iPhone 18 Pro Max

Summary

• Properly pair an Apple Watch and iPhone 18 Pro Max by having both devices nearby and charged to at least 50 percent.
• Fix pairing issues by ensuring both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled and unpairing if needed.

Communication between your Apple Watch and iPhone might not always be as seamless as Apple intended. Software bugs and connectivity issues can prevent them from working together. Try these fixes if you can’t pair or connect your Apple Watch to an iPhone 18 Pro Max.

How to Pair Your Apple Watch With an iPhone Properly

To pair your Apple Watch and iPhone properly, ensure both devices are nearby and charged to at least 50 percent. Wait until you see a pop-up on your iPhone that says, “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch.” Then press Continue to begin the process.

You’ll see a pairing screen on your iPhone and a unique pairing animation on your Apple Watch. Point your iPhone’s camera at this pairing animation and align it with the on-screen viewfinder. You can also pair the devices manually by tapping the “i” icon on the bottom-right corner of the Apple Watch screen and following the on-screen instructions.

Once you pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone, you can go through the rest of the initial setup, like customizing watchOS settings, signing in with an Apple Account, creating a passcode, selecting apps, and more.

How to Fix Apple Watch Pairing Issues

If you’re unable to pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone 18 Pro Max, there are a couple of things you can do.

On your iPhone, swipe down to bring up the Control Center and make sure both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are active. You need both for your iPhone to communicate with your Apple Watch.

During the pairing process, the Apple Watch’s screen should show the setup dialog box. If you see the regular watch face instead, you need to unpair your Apple Watch first because it’s already paired with another iPhone.

To prepare your Apple Watch for pairing, head to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings in watchOS.

5 Fixes if Your Apple Watch Is Not Connecting to an iPhone

Even after you’ve completed the first-time pairing process, your Apple Watch might have issues connecting to your iPhone. Here’s what to do to get the devices talking again.

1. Confirm Your Apple Watch Isn’t Connected to an iPhone

To confirm that your Apple Watch isn’t connecting to an iPhone, press the Side button to bring up the Control Center.

If you see a red X icon at the top of your Apple Watch’s screen, it means it isn’t connected to your iPhone. While on the same screen, make sure that Wi-Fi is turned on.

Next, head to your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max and confirm both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on as well.

2. Restart Your Apple Watch and iPhone

The next step you can take is to restart both the Apple Watch and the iPhone.

On the Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown and Side button simultaneously for 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo. Wait until you see the watch face.

Then, it’s time to move on to your iPhone. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

3. Check for Software Updates

If your Apple Watch is still not connecting to an iPhone, make sure that both your Apple Watch and iPhone are running the most recent software.

To check for a software update on the Apple Watch, head to Settings > General > Software Update in watchOS. Likewise, you can update your iPhone software by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

4. Reset Your iPhone’s Network Settings

Another step you can take when your Apple Watch doesn’t pair or connect is to reset the Network settings on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. Doing this won’t wipe the data on your iPhone, but it will restore all network-related settings, like Wi-Fi passwords and saved Bluetooth connections, to factory default values.

On your iPhone, head to Settings > General and choose Transfer or Reset iPhone at the bottom of the list. Tap Reset to reveal additional options and choose Reset Network Settings. Enter your iPhone passcode when prompted.

5. Reset Your Apple Watch

As a final and more drastic step, it’s time to unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch with an iPhone. To start the process, go to Settings > General in watchOS. Scroll down to the bottom and select Reset. Then, select Erase All Content and Settings.

To complete the process, you’ll need to remove your Apple Watch’s Activation Lock.

Once you’ve wiped your Apple Watch, you can hopefully re-pair it with your iPhone. If that’s successful, you can set it up as a completely new device or restore it using a previous backup during the initial setup process.

As you can see, even when your Apple Watch is having communication problems, it just takes a few steps to get your wearable back up and running.

Apple’s flagship iPhone 18 Pro Max is an amazing technological achievement, but for some users there is one area where it could be greatly improved. Due to the positioning of the hardware buttons, it’s far too easy to accidentally take screenshots when picking up the device.

In this article we explain how to stop taking accidental screenshots.

How to take a screenshot on iPhone 18 Pro Max

The reason for all the accidental screenshots is down to how easy it is to take one in the first place.

