ultra, you need to have a USB-C plug ready and these are no longer included with the wearable. Instead, you could use the same plug you use to charge a recent iPhone, iPad or USB-C laptop.

Step 2: Attach the cable that came with your Apple Watch

Once you’ve got your USB-C plug, you’ll need to get the USB-C to Apple Watch magnetic charger that’s included with the Apple watch Ultra. You need to use this specific cable to charge the Apple Watch Ultra faster, as an older Apple Watch cable will charge at a slower rate. Plug the cable into the USB-C plug.

Step 3: Pop on the Apple Watch

Next, just pop the Apple Watch Ultra onto the magnetic charger and it should start juicing up at the faster speeds.

Tag: Apple Watch Guides

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15 Best Apple Watch SE 2 Tips, Tricks and Hacks of 2024

Monday January 1, 2024 2:34 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

The new Apple Watch SE 2 (2022) pairs an up-to-date processor with many of Apple’s latest smartwatch features, including watchOS 9 and low power mode. Check out all Apple Watch SE 2 tips, tricks and hacks below.

Even if you know how to use the Apple Watch for the basics (ie. fitness tracking, making calls, checking notifications) there are hidden Apple Watch SE 2 tips and tricks that make it even better. While we wouldn’t go as far as to call all of them “Apple Watch SE hacks,” these features are the lesser-known ways to upgrade your smartwatch experience.

Whether you’ve owned an Apple Watch SE 2 for a while or recently acquired one, there’s more to the device than meets the eye. Some of the most useful Apple Watch SE 2 features are ones that you might not see during setup or everyday use. Many of these Apple Watch SE hacks are buried deep in the settings menu or hidden within certain apps or tools.

All of our favorite Apple Watch SE 2 hidden features work on other Watch models as well.

But where should you start? Below are the best Apple Watch SE 2 tips, tricks and hacks we discovered this year.

1. Favorite frequently used timers

One of the most well-known Apple Watch features — setting a timer — offers a hidden tool you didn’t know about. You can create a list of favorite timers on your Apple Watch that appears at the top of the timer app. This way, the timers you use on a regular basis are conveniently located in the app.

Follow the steps below to favorite a timer:

Swipe left on a timer in ‘recents’.
Tap the orange star button.

Yes, it’s really that simple. When you’ve favorited a timer, it will appear in a new menu above ‘recents’ called ‘favorites.’ You can even favorite multiple timers for quick access.

2. See step count on your watch face

If you haven’t seen a step-count complication when changing your Apple Watch face before, it’s because there isn’t one — not natively, at least. While there are complications for the weather, timers, your Apple Watch rings and other useful tidbits of information, there isn’t a built-in way to see your step count on your Apple Watch face. But with the help of a third-party Apple Watch app, you can hack it.

Download a pedometer app of choice on your Apple Watch. I’ve found the easiest way is to download the app on your iPhone, then sync your Apple Watch. You can check that the app is downloaded to your smartwatch if you scroll down within the “My Watch” tab in the Watch app.
Now, edit your Apple Watch face to add the third-party complication.

3. Optimize charging for battery health

The Apple Watch SE 2 (2022)supports optimized battery charging, a setting that’s perhaps better known for preserving the iPhone’s battery health. But ever since watchOS 7, the Apple Watch has offered optimized battery charging, too. Over time, the Apple Watch’s battery health is prone to deteriorate due to a combination of factors. Optimized charging can help the battery health last longer.

The feature is enabled on the new Apple Watch SE by default, but it’s good to check that it is enabled. Follow the steps below:

Open the settings menu on Apple Watch
Tap on Battery.
Select battery health.
Toggle on Optimized Battery Charging.

When optimized charging is enabled on your new Apple Watch SE, you might notice your watch pauses charging between 75% and 80% capacity. This should only happen when your watch believes you’ll leave it charging for an extended period of time. It will predict when to complete the charge based on your past charging schedule and location.

4. Enable Low Power Mode

Another Apple Watch SE 2 trick to maximize Watch’s battery life is with the new Apple Watch low power mode. The low power mode feature disables certain battery-draining features such as the always-on display and background health sensor readings. When you track a work out while low power mode is enabled, GPS and heart rate readings are limited, too.

To turn on low power mode, follow the steps below:

Swipe up to open the Control Center on your Apple Watch.
Tap the bubble that shows your battery percentage.
Toggle on low power mode.
You’ll be prompted to review the impact of low power mode, with the option to turn the feature on or turn it on for a certain duration. You can turn on low power mode for 1 Day, 2 Days or up to 3 Days.

5. Control your watch with hand gestures

Learning how to control the new Apple Watch SE with hand gestures will let you use certain features of your smartwatch without touching the display or pressing either of the buttons. With this Apple Watch SE 2 trick, you won’t even need to use your opposite hand. You’ll be able to control your Apple Watch by pinching your fingers or clenching your fists. Hand gestures are part of the Apple Watch’s AssistiveTouch features, which primarily exist to make the Apple Watch experience more inclusive. Simply follow the steps below:

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap Accessibility from the menu on the My Watch tab.
Tap AssistiveTouch from the Motor menu.
Toggle on AssistiveTouch.
Tap Hand Gestures from the Inputs menu.
Toggle on Hand Gestures.

In the same menu you used to toggle on hand gestures, you can review the navigation functions associated with each gesture. There are four gestures: Pinch, Double Pinch, Clench and Double Clench — you can select which actions you want assigned to each motion.

6. Change the digital crown orientation

You may not be aware that there’s a hidden Apple Watch SE 2 trick that allows you to switch the orientation of your Watch so the digital crown faces a different direction. While most people with an Apple Watch wear it with the digital crown located on the upper right side next to the display, there’s a way to turn the button around. If you wear your Apple Watch on your right wrist, the digital crown probably already faces your forearm. But if you wear it on your left wrist, the digital crown probably points toward your hand. Follow the steps below:

Open the settings menu on your Apple Watch.
Tap General.
Select orientation.
Select Left or Right depending on which way you want your Apple Watch digital crown to face.

