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Why Are iPhones So Slippery? Here’s The Truth!

by Moses Johnson

It’s no doubt iPhones are so slippery. Here’s why
How would you describe iPhones in one word? Exciting? Extravagant? Expensive, perhaps? In any case, I doubt that ”slippery” is a word on your mind right now.

I own several iPhones, and like millions of owners I marvel at the premium design of the casing. It is sleek, simplistic, and feels sensual in the hand. Unfortunately, that comes with a penalty when you use the devices.

In the last week alone I’ve almost dropped my iPhone 15 Pro Max due to the slippery back. The new design and slim profile make this huge iPhone one exquisite-looking piece of technology that’s a real pleasure to use and carry around, but there is nothing “grippy” to hold securely in the hand. Just turning one slightly in the hand can see it slip right out, leaving you to lunge to catch it before it hits the harsh floor.

I know I’m not the only one to experience it, I’ve seen other people perform the “iPhone dance” while trying to catch the device slipping out of the hand. I’ve seen numerous iPhones that weren’t saved before hitting the dirt and were subsequently sporting those disturbing cracks in the glass.

I recently spoke with an acquaintance about the slippery iPhone and he confessed his wife has had her iPhone screen replaced four times. She’s not clumsy, he said, it just slips out of her hand when she’s using it.

Some of you will be quick to point out that you just have to put a case on the phone to avoid the problem. You’d be correct, too, but let’s face it, if you have to put a case on an iPhone to use it securely, that’s what I’d call a design flaw. Good design is not just about making it look good, it’s also about usability.

We’ve seen this slippery problem since the first iPhone. It was sleek and beautiful but you needed a case to keep it in the hand. Then Apple followed that up with an iPhone that was not only sleek and gorgeous, but that was totally enclosed in glass. When that one slipped out of the hand it would not only crack the display but the back, too.

I’m convinced this inability to hold the iPhone securely in the hand is the real reason the bumper case was developed. It was released under the guise of dealing with Antennagate, but I believe it was really to deal with the design choice that makes the phone difficult to hold. After all, the term “bumper” denotes a thing designed to minimize the impact of a collision. Like what happens when the iPhone drops to the floor.

Take an iPhone 15 as an example, the device looks magnificent and feels great, but try using it without any case or cover and you know what I mean. It is almost impossible to hold in the hand without dropping it. Move it around while holding it and it doesn’t feel secure at all. It’s like holding a wet bar of soap covered in lubricant. While beautiful with the new matte frosted back, it’s downright impossible to get a good grip! You have to squeeze it so hard to try to grip it.

Unless I’m reviewing a case, I like to use my iPhone naked. But that’s not possible with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, because it’s too damn slippery.

Its matte glass panels, coupled with its size and weight, mean it’s nearly impossible to go a week without dropping the iPhone 15 Pro Max. And if you don’t drop it, it will surely slide off something or slip out of your pocket.

I can already hear the responses to this: “don’t buy an iPhone if you don’t like this.” Unfortunately, the sleek design of iPhones has been picked up by many of its competitors, so that’s not an answer.

Reasons Why iPhones Are so slippery

Glossy Frame

The first reason why iPhones are so slippery is because of the steel frame on the side of the phone. The steel frame looks more like a piece of jewelry rather than a phone. But the good news ends there. The steel frame is so glossy and slippery that it’s nearly impossible to pick up the iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 pro, or iPhone 14 Pro from your desk without risking dropping it midway. A case would help, of course, but it will diminish these premium looks. Better safe than sorry, i guess.

Frosted glass back,

Another reason why iPhones are so slippery is because of the frosted glass back, flat again, which looks nothing short of gorgeous. Whether it’s white or blue, gold, Deep Purple, or product red, it’s an instant eye-grabber. Plus, it feels presently soft on touch, and you’ll just loved running your fingertips across this surface.

Unfortunately, while the rear glass isn’t a smudge-fest like the frame, it is just as slippery. For instance, the matte glass on the iPhone 12 Pro series, iPhone 13 Pro series, iPhone 14 Pro series and iPhone 15 pro series provides an awful grip, and the only thing that kept me from constantly dropping them were the square, though not razor-sharp, edges of the frame.

On one hand, matte glass surfaces have the advantage of being immune to fingerprint smudges. Besides, they’re a rare design trait in the smartphone world, so that would instantly make the newer iPhone stand out among a crowd of shiny, flashy competitors.

But on the other hand, matte glass surfaces tend to be slippery. Like, really slippery.

I’ve handled various iPhone models with matte glass backs including iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro,, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, and they’ve all felt slippery no matter what. The reason? It could be that when you have a matte glass surface – which is rough and uneven at a microscopic level – tiny gaps of air exist between it and your skin. Perhaps shiny glass surfaces have more contact area with your skin, therefore providing better grip.

The iPhone 8 is equally a slippery line of phones. When the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus came out in 2017, people complained about them being very slippery. This was due to the iPhone 8 series featuring glass on the front and back — the first time Apple had done this since the iPhone 4S. Previous iPhones, like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S had an aluminum back that wasn’t as slippery.

Having said that, the iPhone 6 and iPhone seven are so slippery because their bodies are made from anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum is very slippery. The slipperiest iPhone was the iPhone 6 series. Apple gradually improved grip by making the aluminum on the iPhones 6s and 7 less prone to moisture. In addition, the curved sides on iPhone 7 and iPhone 6 series mean that you don’t have a good way to lock the phone in your hand like you could with a phone that has a more pronounced edge. This point is less a compromise for technical reasons, and more of a criticism of the fundamental way this phone was built from the start.

How To Make iPhone Less Slippery?

iPhones offer a sleek design with matte glass and stunning stainless steel frame all around, but while it sure looks aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it’s useless when it comes to providing grip. The slippery texture on a an iPhone makes it prone to falls and makes it hard to use with one hand. Maybe you hate to cover up the exquisite iPhone design but don’t you hate to see your lovely device damaged if it were to fall?

Many people are willing to cover the premium glass design of their iPhone with something like a plastic case, so long as that case comes with a promise of apt protection from daily wear and tear.

And although getting a case might feel like a compromise to some, aside from protecting your iPhone from scratches, it might even save it from the occasional accidental drop. In addition, impact protection aside, many cases are grippy and less likely to slide off the table as smooth glass will.

With the iPhone offering a sleek (and slippery) design, it’s arguably more important than ever to put it in a case for extra protection and less slippage, especially if you don’t have AppleCare or insurance for your device.

Tag: iPhone Tips
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10 Best iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks to Try First!

by Moses Johnson

iPadOS 16 brings with it a whole host of new features. In this article, i’ve explained the best iPadOS 16 tips and tricks you should try first.
iPadOS 16 brings a number of new features and changes to the iPad experience, including Stage Manager, new Messages tweaks and much more, but with so many changes on offer, where do you start?

We’re here to make the adjustment far easier with the best iPadOS 16 tips and tricks.

Best iPadOS 16 tips and tricks

Without further ado, here is a list of the Best iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks in 2022:

1. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Edit or unsend iMessages

Apple has really ramped up Messages this year, adding in some features users of apps like WhatsApp will be familiar with. Accidentally texted something inappropriate to your boss? With the new Messages app in iPadOS 16, you can quickly recall that message before it does any damage.

  1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. Type your message as you normally do.
  3. Once you’ve sent it – long press that message. You’ll see both ’Edit’ and ’Undo send’ as options in the drop-down menu. Choose whichever you want to use at the time.