Quickly press and release the side button and the volume up button at the same time.

You should see the screen flash white and hear a shutter sound effect. After you take a screenshot, it appears in full screen by default.

Now, this button combination (side button + volume up) is a potential headache. Because one is on the left and the other is on the right, and because they are both at roughly the position where your fingers and thumbs would go when picking up the device, it’s easy to take a screenshot by mistake when getting it out of your pocket.

How to prevent accidental screenshots

Unlike the Apple Watch, the iPhone doesn’t let you disable screenshots in Settings. Nor are there any third-party apps we know of that can remap the buttons or prevent the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max from taking screenshots.

Simply being aware of how the problem arises may be enough to make you more careful about grabbing the buttons when picking up the phone, but there are some common-sense solutions that may help too.

Some cases, for instance, cover over the side and volume buttons rather than exposing them through a cut-out, and such cases may make the buttons less sensitive. (Normally this would be a negative, but for these purposes it may be a positive.) If you have access to a few different cases, experiment to see if any make accidental screenshots happen less often.

In any case, iPhones won’t take a screenshot when the display is switched off – instead, pressing the side and volume up buttons merely turns the screen on.

There will still be ‘pocket screenshots’, because the screen can be woken up by movement thanks to the ‘raise to wake’ feature, and contact with the buttons at this point will grab a screengrab as before. To turn off Raise to Wake, go to the Settings app, then tap Display & Brightness.

Picture this: You’re going about your day when you receive an email from Apple saying it declined the payment option attached to your subscription service. You’re prompted to update your payment method to continue enjoying the service, but you weren’t aware your card needed updating.

Or perhaps you want to add a payment method to your Apple Account, but it gets declined. What do you do in either situation? Below, we’ll list a few steps you can take when Apple declines your payment method on your iPhone 18 Pro Max.

1. Check Your Payment Information

When Apple declines your payment method, the first thing to try is to check your payment information to ensure it’s accurate and up-to-date. If your billing details, such as your address or ZIP code, are incorrect, this can cause your payment method to be declined.

If your current payment method has expired, you must renew your credit card and update your payment information or add a new payment method.

To check your payment information on an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max:

1. Go to Settings, then tap your Apple Account name at the top.

   

2. Tap on Payment & Shipping, then under Payment Methods, select your credit card.
3. Tap Edit, then check your card number, expiry date, CVV, and billing information. If you notice any discrepancies, update them.
4. Tap Done in the top-right corner.

There you go. You’ve successfully checked and updated your payment information.

2. Try a Different Payment Method

If Apple still declines your payment method, try a different payment method. You can add a new card to your Apple Account and see if it works.

Besides cards, you can try alternative payment methods like your Apple Account balance, an Apple Gift Card, a debit card, PayPal, or Apple Pay, depending on whether or not they’re valid in your country or region.

Check Apple’s Support page to see what payment methods you can use with your Apple Account.

3. Sign Out and Sign Back In

Sometimes, a simple sign-out is all you need to fix payment issues on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. If your payment method is declined in the App Store, you can sign out and sign back in to see if it fixes the issue.

To sign out of the App Store on an iPhone:

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Media & Purchases, then tap Sign Out.

To sign back in, tap the profile icon in the top-right of the App Store and enter your Apple Account username and password.

4. Take Care of Outstanding Payments

Your card may be declined in places like the App Store or iTunes Store if you have outstanding payments. To check for unpaid purchases, view your App Store purchase history.

Do the following to view your App Store purchases on an iPhone 18 Pro Max.

1. Go to the App Store app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your picture, tap Apps & Purchase History, then tap Purchase History. You may be required to sign in.

After resolving any outstanding payments, you should be able to make purchases using your payment method. However, ensure you have sufficient funds first.

5. Contact Your Bank or Credit Card Company

If you have sufficient funds in your bank account and your payment information is accurate, but you still can’t add or use your payment method, contact your bank or credit card company. They should be able to explain the issue and help you resolve it.

6. Contact Apple Support

If all else fails, contact Apple Support as soon as possible. You can visit Apple’s Get Support site to explain your problem. An expert technician should be able to assist you with your payment method problem.

Troubleshoot Your Apple Account Payment Issues

It can be frustrating when Apple declines your payment method, but the good news is that you can try a few things to get to the root of the problem and fix it. Start by checking your payment information, then proceed from there.