When you switch from right to left, or vice versa, the display will turn upside down. Play around with these settings to figure out which orientation is the most comfortable for you.

7. Keep apps open longer

By default, your Apple Watch will return to your clock or watch face from an app after two minutes when you lower your wrist or idle. So if you’re reading a message or have an app open, your Apple Watch might go back to your current watch face shortly after entering always-on mode, closing whatever app you have open. Some people might find this annoying, but luckily there’s a cool Apple Watch SE 2 trick that allows you to change it.

Open the settings menu on your Apple Watch.
Tap General.
Select Return to Clock.
Change from ‘Always’ or ‘After 2 minutes’ to ‘After 1 hour.’

Alternatively, you can scroll down and customize the return to clock setting for each individual app downloaded on your Apple Watch.

8. Use Siri as a translator

Whether you’re traveling to a foreign country or trying to learn a new language, you can use this hidden Apple Watch SE 2 trick to help you with the translations. With real-time translation support for 11 different languages, the Apple Watch’s built-in voice assistant can tell you how to say almost anything instantly.

Just activate Siri and say: “how do I say {word or phrase} in {language}” to use Siri’s real-time translation tool. Not only does Siri display the translation typed out, but it will also speak the translated word or phrase out loud. That way you can theoretically use it to give a cab driver instructions, or simply work on your enunciations.

9. Find out what song is playing

You might’ve heard of Shazam, an app that can identify songs playing out loud. Say you’re at a restaurant or bar and hear a tune you want to save for later, but don’t want to bug the server or bartender for the playlist information. Most people are familiar with the smartphone version of the app, but Shazam actually works on Apple Watch, too.

To use this hidden Apple Watch SE 2 hack, you need to download Shazam on your Apple Watch. From there, you can open the Shazam app on your wrist when you want to find out what song is playing. You can ask Siri to identify the song, too: Press your Apple Watch’s digital crown and ask, “What song is playing?” Siri will listen and name the song it identifies.

10. Make Apple Watch Text Larger

Apple Watch text can be tiny, taking int account the new Apple Watch SE compact size. You can make it bigger by following the steps below:

Open the Settings menu on Apple Watch.
Scroll down and tap on “Display & Brightness”.
Tap on “Text Size.”
Tap on the “Aa” on the right side of the display to make the text bigger, and tap on the “Aa” icon on the left side to make it smaller again.

When you adjust the text size, any app that supports Dynamic Type will show your preferred text size. If you want to make text even more visible, toggle on the “Bold Text” option below text size.

11. Control Your Apple TV With Your Watch

If you own an Apple TV set-top box, you can easily control it using the Remote app on your Apple Watch, which can come in handy if you lose your remote.

Press on the Digital Crown to get to your App List or App Grid, depending on your App View.
Look for the “Remote” app, which is labeled as Remote and has a blue icon with a triangle in the center.
Tap on it.
Wait a moment as the watch syncs to the ‌Apple TV‌ sets in your home.
Choose the ‌Apple TV‌ you want to control.
Now, you can turn on the ‌Apple TV‌ by tapping on the little TV icon in the bottom left of the display, and scroll through the interface using swipe gestures. To launch an app or make a selection, just tap.

Tip: Tap on the “ ” button to add an ‌Apple TV‌ that your watch is not linked to and go to Settings > General > Remotes on the ‌Apple TV‌ set. The Remote feature is compatible with the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ and later.

12. Get Help in an Emergency

This hidden Apple Watch SE 2 trick lets you get help quick in an emergency. You just need to enable an SOS feature on the new Apple Watch SE that will call emergency services with the press of a button.

Go to the Settings menu on the Apple Watch.
Scroll down to “SOS.”
Enable “Hold Side Button.”

With the SOS feature toggled on, your Apple Watch SE will begin dialing emergency services in the country where you’re located if you hold down the side button. The side button is the rounded rectangular button located below the Digital Crown.

By holding down this button, your Apple Watch will call emergency services, but you will have a countdown to stop the call in case it gets activated by accident.
Tip: If you want the new Apple Watch SE to be able to automatically call emergency services if you take a hard fall, enable Fall Detection in this same section, and make sure Crash Detection is turned on too. If you slip and are knocked unconscious or have an accident on a bike, skateboard, car or other mode of transportation, your Apple Watch can get you help.

13. Remove Apps From Your Apple Watch

If you have a bunch of apps on your new Apple Watch SE that you don’t need, you can delete them.

Unlock your Apple Watch and go to the App View.
Long press on the Apple Watch display.
Tap on “Edit Apps.”
Scroll through the list or swipe through the grid (depending on your view choice) to locate apps you don’t want.
Tap on the small “x” on the app to delete an app or swipe to get to the delete interface if you use the List view.
Confirm that you want to delete the app.

Please Note: there are native apps that cannot be removed from the Apple Watch including Activity, Compass, App Store, Heart Rate, Maps, Mail, and Messages, but there are a number that you can get rid of to have a cleaner look.

You can remove Alarms, ECG, Blood Oxygen, Memoji, Find Items, Cycle Tracking, Mindfulness, Sleep, and other similar apps. If you want them back later after deleting them, you will need to redownload them from the ‌App Store‌.

14. Share a Photo From Your Apple Watch

Another cool Apple Watch SE 2 trick lets you share photos right from your wrist without having to open up your ‌iPhone‌, which can be useful for a quick image transfer. If you come across an image on your Apple watch that you want to share, you can send it to someone else right from your wrist.

Launch the ‌‌Photos‌ app on your Apple Watch.
Select a photo that you want to share and tap it.
Tap on the small share icon located at the bottom right of the photo.

