Olena Kagui is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life. In the last 10 years, she has been published in dozens of publications internationally and won an excellence award. Since joining iPhone Life in 2020, she has written how-to articles as well as complex guides about Apple products, software, and apps. Olena grew up using Macs and exploring all the latest tech. Her Maui home is the epitome of an Apple ecosystem, full of compatible smart gear to boot. Olena’s favorite device is the Apple Watch Ultra because it can survive all her adventures and travels, and even her furbabies.
By Olena Kagui
The Apple Watch is an impressive and powerful device. Just like your iPhone, its software needs to be updated regularly for maintenance and bug repair. But what if the Apple Watch update won’t install? The following troubleshooting tips should help you when your Apple Watch won't update.
By Olena Kagui
Markup is a nifty iPhone feature that allows users to doodle, magnify, and add text to images and PDFs in the Photos, Mail, Notes, Files, and Messages apps. Whether you need to add a signature, insert text, or draw shapes onto existing documents or photos, Markup has you covered. With Markup, you can save time when signing digital documents and add your personal flair to your images. Here how to use the markup tools on your iPhone.
By Olena Kagui
Using the Podcasts app, iPhone users can download podcasts, create playlists, and organize them as needed. You can even activate picture in picture in the Podcasts app to keep listening while you multitask on your iPhone. The following tips will help you navigate your podcasts for the ultimate listening experience.
By Olena Kagui
An Apple Pencil is a great tool that can help you make the most of your iPad. It can be used for drawing and designing, or simply to taking quick notes by hand. There are many iPad Apple Pencil apps that help you explore your creativity and boost productivity. Check out these third-party Apple Pencil-compatible apps that will allow you to step up your iPad game.
It's important to turn off Activation Lock when you give away or sell your iPhone, iPod, or other Apple device so that the person who now owns your device can use it. Activation Lock turns on automatically when Find My is activated, so you may not even realize it's enabled, which is why many users don't realize until it's too late that they haven't disabled the lock. Don't worry: even if you have already given away or sold the device, it is still possible to turn off Activation Lock remotely. We'll show you how.
By Olena Kagui
Losing an iPhone or having it stolen can be an incredibly stressful experience. Not only is an iPhone expensive, but it also contains a lot of sensitive data. Plus, it is likely linked to your other Apple devices, which could put those devices at risk. We’ll teach you the steps to take once a phone is stolen and cannot be retrieved using the Find My app.
By Olena Kagui
iPhone app icon customization is a great way to personalize your device or hide apps by disguising them. There are two ways to do this: you can download a third-party app to change your icons or use the free Apple Shortcuts app to create a custom aesthetic for your Home Screen. We'll show you how to customize your iPhone icons using the Shortcuts app and recommend some great ways to find alternate app icon images.
If you’re thinking of upgrading your Apple TV model, you may be wondering what Apple TV you have, so you can figure out the specs and value of your current device. Since the set-top boxes look similar on all Apple TV generations, it isn’t immediately obvious which is which. Fortunately, there are several ways to know which Apple TV generation you own.
By Olena Kagui
One of the most visibly noticeable features of iOS 14 was, of course, the widgets and now with ipadOS 15 widgets can be added to your iPad as well. Widgets can completely transform the appearance of your phone or iPad screen and allow a level of personalization that was previously unheard-of. These third party apps for iOS 15 are not just pretty, they are also practical. The best widgets will give you updates and important information without requiring you to open the app. These are our top recommendations for third-party apps with widgets for your iPhone in iOS 15. Like what you see? You can add these widgets to your iPad or iPhone in no time.
By Olena Kagui
The default mail app in the iPhone and iPad has always been Apple Mail. While it is a great email app, users who prefer Outlook, Gmail or something else have been at a disadvantage. The new iOS 14 update, however, allows users to pick the default mail app of their choice. Changing your mail app will make it auto-open when you click on an email link while browsing the internet. This can make managing your personal and work email accounts easier, allowing you to easily navigate incoming and outgoing email.
