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iOS 18 Tips, Tricks, How-Tos, News

How To: Your iPhone Uses a Hidden Tracker to Keep Tabs on Your Recent & Most Visited Locations — But You Can Stop It

Your iPhone keeps track of every single place you go, especially those you frequent most often, and syncs those locations across all your iCloud-connected devices. People who gain access or already have access to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac may be able to view all of these locations to see where you've been and where you might be. If this worries you, there are things you can do.

AirTag Accessories: The Top Cases & Covers for Apple's New AirTag Trackers

After years of speculation and rumors, Apple finally debuted AirTag, its tiny Bluetooth tracking device, during its spring 2021 event on April 20. Unlike with Tile trackers, there's no way to attach an AirTag to an object, but there's an entire market out there for AirTag accessories so that you can put one on your keychain, bike, or any other object that you can't just toss a naked AirTag in or onto.

How To: Automatically Silence Your Phone When You're Wearing Your Galaxy Watch

Smartwatches are great for notifications. No need to dig your phone out of your pocket or purse when someone texts you — just glance at your wrist! It's great for driving, walking, and any other activities where you need to stay connected to your surroundings. Except it can still be a little distracting, depending on your settings.

How To: 7 Cool Features iOS 14.5 Adds to Your iPhone's Music App — For Apple Music & Your Own Library

Apple's big iOS 14.5 update adds over 60 new features and changes to your iPhone, some of which are upgrades that audiophiles and even casual music listeners can appreciate. Whether you subscribe to the Apple Music streaming service or simply use the Music app for your own library of tunes, iOS 14.5 has a few things you should know about.

How To: Report Speed Traps, Accidents & Hazards in Apple Maps During Navigation to Help Out Other Drivers on the Road

Driving is anything but problem-free. Speed traps, accidents, and other hazards can appear at any time, requiring motorists to be attentive, quick, and prepared for anything. If you see something dangerous on your route that you want to warn others about, there's an easy way to do so in Apple Maps.

How To: Unlocking Your iPhone While Wearing a Mask Just Got Way Easier

One of the smaller frustrations of the coronavirus pandemic is unlocking your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask. If you have an iPhone with Touch ID, you won't need to punch in your passcode every time Face ID fails since you can use your fingerprint. But for those of us without Home buttons, unlocking our iPhones just got a lot easier — even if we're wearing a mask.

How To: Stop Apps from Asking to Track Your iPhone Activity in iOS 14.5 for More Control Over Your Privacy

If you're like me, you're not too keen on being tracked. So when an app asks you if it can track your iPhone activity across other programs and websites for ads or data brokers, the answer is pretty much always "no." If you're tired of choosing "Ask App Not to Track" over and over again, there is a way to stop apps from even being able to ask in the first place.

How To: 3 Reasons Why You Need iOS 14.5's New Privacy Features on Your iPhone

Many of us choose to use an iPhone — as well as other devices in the Apple ecosystem — because of the company's dedication to user privacy and security. If you need more proof of that commitment, look no further than iOS 14.5, released April 26, which adds new tools to protect our data while browsing the web and more control over the data installed apps collect on us.

How To: 8 Big Apple Maps Features iOS 14.5 Brings to Your iPhone

If you rely on Apple Maps to get around over other navigation apps, there's a lot you can do. Look Around lets you tour cities up close, restaurant reservations make dining less frustrating, and 3D view gives a new perspective of a neighborhood. While there are many more where that came from, iOS 14.5 just added six new features and changes you need to know about.

How To: 4 New Reminders Features in iOS 14.5 That'll Boost Your Productivity & Make To-Lists More Fun

Apple's Reminders app has come a long way. In the past, if you really wanted to keep track of your important daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, you needed to install a specialty third-party app to make it work. While those apps still offer valuable features, Reminders can get the job done for many iPhone users now. With iOS 14.5, Apple only sweetens the deal.

How To: Browse Privately & Securely with This VPN

If you're looking to improve your browsing experience, then a VPN is the right way to go. If you're tired of censored or geographically blocked sites and wary of companies selling your data, then a good VPN can be your answer to a problem that limits every aspect of your experience online.

How To: Apple's AirTags Are Ready to Preorder on Amazon & Other Online Stores — Get Some Before They Sell Out!