You’ll be presented with the most recent contacts to send it to, or you can scroll down and send it to anyone using Messages or Mail.
Select a contact, and then write a message if you want to add one.
Tip: The ‌Photos‌ app on Apple Watch can display one album from your ‌iPhone‌ photos. To change it, open up the Watch app on ‌iPhone‌, scroll down and select ‌‌Photos‌, and tap on “Sync Album” to choose an album to sync to your Apple Watch.

Apple allows you to sync up to 500 photos, but be aware that the number of photos that you choose affects the storage space on your Apple Watch. In the Watch app under ‌Photos‌, you can also choose to sync memories and sync featured photos. With these options enabled, your featured memories and images will show up in the ‌Photos‌ app, and the selection will change daily.

15. Set a Photo as Your Watch Face

Another hidden Apple Watch SE 2 trick lets you set one of your own photos as your watch face so you can glance down at your favorite places, people, or pets whenever you go to check the time. It’s easiest to set a photo as a watch face on ‌iPhone‌, following these instructions:

Launch the Watch app on ‌your iPhone.
Tap on ”Face Gallery.”
Scroll down and tap on ”Photos”.
You can select an album of photos, such as your Favorites, or choose to select up to 24 individual photos from your Camera Roll. There’s also an option for Dynamic, which uses photos from your Memories.
Tap on ”Album” to choose an album, select ”Choose ‌Photos‌…” to choose photos, or tap on ”Dynamic” to have it pull from Memories.
If you want to add a tint to your photos, pick a color from the top bar.
Scroll down to ”Time Position” and choose ”Top” or ”Bottom,” and then select your Complications if you want to use them.
Scroll back up to see a preview of your watch face, and tap ”Add” if it looks good.
Tap on the ”My Watch” tab.
Tap on the “‌Photos‌” watch face that you created.
Choose ”Set as Current Watch Face.”

Tip: There’s also a “Portraits” watch face that accompanies the ‌Photos‌ face. With the Portraits face, you can choose a photo that you’ve captured using Portrait mode and set it as a watch face. With the data from the portrait photo, there is a sense of depth to the watch face, with the time able to be placed behind the subject in some images. To set it, follow the steps above, but choose Portraits instead of ‌Photos‌ at step 3.

Note that this effect only works with photos of people, and not pets or objects captured in Portrait mode.

Your favorite Apple Watch SE Tips and tricks?

These are our favorites Apple Watch SE 2 (2022) tips and tricks. What are your favorite tips and tricks for the new Apple Watch SE? Drop a comment and let us know.

Tag: Apple Watch Tips

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18 Best Apple Watch Ultra Tips and Tricks of 2025

Tuesday January 14, 2025 3:38 pm EAT by Kevin Hollington

If you just bought an Apple Watch Ultra, here are 18 best Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks to make the most out of your wearable.

The Apple Watch ultra is packed with unique features that you’ll want to take advantage of. It’s Apple’s most rugged Apple Watch with improved GPS, a 49mm casing, a more durable display, extra long battery life, a built-in Action button, and more. Let’s jump straight into it and check out some of the best Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks to help you master your device.

Apple’s WatchOS 9 update, which arrived in September, brought even more features to the Apple Watch. Additions include more detailed sleep monitoring and a new app for tracking medications. But of course, you need to know exactly how to use these Apple Watch features, or else you’ll be at a loss.

Fortunately,mastering an Apple Watch is pretty easy. Here are the best tips and tricks for Apple Watch Ultra that will help you master your watch in no time.

Best Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks in 2023

1. Adjust all of your Activity goals

Apple makes it easy for users to change their goals for the amount of time they stand and exercise. Previously, you could only change your Move (or calories) goal.

So instead of using the defaults — 30 minutes of exercise and a cumulative 12 standing hours a day — it’s a good idea to change either one to fit your actual daily routine.

This Apple Watch Ultra trick makes it possible for you to hit your own targets when you actually start your day, not when Apple tells you to. For example, if you use sleep tracking overnight and need to charge your watch more often in the morning, you won’t feel like you’ve lost an hour of time needed to close those rings. Follow the steps below:

Start the Activity app on your watch.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Change Goals.
Make your adjustments for all three metrics and start closing those rings.

2. So long, random screenshots

The best Apple Watch Ultra trick we can show you is how to stop random screenshot on the Watch. To take a screenshot, you simply press the Digital Crown and side button at the same time. It’s a simple and convenient method, unless you’re like me and find yourself frequently triggering it accidentally, filling up the Photos app with random pictures of your watch face.

To turn off the ability to take screenshots altogether, follow the steps below:

Start the Settings app on your watch or use the Watch app on your phone.
Tap on General.
Scroll down until you find Screenshots. Tap this option.
Toggle off the switch next to Enable Screenshots for a clutter-free camera roll.

3. Customize which apps appear in your dock

If you have a lot of apps installed on your Apple Watch, it can be difficult to find the right ones when you need them. That’s where this Apple Watch Ultra trick comes in handy. If you’re not familiar, the dock on the Apple Watch is equivalent to the app switcher on the iPhone. You can trigger it by tapping the side button, which pulls up a carousel of recently used apps.

However, you can also customize the dock to show any apps you want instead of your most recent apps. To do this on your watch, follow the steps below:

open the Settings menu on your watch.
Tap Dock and select the Favorites option.

But I recommend setting this up in the Phone’s Watch app instead so that you can customize these apps.

Start the Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap on Dock.
After selecting your Favorites option, you’ll see a list of apps divided into two sections: Favorites and Do Not Include. Favorites are the apps that are currently in your dock, while the latter lists all of the other apps on your watch that aren’t included.
Tap the Edit button located at the top right corner to customize the Favorites list to your liking.

4. Choose the Portrait mode photos you want to see on your wrist

The next Apple Watch Ultra trick lets you set Portrait mode photos as the background for your watch face. But first, you have to dig into the settings in the Watch app on your iPhone. To do this, follow the steps below:

Launch the Watch app on your iPhone.
Navigate to the Face Gallery tab at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the Portraits option under the New Watch Faces category.
Tap the Choose Photos option under Content to select up to 24 photos that will rotate automatically when you raise your wrist or tap the screen.