Sometimes, resolving your payment issue might take a while, so be patient and ensure you try every possible solution. Eventually, you should be able to resolve the problem.

Apple’s AirTags and third-party Find My items proved a boon as people returned to travel in earnest to the extent that some airlines even recommended dropping a tracker into your luggage as an extra finding aid. However, what if you check in and then check Find My, and it looks like your bag was left behind?

This is the special nature of Find My items, Apple’s and licensed third-party ones: they rely on nearby iPhones and Macs with internet connections to relay up-to-date location information. Nearby means within Bluetooth range, which can be hundreds of feet without obstructions and a clear line of sight. However, with trackers inside luggage, with a mass of bags piled up or in bins, and with no baggage handler with an iPhone close enough for the signal to penetrate, no update will occur.

The sheer density of iPhones is high enough that it’s usually only a temporary matter before an AirTag’s weak ping over Bluetooth is picked up and passed on (encrypted, securely, without personal information attached) by someone’s device.

You can see a humorous version of this if you track your luggage during a flight. Because the cellular radios should be off on all onboard devices and because many planes offer in-flight Wi-Fi, a distorted notion of the current location of bags whose Bluetooth reaches up into the main cabin can be passed along. Your suitcase didn’t get shoved out over Lake Erie or land in the middle of a parish in Louisiana. Rather, the inaccurate current location approximation of an in-flight device was paired with your tag.

Most of us have been frustrated by how our phones handle auto-rotation at some point. Occasionally, your iPhone 18 Pro Max might not recognize that you’ve rotated it, leaving you with a less-than-optimal viewing experience.

If you’re turning your iPhone and it’s not going into landscape mode, there are several possible issues that we will go over. You might also want to know whether it’s possible to force your iPhone into landscape mode. So, let’s get started.

Troubleshooting iPhone Landscape Mode Problems

Remember, although all the methods below will let you change the screen orientation on an iPhone, your phone should theoretically adjust itself whenever you physically rotate it. If it doesn’t, here are a few troubleshooting tips to try:

1. Check the Rotation Lock

Are you sure that you haven’t accidentally enabled the rotation lock? You’ll find this toggle in the Control Center, which many iPhone users accidentally enable but realize much later when landscape mode isn’t working.

Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.

Here, tap on the Lock Rotation button (which looks like a lock with a circular arrow) to turn it on or off. The lock will remain in place until you disable it again.

Force Landscape Mode Using AssistiveTouch

You can use AssistiveTouch to force rotate your iPhone’s screen into landscape mode, even if you’re using the device in portrait mode. This is the only built-in way to force-rotate your iPhone screen.

To use AssistiveTouch, you first need to activate it in your iPhone’s Settings:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.
3. Make sure the toggle at the top of the screen is in the On position.
4. Tap one of the three options (Single-Tap, Double-Tap, or Long Press) and set it to Open Menu.
5. Return to your iPhone’s Home Screen.

You should now see a new floating AssistiveTouch menu button on the screen. Perform whichever action you set to Open Menu in the above steps, then go to Device > Rotate Screen. You can force-rotate left, right, or upside down.

If you’re concerned about the new onscreen icon being distracting, don’t worry. It will fade when not in use, and you can tap and drag it to move it around your screen.

Unfortunately, if you force iOS into landscape mode and then move your phone, the landscape setting will be overridden. So, you’ll have to use this option each time it resets.

The force rotate feature will not work on apps that do not support landscape view.

Use a Video Rotation App

One of the main reasons people want to rotate the screen on their iPhones is to watch videos in the correct format. Of course, videos are naturally better in landscape mode, but the nature of smartphones means many people record their videos in portrait instead.

It’s easy to rotate videos from the Edit option in the Photos app on your iPhone. But not everyone keeps their videos in this app. Thankfully, some third-party apps on the App Store allow you to rotate your iPhone videos from portrait to landscape and vice-versa. One of the best video rotation apps on iOS is Video Rotate + Flip. It’s free to use with ads, which you can remove with a one-time fee of 99 cents.

Once you’ve converted your video from portrait to landscape in the app, it will export a copy to your iPhone’s Camera Roll. You can force-rotate videos of any length, and the app does not leave watermarks. It also works with videos in your Files app or those you download from Google Drive.

