iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

Delete Unknown Fingerprints from Your iPad (or iPhone)

A good way to maintain a secure device is to ensure no one can access it but you. Having a passcode that you keep to yourself is a great way to keep a device private, but a device that uses Touch ID may end up with a few extra fingerprints from unknown persons. But you might not have known that you can actually test which fingerprints are yours and which fingers they belong to! Here's how to determine unknown fingerprints and delete them.

How to Organize Your Calendar in 2025

(Sponsored Post) By Amy Spitzfaden Both on Thu, 10/31/2024

Apple is pretty good about updating its products, but it seems to have forgotten about the Calendar app and its many downsides. The makers of Informant 5, on the other hand, do not forget to regularly improve their app based on user experience. The latest updates to this calendar and task-management app are a productivity game-changer.

Social distancing during the Coronavirus pandemic is necessary to save lives, but it can be hard to adapt to an at-home lifestyle. We've already gone over some COVID-19 tips, like how to clean and sanitize your phone and other devices. We've also shared articles about yoga and meditation apps, as well as mental health apps that may come in handy during voluntary social distancing or quarantine. What about working from home, exercise, and shopping, though? Here's a roundup of the best fitness apps, shopping apps, food delivery apps, and more to keep you stocked up and in touch, and stave off cabin fever.  

Forget package tracking apps! Did you know you can track shipments on your iPhone without ever leaving the app in which you received the tracking number? If you’re worried about porch pirates, one of the best security measures is knowing when a package is supposed to arrive. Your iPhone will automatically detect tracking any tracking number that you receive in Mail or Messages. You can also use the same method to track packages from websites like Amazon by copying and pasting the tracking number into Notes. For an extra layer of security, you can add a unique passcode to Notes. With this tip, you’ll be able to set up tracking from any carrier. Let’s dive in to how to use iPhone package tracking.

For the 132nd episode, Donna and David share their best tips and tricks for staying safe and connected while practicing social distancing. This episode is a rebroadcast of a free workshop Donna and David led from their homes focused on how to use your iPhone during the coronavirus pandemic. Topics include iPhone sanitization tips, how to use telehealth services to manage symptoms from home, and apps for working remotely and communicating with friends.

Unblocking a number on your iPhone couldn’t be easier, thanks to the forward thinkers at Apple who knew that the handy block feature should not be permanent. That’s because it’s easy to block someone accidentally or unknowingly. Maybe you were blocking robo-callers or spam texters and blocked a contact by mistake. Or maybe you intentionally blocked a friend or colleague so as not to be disturbed for a period of time and now you want to undo that. Or maybe you’re having trouble calling a contact, or vice versa, so you want to find the blocked list and check to see if that number is on it. Here’s how to do it.

How Many People Can Be in a Group Text?

We know that group messages on your iPhone or iPad are a great way to communicate with several people at one time, but one question remains: how many people can be on a group text? If you have mass information you want to share with your contacts, you'll want to know the iMessage group chat limit. Here are the different carriers and their various group chat limits.

I am intrigued by the RoomMe ($69). Intellithings sent me a pair of sensors to try and I downloaded the free companion app. The concept is great, like something out of science fiction. As you enter a room, the sensors know you are there and more importantly, it knows who you are. This is done by syncing each family member's smartphone and optionally Android smartwatch (but not Apple Watch, currently). Based on "Charms" which are automation sequences you specify, it can turn on or off devices accordingly, adjust ceiling fans, thermostats, etc. The concept is great and what I imagine life is like in Tony Stark or Bill Gates' homes.

I always keep my iPhones in a case, and I've never broken a phone. And increasingly, the case I use comes from Catalyst. At this year's CES, Catalyst gave me an Impact Protection Case ($39.99) to try with my iPhone 11. In the past, I've alternated between the case company's waterproof versions and its regular ones, and they all have the same rigid perimeter that protects all along the edges, including where the Lightning port and speakers are. In addition, the new Impact case has a wide opening for the different cameras and flash in the latest iPhone 11 series. The Catalyst Waterproof Case for iPhone 11 ($89.99) adds a hard-coated optical lens so you can take underwater photos and videos while still having protection!