5. Keep the Apple Watch’s screen awake for a longer period of time

The next Apple Watch Ultra trick lets you stop the screen from going idle right away. Perhaps you were in the middle of reading a long text message and got distracted, or maybe you want to keep an eye on your timer. Once you tap the Apple Watch’s screen, it typically stays active for 15 seconds. But you can extend that to 70 seconds by following the steps below:

Launch the Settings menu on your watch.
Tap Display & Brightness.
Tap Wake Duration.
Select the Wake for 70 Seconds option.

6. Stop every app from automatically installing

Every time you install an app on your iPhone, it will automatically install its Apple Watch counterpart if there is one. This can clutter up your watch’s app grid pretty quickly, making it hard to find the apps you do want to use on your watch. Thankfully, there’s a cool Apple Watch Ultra trick that lets you stop this behavior. Follow the steps below:

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Go to Settings.
Choose General.
Slide the switch next to Automatic App Install to the Off position.

You can also do this on the watch by following the steps below:

Open Settings menu on your Apple Watch.
Tap App Store.
Toggle off the switch next to Automatic Downloads.

From now on, you’ll install individual apps on your watch by opening the Watch app on your phone, then scrolling to the bottom where you’ll find a list of available apps.

7. Silence those noisy notifications

An Apple Watch can come in handy when you want to discreetly check an alert or the time. But loud notifications can defeat the purpose. Turn on your Apple Watch’s silent mode by following the steps below:

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the Control Center.
Tap the icon that looks like a bell to trigger Silent Mode.

You can also do this by following the steps below:

Open settings on your Apple Watch.
Scroll down and tap Sound & Haptics.
Toggle on the switch next to Silent Mode.

There’s also a volume slider for adjusting how loud or quiet incoming notifications sound if you’d rather not mute them completely.

8. Have Siri only speak out loud when you’re wearing headphones

Siri can be useful for quickly setting timers, starting workouts or checking the weather from your watch. But you might not always want to have Siri speak out loud. You can easily change this so that Siri only provides audible feedback when you’re wearing headphones. Follow the steps below:

Open the Settings menu on your Apple Watch.
Scroll down to Siri.
Under Siri Responses section, tap the Headphones Only option.

When your Bluetooth headphones are connected to your Apple Watch, you should now see the name of your headphones appear above the Siri volume setting in the watch’s settings menu.

9. Make text easier to read by increasing the font size

Reading notifications and news headlines can be difficult on a screen that’s so small. Luckily, there’s a hidden Apple Watch Ultra trick that lets you increase the font size to make things a bit easier on your eyes. To do so, follow the steps below:

Launch the Settings app on your watch.
Tap Display & Brightness.
Scroll down to Text Size.
Rotate the Digital Crown or tap the letters that appear on either side of the meter to adjust the text size on your watch.

10. Stop those annoying reminders to breathe

The Breathe reminder is designed to help you take a few minutes to clear your mind and control your respiration, potentially helping you feel more centered and calm. But if you’re like me and never follow the prompt, use this hidden Apple Watch Ultra trick to turn it off so you no longer have to be reminded to breathe. Follow the steps below:

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap theMindfulness app option.
Next, select Notifications off.

11. Unlock your Apple Watch with your iPhone

Typing in your passcode to unlock your Apple Watch can be a pain, but there’s cool Apple Watch Ultra trick that lets you do it easily. You can choose to have your Apple Watch unlock automatically when your iPhone is unlocked. Follow the steps below:

Tap the Digital Crown and navigate to the Apple Watch’s Settings menu.
Scroll down to Passcode.
Make sure the switch next to Unlock with iPhone is toggled on. Your iPhone will now also display an alert saying that your iPhone is being used to unlock your Apple Watch whenever you put this into practice.

12. Make it easier to find your apps

The honeycomb app grid looks great at first glance, but it can be a pain to find the app you want to launch, particularly if you have a lot of apps installed on your watch. Instead of in a grid, the watch can display all of your apps in an alphabetical list. Follow the steps below:

Either in the Watch app on your phone or in the Settings app on the Watch, tap App View.
Tap on List View.

Now, when you press the Digital Crown to leave your watch face, you’ll see a list of apps that you can quickly scroll through and find what you’re looking for.

13. Control when you’ll see Siri

You can activate Siri on your Apple Watch in three different ways. You can raise your wrist toward your mouth and start talking, long-press the Digital Crown or use the wake phrase, “Hey, Siri.”

I’ve found that I often accidentally trigger Siri when trying to check the time or read a notification while I’m talking to someone else (but my watch thinks I’m trying to talk to Siri). It’s annoying, but it can be changed using this hidden Apple Watch Ultra trick. Follow the steps below:

Either in the Watch app on your phone or in the Settings app on the Watch, select Siri.
You’ll see three buttons to control when you’ll see Siri.
Slide each button to the Off position for any of the options you don’t want to use.

14. Rearrange Control Center

Just like Control Center on your iPhone, Control Center on the Apple Watch is where you turn to quickly adjust settings like do not disturb and airplane mode and to activate the flashlight.

You may find the default list of options in the Control Center isn’t the best fit for how you use your watch, however, and you want to rearrange the list. For me, that means moving the Bedtime toggle from near the bottom of the list to the top. That way when I want to track my sleep over the weekend when I don’t have sleep goals set, I can swipe up and tap the icon. Follow the steps below:

To access the Control Center on your watch, swipe up from the bottom of the watch face, or when in an app you can long-press on the bottom of the screen until you see Control Center start to slide up.
After which you just need to slide your finger up to access it.
Change the order, or hide some buttons in the Control Center by tapping the Edit button at the bottom of the list.
The icons will begin to jiggle and show a red minus sign to hide an option.
Drag and drop the icons into your preferred order, or tap the red minus button to remove the option altogether.
When you’re done, tap Done or press the Digital Crown on the side of your watch to go back to the watch face.