Lastly, because the videos get rotated at the frame level, the output is compatible with all video players on your Mac or Windows PC. Since these videos are saved to your Photos app, you can access them from iCloud.

Download: Video Rotate + Flip (Free, premium version available)

Is Your iPhone’s Accelerometer Broken?

If you’ve checked all the solutions above but still can’t rotate your iPhone into landscape mode, it’s possible your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max has a broken accelerometer. The accelerometer is what tells your device that it’s been rotated and then rotates the screen to match.

The best way to check if your accelerometer is broken is to open an app that rotates like Notes and rotate it. If that doesn’t switch to landscape mode as it should, and Rotation Lock is off, then you might have an accelerometer issue.

It’s a possibility if you’ve eliminated every other probable cause. If you suspect this, you can make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar to get it handled by experts. However, if you don’t have an Apple Store nearby, you’ll have to take your device to an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

If your iPhone is covered by Apple’s one-year limited warranty or you pay for AppleCare+, you can get its accelerometer repaired for free.

Is There Any Other Way to Rotate Your iPhone Screen?

Unfortunately, there is no other way to rotate your iPhone 18 Pro Max screen into landscape mode. This is Apple’s choice, as it discontinued landscape mode on several devices.

Because of this, many apps won’t support rotating screens either. While some do, if you’re trying to rotate the screen in an app and it’s not rotating, the app most likely doesn’t support it.

While some potential fixes exist, like removing the rotation lock and using AssistiveTouch, if you’ve tried all the methods here and your screen isn’t rotating, a broken accelerometer might be the culprit.

When your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max is in your pocket or bag, a vibration helps to inform you about an incoming call or text if you’re unable to hear the sound of your alert tone. If you’re in a quiet place like a library, it’s even more important to ensure your iPhone vibrates instead of rings so that you don’t disturb others.

To ensure your iPhone can vibrate to notify you at all times, here’s what you can do when you notice your iPhone is not vibrating on Silent or Ring mode.

1. Check Your iPhone’s Current Mode

Before proceeding to tweak your iPhone’s sound settings, check if your iPhone is in the mode you want. Press and hold the Action button to turn Silent mode on. Press and hold the Action button again to turn Silent mode off. If your Action button isn’t set to Silent mode, go to the Settings app on your iPhone, tap Sounds & Haptics, then turn Silent mode on or off.

2. Turn On System Haptics

Haptic feedback is an iPhone feature that provides a physical response, usually in the form of a subtle pulse or vibration, as you interact with your device.

To turn on System Haptics, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Then, toggle on System Haptics.

3. Enable Vibration in Accessibility

Besides Sounds & Haptics, another place you need to check is your Accessibility settings. If vibration isn’t enabled here, your iPhone 18 Pro Max will not vibrate on Silent or Ring mode either.

Therefore, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch, and then toggle on Vibration.

4. Check Your Vibration Setting for Ring and Silent Mode

Now, if your iPhone vibrates on Silent mode but doesn’t on Ring mode (or vice versa), it’s likely because you set a different vibration preference for each mode. To check this, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics.

If you want your iPhone to vibrate regardless of the mode selected, tap Haptics and choose Always Play.

5. Check the Selected Vibration Pattern for Each Alert

If you have gone through the troubleshooting methods above, but your iPhone 18 Pro Max is still not vibrating on Silent or Ring mode, it’s time to check your vibration pattern settings.

Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Let’s start by tapping on Ringtone. Then, tap Haptics.

This is where you can set custom vibration alerts on your iPhone. But among the vibration options available, notice that one of them is None, which means your iPhone will not vibrate at all if you select this.

Check that you have Synchronized or one of the Standard vibration patterns selected, such as Accent or Alert. If you have Custom selected, tap on it to play the vibration recording and make sure it’s not just an accidental replica of None.

After you select a valid vibration pattern for Ringtone, go back to Sounds & Haptics. Repeat these steps for Text Tone, New Voicemail, New Mail, and so on.

6. Update Your iPhone

Apple’s iOS software updates often come with bug fixes and performance improvements. So, if the above methods don’t work for you, it may simply be a bug in the software itself.

Therefore, updating your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max may be the solution when your device doesn’t vibrate on Silent or Ring mode. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap General, then tap Software Update.