Please note, if the person you’re sending it to doesn’t have iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, it won’t appear as unsent for them, they’ll still see the message.

2. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Recover recently deleted messages

In iPadOS 16, you can recover recently deleted messages for up to 30 days after deleting them.

  1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
  2. Go to the Recently Deleted section.
  3. Tap Recover All to restore all deleted messages.
  4. If you only wish to get back one or a few chats, tap inside their tiny round box to select them. After that, tap Recover.

3. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Scheduled send emails

In iPadOS 16, you can schedule an email in your iPhone’s Mail app so it gets sent at any time of your choice.

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPad.
  2. Draft your email the way you normally would, complete with the recipient, subject, and message.
  3. When you are done with the email and ready to send it, tap and hold the Send icon (the big blue arrow). You’ll see a pop-up menu.
  4. Choose when you want to send the message.

Apple gives you a few quick-pick choices, including Send 9:00 PM Tonight and Send 8:00 AM Tomorrow. If you want to choose a custom time, tap Send Later… and you can choose the date and time from a calendar view, then tap Done.

4. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Delete Duplicate Photos

Apple’s latest Photos app lets you quickly and easily delete duplicate photos to help you save iPad and iCloud storage.

  1. Open the Photos app on your iPad.
  2. Tap on ’Albums’.
  3. Scroll all the way down until you see ’Duplicates’ in the list near the bottom of the page. Now you can either hit ‘merge’ near each match, or hit ’select’ at the top and then manually choose each image you want to delete and hit the delete trash can icon at the bottom.

5. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: new Weather app

In iPadOS 16, Apple introduced a brand new Weather app to the iPad. The new app takes full advantage of the large display and includes animated backgrounds reflecting current weather conditions. Each module in the weather app can be tapped to provide additional data.

6. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Collaborate on projects

One of the big new features of iPadOS 16 is working with others. Collaboration is the real-time sharing of an original document, so everyone can work on it simultaneously. It’s rather like Google Docs, but what’s neat is that you can initiate a collaboration through Messages or FaceTime directly from the share sheet. Just select Collaborate and select the conversation where you want to share it.

You can also share tab groups from Safari with the group. When you do, you’ll see icons of who is looking at what tab in real-time.

7. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Metal 3 and other gaming enhancements

For the first time, iPadOS 16 is bringing Metal 3 APIs to the iPad. Apple is looking for iPads to be gaming machines with Metal 3-enabled, hardware-accelerated 3D graphics. Additionally, Apple has a new API that allows larger asset packs to download in the background while you play the game.

With your Game Center account, you can find friends, track progress in various games, and view leaderboards for various games. Gaming on iOS has largely been the domain of phones. However, Apple is pushing to get more gamers onto the iPad. It has designed these moves to do just that.

8. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Turn Reference Mode on or off

Reference Mode is a display mode for professional content creation workflows, like color grading, editing, and content review, where accurate colors and consistent image quality are critical. To use Reference Mode, you need
12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation or later)

Reference Mode enables your iPad Pro to match the color requirements of your workflow. It targets a D65 white point and disables all dynamic display adjustments for ambient surround, like True Tone, Auto-Brightness, and Night Shift. You can also adjust the white point and luminance manually.

Reference Mode might affect battery life. Here’s how to turn the feature on or off.

  1. Open the Settings app,.
  2. Tap Display & Brightness.
  3. Turn Reference Mode on or off.

9. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: Turn Stage Manager on and off

Stage Manager is Apple’s multitasking feature available with iPadOS 16.1 which enables you to organize apps and windows in a single view. Stage Manager requires an iPad powered by an M1 chipset, so it won’t be much use if you haven’t upgraded your iPad in a few years.

Stage Manager is an optional feature. You can use it as little or as often as you’d like, with a quick tap of a button toggling it on or off. That button is located in the iPad’s Control Center. To access it follow the steps below:

  1. Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPad’s screen to bring up control center.
  2. There you’ll see a new icon that has three dots on the left side, with a rectangle to the left of the dots. Tap on the icon to turn on Stage Manager.
  3. If you want to revert back to the more traditional iPad layout, open Control Center again and tap the Stage Manager button to turn it off.

10. iPadOS 16 Tips and Tricks: See the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re on

One feature that arguably should have existed for a long time is the ability to see the password for the network you’re connected to. In iPadOS 16 you can.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap ’Wi-Fi’.
  3. Tap the info icon next to the network you’re connected to.
  4. Here, you’ll see ’Password’. Tap it, and it’ll use FaceID to check it’s you, and reveal the passkey.

Your favorite iPadOS 16 tips and tricks

So these were some of the best iPadOS 16 tips and tricks you should try on your iPad first. My favorite iPadOS 16 tips and tricks include ability to edit/unsend messages, ability to collaborate with others on a project, and ability to schedule emails in Mail. There’s surely plenty more hidden iPadOS 16 tips and tricks to discover, so I’ll keep tapping, swiping and noting anything I find. Did we miss out on something important that needs to be added to the list? Which are your favorite iPadOS 16 tips and tricks? Drop a comment and let us know.

Tag: iPad Tips
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Top 15 Reasons Why iPhones Are Better Than Android Phones

by GeeksModo Staff

When buying a new phone, people usually have to choose between two of the most popular operating systems. Here are 15 reasons why iPhones are better than Android phones.

Nothing sparks debates in the tech community faster than saying iPhones are better than Android devices or vice versa. Android users often argue that iPhone users only care about branding. On the other hand, iOS fans believe Android devices have unnecessarily complex, impractical features.

However, shopping for smartphones should go beyond opinions. Although both have their bad and good points, there are several areas wherein one operating system outperforms the other.

So, if you’ve been leaning toward buying a new iPhone, we’ve rounded up all the ways that iOS is better than Android to help you make an informed decision.

Fifteen reasons why iPhone is better than Android

Here are fifteen reasons why Apple iPhones are better than Android phones!

1. iPhones Retains Market Value

Unlike their Android rivals, an iPhone holds good resale value over time. Apple also holds tight control on device prices among third-party vendors. You will hardly see an iPhone going for a discounted sale in the first six months of availability.

The latest iPhone models typically cost at least 10% more than top-of-the-line releases from Android brands like Samsung or LG. However, they usually retain their market value longer. All smartphones depreciate after a year or two, but Apple products frequently end up with resale prices closer to their original retail value.

For instance, let’s compare the Samsung Galaxy S21 with the iPhone 12. Apple released the iPhone 12 Pro Max in November 2020, retailing for $1,199. In November 2022, you can get a used model for around $900 on eBay.

On the other hand, the S21 Ultra hit the market in January 2021, also retailing for $1,199. However, its resale value has already dropped to around $550 on eBay.

2. iPhones have Less Security Risks

iPhones are better than Android smartphones when it comes to cybersecurity. iPhones have tighter security than Android, thanks to the exclusive Apple App Store, closed ecosystem, and prompt updates. These make iOS devices challenging to infiltrate.

Also, an iPhone is extremely unlikely to be infected with a virus. Most iOS devices with compromised security systems were either jailbroken or rigged by unauthorized technicians.

That said, Google’s cybersecurity measures are nothing to scoff at. However, frequently customizing Android devices leaves them prone to several security threats.