15. Track Your Temperature

The Apple Watch Ultra includes a temperature sensor that can be used to track your temperature at night. Apple added this function primarily for women to monitor their cycles and fertility, but it can be used by anyone and can be an indicator if you’re getting sick.

To take advantage of this Apple Watch trick, simply wear your Watch to bed with sleep tracking enabled. Your device will take periodic temperature readings, which you can then view in the Health app.

On your ‌iPhone‌, open the Health app.
Tap Browse, then tap Body Measurements.
Tap Wrist Temperature.

If you see “Needs More Data” at the top of the chart, your baseline temperature has not yet been established and you’ll need to wear your Apple Watch for more nights. The number of nights required will be displayed below the chart.

Note that Apple warns that the Apple Watch temperature sensing feature is not intended for medical purposes as wrist temperature is not as accurate as other temperature sensing methods.

16. Get Even More Battery Life on Apple Watch Ultra

The Apple Watch Ultra‌ offers up to 60 hours of battery life, which is great for multi-day usage without needing to charge.

This functionality is enabled through a combination of Low Power Mode and additional battery saving settings for Workouts. 60 hour battery life is exclusive to the ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ thanks to its larger battery, and other models are limited to 36 hours maximum with Low Power Mode.
To get extended battery life, ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ models need to have workout settings enabled for fewer heart rate and GPS readings.

Open the Settings app on your ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Workout.
Enable the switch next to Low Power Mode.
Below ”During Low Power Mode,” enable the switch next to Fewer GPS and Heart Rate Readings.

With Low Power Mode turned on and these Low Power Mode options for workouts enabled, the ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ is able to preserve battery life for walking, running, and hiking workouts by cutting down on the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings and disabling alerts, splits, and segments.

17. Use Night Mode on Apple Watch Ultra

The ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ comes with an exclusive Wayfinder watch face that has a built-in Night Mode. ‌This Apple Watch Ultra lets you ‌ turn the display red, making it easier to see when lighting is poor. Red light also preserves night vision, so you won’t be temporarily blinded when out on a hike if you look at your Apple watch Ultra in the dark.

Here’s how to turn on ‌Night Mode‌:

If it isn’t already active, swipe to the new Wayfinder watch face.
Turn the Digital Crown to engage ‌Night Mode‌.
To turn it off, rotate the Digital Crown in the opposite direction.

Please Note: Night Mode only works when the Wayfinder watch face is being used – it’s an exclusive feature to Wayfinder and cannot be enabled when any other watch face is displayed.

18. Customize the Action Button on Apple Watch Ultra

The ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ includes an Action button that is not available on any other Apple Watch model, and it can be set to perform numerous tasks. It can start a workout, launch the stopwatch, set a waypoint in the Compass app, activate the Compass app backtrack feature, start a dive, activate the Flashlight, or activate any Shortcut.

There are even deeper functions available depending on what’s assigned. If you have the Action Button set to start a Workout, for example, you can choose a specific workout. And in the middle of a compatible workout, it can perform a secondary function such as marking segments or laps in a track workout.
If you want to change the function of your Action Button after setup, here’s how:

Start the Settings app on your Apple Watch Ultra.
Scroll down and tap Action Button.
Tap the menu under “Action” and select one of the following options: Workout, Stopwatch, Waypoint, Backtrack, Dive, Flashlight, and Shortcut.
Tap the arrow located at the left-hand corner to go back to Action Button settings.
Tap the menu under ”App” if it appears, then select an app to perform the action. Some actions, such as Flashlight, don’t show the App option.
Tap the arrow to go back.
Tap the menu under “First Press” if it appears, then select an action. Some features allow different actions to happen on the first and second press of the button.

Tips appear on the screen under “Gestures” explaining how the Action button works with the settings that you’ve assigned to it.

You’re also able to configure your Action Button on the Apple Watch app on ‌iPhone‌.

Start the Watch app on your ‌iPhone‌.
Tap the My Watch tab if it’s not already selected.
Tap Action Button.
Under ”Action,” tap the currently selected action to change it.
Select from one of the following options: Workout, Stopwatch, Waypoint, Backtrack, Dive, Flashlight, and Shortcut.
Tap Action Button to return to the previous menu.
Tap the menu under “App” if it appears, then select an app to perform the action. Some actions, such as Flashlight, don’t show the App option.
Tap the arrow to go back.
Tap the menu under “First Press” if it appears, then select an action. Some features allow different actions to happen on the first and second press of the button.

Your favorite Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks?

These are our favorite Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks. What are your favorite Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks? Also, if you know of any other useful Apple Watch Ultra tips and tricks we’ve not included here, we’d love to know them in the comments section below.

Tag: Apple Watch Tips

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12 Must Know iPad Air Tips and Tricks of 2024

Monday January 1, 2024 2:35 pm EAT by Moses Johnson

If you just got yourself a new iPad Air, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into. From arranging your homescreen widgets to taming notifications, there are plenty of cool iPad Air tips and tricks to familiarize yourself with. The real question, however, is where should you begin? Thankfully, we’ve assembled 12 best tips and tricks for iPad Air owners that will prove handy advice for anyone trying one of Apple’s tablets for the first time—and maybe even teach experienced users may a gem they weren’t aware of.

Apple tablets offers a pretty good experience right out of the box, but here are twelve iPad Air tips and tricks you can try on your shiny new device and get the most out of it.

1. Arrange your home screen widgets

Once you navigate to your iPads home screen, you’ll notice the widget layout. By default, your iPad will include the clock, notes, calendar, weather and news. You can edit this layout to best fit your needs. Even if you’re happy with the default apps in place, long-press the app to see extra customization options, or hold and drag to rearrange the widgets.