I like it when products do double or even triple duty. The less I have to clutter my desk or travel bag with, the better. The team at RapidX agrees and sent me their MyPort ($79.99) to try. It's a 10,000 mAh portable battery pack, which is enough to charge an iPhone several times, or you can charge a couple of items thanks to the USB-A and USB-C port and built-in Qi wireless charging pad.

Easily Use Your iPhone to Scan Documents

Want to scan a document on the iPhone? The Files app can be used as a document scanner where you can scan and save documents as PDF files to your iPhone and iCloud. Using the Files app to scan a document on the iPhone helps keep you organized by scanning, saving, and marking up documents from one location. Here’s how to scan a document on the iPhone using the Files app.

I am always on the lookout for ways to my iPhone's boost battery life. The folks at Eggtronic sent me their Wireless Power Popper - Ring ($39.99) to try. This portable iPhone charger has a lot to offer. First, it's lightweight, soft, and compact. That's important because Eggtronic designed it to attach the back of your Qi-enabled smartphone. Second, the wireless charging bank comes with your choice of grip: the Power Ring, a 360-degree rotatable ring, or the PopSocket-style Power Popper; you just have to decide which you prefer when you order. You can also choose from assorted colors for the fabric exterior.

When Apple decided to remove the headphone jack from its iPhone line, audiophiles were deeply concerned that listening to compressed Bluetooth audio would greatly diminish the sonic experience. Since then, iPhone customers have voted with their wallets by not only accepting the wireless audio change but embracing it, as the success of the AirPods indicates. Still, even though the audio quality concerns were overblown, the idea of sticking plastic cylinders into the ear canal was not only distasteful to some, it also could be downright painful for those with small or sensitive outer ears. Over the ear headphones solve this problem, but have discomfort issues, primarily when it comes to extended listening sessions. So when Marshall announced the second iteration of its successful Monitor headphones, I was cautiously enthusiastic. My review of the original Monitor was so positive that I wasn't sure how Marshall could improve on the original design. I was so wrong. The Marshall Monitor II ($319.99) are by far the best over the ear headphones I have ever used to date.

Join iPhone Life’s CEO David Averbach and Editor in Chief Donna Cleveland as they lead a free, live workshop on Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m. EST to help you stay safe and connected during this unprecedented time. With the growing outbreak of the coronavirus in our communities, it’s hard not to worry about the health risks that COVID-19 poses to us and our loved ones. Many of you may be wondering how to safely sanitize your iPhone, optimize your home office while working remotely, and stock up on essential items without leaving your house. Get answers to all this and more when you register for your free spot in the workshop.

Want to change the default Gmail account in the Mail app? To change the email on an iPhone from one default to another, you have to go into the Settings app. You can make a Google account the default email address, but if you have more than one Gmail account, this tip will teach you how to select a specific Gmail address. Choosing your preferred email address helps your contacts know that the email you just sent really did come from you and could save you from getting filed as junk. Read on to learn how to change the default email on an iPhone to a Gmail account.

Want to download large apps without Wi-Fi? Since Apple introduced iOS 13, you can download apps over 200 MB using cellular data. By default, your iPhone will ask for permission to download large apps. That can get really annoying if you have unlimited data and frequently download large apps. This tip will teach you how to download apps on the iPhone using cellular data without having to give permission every time. Let’s dive in with how to allow large apps to download over cellular data. 

The world is a chaotic place right now, and in the midst of it all, Apple announced a new iPad Pro with a 3D scanning camera, a new Magic Keyboard with a trackpad, and an iPadOS update that includes trackpad support. The iPad Pro 2020 is Apple's most advanced tablet to date, featuring 3D scanning camera technology for an improved augmented reality experience, as well as the A12Z Bionic Chip, edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, dual-camera, and Pro Audio system. The new Magic Keyboard's trackpad will finally go head to head with most Windows PC laptops, with its new cursor for navigating, editing, and gestures. Here's everything you need to know about the new iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard, including pre-order and release date, cost, and shipping dates. Let's get started!

In iOS 13, Reminders lets you group related lists of reminders on the iPhone. When you create a group in Reminders, you can bring together related lists under one folder. This tip will help you set up groups and get your reminders organized. You can even use this method to add groups in Reminders on your iPad! Read on to learn how to use the updated iOS 13 Reminders app to set up groups of lists on the iPhone.

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