3. iPhones Have Extremely User-Friendly Interface

Android features an open platform that accommodates full-on customization. You’ll have total control over your smartphone’s settings, and you can use the broad scope of apps on Google Play to execute them.

However, this level of customization also creates a steep learning curve. You’ll need some technical proficiency and customization experience to utilize Android’s platform, which not all smartphone users have.

On the contrary, iOS devices have a straightforward, user-friendly interface. They come with various pre-installed, out-of-the-box features, so you can start using them right from the get-go. You wouldn’t need much time to learn an iOS interface.

4. iPhones Have Superior Phone Protection Plans

AppleCare plan comes at a steep premium. Alternatives like Asurion, SquareTrade, and Samsung Care offer relatively cheaper phone protection plans.

However, none of them compare to Apple’s streamlined, hassle-free services. Instead of spending hours on the customer service line, you can simply visit your local Apple Store for repair quotes and estimates.

Also, claims are a breeze. Most of the time, you can consult an in-store Apple employee and walk out with a brand-new or newly repaired device in an hour or two.

5. Seamlessly Integrated Apple Ecosystem

The range of Apple products has grown notably in recent years. The company started out making computers and has since added music players, tablet computers and smart watches to their product selection. Today, Apple provides a wide range of products and services for various purposes.

The devices work seamlessly and effortlessly together. You don’t need to download or install separate applications to link them together, it’s enough when you sign in to the devices with the same Apple ID. Photos, emails, notes and calendars can be shared to all the devices. You also don’t have to pay twice for apps, movies or books – they can be found on all your devices.

The closed ecosystem also guarantees the user safety. The operating environment is secure when devices, users, manufacturers and app developers are all in the same ecosystem.

The situation is different for Android phones. Several different manufacturers produce phones and tablets based on the same operating system, so a safe ecosystem and using the devices together seamlessly cannot be guaranteed.

6. Easy to Spot Fakes

If you intend to buy a secondhand smartphone, learn to verify authenticity. Scammers have been selling counterfeit devices for decades now. Moreover, the Android knockoffs circulating in the market look almost identical to their original counterparts. You’ll need to watch out for super-minute details.

Fortunately, spotting a fake iPhone is significantly easier. iOS devices have an exclusive interface, so you can easily spot fakes since they likely wouldn’t have features like Siri, iCloud, or even the App Store.

Also, each device comes with a unique serial number. Go to Settings > General > About, then scroll down to the Serial Number section in the middle portion of the page.

Next, copy-paste it into Apple’s service and coverage page. You’d see the device’s valid purchase date, telephone technical support expiration, and warranty coverage if the serial number is legit.

7. Get the best apps first

The developers of the best and highest quality apps still favour Apple. Most apps use Apple’s App Store as their launch platform and release their apps there much earlier than they do in the Android phones’ Google Play store. This has been the case with some of the most popular apps of recent years, such as Super Mario Run and Snapchat.

Some of the high-profile apps and games are iOS-exclusive only. Clubhouse is a recent example of such a trend. Halide is another popular developer that is iOS-only. It’s much harder for app developers to create games and apps for Android phones, as there is a wide range of them and many unique features of the phones should be taken into account in the development. The App Store’s revenue model also serves the developers of high-quality apps better, which will guarantee safe and good apps for iPhone users in the future as well.

8. Every eligible iPhone gets software updates at the same time

Software updates have always been an area iPhones are better than android smartphones as a whole. Unless you own one of Google’s Pixel phones, you never really know when you’re going to receive a security update or major feature release, because that timing is up to each individual phone brand. Some are more consistent than others.

On the other hand, when Apple releases a software update for the iPhone, every single user has immediate access to that update as long as their iPhone is still supported. Currently, iOS 16 supports iPhones all the way back to the iPhone 8, which was released in 2017. And when iOS 16.2 is made available in the coming weeks, every eligible iPhone, from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 8 will get the update at the same exact time.

You just don’t get that kind of consistency and assurance on the totality of Android phones.

9. Apple Pay Is Simpler to Use

Apple Pay is Apple’s payment service, which enables making credit and debit card payments using your phone. Paying works the same way as contactless payment with a plastic card, i.e., by placing the phone by the card reader. The card is protected with Face ID, Touch ID or the phone’s passcode, which let you keep your payment information safe.

Apple Pay can also be used to make purchases in apps: reserving a hotel room, shopping for clothes or ordering a pizza couldn’t be easier.

Options like Google Pay and PayPal also offer noteworthy features. However, their interfaces are a bit more challenging, plus they don’t come pre-installed on Android devices.

Also, Apple Pay is widely used, at least in the United States. The Apple Pay homepage states that more than 85% of retail shops, grocery stores, taxis, and vending machines in the US accept Apple Pay. Google Pay is not yet available in many countries, so users in need of a simple and easy mobile payment method should opt for the Apple iPhone.

10. Wireless headphones and earbuds are a breeze to set up and use

Pairing the wireless AirPods earbuds to your iPhone is a seamless experience that makes Apple’s system leagues ahead of Google’s. One of the most impressive benefits is being able to use the same AirPods with your Mac or Apple Watch without having to pair them again.

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds try to recreate that magical experience, and they come close, but lack the range and ease of use across multiple devices. Google’s Pixel Buds 2 are Android users’ best hope for recreating that magic — and they do a good job, but so far, nothing has truly matched the AirPods experience.

See also: 5 Best AirPods Pro 2 tips and tricks to try first.

11. iPhones Have No Bloatware

Bloatware, crapware. Whatever you want to call it, it doesn’t exist on an iPhone. In this regard, iPhones are better than android phones because Apple doesn’t allow carriers to install any apps before you get the phone, unlike Android devices that are loaded with carrier-specific apps from the moment you first turn them on.

Yes, you can delete or hide those apps in just a few minutes on your Android phone, but it’s not something users should have to deal with. Who really needs the AT&T locker app? Or random games pushed on you because the developer struck a deal with your carrier? I know I don’t. Not to mention, researchers have found that preinstalled apps are prone to bugs and security issues. In my opinion, the owner of a phone should have control over what is and isn’t installed.

12. Video calls with iPhone are as simple as a phone call

FaceTime is one feature that makes iPhone better than Android. FaceTime works so well because it’s encrypted and ready to use the moment you set up your new iPhone.

Like iMessage, FaceTime is for many people synonymous with video calls. It’s the only app they want to use and they don’t have to log into a third-party app or search for contacts to set it up and start a call. It’s just automatically linked to your contacts, camera and dialer to do all the work. It’s this ease that makes FaceTime one of the reasons that family groups stay rooted to the iPhone.

13. Seamless backup and restore

I’ve set up hundreds of Android phones, and the process has never been as painless as it is when I set up a new iPhone. With the iPhone, I log into my iCloud account, tap on Restore and then wait about 20 minutes. That’s not the case with an Android phone.

Google’s backup and restore service does a decent job, but more often than not there are apps I need to reinstall or log into, setting to adjust, and disappointment to manage when the phones frequently fail to restore my home screen layout exactly how I had it. The Restore feature is supposed to save time, but I still spend a chunk of it fine-tuning the Android devices I set up this way.

Meanwhile, my iPhone backs up to iCloud every night (as long as it’s connected to Wi-Fi and charging) and completely restores installed apps, accounts, home screen and settings without fail.

14. iMessage gives you that blue bubble feeling

Perhaps the biggest feature that Android users don’t have, and likely never will, is Apple’s proprietary messaging platform iMessage. It seamlessly syncs across all of your Apple devices, is fully encrypted and has a ton of playful features like Memoji.