If you want to edit the widgets, swipe right on the screen and tap Edit. From here you can remove or add widgets, giving you quicker access to the e-book you’re reading or your favorite games or streaming service.

2. Check out Apple’s free trials

If your iPad is new, you’ll be thrilled to know that Apple includes a free trial for Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade. So, in addition to downloading your favorite TV streaming apps, games and linking accounts, you can try something new.

Apple Arcade is Apple’s $5-a-month mobile gaming service. It includes hundreds of games you can play offline and more are added every week. With a new iOS device, you can try out Apple Arcade with a three-month free trial, as well as a one-month free trial for new subscribers. Apple TV Plus is Apple’s subscription video service that includes original TV shows and movies like Ted Lasso, Schmigadoon and The Morning Show.

3. Join the dark side

Dark mode is a hidden iPad Air trick that’s often forgotten, so be sure to set it up.

Go toSettings.
Tap Display & Brightness
Choose Dark.

You can also set custom schedules (like your screen dimming at sunset), and use True Tone, the feature that automatically adjusts your screen’s brightness based on current ambient lighting.

4. Split screen

Split screen is a cool iPad Air trick that can come in handy during those times when you want to keep a reference image nearby when you are working on a drawing in the Procreate digital illustration app. But you can use split screen with just about any combination of apps. A common use might be opening your calendar app while writing out a to-do list in the reminders app. To start a split view, follow the steps below:

Open an app.
Tap the small horizontal trio of dots at the top of your screen and choose the layout you want.

5. Scribble for Apple Pencil

If you use an Apple Pencil with your iPad Air, the Scribble feature, introduced in iOS 14, lets you do more without having to put your pencil down. The feature converts your handwriting, letting you write in text fields that you’d previously type in. This iPad Air trick allows you to quickly jot down notes or put a personalized touch on things. For example, if you’re sketching in Procreate and need a reference image, you can open Google, jot what you’re searching for (just as you’d type it) and get the result — all without putting down your Apple Pencil.

6. Save time with Touch ID

If your iPad Air offers a fingerprint sensor, it’s possible to enable Touch ID during your initial device setup. It’s not a requirement, but it can make signing in, as well as confirming purchases and downloads a bit quicker. If you want Touch ID on your iPad Air, follow the steps below:

Open the Settings app.
Select Touch ID & Passcode. The device passcode is one of the first things you’re prompted to set up after turning on your iPad, but you can change or turn off the passcode here as well.
To set up Touch ID, tap Add a Fingerprint and follow the prompts. Afterward, you can customize what your Touch ID can be used for, like unlocking your device and password autofill.

7. Use Sign in with Apple

Sign in with Apple is an iPad Air trick to be aware of and use, rather than a setting to adjust on your device. The tool is another layer of defense for your security, like adjusting your device’s privacy settings or using privacy tools like a virtual private network or DuckDuckGo.

When you create a new account for an app or website, you can choose Sign in with Apple instead of signing in with Facebook, Google or email. The tool creates a random email address that can only be used for one specific app. The app or website will use the generated email, but Apple will forward any correspondence to your real email, protecting your identity. You can reply to whichever emails you like without exposing your personal email address.

There’s also the Hide My Email option. Apple creates a random email address for you to use when signing up for any service — you’ll recognize it by the unique alphanumeric string followed by @privaterelay.appleid.com.

8. Speech to text

If your ideas are flowing faster than you can use this iPad Air trick. The dictation feature on iPad Air works across email, text messages and notes. For example, you can open the Notes app and tap the microphone icon on the keyboard. Apple will ask if you want to enable dictation; tap yes. Now when you tap the microphone when it’s available on the keyboard, you can use speech to text. If you use speech to text in third-party apps, you may have to grant additional permissions.

To turn off speech to text, follow the steps below:

Open the Settings app on your iPad.
Tap Keyboards.
Scroll down and toggle off Enable Dictation.

9. Learn more about your photos

The iPad photos app has a handy tool that works a bit like Google Lens.

Open up the photos app.
Select an image and tap the little “i” in the upper-right corner.

A panel will open and you can see details like camera spec information, as well as when the photo was taken. You can also add a caption and the location of the image.

You can also learn more about what’s in your photo. Tap the Look Up option in the info panel and your iPad will offer information from Siri, the web and maps (if applicable).

10. Minimize distractions

Your iPad Air should be at your service, not the other way around. To avoid being destructed often, customize your notifications by using this iPad Air trick. Follow the steps below:

Go to Settings.
Tap Notifications.

Return things back to the essentials. Use the most discreet alerts wherever possible, and it’s good to avoid sounds except for apps you genuinely need to respond to immediately. Think of your iPad like your MacBook—you’re going to want to keep working or playing as long as possible without getting interrupted.

11. Protect your privacy

The iPad is without a doubt an excellent device if you want to safeguard your data, habits, and personal details.

Go to Settings.
Select Privacy & Security.

Here you can fine-tune your setup.

The list of privacy settings here isn’t organized by app (a list of which would be overwhelming), but by what the apps are requesting access to. Select Camera, for example, and you’ll see a list of all the apps currently accessing it and you can tap the green toggle to deny this access from now on.

Pay particular attention to the Tracking entry near the top. This is for apps that have asked to track your activity across other apps and websites. We routinely deny this request (and recommend having the global toggle for “Allow Apps to Request to Track” turned off) but this menu makes it easy to withdraw permission retroactively.

12. Level up your keyboard

In landscape orientation especially, the iPad’s keyboard takes up a lot of screen space. Thankfully, you can use an iPad Air trick to shrink it down to a more manageable size.

Pinch inwards with two fingers (the same gesture you’d use to zoom out of an image). The smaller floating keyboard can sit anywhere on the screen, just use the bar at the bottom to move it around.
If you want to go back to the full-size keyboard, do a “pinch out” gesture using two fingers.