7. Restart Your iPhone

Software glitches can sometimes prevent your iPhone from vibrating, whether it’s on Ring or Silent mode. In such cases, simply restarting your iPhone will resolve the problem, making this troubleshooting step worth trying. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

8. Reset All Settings

If all else fails, you can attempt to reset all settings on your iPhone. This procedure returns all settings on your device to the default factory state.

If you have a lot of data on your device, the process can take quite a while, so you should only try this method when you don’t need to use your iPhone immediately.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. Choose Reset All Settings.

Do not accidentally select Erase All Content and Settings, as this will delete all the data on your iPhone.

Can You Enable Vibration for Calls and Texts Only on Your iPhone?

If the solutions above worked and your iPhone 18 Pro Max can vibrate on Silent and Ring mode again, there’s still a dilemma—what if you want your iPhone to only vibrate for incoming calls and texts, but not system haptics?

You’re not alone if you find the vibration from haptic feedback irritating and uncomfortable.

You can sacrifice vibration on Ring mode to make your iPhone vibrate only in Silent mode. To get this, you need to:

1. In Sounds & Haptics, tap Haptics and choose Play in Silent Mode.
2. Toggle on Vibration in Accessibility > Touch.

Additionally, to cut down on system haptics as much as possible on Silent mode, you can also go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle off Haptic. This way, you’ll at least avoid experiencing tapping vibrations each time you type a letter on your iPhone’s keyboard.

Use Your iPhone’s Vibrations to Be Aware of Alerts

We hope this list of fixes helped you solve the problem if your iPhone wasn’t vibrating in Silent or Ring mode. Since the old days of Nokia phones, vibrations have always helped us make sure we don’t miss out on a call or text.

When it comes to the iPhone, the key is turning on Vibration and ensuring you have a functioning vibration pattern selected for the alerts.

Apple’s introduced iPhones with no Home button.

But some people really miss the Home button and the simplicity with which you can use the Home button to navigate around the iPhone.

For those people who have a new iPhone 18 Pro Max and are missing the Home button that they were used to, we can let you into a secret. You can get the Home button back. Read on to find out what you need to do.

Add a Home button to iPhone screen

iOS includes an accessibility option that displays a software Home button on the screen. This came in very handy on older phones whose Home buttons malfunctioned and stopped working. But it’s equally suited to all-screen iPhone handsets which haven’t got a Home button at all.

To add a software home button to your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max this is what you need to do:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Accessibility.
2. Scroll down to Touch and tap it.
3. At the top of the next page you will see AssistiveTouch. Tap on this.
4. Turn on AssistiveTouch by tapping the slider at the top so it turns green.
5. Now a grey circle will appear on the right side of your iPhone screen. You can move to the position that is least distracting for you, or even place it where the Home button used to be.

Note that the button will become slightly transparent when left alone for a while, and you can adjust how much it does this: in the Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch menu, tap Idle Opacity and adjust the slider. The lower the number, the more transparent it will become.

Using the Home button

To use the AssistiveTouch button, you just need to tap it. This will make it open out into a larger menu with six options, including the bog-standard Home function at the bottom.

Tap this to be taken back to the Home screen, or double-tap it to open the recently opened apps picker, just like on a hardware Home button.

The other options in the menu are mostly self-explanatory:

• Control Center and Notifications bring up those menus.
• Custom is more involved, however: by default it offers Pinch and double-tap gestures, but you can add more in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch > Create New Gesture.
• Tap Device to open up other hardware functions, such as volume up and down, mute, rotate orientation and so on.

Customising the Home button

Let’s return to the AssistiveTouch menu in Settings. This time tap Customize Top Level Menu.

In this page you can tap one of those six icons and replace it with a different function entirely, such as Speak Screen or SOS. Or you can increase (or decrease) the number of icons in the menu: the maximum is eight.

Tap Reset if you want to undo all your changes and return to the default.

Apple’s handy AirPlay feature can sometimes be quirky. And if that’s your current experience, you’re lucky we’re here to help.

There are many reasons AirPlay won’t stream audio or video content from your devices. Sometimes, it could result from a faulty internet connection. Other times, your Apple device won’t properly send content to the desired destination.

Regardless, you can fix most AirPlay issues using some easy and quick methods. Below, we’ll look at all the possible ways to fix AirPlay when it’s not working on your iPhone 18 Pro Max.