When you send a message to another iPhone and you see the chat bubble turn blue, you know that the person on the other end of the conversation is using an iPhone, too. That makes you part of a club, sure, but it also includes certain benefits, like chatting over Wi-Fi and being able to share high-res videos and photos with the person on the other end of the line.

iMessage also lets you request or send money via Apple Pay and pepper the message with extra colorful animations, for example, which makes for a more robust conversation than using standard SMS on the iPhone. You’ll know you’re in typical texting mode when the chat bubbles are green.

Google recently announced the global rollout of its own take on iMessage as part of its Messages app. It uses something called rich communication services that let you send higher quality photos and videos, and see read receipts and even typing indicators so you know when the other person is replying. While Google’s RCS brings huge improvements to chatting on an Android phone, it’s not as widely used as iMessage right now and doesn’t have Apple’s full set of features.

15. Better-looking widgets

Sorry, it’s true. Apple may be late to the game or copied Google here, but it did it right. There are a few different sizes of widgets that developers can create for their apps, which you can then place anywhere on your home screen. You can stack widgets on top of each other and let iOS decide which one to show you depending on your device usage, or you can scroll through them on your own.

Reasons why iPhones are better than android phones? Now you know!

These are the reasons why iPhones are better than android smartphones. iPhones are user-friendly, straightforward device that requires minimal tech knowledge to utilize. You’ll find Apple’s ecosystem convenient.

If you’re looking for more features that make the iPhone better than Android, look no further than this long list of features Apple added in iOS 16, and if you’re still not convinced, here’s a healthy list of hidden iPhone features you probably didn’t know about.

Tag: iPhone Tips
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earphones not working on iPhone 14 Pro Max? Here’s the Fix

by GeeksModo Staff

Found yourself in a situation where earphones are not working on your iPhone 14 Pro Max? Problems with the earphones on iPhones aren’t as uncommon as you may think. It happens to many users and can be extremely frustrating, especially for those who regularly listen to music and so on. In this article, I’ll explain what to do if headphones are not working on your iPhone 14 Pro Max. Without any further ado, let’s get started.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

1. Try Other Headphones

The first step when you find headphones not working on your iPhone 14 Pro Max is an obvious one. It’s quite possible that your headphones are broken. The easiest way to do this is to get another set of headphones—ones that you already know work properly—and plug them into your iPhone 14 Pro Max. If you can hear audio when using your earphones with your iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’ve found the source of the problem. Just purchased a new pair of EarPods, and you’re good to go. If they’re not working with your iPhone, something else is to blame. It’s time to try out one of the other fixes listed below.

If the problems still happen even with new headphones, confirm that the headphones work on another iOS device and then move on to the next step.

2. Check Your AirPlay Output

One reason that you might not hear audio through your headphones is that your iPhone 14 Pro Max is sending the audio to another output. The iPhone is supposed to automatically recognize when headphones are plugged in and switch audio to them, but it’s possible that hasn’t happened in your case. One potential cause is that audio is being sent to an AirPlay-compatible speaker or AirPods. To check for that:

  1. Swipe up from the top right of the iPhone’s screen to bring up Control Center.
  2. Tap the AirPlay button in the top right of Control Center to reveal all available output sources.
  3. Tap Headphones (or iPhone, whichever option is present).
  4. Tap the screen to dismiss Control Center.

With those settings changed, your iPhone’s audio is now being sent to the headphones or the iPhone’s built-in speakers. If that doesn’t solve the problem, check the next solution.

3. Check to see if your iPhone is connected to a different device via Bluetooth

If your iPhone is paired with wireless headphones, a speaker, or any other device via Bluetooth, the lighting jack may be disabled. Normally, when you plug in your earphones, the iPhone should recognize them, and everything should work as intended regardless of the existing Bluetooth connection. However, this isn’t necessarily always the case.

It’s a quick and easy fix, as all you have to do is start the settings app on your iPhone, find the Bluetooth option, and check to see if it’s on. In that case, the iPhone is likely paired with one of the other devices you have in your house. If that’s the problem, turn it off, plug in your earphones, and see if that solves it. If they still don’t work, you should move on to the next solution on this list.

4. Clean the Lighting Port

As you can imagine, dust, as well as lint, can accumulate on the lightning port over time. This might cause the problem, as the dirt can actually block the connection between the earphones and the lightning jack.
The first thing you should do if you are experiencing the problem of iPhone 14 Pro Max earphones not working is to look into the lightning port to see just how dirty it really is. A flashlight might come in handy for this. The next step is to try and clean it and hope that that solves the issue. There are a lot of different ways to do this, some of which work better than others. One option is to blow into the lightning port, which should take care of at least some of the dust and lint found inside. You can also use a can of compressed air if you have one nearby.

A great option is to use a cotton swab. Push it into the port and swirl it around a little bit to get the dust and lint out. Be very careful when you do this, as the last thing you want to do is to damage your iPhone further. You can also damp the cotton swab with rubbing alcohol but make sure you don’t use too much of it.

After you’re done, look into the lightning port again to see just how much dust and lint you were able to get out. If things look better, plug in your earphones to check if your issue is fixed.

5. Check audio settings

There’s also a chance the problem isn’t with the earphones you’re using but has to do with the iPhone’s audio settings. If this is the case, you’ll be able to sort it out in no time. Just start the settings app on your iPhone and check the volume level and any other settings that might mute the sound.

Thankfully, there aren’t many settings like these on an iPhone, so you should find the problem more or less right away. If there is one, that is.

6. Restart the iPhone

If everything seems to be in order, but you are still facing the problem of iPhone 14 Pro Max earphones not working, there’s another simple fix you can try, which is restarting your phone. This can sometimes solve a ton of different iPhone-related problems and takes less than a minute to do. Just press and hold the Side button and either of the volume buttons, wait for the device to turn off completely, and then power your iPhone back on. Now check to see if the problem persists.

7. iPhone 14 Pro Max earphones not working maybe a hardware issue?

If you find your iPhone 14 Pro Max earphones not working after trying the fixes discussed above, your lightening port is probably broken and needs to be repaired. If your iPhone is still under warranty, the best thing to do is contact the seller or Apple. Please explain the problem to the company, and send it in for repair or replacement. This can take quite some time in some cases, but at least it’s free.

In case the warranty has expired, you do have phone insurance. Just make a claim with your provider.

The third solution is definitely the worst one. You may have to get your iPhone repaired by Apple or an Apple certified technician. You’ll have to open up your wallet and pay up to get it fixed, but at least you’ll be able to use the earphones again. Otherwise, you could opt for a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones, which will also solve the problem. Well, sort of.

These are some of the fixes that we hope will help you resolve iPhone 14 Pro Max earphones not working issue. If you think we have missed any, do let us know in the comments. Also, feel free to share which of the solutions listed above — if any — worked best for you.

Tag: iPhone Troubleshooting
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5 common iPhone 14 problems and how to fix them

by GeeksModo Staff

Apple’s brand new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max have been out for a few weeks now, and we’ve managed to go all this time without a single “gate” scandal. However, there are still some problems that early adopters have run into. Luckily, there are often simple solutions to even the most frustrating iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro problems, and in this post, we’ve compiled six of the most common iPhone 14 issues people are running into, along with potential solutions.