A third option is the split keyboard, although bear in mind that not all iPad Air models support this feature. To turn this on, go to Keyboard Settings (either via Settings > General > Keyboard or by tapping and holding the emoji key) and toggle Split Keyboard to On.

Finally and perhaps most useful of all, your iPad’s onscreen keyboard can also serve as a trackpad. Tap and hold the keyboard with two fingers and the keys will all gray out. and a cursor will appear in the text Then move your fingers to control the cursor and find the text you want to edit. Hold still for about a second and the cursor will change shape to indicate that you’re now in text selection mode.

It’s just like having a trackpad.
Foundry

Tag: iPad Tips

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13 best iPad Pro Tips and Tricks You Should Know in 2025

Tuesday January 14, 2025 4:10 pm EAT by Dave Johnson

Did you buy a new iPad Pro over the holidays or get one as a gift from a friend? Well, congratulations, and we hope you like it and are excited to try out all the fun new features. If you’re new to the world of iPadOS, then you may find all the new settings and features a bit overwhelming. Apple does a pretty good job of walking you through all the basic steps during the setup, so we doubt you’ll have any issues setting things up and getting to the homescreen. But once you’re done with the setup, there are several iPad Pro tips, tricks and hacks that can help you make the most out of your device. That’s exactly what we’re going to help you with. So, grab your tablet, sit back, and check out the best tips and tricks for iPad Pro!

1. Use a Mouse and Keyboard With Your iPad Pro

If you want to turn your ‌iPad Pro into a replacement for a Mac when you’re working at a desk, you can do so with a mouse and a keyboard.

As with a Mac, you can connect any Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, or trackpad to your ‌iPad Pro‌ to use those inputs as an alternative to the touch screen. It’s really as simple as opening up Bluetooth and initiating the pairing process.

With Universal Control, a feature that Apple introduced in iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3, you can use a single mouse or trackpad across all of your iPad Pros and Macs, making it even simpler to control your ‌iPad Pro‌ if you’re using it alongside a Mac.

2. Use App Library to Keep Your Home Screen Clean

Have an ‌a Home Screen that’s cluttered up with all manner of apps? Well, this iPad Pro trick can get rid of that problem. The App Library offers you instant access to a well-organized list of all the apps on your ‌iPad Pro‌.

To access it, just swipe all the way over to the end of your ‌Home Screen‌ pages. App Library will automatically organize your apps into various categories such as Games, Entertainment, Health & Fitness, Social, and more.
You can scroll through the categories and tap into each one to see all the apps listed there, or you can simply use the search feature.

Tip: You can delete your ‌Home Screen‌ pages in bulk or rearrange them by long pressing on an empty area of the ‌Home Screen‌ and then tapping on the row of dots at the bottom of the display. You can drag ‌Home Screen‌ pages to rearrange, or tap on the checkmark and then the “-“ to delete them.

3. Drag and Drop Text Between Apps

If you want to move text from one app to another on the ‌iPad Pro‌, such as pasting some text from Safari into Notes, you can easily do so with a drag-and-drop gesture.

Select the text that you want to move from one app to another by long pressing. Drag the two little bars to get exactly the text you want.
On the highlighted text, press and hold to pull it up from the page.
Keep your finger on the text while you use another finger or your other hand to open up the app you want to move the text to.
When the text is situated in the app where you want it to go, lift your finger and it will be pasted over.

Tip: This drag-and-drop text gesture is easiest to use in multitasking mode, where you have two app windows open side by side.

4. Use an Apple Pencil

Without a doubt, an Apple Pencil is one of the best tool that you can get to use with an ‌iPad Pro‌. If you didn’t purchase an ‌Apple Pencil‌ alongside the iPad Pro‌, consider doing so.

An ‌Apple Pencil‌ lets you sketch and draw within drawing apps, note-taking apps, and more, but you can also use it for navigation‌ and you can write in any text field on the ‌iPad Pro‌, with the ‌iPad Pro‌ translating it into typed text.
In the built-in Notes app, for example, you can open it up and just start writing with the Pencil. The same goes for Safari searches, Calendar events, Messages, and so much more.

The ‌Apple Pencil‌ comes in two different versions, so the model you need will depend on which iPad Pro you have. To see your ‌iPad Pro‌ model, launch the Settings app, tap on “General” and then tap on “About.” Your model is listed under “Model name.”

‌Apple Pencil‌ 1 Devices

12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (1st and 2nd Gen)
10.5-inch ‌iPad Pro‌
9.7-inch ‌iPad Pro‌

‌Apple Pencil‌ 2 Devices

12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (3rd Gen and Newer)
11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ (All models)

5. Take Advantage of Widgets

Many of Apple’s apps and third-party apps come with widgets, which you can place on your ‌Home Screen‌ or view in the Today Center to get information at a glance. Adding a widgets on the homescreen is a cool iPad Pro trick you shouldn’t fail to try.

Follow the steps below to add a widget to your ‌Home Screen‌:

Long press on an empty space on the ‌Home Screen‌ until the app icons start wiggling.
Tap on the “ ” button located at the upper left hand corner of the screen.
Scroll through the widget suggestions, or simply search for a specific widget.
Tap on the widget you want, and then swipe through the the different options. For many widgets, you can choose a size, and for others, you can customize the function.
After customizing your widget the way you want, tap “Add Widget.”
It will be placed on the ‌Home Screen‌, and from here you can drag it into the position that you desire.
Hit “Done” when you’re through.

Tip: On the ‌iPad Pro‌, you have access to XL widgets, a larger-sized widget that’s not available on the iPhone. You can also add widgets to the Today View by going to your first ‌Home Screen‌ page and then swiping again from left or right to open the Today View interface.

Add a widget by long pressing on the display and then tapping the “ ” button as outlined above. You can drag and drop widgets to rearrange them, or pull one out from Today View to your ‌Home Screen‌.

