Update Responsibly!
How to back up your iPhone via iCloud or iTunes
8
Getting ready to update your iPhone to iOS 9? it's always a good idea to make sure you've backed up your iPhone and iPad first. Here's how.
Drew Kozub
"Siri, write a really funny bio for me to use for Mobile Nations" "Okay, Drew, here's your really funny bio: How-to writer, fiddle player, retro gamer."
All Articles by Drew Kozub
Mastering Wallet
How to customize Wallet for iPhone
2
Many different Passbook cards auto-update on their own without requiring you to do anything: Your balance will refresh on your Starbucks card, and if your gate changes at the airport, Passbook will alert you appropriately. If a pass isn't automatically updating, however, or you'd rather manually manage updating your cards, you can easily turn the automatic update feature on and off on a...
Mastering Passbook
How to access cards on Wallet for iPhone
3
After you've added cards to Passbook you'll probably want to use them at your favorite places such as Starbucks, the drug store, and even at the movie theatre. To do so, all you need is your iPhone and the Passbook app! How to access and use Passbook cards on your iPhone Launch the Passbook app on your iPhone. Tap on the card you'd like to use. Hand it to the cashier or scan the...
Mastering Wallet
How to manage cards in Wallet for iPhone
2
If you've got an iPhone, you've got Passbook built right in. With Passbook you can add rewards cards, payment cards via Apple Pay, and more. Some apps even use Passbook as a convenient way to view information at a glance. All you have to do to get started is add a few cards! How to add cards to Passbook on your iPhone Launch an app that supports Passbook cards. Apps are all...
Mastering iCloud Keychain
Stop Safari from autosaving passwords and credit cards
iCloud Keychain lets you store passwords and credit cards for all your different logins rather easily. While you can always disable iCloud keychain altogether, you can also disable password and credit card saving not only individually, but on a per-device basis, and only for Safari. Perhaps you have an iPad that's used by other people in your home. You may want iCloud Keychain access...
Mastering Safari
How to set up and use Safari Reading Lists
10
Reading Lists is Apple's own take on a read-it-later service. Built right into the Safari browser on iPhone and iPad, Reading Lists let you save any articles you stumble across while browsing the web so you can go back and read them at your convenience. Because Reading Lists sync via [iCloud], that can be on the go with your iPhone, lounging at home on your iPad, or while you're...
iCloud Tips
How to turn on iCloud backup on your iPhone or iPad
1
With iCloud, Apple has made it easier than every to backup your iPhone or iPad. iCloud backups are stored on Apple's servers, so if your iPhone or iPad ever gets broken, lost, or stolen, you can rest assured that all your photos, accounts, documents, Health data, HomeKit configurations, and other settings aren't lost along with it. If you didn't enable iCloud backup when you first setup...
iOS 8 Tips
Send selfies faster than ever with iOS 8!
6
iOS 8 has made it easier than ever to send both photo and video selfies with the help of the Messages app. Literally, a swish and a flick and your message is on its way to the recipient! How to send selfies and videos faster than ever with iOS 8 Launch the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad running iOS 8 or higher. Tap on the text thread you'd like to send a selfie or video to....
iOS 8 Tips
How to leave annoying group messages in iOS 8
7
Ever been looped into what seems to be a never-ending group message with friends or family? All of us have been there and have desperately wished there was a way to stop the notification madness, especially when nothing being said even pertains to you. Luckily, iOS 8 lets you quickly and easily leave a group iMessage altogether. How to leave a group iMessage thread on iPhone and iPad...
Messages
How to quickly delete images in Messages on iPhone and iPad
6
Need to remove a whole bunch of images from the same chat in Messages? It's fast and simple!
Message Tips
How to reply to a Message using interactive notifications
39
When a message pops up on your iPhone you can reply quickly through the interactive notification bar to save time.
Security Tips
How to reset your iCloud Keychain security code
10
iCloud Keychain is Apple's approach to managing passwords effortlessly across both iOS and OS X. After you've set it up, all your passwords and credit card information is immediately synced securely across your devices. When adding a new device or replacing one, you'll need to verify with either a security code or phone number. So what if you forget or lose your security code? As it...
iOS 8 Tips
How to send a voice message in iOS 8
10
iOS 8 adds some cool features to the Messages app on your iPhone and iPad. One of them is the ability to send voice clips instead of typing out a long message. The person on the receiving end receives a voice clip that they can easily listen to. And if they're running iOS 8 too, they can shoot a voice message right back! How to send a voice message with the Messages app in iOS 8...
Accessibility
How to increase contrast
4
Increase contrast is an Accessibility feature that makes it easier to make out text and interface elements iPhone and iPad. While one of the modern design tenants at Apple is depth, achieved by layers of transparency and blur, for some people with visual impairments, it results mainly in noise and distraction. With increase contrast the transparency becomes solid and the blue becomes...
Accessibility Tips
How to enable button shapes on iPhone and iPad
3
Button shapes is an Accessibility feature that re-creates the outlines found around tappable interface elements in previous versions of iOS. While the new "naked" style button — plain text that more closely resembles a web link than a traditional faux-3D button treatment — maintains the same tap target size, it does make it harder to know exactly where that target is and where it ends....
Ultimate Guide
How to use Weather on iPhone
13
The Weather app for iPhone can show you a list of cities along with local times and temperatures. That makes it incredibly easy to glance at wide range of information. In addition to the weather for your current location, you can also add additional locations based on city name, area or zip code, or airport code. You can arrange all the cities in just exactly the order you want, and you...
Accessibility Tips
How to enable large and bold text on iPhone and iPad
1
Large and bold text is an Accessibility feature that helps increase legibility by using the iOS dynamic type engine to make fonts bigger and/or heavier and generally easier to read. For people with low vision, making text larger can magnify words without also magnifying interface elements. For people who need more contrast, making text bold can turn thin, hard-to-see lines into thicker...
Accessibility
How to enable on/off button labels
On/off button labels are an Accessibility feature that adds a more visible 1 and 0 digit to the standard white/green toggles modes on iPhone and iPad switches. While older versions of iOS clearly labeled toggles with "on" and "off" to help describe their state, that feature went away in current versions. Adding the text back with on/off labels can help those who are color blind or have...
Mastering Siri
How to check the weather with Siri
4
Most of us want to know what the weather is going to be like when preparing for our day. Do we need to bring an umbrella or pack a sweatshirt in anticipation of a chilly evening? While there are lots of great weather apps, sometimes we just want quick weather information without having to dig through folders. So instead, just ask Siri about the weather! How to get current weather...
Set up iCloud Mail, Contacts, Calendars and more
3
If you didn't originally set up your iPhone or iPad with iCloud, or if you want to use a different iCloud account than you do for iTunes purchases, you may need to sign in and set up iCloud outside of the initial setup process. In some cases, you may simply want to add an additional account to your device, you can add an iCloud account at any time via the Settings app. How to add an...