1. Battery drain Issue on the iPhone 14

Battery drain issue on the iPhone 14 is relatively common. If it’s a software issue, there’s a chance you can fix it. You can use Low Power Mode, limit your iPhone 14 Pro’s frame rate, disable always on display, lower the screen brightness, disable haptic feedback for keyboard, and stop background app refresh to improve your battery’s performance.

If you notice “Home & Lock Screen” on your battery usage is higher than you’d expect, it’s good to check those settings.

Auto-Lock at 30 seconds will help you preserve the most battery life. Especially with iPhone 14 Pro having an always-on display, 30 seconds can be worth it.

Navigate to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock.

Lowering your screen brightness will also help with battery life, but this will come down to personal preference. You can do that in Control Center (swipe down from the top right corner) or Settings > Display & Brightness.

With iPhone 14 Pro HDR brightness now going up to 1600 nits and outdoor peak brightness going to 2000 nits, this is something to keep an eye on to help keep battery life in check.

If you’re looking to eke out the most battery, turning off the always on display feature could help a touch.

Head to Settings > Display and brightness > Always On at the bottom.

To use Low Power Mode, head to Settings > Battery and tap the toggle for Low Power Mode.

If you choose not to use Low Power Mode, you can manually control Push and Fetch for your email/internet accounts.

Head to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data. One approach is to leave your primary account(s) as push to receive new mail asap, and turn less important accounts to fetch every hour or even set them to manual.

If you have one of the Pro models, you can limit your iPhone 14 Pro’s frame rate by opening Settings > Accessibility > Motion and tapping the Limit Frame Rate toggle. Doing this will cap the frame rate at 60 frames per second.

Low Power Mode turns off background app refresh across the board, but you can customize which apps use this feature for a more convenient experience as well as improved battery life. Head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

You can also opt to only use background app refresh on Wi-Fi in addition to Wi-Fi and Cellular or turn the feature off totally. However, most users will find leaving Wi-Fi and Cellular on while customizing which apps are used for background app refresh to be the best fit.

Turning off Background App Refresh prevents apps that you’re not actively using from updating (until you open them again).

Dialing in your location services settings is another way to extend battery life. (It can reduce cellular data use too). Head to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services to update the privileges for your apps.

Look out for any apps that ask to Always use your location and switch to While Using, Ask Next Time, or Never.

haptic feedback "might affect the battery life of your iPhone." No specifics are given as to how much battery life the keyboard feature does drain, but if you want to conserve battery, it’s best to keep this feature disabled.

Fortunately, it is not on by default. If you’ve enabled it in yourself, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle off Haptic to turn off haptic feedback for your keyboard.

2. iPhone 14 Touchscreen Issues

Unlike battery problems, iPhone 14 touchscreen issues are relatively rare. However, they can make the device virtually unusable. There’s a chance you can fix it without sending it in for repairs, as it’s usually caused by software or user errors.

First, ensure your iPhone 14 is running the latest version of iOS. Next, thoroughly clean your iPhone and disconnect all cables. Restart your iPhone 14 and check if the touchscreen starts working again.

If it doesn’t fix the touchscreen issue, you can try factory resetting your iPhone 14. And, if all else fails, you’ll have to send your iPhone to Apple for repairs. But if you have the hardware expertise, you can take advantage of Apple’s Self Service Repair program.

3. iPhone 14 Wi-Fi Issues

One of the most common iPhone 14 issues has to do with Wi-Fi connections. Sometimes, even while connected to a Wi-Fi network with access to the internet, your iPhone might not work properly.

There are three things you can try to fix this problem:

  • Toggle the Wi-Fi connection off and on.
  • Forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect.
  • Turn off the Wi-Fi Assist feature on your iPhone.

To toggle your Wi-Fi connection off and on, head to Settings > Wi-Fi. Then, tap the toggle at the top right of the screen. After 30 seconds, tap it again to enable it.

To forget and reconnect to a Wi-Fi network, open Settings > Wi-Fi. Then, tap and hold the corresponding network. Next, tap Forget This Network and then try to reconnect from the Wi-Fi settings menu.

To turn off Wi-Fi Assist, open Settings > Cellular and toggle off Wi-Fi Assist at the bottom of the menu.

4. Activation Error on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro

One of the more frustrating iPhone 14 bugs involves activation problems. If you can’t activate your iPhone 14, you won’t be able to log in to use the phone at all.

This can happen in two ways. You’ll either get an activation error, a message stating that the phone can’t detect your SIM card, or that it’s invalid.

Fortunately, you can follow a few steps to solve the iPhone 14 activation bug. However, they’re pretty limited. Here’s one method you can try:

  • Restart your iPhone 14.
  • Connect to a Wi-Fi network.
  • Try activating your iPhone 14 again.

You can try an alternate method if these steps don’t solve the activation issue. For these steps, you’ll need the latest version of macOS or iTunes. Here are the steps you can try:

  1. Update iTunes on your Windows PC. If you use a Mac, update macOS to the latest version.
  2. Ensure your computer has an internet connection.
  3. Use your iPhone 14’s charging cable to connect it to your computer.
  4. Your computer should automatically detect your iPhone 14.
  5. If Set Up as New or Restore from Backup notifications show up on your computer, your iPhone 14 is activated. If SIM card invalid or No SIM Detected notifications appear, you’ll need to reach out to your phone carrier.

But if you see the activation information was invalid message, you’ll have to enter recovery mode to restore your iPhone 14.

You’ll likely have to reach out to Apple or your phone carrier at some point during the activation process if you’re still running into errors after following these steps.

5. iPhone 14 Face ID Issues

Face ID on iPhone 14 can stop working randomly, potentially barring you from using certain apps and built-in features. Fortunately, you can try a few methods to fix Face ID.

First, consider cleaning the front-facing camera. It’s surprising how often Face ID won’t work just because there’s a smudge or two on the camera lens.

You can also check the Face ID settings. To do this, head to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Then, ensure all the items listed in this menu are toggled on. This includes:

  • iPhone Unlock
  • iTunes & App Store
  • Wallet & Apple Pay
  • Password AutoFill

You can also toggle on Face ID for specific apps from the Settings menu. Simply scroll down, find the app you want to use Face ID for, and use the toggle to enable it.

Another option is to remove and reset Face ID. To do this, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Then, tap Reset Face ID.

Finally, you can add an alternative appearance. First, open Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Then, tap Set Up an Alternative Appearance.

If these tips aren’t working, you can check out our list of solutions for Face ID not working on iPhone 14 Pro.

6. iPhone 14 Pro Max Overheating Issues

If your iPhone 14 is overheating, it might be from overuse. While in most cases, you’ll likely need to send your iPhone 14 in for repairs if it’s overheating, there are a few tweaks you can try beforehand. These are also useful for other battery issues, but they can sometimes help to solve overheating.

First, consider tweaking a few of your iPhone 14’s battery settings. This includes lowering the brightness, disabling Background App Refresh, and turning off Location Services. These changes reduce the overall processing power required by your iPhone, reducing the load on your battery.

If your iPhone 14 is still overheating after these changes, try resetting all settings and restarting your phone. And if that doesn’t help either, you’ll likely have to send your iPhone 14 in for repair.

Fixed the most common iPhone 14 Problems

While every new generation of iPhones comes with impressive hardware and software, none of them are immune to bugs and problems. iPhone 14 issues are relatively common. Luckily, there are a few ways you can solve these issues without sending your phone in for repair.