6. Use Quick Notes

This ‌iPad Pro‌ trick lets you jot down notes without having to open up the Notes app. Quick Notes can be used with or without an ‌Apple Pencil‌, and you can access the interface at any time with a simple gesture.

In any app, or on the ‌Home Screen‌, swipe up diagonally from the right hand corner of the screen.
You can perform the diagonal swipe in either portrait or landscape mode – it works the same.
Type down your notes or write using an ‌Apple Pencil‌.
Swipe to collapse the Quick Note to the side if you want to hide it temporarily and bring it back to look something up.
Hit “Done” when you’re finished.

Tip: You can also access Quick Notes from the Control Center by tapping on the Notes icon, or by using the Globe key Q keyboard shortcut. If you have an ‌Apple Pencil‌, you can also tap it on the ‌iPad Pro‌’s locked screen to bring up a note.

7. Use Your iPad Pro as a Second Screen

If you own a Mac and it’s not too old, you can use your ‌iPad Pro‌ as a second screen with Apple’s Sidecar feature. A cool iPad Pro trick, isn’t it?

To use Sidecar, you just need to access the display section of the Control Center on your Mac and beaming your screen to your ‌iPad Pro.

Sidecar‌ requires a Mac compatible with macOS Catalina or later, and it works with the following MacBooks:

MacBook Pro launched in 2016 or later
MacBook launched in 2016 or later
‌iMac‌ (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
‌iMac‌ Pro
Mac mini launched in 2018 or later
Mac Pro launched in 2019

8. Enhance Safari With Extensions

Safari on the ‌iPad Pro‌ works with all of the same extensions that you might get on your Mac, so you can download extensions for turning all webpages to dark mode, using password managers, avoiding AMP pages, and more.

To get Safari Extensions, simply open the Settings app, go to Safari, select Extensions, and then tap on More Extensions to get to the Extensions section in the App Store.

9. Multitask with Stage Manager

iPadOS 16 brought a multitasking interface which Apple called Stage Manager, which is meant to be more like Mac multitasking. Some people like ‌Stage Manager‌, while others hate it, but you should definitely try it out to see how it works for you.

Here’s how to turn ‌Stage Manager‌ on and off on iPad Pro‌:

Swipe down from the right corner of the screen to bring up the Control Center.
Tap on the ‌Stage Manager‌ button that resembles a rectangle with three squares on the left of it. You can tap it to toggle ‌Stage Manager‌ on or off.
Alternatively, launch the Settings app, select ‌Home Screen‌ and Multitasking, and then Choose ‌Stage Manager‌ to turn it on or off.

10. Find Anything With Spotlight

If you don’t already use Spotlight on your ‌tablet‌, it’s actually the best iPad Pro trick to find just about anything. To open it, just navigate to the ‌Home Screen‌ and swipe down.

In addition to Siri Suggestions, which offers up apps you might want to access based on your usage history, Apple provides a search bar. If you tap into it, you can search for anything you want. Here are just a few things you can use Spotlight for:

Finding and opening apps you have installed on your iPad
Finding new apps in the ‌App Store‌
Rearranging apps (search for an app and then drag it out of Spotlight to the ‌Home Screen‌)
Installing apps on your iPad (after a search, tap on “Get”)
Deleting apps on your iPad (long press and choose delete)
Looking for photos (search by date, person, or object in the photo)
Facts about actors, actresses, and other well-known people
Information on contacts
Web images (search for [subject] images)
Converting measurements right from your iPad
Converting currency
Performing simple calculations
Finding content in Notes, Messages, and other apps

Tip: If you swipe down from the Lock Screen on your ‌iPad Pro‌, you can get to a Spotlight Search interface without having to unlock your device.

11. Use the Freeform App

After upgrading to the latest iPadOS 16.2 update, you can access Freeform, a blank canvas whiteboard style app where you can create anything. Freeform is installed automatically with iPadOS 16.2, and there’s nothing else that you need to do besides open it up and experiment.

The app has various drawing tools that are similar to those available in the photo editing interface, along with options to add hundreds of shapes, stickies, photos, scans, documents, and more. You can have multiple boards and even collaborate on projects with other people, and all edits and changes are shown in real time.

12. Try Some Karaoke With Apple Music Sing

This iPad Pro trick turns your ‌tablet into a little karaoke machine if you’re an ‌Apple Music‌ subscriber. Using the built-in lyrics feature, the ‌Apple Music‌ Sing option lets you sing along with a song, with your voice replacing the song’s vocals.

Vocal volume can be adjusted, and there are settings for duets, plus a ton of playlist options highlighting the best ‌Apple Music‌ Sing songs in the ‌Apple Music‌ app. ‌Apple Music‌ Sing is available on these iPad Pros:

‌iPad Pro 12.9-inch (Fifth-generation and newer)
‌iPad Pro 11-inch (Third-generation and newer)

Follow the steps below to use ‌Apple Music‌ Sing on iPad Pro:

Launch the Music app on your ‌iPad Pro‌ and start playing a track.
With the fullscreen playback controls open, tap the Lyrics button (the quotation mark speech bubble) in the bottom left corner (if it’s available for the song).
Tap the Sing button (the mic and stars) on the right, just above the track progress bar. If you don’t see it, the Sing feature isn’t available for this song.
With the track playing, press and hold the Sing button, then drag the slider up or down to adjust the volume of the vocals.

13. Check the Weather

There’s a dedicated Weather app on the ‌iPad Pro‌ as of ‌iPadOS 16‌, so you can get all the weather info you’re used to seeing on your ‌iPhone‌ on your ‌iPad Pro‌.

Just launch the Weather app to see the weather in your location or a location of your choice, with 10-day forecasts, precipitation charts, and other modules that show you in-depth information on metrics like humidity, air quality, wind speed, sunset/sunrise times, pressure, visibility, and more.

Tag: iPad Tips

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