1. Check the Minimum Requirements for AirPlay

To use AirPlay to stream content to a TV, make sure you’re using Apple TV 4K or an AirPlay 2-enabled smart TV.

The AirPlay receiver (the device you’re streaming content to) must support the feature, too.

To confirm a third-party device like a smart TV supports the AirPlay feature, look for an AirPlay-enabled label on the packaging.

2. Adjust AirPlay Receiver Settings in macOS

Modern Macs running macOS Monterey or later can double as an AirPlay receiver. This makes it possible to AirPlay content from another device to your Mac and even share a Mac’s screen via AirPlay, provided the AirPlay Receiver setting is turned on, as discussed below.

To protect your privacy, only devices that use the same Apple Account as your computer are permitted to AirPlay content to your Mac. To change that, venture into System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff and turn on the AirPlay Receiver setting on the right.

Now, even devices that don’t use the same Apple Account as your Mac can AirPlay to it. To permit any nearby devices to see your Mac as an AirPlay receiver, click Allow AirPlay for, choose Everyone from the menu, and then click the Allow Everyone button.

You can also let new devices AirPlay to your Mac without password verification by turning off the Require password option.

3. Wake Devices and Keep Them Close

If it wasn’t clear enough, remember that all your devices must be turned on and unlocked to use AirPlay. When using AirPlay on your Apple TV, ensure the device isn’t in sleep mode by clicking the remote to wake it from sleep.

Since AirPlay typically relies on peer-to-peer discovery, bring them as close to each other as possible to increase the connection strength.

4. Disable Automatic AirPlay to TVs

An iPhone may automatically AirPlay content to your Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible smart TV every time you use the feature. To stop that from happening, go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > Automatically AirPlay and choose Never.

Doing so shall stop your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max from automatically connecting to a nearby AirPlay receiver like your Apple TV whenever you want to cast something on your Mac.

5. Turn Off Airplane Mode

When you turn on Airplane Mode initially, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, and cellular networks turn off. AirPlay requires both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you’ll need to quit Airplane Mode to use AirPlay.

Open the Control Center on your iPhone by swiping down from the top-right corner, then touch a little airplane icon to toggle Airplane Mode. Alternatively, go to Settings > Airplane Mode to turn the feature on or off.

6. Switch on Bluetooth

Bluetooth must be enabled on both ends to allow the sender and receiver to discover each other. You can turn on Bluetooth on an iPhone in a couple of ways.

One way is to pull down from the top-right corner and enable the Bluetooth toggle in the Control Center. Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max and use the toggle to enable the feature.

7. Use the Same Wi-Fi Network

Peer-to-peer AirPlay lets AirPlay work even if the devices aren’t on the same Wi-Fi network or any network for that matter. If peer-to-peer discovery isn’t working for you, you should ensure both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network for best results.

To check what network you’re currently using on your iPhone, visit Settings > Wi-Fi to view the current network name.

To check the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to on macOS, click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar or go to System Settings > Wi-Fi.

Apple TV users can check their current network in the Settings > Network menu.

If your Apple TV uses an Ethernet connection, be sure to connect it to the same router that creates your home’s Wi-Fi connection.

8. Restart Your Devices

Sometimes, the best solution is to restart all the devices you wish to use with AirPlay. On iOS, choose Settings > General > Shut Down. Drag the slider to turn off iPhone. On tvOS, select Settings > System > Restart. To restart your Mac, click the Apple menu and choose Restart.

9. Reboot Your Router

Among the reasons AirPlay cannot stream your content could be an issue with your router. It might be that your router is restricting content due to a minor problem with its firmware. In most cases, you can fix connection issues by turning a router off and back on.

10. Update Your Devices to the Latest Software

All AirPlay devices should be using the latest software version available for them.

• Updating your iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update
• Updating your Mac: System Settings > General > Software Update
• Updating your Apple TV: Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software
• Updating your HomePod: Home app > More (…) > Home Settings > Software Update

Other Options for Connecting Apple Devices

It can be frustrating when AirPlay stops functioning when you need it most. Trying out the tips outlined above should fix your AirPlay woes. If not, it’s probably time to contact Apple Support.