More often than not, a restart or factory reset can solve most of the bugs or problems. If our list of common iPhone 14 issues and solutions didn’t help, you could try some of the tips in our other guides.

Tags: iPhone 14, iPhone Troubleshooting
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iPhone 14 Pro Stuck on Preparing Update, How to Fix

by GeeksModo Staff

Apple periodically releases updates and upgrades to its iOS operating system. These updates may bring new features and fixes for bugs. Upgrades are major (e.g., iOS 16 etc.), and updates are minor (e.g., iOS 16.1) releases. Usually, these updates are easy to do and go smoothly. However, sometimes you may run into issues. A common issue that can occur with any update is when iPhone 14 Pro is stuck on a screen saying, “Preparing Update…“With this issue, the iPhone never passes this screen. This issue may also occur on the iPhone’ 14, iPhone 14 Plus, or iPhone 14 Pro Max. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPhone 14 Pro is stuck on preparing update and show you what you can do to fix this error.

What is ‘Preparing Update…’?

The Preparing Update step is a part of the iOS update and occurs after your device has downloaded the update from Apple’s update servers. This step involves your device preparing and configuring the downloaded files. After this, your iPhone restarts to install the new update. This step usually lasts a few minutes. You will also see a progress bar under it. However, if you notice that the progress bar is not moving at all for a long time and the screen hangs in this step, there is something wrong with the update. If your iPhone hangs on this screen for more than an hour, you should cancel the update and try again.

Why is your iPhone 14 Pro stuck on ‘Preparing Update…’?

There could be many reasons your iPhone 14 Pro is stuck on preparing update, for example:

  • Poor Wi-Fi connection.
  • Some sort of interruption in the download, process causing corrupted files.
  • Lack of response from Apple’s servers.
  • Lack of available storage on the iPhone.

How to fix iPhone 14 Pro stuck on preparing update issue

Follow these steps in this order until your problem is fixed.

Make sure your iPhone is connected to the Internet

If your iPhone 14 Pro is stuck on preparing update, make sure that your device is connected to a strong Wi-Fi network. While you can download an iOS update via mobile data, it is advisable to update your iPhone over a Wi-Fi. Try the following:

  • Restart your Wi-Fi router.
  • If you are using Hotspot, turn it off.
  • If you are using a VPN, disconnect and try again.

Make sure you have enough storage space

If your iPhone 14 Pro is still stuck on preparing update, ensure that your device has enough available storage to install the update. Ensure that your iPhone has at least 6 GB of free space. You can check your storage by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This screen will show your storage details. This screen will also show how much each app is taking up. You can delete or offload apps to free up storage. You can also delete your videos or photos if needed.

restart your iPhone

iPhone 14 Pro still stuck on preparing update? Restart your phone and then try again.
Go to settings > General > Shut Down.

Delete the update

Delete the downloaded update file, and then restart the process. As I said above, this ‘Preparing Update…’ occurs after you download the iOS file. Follow these steps:

  • Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Wait for a few seconds for the screen to populate. Find the iOS update file from the list of apps and tap it. Then tap Delete Update.
  • After deleting it, restart your iPhone.
  • Then go to Settings > General > Software Update and restart the update process again.

update iPhone manually

If your iPhone 14 Pro is still stuck on preparing update screen, update your device manually instead of wirelessly. For this, you will need a computer. Back up your iPhone first before you continue. Restart your iPhone and then follow the steps below, depending on your computer. Here is how:

If you have a Mac with macOS Catalina or later:

  • Connect your iPhone to your computer with the USB cable.
  • Open a Finder window.
  • From the left Finder sidebar, select your iPhone.
  • Click General > Check for Update and then follow the onscreen instructions.

If you have a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier or a Windows PC:

  • Open iTunes on your computer.
  • Connect your iPhone to your computer.
  • Then in iTunes, select your iPhone and go to Summary > Check for Update.
Tags: iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone Troubleshooting
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5 Best macOS Ventura Tips and Tricks to Try First

by Moses Johnson

Apple released macOS Ventura to the public in the fall, and the update brings notable improvement for Mac users. Here are the best macOS Ventura tips and tricks you should try first.
With macOS Ventura, Apple has brought major additions to the stock apps and bridged the gap between iPhone and Mac. Beyond the headline features, Apple has also made numerous tweaks and changes to macOS that aim to make the time you spend using your Mac‌ more efficient, more functional, and more enjoyable. To that end, we’ve pulled out the best macOS Ventura tips and tricks, some of which may have gone under your radar, and we’ve highlighted five of them below. Keep reading to learn some of the best macOS Ventura tips and tricks in 2022.

Best macOS Ventura tips and tricks

1. Stage Manager

Unlike iPad, Apple doesn’t limit Stage Manager to a few Mac models only. All MacBook models are compatible with the Stage Manager function. The option is disabled by default. You can turn it on from the Mac Control Center.

Once you enable Control Center, the system automatically organizes your apps and windows in a single view on Mac. The function helps you focus while moving between tasks. You can even create a group of apps for specific tasks or projects. For example, you can group Lightroom, Photoshop, and Canva and pin them in Stage Manager to summon with a single click.

Similarly, you can group social media or writing apps and focus on a single project, removing other obstructions. While Stage Manager is off to a rocky start, it will be interesting to see how Apple continues to evolve it in future updates.

2. utilize Continuity Camera

You no longer need to settle with a below-average webcam during important video meetings on your MacBook. With this MacOS Ventura trick, you can set your iPhone to wirelessly connect to the Mac as a web camera, allowing you take advantage of the phone’s better cameras instead of relying on the lower-resolution cameras that are often built into MacBook laptops. The new feature, named Continuity Camera, works with most iPhone models that are running iOS 16. Just remember to enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices and sign in using the same Apple account.

Once you enable Continuity Camera from Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff menu on iPhone, you will find an option to use your phone camera as the default

You do require separate hardware from a third-party manufacturer like Belkin to hold your iPhone on top of your Mac and need to change the default camera from your preferred video calling app like Zoom, FaceTime, Teams, or Google Meet.

Your iPhone camera on Mac does support Center Stage to stay centered in the camera frame during video calls, Studio Light, Portrait Mode to blur the background, and Desk View to show your desk and face at the same time.

3. Give Apple Mail a Try

Thanks to macOS Ventura trick, Apple Mail now lets users unsend an email they have just sent, schedule emails to hit the perfect timing in the recipient’s time zone, and get reminders to follow up or come back to a message later. The Mail app also has an improved search function to deliver more accurate and astute results and provides suggestions before you start typing.

In short, Apple Mail receives a major feature boost with the macOS Ventura update. If you have ditched Mail in favor of Outlook or Spark on Mac due to a lack of features, it’s time to give Mail another shot after the latest update.

4. Use Spotlight Like a Pro

Spotlight is a major part of the macOS experience, and Apple has enhanced its capabilities with the Ventura update. Simply hit the Command Space keys on your Mac and find images in Photos, Messages, Notes, the Finder, and the web right from the Spotlight Search. You don’t need to open any respective app and navigate dozens of menus to find a photo.

Spotlight even lets you use Live Text to search for an image based on the text inside it. Spotlight also supports quick actions to set the alarm, start Focus, find the name of a song using Shazam integration, run a shortcut, and more.