If you have no intention of getting personalized engravings on your AirTags, you don't need to shop on the Apple Store unless you have an Apple Card you want to earn Daily Cash with. Best Buy. Target. Adorama. B&H Photo. All of those places will let you preorder AirTags now but so does Amazon, America's second-biggest retailer, a good choice whether you have Amazon Prime or not.

How To: Delete the T-Mobile App from Any Android Phone — No Computer Needed

If you buy an Android phone from any of the big US carriers, it will come with several extra apps in addition to any apps the manufacturer preinstalled. It's all in the name of profit, of course. Some of these apps are from companies that paid the carriers to distribute their software, and some are from the carriers themselves, usually aimed at upselling you or perhaps collecting a little data.

How To: Learn to Design Games with Unity for Just $39.99

Game design is among the fastest-growing industries in tech. What once was a passing hobby or niche job has become a thriving industry with a huge variety of work. If you are interested in learning game design, either as a hobby or a profession, then The 2021 Complete Learn to Code by Making Games in Unity Bundle will hold some interest for you — and it's on sale for $39.99.

How To: You Can Learn a Language Together with a Friend by Using Babbel

Learning a new language as an adult isn't just hard because your brain works differently from when you were a kid. You also have to contend with having less time and energy to practice. However, if you're looking to add another language to your repertoire at a pace you decide, then the Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription for All Languages: 2-Pack will be a useful tool for you.

How To: Update Your iPhone Calculator's Look with These Easy Color Mods

If you're anything like me, you use the Calculator app on your iPhone like fifty times a day, and you're sick of the same user interface it's had since iOS 11 came out. While you can't mod the button shapes and sizes, there is a way to breathe new life into your calculations with some Calculator theming.

How To: This HomePod Setting Keeps Other People Out of Your Notes, Reminders & Calendar for Good

HomePod and HomePod mini are excellent smart speakers if you're entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. They even offer ways to protect your sensitive information from friends and visitors who try to ask Siri to spill your secrets. But there's an extra layer of privacy you can put in place to make sure nobody gains access to any important notes, reminders, and calendar events.

How To: These Top-Rated Wireless Earbuds Are Only $65

It's frustrating to go and listen to music just to find that your wired earbuds more closely resemble a tumbleweed you can't easily unknot. Cords tangle, are vulnerable, and make it hard to do so many of the things music makes easier — like working out, commuting, and cleaning. The Raycon E50 Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds are completely wireless earbuds that are on sale now for $64.99 — a full 45% off their regular listed price of $119.

How To: The Secret iPhone Dialer Trick That Dials Extensions Automatically & Navigates Automated Call Menus for You

Automatic phone menus are the worst. You call the number, listen to prerecorded prompts, press button, listen, press button, listen, press button, listen, until you're routed or connected to the right extension, directory, menu, person, or whatever. But you can bypass these automated attendants to get right to where you need to go by setting up a simple shortcut on your iPhone.

How To: Your iPhone's Display Can Get Brighter Than You Think

When you want to brighten up your iPhone's screen, you likely use Control Center's brightness slider to increase your nits (especially if you've disabled auto-brightness). But once you max it out, it doesn't seem like the display can get any brighter. However, depending on your iPhone model, your display may be capable of getting a lot brighter based on how you use it.

How To: You're Searching Your Safari Tabs Wrong — Use This Hidden iPhone Trick to Find Them Faster

I am constantly hitting Apple's limit of 500 open tabs in Safari on my iPhone, so it's safe to say that I have way too many tabs to sort through. With that many tabs open in the browser, it can be impossible to track down the one needed at any given moment. If that sounds like you, stop browsing tab after tab to locate the right one because there are hidden tricks to searching those tabs that make it easy.

How To: Make Excel Work for You with This Training Bundle

Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used tools in the professional sphere. It's also one that's difficult to master beyond a superficial understanding of how to input data. The All-In-One Microsoft Excel Certification Training Bundle can teach you how to make this multifaceted software into a time-saving utility, and right now, it's on sale for $33.99.

How To: Let This $40 Robot Clean Your Hard Floors for You

Keeping your home clean is an endless battle with time, motivation, and the easy availability of cleaning supplies. That's where the Hard Surface Floor Cleaning Robot Vacuum comes in. This magical device will save you time by automatically keeping your floors clean, never requires motivation, and doesn't require additional supplies beyond occasionally emptying the dust bin.