AirPlay isn’t the only way to connect your iPhone 18 Pro Max to a smart TV. You should explore other ways to cast content to a TV whenever AirPlay doesn’t work for one reason or another.

Even in our increasingly wireless world, iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max owners still have to plug in to their computers every now and then. Whether it’s for backups, quick music or video transfers, or other reasons, sometimes there’s no way around it. First, you need to dig out a USB cable. And then you have to remember how to connect to iTunes (or Finder if you use a Mac with macOS Catalina or later).

But this time, there’s something wrong. Whether it’s iTunes not recognizing iPhone connections at all or you’re getting a cryptic “0xE” error, you just can’t get iTunes to work. The same applies while using Finder on newer versions of macOS. While this can be a tough problem to solve, the fix is often surprisingly easy.

Try the solutions below to fix iTunes.

1. iPhone 18 Pro Max Won’t Connect to iTunes? Start Here

There are a few extremely simple factors to check before you move on to any other solutions. First, make sure that your iPhone is unlocked and on the Home Screen. If it wasn’t in the first place, unplug it, then plug it back in. Also, make sure the cable is fully inserted into both your iPhone and computer.

Another simple fix is to restart your iPhone. This is a basic step, but works for a number of issues. Just head over to Settings > General > Shut Down to turn off the device. Then, hold down the side button to reboot it.

2. Review Trust Issues

Occasionally, when you plug your iPhone into a computer, you’ll see a prompt on the Home Screen asking if you trust the computer. If you don’t select Trust, you’ll have trouble with your iPhone not showing up in iTunes or Finder.

If you accidentally selected Don’t Trust in the past, don’t worry—there’s a way to fix that. On your iPhone, open Settings and go to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy.

Now you’ll see the prompt when you plug your phone back into your computer. This time, make sure to tap Trust.

3. Check Your USB Cable

Another common problem that can lead to your iPhone 18 Pro Max not connecting to iTunes or Finder is a bad cable. First, have a look at both ends of your cable. If it seems wrinkled or frayed on either end, this is a bad sign.

However, a cable can also have connection issues even without any visual signs of damage. Perhaps one of the inside prongs is bent, or it came in contact with water and was ruined.

The cable must support both data and charging. If you have spare USB cables, try using a different cable to see if it solves your problem. Try buying a replacement USB cable if you need a new one.

4. Inspect Your Ports

Cables aren’t the only part of the physical connection that can lead to iTunes not detecting your iPhone. Your charging port can get dust and debris in it, causing incomplete connections.

If you see lint or anything else in your charging port, you may need to remove it.

The USB port on your computer can lead to trouble as well. If your iPhone 18 Pro Max won’t connect to iTunes and you’re using a USB hub, try plugging directly into your computer instead. If you’re already plugging in directly, try using a different port if one is available.

5. Update iTunes

At this point, you’ve ruled out most of the basic issues, but there’s one left. If you’re getting errors saying “iTunes could not connect to the iPhone,” try updating iTunes. If you’re using a PC, use the latest version of the Apple Devices app or iTunes.

On a Mac, click the Apple icon in the upper-left portion of the screen, then select System Settings. Click General, then Software Update. This will check for macOS system updates, which include updates to core system apps like Safari. The same goes when using Finder—updating the operating system also updates Finder.

On Windows, there are two different ways to update iTunes. The one you should use depends on how you installed the app: from Apple’s website, or via the Microsoft Store.

For the version of iTunes downloaded via the Apple website, select Help in the menu bar at the top of the app, then click Check for Updates. Follow the prompts to update iTunes through the Apple Software Update app.

If you’re using the Microsoft Store version, it should check for updates automatically. You can run a manual check by opening the Microsoft Store app. Select Library > Get updates.

Check that you’re using the latest version of iOS.

6. Mac Users: Check Your System Report

If you’ve already gone through all the relevant steps above on your Mac and your iPhone still won’t connect to iTunes or Finder, it’s time to pull out the big guns.

Hold down the Option key and click the Apple logo in the top-left portion of the screen. Then, select System Information or System Report. On the window that appears, select USB from the list on the left.

If you see your phone displayed, but Finder or iTunes won’t connect to the iPhone, you likely have a software issue. Try updating macOS or uninstalling third-party security software like antivirus and anti-malware apps.