The default search function on Mac does miss out on a few features, as we usually find in third-party alternatives, but it’s still a promising start with the macOS Ventura update. The update also brings richer search results when finding info about an actor, TV show, movie, sports event, and business. Go ahead, give Spotlight Search a try, and be amazed by the search results.

5. Share Your Photo Library

The default Photos app on Mac allows you to create and share a separate photo library among up to six family members. While creating an iCloud Shared Photo Library, you can select specific photos, people, and scenes like Forest, Sky, Beach, etc., and invite others to collaborate. Everyone can add, delete, edit, or favorite shared photos and videos. The same will appear under every user’s Memories tab in the Photos app.

Unfortunately, you can only create one iCloud Shared Photo Library. You can’t create multiple photo libraries with friends and family.
See also: Apps crashing on macOS Ventura? Here’s the Fix

These New MacOS Ventura Tips and Tricks Make Your Mac Much Better

So these were some of the best macOS Ventura tips and tricks you would love to try on your Mac today. My favorite macOS Ventura tips and tricks include using the stage manager, and using an iPhone as a wireless webcam with Camera Continuity. There’s surely plenty more hidden macOS Ventura tips and tricks to discover, so I’ll keep tapping, swiping and noting anything I find. Did we miss out on something important that needs to be added to the list? Which are your favorite macOS Ventura tips and tricks? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Tags: Mac Tips, macOS Ventura
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14 Hidden iPhone Features – You Probably Didn’t Know About

by Kevin Hollington

In this article, you’ll be excited to learn that there are several new hidden features that could completely change how you use your iPhone.

Now running the 16th major release of iOS, the iPhone is packed with so many features that mastering them all is no less complicated than learning all the nuances in Windows or MacOS. If you want to get the most out of your iPhone and learn the best tips and tricks for using your phone, here are 14 of the best lesser-known features in Apple’s mobile pocket-sized computer.

If you want to take a closer look at some of the hidden iPhone features, like password-protected photo albums and easily accessible Wi-Fi passwords, here’s what you need to know.

1. Hide apps you don’t use without deleting them

It doesn’t take long to accumulate so many apps that they become hard to manage and organize. If you have apps you rarely use but don’t want to delete them entirely, you can hide them from the Home screen. They’ll still show up in Siri search and you can find them in the App Library (that last page on your iPhone when you keep swiping left). This also comes in handy for hiding built-in apps that Apple doesn’t let you delete.

Just tap and hold the app icon until the pop-up menu appears, then tap Remove App. Instead of tapping Delete App, tap Remove from Home Screen.

2. Automatically close old Safari tabs

If you’re like most people, you may have countless Safari tabs open. But it’s surprisingly easy to tame Safari using this hidden iPhone feature. Start the Settings app and then tap Safari. In the Tabs section, tap Close Tabs. Here you can specify when your iPhone should automatically clean house by closing old tabs — you can choose After One Day, After One Week, After One Month, or Manually, which leaves them open until you close them yourself.

3. Change the iPhone’s default browser

Not a fan of Safari? Perhaps you are a dedicated Chrome or Firefox fan on your desktop computer, and would rather use one of those browsers on your iPhone as well. With this iPhone hidden feature,changing your default browser is easily done. Start the Settings app and then tap Safari. Tap Default Browser App and choose whichever installed browser app you prefer.

4. Lock your camera’s focus and exposure

Digital SLR and mirrorless camera photographers know how easy it is to lock the focus and exposure settings — usually just by pressing a button near the shutter release — so they can reframe and recompose the photo. Thanks to this hidden iPhone feature, you can do the same thing on your phone. Start the Camera app and then tap and hold the screen where you want to lock the focus and exposure. After a moment, you’ll see the AE/AF Lock message at the top of the screen; as you recompose the shot, the focus point and exposure setting will stay fixed until you take the picture. You can drag your finger up or down to manually adjust the exposure. To cancel the lock, tap anywhere on the screen.

5. Set a sleep timer for any media

Want to play music or a show at bedtime so the phone shuts off after a set time? You can easily enable a sleep timer using this hidden iPhone feature. Start the Clock app and tap Timer at the bottom. Set the amount of time you want the music to play and then tap When Timer Ends. In the pop-up menu, choose Stop Playing, then Set. Now you can start your timer and the Music app will stop playing automatically.

6. Reply to a specific message in Messages

Did someone send you a long string of messages, and you want to respond to something from a particular message way up in the conversation? Simply use this hidden iPhone feature. In the Message app, tap and hold the message you want to respond to, then tap Reply. Now you can write a message and it’ll appear in the Message app attached to the original message so it’s clear what you are referring to.

7. Tag contacts in group messages

If you’ve been in a group chat you probably know that it’s sometimes hard to get a specific person’s attention, especially if not everyone is closely following the conversation. If you are group chatting in the Messages app, you can use this hidden iPhone feature to tag a specific contact so they get a notification when you send the message. In the Messages app, open a group message and type the @ symbol followed by someone in the chat’s name, like @dave. When you press Space or add punctuation, the @ symbol will disappear and you’ll see a subtle animation effect on the name. When you send the message, that person will get a notification.

8. View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords

In Settings, go to Wi-Fi and tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network you want the password for. To view the network password, tap the Password section and then use Face ID or enter your passcode to view it. You can then tap Copy to copy the password into your clipboard and share it.

9. Use the Space bar as a mouse

It can be infuriatingly difficult to position the cursor at a specific place on the screen when correcting a typo or moving the cursor somewhere else in a document. Thankfully, Apple has given you a sort-of-secret way to easily move the cursor as if your phone had a built-in mouse or touchpad. Simply tap and hold the keyboard’s Space bar. After a moment, the keyboard will turn blank. Now the entire keyboard area is a large touchpad — just move your finger around to reposition the cursor.

10. Compress the keyboard for one-handed typing

The iPhone keyboard has more secrets hiding in plain sight. If you frequently type one-handed, you can compress the keyboard and slide it to the left or right, depending upon which hand you prefer to type with. To do this, tap and hold the Globe or emoji icon at the bottom left until the pop-up menu appears. In the menu, tap the right- or left-justified keyboard icon. To cancel the compressed keyboard and go back to the ordinary one, tap the arrow to the left or right of the keyboard.

11. Find and remove duplicate photos and videos

Maybe you’ve saved the same photo multiple times or downloaded a video more than once, resulting in duplicates littering up your photo album. It may not be a problem if you’ve got storage to spare, but you’re running out of space, you can now remove every single duplicate easily with this hidden iPhone feature.

In Photos > Albums, you should see a new Duplicates album under Utilities. Apple scans through all of your photos and shows you any photo or video you’ve saved more than once in that album. From there, you can either delete any duplicates, or simply press Merge, which will keep the photo with the highest quality (and relevant data) and then move the others to the trash.

12. Bring haptic feedback to your keyboard

With this hidden iPhone feature, you can enable a slight vibration for every single key you type in. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle on Haptic. The sound option you see is the loud and annoying clacking sound you might hear when you type in something and your phone isn’t on silent mode, so you can keep that disabled.

13. Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected

Thanks to this hidden iPhone feature, you can now lock the Hidden album. You don’t actually need to do anything to toggle this feature on. If you want to check it out, launch the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. If you scroll down, you’ll see a tiny lock next to the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. To view the contents of those albums, you’ll need to use Face ID or your passcode.

