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
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.
By Olena Kagui
Long battery life and quick charging are two features that iPhone and iPad users like me enjoy on a daily basis. There are various ways that an iPhone can be charged. When your phone is on, it's easy to confirm that it's charging by checking the battery icon. However, if your phone is completely out of juice and you can't see the iPhone charging icon, how do you know if your phone is charging? What about your iPad?
By Olena Kagui
So, how do you find someone else's iPhone? While the iPhone Find My app is most commonly used to locate your own devices, you can also find someone else's iPhone using the Help a Friend feature. Below, we'll cover how to use Find My iPhone for someone else.
In this day and age, we keep a lot of personal information on our iPhones. Losing your phone can be incredibly stressful, which is where Find My iPhone Lost Mode can help. But what does Lost Mode do on iPhone? Lost Mode is a feature of the Find My app, which combines Find My iPhone and Find My Friends into a single app. When an iPhone is in Lost Mode, it will be locked and will display a custom message. At the same time, it will turn on tracking so that you can see the location of the device, even if your location services were originally disabled.
By Olena Kagui
Every new iPhone model comes with a screen that is more resistant to scratches and cracks than its predecessor. Despite technological advances, these expensive devices are still not life-proof. A damaged screen is not only unsightly, it can make basic iPhone use more difficult. On the other hand, there are certain drawbacks to using a screen protector. This is why many are asking, “should I use a screen protector for my iPhone?" If you're wondering if having a perfect screen is worth the hassle of choosing, installing, and eventually removing a screen protector, the answer is: it depends.
By Olena Kagui
While wearing your Apple Watch, you'll notice arm movements during activities like knitting, playing games, or even just waving might register as steps. Here's how to delete steps from your Apple Watch, which will erase the data and reset your step count closer to the correct number. You can't do this from your Apple Watch; you'll have to use the Health app on your iPhone.