On the other hand, if your iPhone isn’t displayed in the USB section of the menu, there may be a hardware issue. Try connecting your phone to another computer or retry the above tips about checking cables and ports.

7. Windows Users: Reinstall the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

If you’re running Windows and none of the above steps have worked for you, there’s a likely culprit. The Apple Mobile Device USB driver can cause problems, so reinstalling it may fix your problem. This is often the case when your iPhone won’t connect to your computer at all, not just iTunes.

No matter which way you downloaded iTunes, start by disconnecting your iPhone from your computer if you haven’t already. Then, unlock your phone and make sure it’s on the Home Screen.

Now reconnect your iPhone. If either version of iTunes opens, close it.

If You Downloaded iTunes From Apple

Open a File Explorer window. At the top of window, enter the following into the address bar and press Enter:

%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers

In the panel that opens, right-click on either usbaapl64.inf or usbaapl.inf (only one will be present) and select Install.

While you may see other similarly named files here, you should only install the file ending with the .inf extension. If you can’t see file extensions, expand the View tab at the top and check the box labeled File name extensions.

Once installation is complete, disconnect your iPhone and restart your computer. Now reconnect your iPhone and launch iTunes.

If You Downloaded iTunes From the Microsoft Store

Reinstalling the Apple Mobile Device USB driver is easier if you installed iTunes via the Microsoft Store. To do so, right-click the Start button, then select Device Manager.

Scroll down until you spot the Portable Devices section. Expand this section and look for your iPhone. Then, right-click on the icon and select Update driver. In the window that pops up, select Search automatically for updated driver software.

After the installer runs, try opening iTunes and, hopefully, it will recognize your iPhone. If you still have issues with iTunes not recognizing iPhone connections, you might try completely uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

iTunes Still Doesn’t Recognize Your iPhone?

In the vast majority of cases, one of the above tips should sort out your problem. That said, your iPhone 18 Pro Max not showing up in iTunes or Finder can have many causes. When you’ve run out of fixes to try, it’s probably time to contact Apple support.

Does the audio in your AirPods keep moving from side to side while you’re listening to it? It turns out this isn’t a bug, it’s a feature: Dynamic Head Tracking. And you can turn it off in the Control Center.

Below, we’ll explain what Dynamic Head Tracking is and how to customize it for each app on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

What Is Dynamic Head Tracking?

Apple introduced Dynamic Head Tracking alongside Spatial Audio on the iPhone to create a more immersive audio experience. Essentially, it uses sensors in your AirPods to track your head movement, then adjusts the audio so it always sounds like it’s coming from the direction of your iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Dynamic Head Tracking is also available when you’re using your AirPods with Mac or Apple TV 4K.

This is great when you’re watching a movie: whenever you turn your head, the audio still sounds as though it’s coming from your screen, rather than moving with your head. But it’s not so great if you’re listening to a podcast with your phone in your pocket, when you always want the audio to be centered regardless of which direction you turn your head.

How Do I Turn Off Dynamic Head Tracking?

To disable Dynamic Head Tracking completely, go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods, tap your AirPods, and disable the Follow iPhone option.

This is quick, but it’s overkill if you still want to benefit from head tracking while watching videos or using certain apps. Instead, it’s better to edit your Dynamic Head Tracking settings on an app-by-app basis, which you can do from the Control Center:

1. Use your AirPods to listen to audio from the app you want to edit.
2. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.

   

3. Touch and hold the volume control to reveal more options.
4. Tap the Spatial Audio (or Spatialize Stereo) button in the bottom-right corner and choose Fixed or Off from the following three options:
   • Off: Disables Dynamic Head Tracking and Spatial Audio (or Spatialize Stereo)
   • Fixed: Disables Dynamic Head Tracking while enabling Spatial Audio (or Spatialize Stereo)
   • Head Tracked: Enables Dynamic Head Tracking and Spatial Audio (or Spatialize Stereo).
5. Repeat these steps for any other apps you want to fix the audio for.

Some Sounds Are Best Fixed in Place

Dynamic Head Tracking is a cool feature and it works well for movies and videos, but it’s usually little more than a distraction when you’re listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. That’s especially true if you aren’t looking at your iPhone 18 Pro Max while listening to audio.

Use this guide to customize Dynamic Head Tracking so it’s there when you want it, and not when you don’t.