14. Pin your favorite tabs in Safari

Safari caps your open tabs at 500, and if you’re nearing that limit, it might be pretty darn hard to find the exact tab you’re looking for. You could scroll endlessly, but with this hidden iPhone feature, you can easily find the exact tab you’re looking for.

In Safari, if you press down on an open tab, you will see an option to hit Pin Tab. This will move that tab to the top of Safari, where it will exist as a tiny tab preview, permanently pinned there, which you can then tap to view.

Tag: iPhone Tips
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How to Use Siri to Hang Up a Call on iPhone 14

by GeeksModo Staff

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in Product RED

If you own an iPhone 14, you can hang up on an active phone or FaceTime call using the virtual assistant, Siri. Keep reading to learn how it works.

With each version of iOS, Apple seeks to improve the accessibility features of its mobile operating system to ensure that as many people can use it as easily as possible, and that’s been no different in its latest release, ‌iOS 16‌.

Apple has recognized that some users may need or prefer help when hanging up a phone of ‌FaceTime‌ call, and thanks to a new accessibility feature, now you can get ‌Siri‌ to do it for you so you don’t have to lift a finger.

Simply follow these steps to turn on the function on your iPhone 14.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone 14.
  2. Go to Accessibility.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom and under “General,” tap Siri.
  4. Scroll down to the bottom and tap Call Hang-up.
  5. Tap the switch next to Call Hang-up to enable the function.

Now that’s done, the next time you wish to end a phone or ‌FaceTime‌ call, simply say “Hey ‌Siri‌, hang up the call.” Note that the other person/people on the call will hear your request to ‌Siri‌ before being hung up on.

Tags: iPhone 14, iPhone Guides
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How to set up a Focus mode on your iPhone 14 Pro

by Moses Johnson

If you own an iPhone 14 Pro, you may want to set up Focus modes to filter out distractions, keeping notifications at bay and homing in on the task at hand. The feature came to the iPhone with iOS 15 in 2021, but it’s new and improved for iOS 16, as Apple’s software update has made it easier to set up a Focus mode on your iPhone 14 Pro.

That’s a welcome change. If you’ve yet to embrace the notification-silencing wonders of Focus mode, it’s likely because you found setting up and turning on the feature to be a bit of a pain. iOS 16 Focus streamlines things somewhat — it’s now easier to manage the people and apps you still want to connect with when a particular Focus is enabled. You can now link lock screens that you’ve customized in iOS 16 to particular Focus modes, and you can turn off the focus mode straight from the lock screen if you want.

If that sounds appealing and you’re ready to finally give Focus a try — or another try, if you gave up when the feature first debuted with iOS 15 — here’s how to set up a Focus mode on your iPhone 14 Pro.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

How to set up a Focus mode on your iPhone 14 Pro

  1. Start the Settings app and tap on Focus.
  2. Pick the Focus setting you wish to set up by tapping either Do Not Disturb, Personal, Sleep or Work. You can set up a customized Focus mode by tapping the Plus ( ) button in the upper right corner. For the purposes of this how-to, let’s set up a Work Focus mode together.
  3. Next, tap Customize Focus.
  4. Next on, choose the people you want to manage the notifications of in your Focus mode by tapping Choose People. From there, you can pick whether to allow notifications from the people you select or silence notifications.
  5. Tap the Plus ( ) button to add people. You can then pick people in your Contacts list and tap done. When you’ve got a complete list, tap Next.
  6. You’ll be asked to choose whose calls to allow. By default, Focus mode will let through contacts you’ve designated as favorites, but you can also change that to the people you’ve allowed in Step No. 5 or everybody. You can also allow calls from anyone in your contacts or a specific contacts group. Tap Done when you’ve made your pick.
  7. Now choose the apps you wish to manage for your Focus mode by selecting Choose Apps. Once again, you can pick whether to allow or silence notifications from a given app.
  8. Tap the Plus ( ) button to add apps. Then pick the apps you want to allow/silence notifications from out of the supplied list and tap Done.
  9. You’re back on the Choose Apps to Allow page. Tap Done again.

At this point, you’ve got the Focus mode basics, with filters set up for people and apps. But iOS 16 lets you take things one step further by tying your Focus mode to a specific lock screen. (You could previously assign a home screen to your Focus mode, which you can still do in iOS 16.)

Here’s how you can set up a Focus mode with specific lock and home screens.

How to set up a Focus mode with specific lock and home screens

  1. Tap Choose under the screen you wish to customize. We’ll start with the lock screen, where you have the option of creating a new lock screen, or selecting one of your existing lock screens. Tap Done when you’ve made your selection.
  2. Tap Choose under the home screen to set a custom home screen for your Focus mode. Again, you can pick from your existing home screens or you can create a new home screen that the Focus mode will populate with relevant apps. For instance, a Focus-generated home page tied to a Work Focus mode, includes the Calendar, Notes, Reminders and Mail apps among others. You can tap Edit Apps to add and delete options, including third-party apps.
  3. When you’re satisfied with the apps on your home screen, tap Add in the upper right corner.

Again, you can stop customizing your Focus mode right now, or you can take advantage of scheduling features for your Focus mode. You have the option of turning on your Focus mode automatically at a set time or location; you can also tie it to a specific app.

How to schedule a Focus Mode

  1. Tap Smart Activation to turn on the feature automatically and then move the slider to the on position on the next screen. This will turn on your Focus mode when your phone decides that it’s a relevant time or location.
  2. If you prefer not to leave such things to chance, tap Add Schedule and then pick a specific time, location or app to activate your Focus mode. In this case, I’ve turned on my work focus between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

You can add other times, locations or apps by tapping Add Schedule again.

How to use Focus Filters to set up a Focus mode on your iPhone 14 Pro

Focus Filters is a new addition to iOS 16 that allows you to filter out irrelevant or distracting data when a Focus mode is enabled. Here’s how Focus Filters work with Focus mode.

  1. Tap Add Filter and on the next screen, pick the app you want to customize. We’ll pick Calendars in this example, but you can filter inboxes in Mail, Tab Groups in Safari, conversations in Messages and other apps, including third-party software that’s updated with Focus Filter support.
  2. You now choose which calendar shows up when. For instance, I want my GeeksModo Calendar to show up when my Work Focus is turned on. Tap Add when you’ve selected the right calendar.
  3. You can go back and add more filters if you want by tapping Add Filter.

When you’re satisfied with your Focus mode, tape, the Focus menu button in the upper left corner of the screen to return to the main menu. All your changes will be saved.

How to enable and disable a Focus mode in iPhone 14 Pro

Once you’ve set a Focus mode on your iPhone 14 Pro, it will automatically be turned on. You can turn if off from the Focus screen in Settings by going to the command center (swipe diagonally downward from the lefthand corner of the home screen) and tapping the Focus control. Tap the enabled Focus mode to turn it off.

As of iOS 16, you can also turn off Focus modes from the connected lock screen. Tap the Focus icon on the bottom of the screen and then tap the enabled Focus mode to turn it off from the menu that appears.

Believe me, it’s a lot easier to set up and customize a Focus mode on iPhone 14 Pro than it was before, even if that does sound like a lot of steps. And you should reap the benefits of Focus, as you’ll see fewer unwanted notifications and remove the temptation to fool around with games, text messages and other potential distractions when you really need to be working. (Conversely, Focus is also great for setting up a Personal mode that hides all your work related apps so you can actually spend time relaxing.)

See also: How to Use Siri to Hang Up a Call on iPhone 14

Tags: iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone Guides
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